Arianna slipped her armoured breast plate over her head, her brother had had it created for her sixteenth birthday, small enough to fit her frame and light enough for her to wear comfortably but the lining had been thickened at special request from Achilles, his thoughts were that if she would wear armour to battle, at least it would keep her safer than most. She sat heavily on her low bed tightly tying the laces on her sandals, a short while later she became aware of a presence behind her. Arianna spoke without turning "yes mother?"
"I have something for you child, as much as I do not wish for you to go to troy, your will is strong, it always has been" her mother's soft tones floated closer to her as her mother came to sit beside her. She had been beautiful once; the goddess of the sea nymphs, long thick lustrous black hair now streaked with grey, her face lined and wrinkled but her eyes still twinkled with life. Arianna turned to face her mother, who held out small braided leather anklet, a tiny White Sea shell in the middle. She accepted it silently, running her thumb over the shell before hugging her mother tightly. "For luck and prosperity" her mother finished
"Thank you, I love it" Arianna tied it tightly around her slim ankle, admiring it with a slight smile.
"stay safe my darling daughter, your brothers glory walks hand in hand with his doom and I fear I shall never see him again, but you, your glory is entwined with your heart" her mother riddled, she always spoke of the future in hard to decipher riddles, but once the meaning of her tale was worked out, she was more often than not correct. For the moment Arianna chose not to find the meaning behind her words.
Arianna nodded and rose bidding farewell to her mother before making her way down to the boats, the myrmidon ship with its black sail stood proud, and her brother stood prouder beside it, she smiled as she reached him, he held out his hand to help her up into the ship.
"I did not know you were coming on this voyage my lady" Eudorus bowed his head, his large striking blue-white eyes dancing with a hidden smile. Arianna hit him lightly on the arm with a laugh.
"less of the 'my lady' it makes me sound old" she smiled, Eudorus had been her friend long before he fought for Achilles, he was older by two seasons but his easy smile and infallible loyalty and patience contrasted with her dry humour and inability to stay still for longer than a few moments made them the perfect match. Achilles shouted orders for the men to set sail, joining the larger fleet of ships further out in the calm sea, they were to lead, and in Achilles eyes, they were to capture the beach without the help of the other soldiers.
The men began to row and Arianna grew increasingly restless. She paced the length of the ship, stopping to talk to the numerous men, some rowing, some stood equally frustrated by the cramped quarters, eager for battle. "For the love of the god's girl, sit down!" Achilles growled, bored at watching her pacing.
She rolled her eyes "I cannot sit down! I wish I was on Ajax's ship, at least he can keep me entertained with his sparkling conversation!" she shot at him
"Well if you weren't such an annoying piece of work, I would talk to you myself but seeing as you are determined to vent your frustrations by stomping up and down my ship, I fear I may have to rope you to the side!"He shot back glaring at his younger sister
"You just try it!" she glared icily, hands on her slim hips.
He went to move forward but was cut off by Patroclus pointing excitedly at something on the horizon "look, land ahead!" the Trojan beach was filling with soldiers and archers as they prepared to fight off the advancing Greek army
"My lord should we wait for the others?" Eudorus asked "Agamemnon's orders..."
"Who do you fight for eudorous?" Achilles cut him off
"You my lord" he said humbly
"then fight for me, and let the servants of Agamemnon fight for him, NOW ROW!" he yelled at his men, he began to dress in his full battle armour as the beach of troy came closer and closer, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
"Patroclus!" he called out, his cousin practically ran toward him "put down your spear"
"But I'm fighting the Trojans, cousin" he almost whined
"Not today" Achilles said shortly
"But I'm ready. You taught me how to fight!"
"You're a good student, but you're not a Myrmidon yet. Look at these men, they are the fiercest soldiers in all of Greece, each of them has bled for me. You will guard the ship"
"But this is a war!" he interrupted, Achilles just grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him close, speaking quietly so only Patroclus could hear him.
"Cousin, I can't fight the Trojans if I'm concerned for you, guard the ship!" he pushed him away and watched him storm away before he turned to face his sister, she raised her eyebrows, almost daring him to make her stay. "Stay close then, and for once do as your told!" she nodded and grinned brightly picking up her shield.
"I always do brother" she simpered fluttering her long eyelashes at him, Achilles scoffed and turned to face his men.
"Myrmidons! And Arianna" he added as an afterthought "Brothers of the sword, I rather fight beside you than any army of thousands!" the myrmidons cheered and he continued "Let no man forget how menacing we are! We are Lions! Do you know what's there, waiting beyond that beach? Immortality, take it, it's yours!" he finished with bravado raising his sword as the men screamed there praises, Arianna nodded at her brother, clapping her hands softly, smiling brilliantly up at him
The ship lurched sickeningly as it crunched into the soft sand. The myrmidons jumped down from the ship, holding their shields high to block the flaming arrows, some men were unlucky, struck down dead within seconds, Achilles followed his men, leading them in a large formation, their shields protecting them, Arianna crouched with them, her own shield struck by many an arrow, "on my command!" Achilles yelled, the men and Arianna broke off and the real battle began.
Swords clashed and blood from the Trojans was spilt on their sand, they were good, but the myrmidons were ruthless. hidden behind her helmet, Arianna looked like the advancing myrmidons, no one noticed her slender arms and legs, only seeing the cut of her sword as she plunged it into the Trojan soldiers, they were making their way closer and closer to the top of the beach, Ajax's men now joining the fight, his battle cries fierce and bone shaking. Arianna screamed in frustration as a soldier snapped her spear, she could almost hear Eudorus low laugh as she swung her sword high above her head and brought it down, skewering the man, a few moments of intense fighting later and a cry from one of the generals of troy could be heard.
"Back to the city! Back to the city!" he yelled drawing his horse around and leading his men back to the city and its high walls.
The myrmidon cheered standing on the steps of Apollo's temple, she dragged her helmet from her head and wiped away a splatter of blood from her cheek, Arianna's eyes swept critically over the men, checking for injuries, when she was satisfied there were only a small amount, and they were minor, she finally relaxed her stance.
"The sun god is a patron of troy, take what you want!" Achilles told his men, they cheered and ran inside, ready to ransack the temple of gold.
"My lord may I speak?" Eudorus said, slightly worried
Achilles rubbed the bridge of his nose "speak"
"Apollo sees everything, maybe it is not wise to…" he trailed off as Achilles swung his sword, slicing the head from the statue of Apollo easily, eudorous nodded.
"Achilles, if you have quite finished your desecrations for the day" Arianna smiled "I think the prince and his men are arriving" she tilted her head in the direction of the large group of men on horseback, riding ferociously toward the temple.
"warn the men" Achilles growled lowly to Eudorus "wait!" he held out his hand and was handed a spear, he threw the spear, his aim true, the blade sailed through the air slicing into the throat of the man beside the prince, knocking him to the ground. He was dead before he hit the floor. Achilles allowed himself a self congratulatory smile.
Arianna closed her eyes briefly before moving around to the back of the temple, she swung herself up onto the stone wall, where she had a perfect view of the beach below. Men lay dead in the sand, their blood already drying, and Arianna felt remorse, how many families's waited for their loved one to return, only to be handed their bodies? Tears threatened to overspill but she blinked harshly, hearing voices behind her, she instinctively crouched, her sword drawn, only to see her brother step out into the blinding light, followed closely by a man.
"those priests weren't armed!" the man said, Arianna was struck by how handsome he was, a face and body that looked cared from marble, stubble darkening his chin, large brown eyes and dark locks woven with intricate beads, keeping it back from his face. She silently climbed down and came to stand behind the man.
"Prince Hector, I presume" she whispered causing him to jump, he whirled around and she watched those deep eyes widen as he took her in.
"A woman?" he gasped, his sword dropping
"My name Is Arianna, and yes, I am a woman" she smiled, showing her white teeth, the young prince could not help but raise a smile himself, she was beautiful.
"Go home to your wife prince, make love, drink wine" Achilles said, not too happy that he no longer held the princes attention.
"I do not have a wife" he said, looking straight into Arianna's stunning violet eyes, she nodded, went to open her mouth but was cut off by the entrance of the other myrmidons.
"Then make love to anyone, tomorrow we will have our war" Achilles finished, amused by the earlier exchange.
"You speak of war as if it's a game" the prince said, slightly disgusted "but how many wives wait at Troy's gates for husbands that will never return?"
"War has casualties, regrettable, unnecessary, but fate intervenes and we must find solace in the hope that they go to better places" Arianna said softly, her violet eyes filled with guilt, that she so desperately tried to hide. "Now go"
Achilles tilted his head sharply and the prince moved away, throwing a long look back at Arianna who watched him until he disappeared around the corner of the temple.
"My lord, you let him go?" Eudorus asked shock evident at the act of compassion from their usually unmerciful leader.
Achilles was silent so Arianna answered for him "It's too early in the day to be killing princes" eudorous looked at his friend before dragging his eyes back to his leader, Achilles sauntered over to the wall from which Arianna had been sitting and held his sword out to the thousands of Greek soldiers that screamed his name. He reveled in their attention. Their screaming grew louder as they saw him and even Arianna let out a cry of victory, swinging her arms around eudorous. "you best put your helmet back on Arianna" Eudorus said gently, tucking a strand of fallen hair behind her ear, she smiled, and took his advice, they made their way down to the crowded beach, where huts had been erected for them, the myrmidons were far from the rest of the Greeks, their huts already in place, their ship tethered in place. This was to be home for the time being Arianna thought and we better make the most of it.
