Chance Encounter: Pirate Kingdom of Troy

Disclaimer: I don't own Balian, Will, Legolas, Jack, Paris, Hector etc. I'm just borrowing them without permission but with every intention of returning them.

Thanks to Blackeri for making a trailer for this. You can view it here at www (dot) youtube (dot) com (forward slash) watch?vdv4MxFI0NuU (without the spaces). Hannon le, mellon-nin.

Chapter 2: Many Questions

As the sun rose over Troy, it found men preparing a seaworthy vessel for the two princes' imminent voyage to Sparta. Hector was overseeing the preparations and he wondered where Paris was. They were setting out as soon as the sun touched the top of Mount Ida and yet there was no sign of the younger prince.

"Hector!" The Crown Prince turned to see his sister Cassandra running towards him. Her wild curls were in disarray, as usual. The morning light accented the shadows under her eyes and the hollowness of her cheeks. "Don't go to Sparta, please don't," begged Cassandra. "This voyage will bring back nothing but disaster for Troy. I know it! I have seen it!"

Hector sighed. He was in no mood for another one of Cassandra's depressing 'prophecies', if they could be called that. He loved his sister dearly but there was no denying that she was mad. She seemed to delight in predicting death and doom. He took her by the shoulders gently and tried to calm her down. "Relax, Cassandra, it's alright," he said. "We're going to Sparta to make peace. There won't be any disasters, trust me."

"No, Hector, you don't understand!" Cassandra was beginning to grow hysterical. Hector did not want his sister to create a scene. "You have to believe what I saw!"

"Of course I believe what you saw," said Hector. He spotted Paris —finally— in the distance. His younger brother had to ability to charm any female creature, even Cassandra. If anyone could calm her down, it was Paris. At the moment, the younger prince was deep in conversation with their cousin Aeneas. Hector tried to beckon to Paris as subtly as possible. Thankfully, Paris saw. He excused himself from Aeneas and ran down to Hector and Cassandra.

"Sister dear," said Paris. "What's wrong? Has Hector upset you again?"

Hector glared at Paris.

"Don't go to Sparta," said Cassandra. "Tell Hector not to go. You can't go to Sparta!"

"It isn't really Hector's decision, Cassandra," said Paris soothingly. "Father made him, but if you're so certain that we shouldn't go to Sparta then I shall try my best to persuade our brother." He winked at Hector, who wondered how Cassandra could still fall for his tricks after numerous times.

'Life would be so much easier if I had Paris' charm,' he thought.

"Do you promise?" said Cassandra, looking Paris in the eye.

"I promise," lied Paris smoothly without so much as blinking. Cassandra relaxed considerably. She was about to say more but a fanfare announced the King's arrival. All of them dropped down onto their knees to greet Priam and his entourage which included Queen Hecuba, Hector's wife Andromache and their infant son Astyanax, and Ganymede, the youngest of Priam and Hecuba's sons.

"Arise," said Priam. His gaze was focused on his two older sons. He smiled at them benevolently. "Hector, Paris, come here to receive an old man's blessing."

Hector approached Priam first, as protocol dictated. The old king kissed his eldest son's forehead and whispered words of blessing into his ear. Priam repeated the procedure with Paris and then it was the rest of the family's turn to bid the two princes farewell. Andromache went up to Hector with Astyanax in her arms. Hector took his tiny son from his wife.

"Are you going to say goodbye to me, little one?" he said, smiling down at his son whose fingers were wrapped around his thumb. "Are you going to say goodbye to Papa?" He tickled the baby's stomach, making him giggle. Andromache smiled as she watched her husband play with their son. She took Astyanax back just as something pounced on Hector.

"Ganymede," chided Hector as he shook his younger brother off. "I'm getting too old for this. If you must annoy someone, annoy Paris."

"Hah! I'd crush him if I tried that with him," said Ganymede. "The maidens of Troy wouldn't be too pleased if I did."

At thirteen years of age, Ganymede was a beautiful boy. Paris was handsome but Ganymede was beautiful, and he knew it. Hector knew that he could charm women better than Paris if he put his mind to it.

"Well, go annoy Aeneas then," said Hector.

"I'd rather not. He swore he'd break my legs if I tried to annoy him. I wish I could go with you, Hector. It sounds like such an adventure. Things are going to be so dull with you and Paris gone. I'll only have Cassandra and Briseis for company. No more scandals, no one to annoy, what am I going to do?"

"Look after your parents, your sisters, Ganymede, and don't forget your nephew, oh and Briseis of course."

"I'm not a family man, not like you." Ganymede gave Hector a hug. "Will you promise to tell me everything when you get back?"

"I promise, little brother."

Balian hung on grimly to the railings of the ship as it was dragged down into the ocean's depths. The water closed over his head. Salty brine flooded his nostrils and then, the ship stopped moving and he could breathe again. "What on earth is going on?" he heard Will say. "I'm on land...what? How?"

"I dunno," said Jack Sparrow. "It don't look good though."

Balian scrambled to his feet and brushed his wet hair away from his eyes to see what was going on. The ships were safe. In fact, they were very safe for they were stuck on a high barren island beyond the reach of the tide. There was no other land within sight and t he only creatures they could see were a few lonely seagulls., wailing mournfully as they wheeled in the clear cloudless sky. The hot sun quickly dried them, leaving them caked with salt.

"We're going to die of thirst here if we don't do something," said Legolas. His long golden hair was stiff with salt.

"Do you see more land or other ships or anything, Legolas?" asked Balian.

"Yes," said the elf. "I see the sea."

"As if I don't know that."

"You asked."

"Lower the longboats," said Will. "My crew won't die of thirst and starvation but you will. I found you and it is my responsibility to ensure that you reach safety."

"What about me?' said Jack. "I'm still mortal, you know."

"You can come with us," said Will. The Black Pearl's remaining crew were already lowering the longboats. They could hear Barbossa shouting orders.

"Mr. Turner," said Will. "In my absence you are in charge of this ship and the crew."

"Aye, Cap'n," said Bootstrap. Balian saw the smile that they shared and wondered why it was the son who was the captain and not the father. It seemed rude to ask especially since he did not know either Will or Bootstrap that well. The Dutchman's crew lowered one longboat. Balian, Legolas and Will carried it down to the water while Jack carried the oars and a grimy bottle of dark brown liquid. Every now and then, the pirate swigged from it.

"What is that?" whispered Balian to Will. The captain grimaced.

"That, my friend, is rum, the vilest drink in the world," said Will. "I only have it on board my ship because for some inexplicable reason, my crew are addicted to it. I allow this one addiction because rum is a good substitute for gunpowder when one is desperate."

"What's gunpowder?" said Balian.

"It's powder which explodes when ignited," said Will, thinking that this was one ignorant blacksmith. 'Then again,' he thought 'he's French. I suppose that would explain it.'

"That reminds me; what's a gun? I think Jack tried to threaten me with one."

"Sure did, mate," said Jack. He put down the oars then took out his pistol to show it to Balian and Legolas.

"It doesn't look like much," said Balian, looking down at the curious metal object.

"Neither does the whelp," said Jack, jerking his head in Will's direction. Will pressed his lips together in a grim line. "Do not underestimate it." Balian was not sure whether Jack meant the 'gun' or Will.

"So what does it do?" said Legolas.

"It shoots out hard metal balls," said Will.

"Like a slingshot?" asked Balian. Jack and Will looked at each other. What sort of blacksmith did not understand what a gun was?

"In a manner," said Will, who did not want to explain the inner workings of modern artillery. "Come on, I don't like this place. I'm not supposed to be on land until my ten years are up and they are definitely not up."

The other ship's crew —or rather, what remained of it— had reached the water's edge and were pushing their boats in. The captain called Barbossa was sharing a boat with two contrasting men. One was tall and lanky with a wooden eye while the other was fat and short. A strange furry creature perched on Barbossa's shoulder. Will called it a 'monkey'.

Apparently, Wooden Eye and his companion were having problems. Wooden Eye was complaining that his companion was rowing too fast while the fat pirate was complaining that Wooden Eye was not rowing fast enough. At the moment, their boat was going around in a large circle but a circle nonetheless. Jack watched them with some amusement. "Some things just don't change, do they?" he asked. Will didn't answer. He was busy staring into the distance with a wistful look on his face.

"Oh, Elizabeth," he breathed, not talking to anyone in particular.

'Who's Elizabeth?' thought Balian.

"Ah, Jack Sparrow," said Barbossa as his two crew members finally came to an understanding and were catching up to the other boats. "At last. I've waited for this moment for a long time."

"It's Captain Jack Sparrow," said Jack, flashing a grin while trying to hide behind Will.

"Well, captain or not, you're in my grasp now," said Barbossa.

"Not while I'm under the protection of the captain of the Flying Dutchman, mate," said Jack smugly with a twinkle in his eye. His grin was as wide as ever.

"What ?" said Will, who had not been paying very much attention.

"Hush, William," said Jack. "I promise to tell you about your bonnie lass if you say 'yes'."

"I mean, yes, Barbossa. Jack's right," said Will hurriedly, not really understanding what was going on between Barbossa and Jack. "Now tell me about Elizabeth."

"She's fine," said Jack. Will looked at him dolefully. "Oh, alright. She's in New England now, and did I tell you that you're a father, William?"

"No," whispered Will. "You didn't."

"Well, now I have," said Jack with a flourish.

"I could've told you that," said Barbossa "and more besides. You have a son. William James Turner. He looks just like you and he and his mother should be managing well, financially at least. I share me plunder with them every now and then. Just gave them some gold not three months ago. It should last them a year or two."

Will was speechless. Barbossa was helping to support his wife and child? Who would've thought? Then again, Barbossa always had a soft spot for Elizabeth.

"Not to interrupt," said Legolas "but there is a ship on the horizon. It's sailing towards us."

"What colours?" said Jack.

"Colours?" said Legolas

"Flags," said Will.

"Looks like some sort of animal," said the elf, shading his eyes with a slender hand. "A horse, or maybe a dog."

Barbossa peered through his telescope in the direction that Legolas was pointing at. "It looks like an ancient Greek galley," said the pirate. He turned to Legolas. "You have good eyes, boy."

Legolas raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm probably older than your grandfather so it would be most inappropriate for you to call me 'boy'," said the elf

"He's immortal," said Balian quickly before Barbossa could take offence.

"Is he now?" said Barbossa. Both he and Jack looked very interested. Balian paid no attention to them. Rather, he was busy trying to attract the ship's attention, as many of the other sailors were doing. The blacksmith stripped off his outer shirt and was waving it wildly. He hoped that the people on board the ship could see.

Paris peered across the azure water. He could hear the oarsmen behind him and the sound of Hector's carving knife as he whittled a wooden toy for Astyanax. Paris wondered if he would ever fall in love as Hector had done with Andromache. The younger prince had bedded many women but none of them had managed to capture his heart. He frowned as he caught sight of something in the distance. A flag out in the middle of the ocean? Someone was waving it. Whoever it was, they seemed desperate. "Hector!" he said. "Someone's out there."

Hector stopped whittling and went over to look in the direction at which Paris was pointing. "Do you see it?" asked Paris.

"I think there are boats," said Hector. He turned to the oarsmen. "Increase your speed!"

Balian could see it quite clearly now. It was a very strange ship, unlike any that he had ever seen. There were eyes painted on its prow to make it seem like a living creature. Dark-skinned people manned it. The blacksmith stopped his waving. At the prow of the ship was another young man who looked very much like Legolas, Will and himself.
Cassandra fought the unease which lurked in the pit of her stomach. She could not eat or sleep and had not been able to ever since Paris and Hector had left for Sparta. They were still not back yet, which could only mean that Hector had no intention of not going to Sparta. She prayed to the gods for guidance but as usual, they gave her none.

"Cassandra," said a cheerful voice. She glanced around to see her brother Ganymede. He was dressed in civilian clothing.

"Ganymede? Where are you going?" she asked. Her unease increased.

"Just down to the beach. I want to explore some of the caves," said the youngest prince. At the mention of the word 'caves', Cassandra saw a flash of red before her eyes.

Ganymede, don't go down to the caves," she said. "Something's there..."

"Oh no, not another prophecy," groaned Ganymede. He made to leave.

"No, listen to me..." began Cassandra, but her brother was already gone.

Calchas listened to the messenger's reply from Agamemnon. Menelaus had refused to have Hector murdered, calling it dishonourable and cowardly. He pondered his problem in the gloom of the cave. The sound of the sea echoed. He fancied that Poseidon was speaking to him. Either way, Hector would die; he just preferred to have him die in Sparta so that Menelaus could be held responsible, thus shifting the blame. "If Menelaus won't do it, then we must think of something else..." began the High Priest.
A/N: Love it? Hate it? Have something to tell me? Reviews please.

Aeneas — cousin of Hector and Paris

Astyanax — Hector and Andromache's son.

Cassandra — younger sister of Hector and Paris. She's a seer but she's been cursed so no one believes her and thinks she's mad.

Ganymede — younger brother of Hector and Paris.

Hecuba — mother of Hector, Paris, Ganymede, Cassandra.