The wind sailed through my hair as me and Breseis stood before the sea in a comfortable silence.

"Have you met Helen?" I asked my cousin.

"Yes. Why?"

"Is she worth it? The fall of so many Trojans?" I hoped she was.

"Nothing is worth this," Breseis sighed, eyes closed.

I placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Phoenix, Agamemnon requests your presence." Haemon, a Greek soldier informed me.

I hugged Breseis and began to walk to Agamemnon's tent.

"You'll be coming to the wall with me today." He ordered as soon as I stepped inside.

"Why?"

"So I can show you off." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Show me off? I am not your prize, Agamemnon! You speak as if you own me." I protested angrily. "Why don't you bring my cousin maybe you can negotiate returning her to Troy?" I knew there was really no hope of that, but Breseis didn't have to be here. He had me to bargain with.

"Hah!" He laughed. "You are absurd, Princess! As if I would give up such good leverage! I have two royals!" He carried on taunting her. "You may go." He waved his hand nonchalantly but still laughing to himself as I left, frustrated.

I walked back to where me and Breseis stood before but she was gone, I looked around but could only see soldiers. As I moved in the direction of Achilles' tent, Haemon, the guard charged with watching me came to stop me.

"Where might you be going, Princess?" He stood towering over me.

I sighed, frustrated at his intervention, this pleased him and he smirked lopsidedly.

"To enquire my cousin's whereabouts. Is that against the rules, Haemon?" I lifted my chin to look him in the eye defiantly but the blinding sun forced me to squint.

"You are a prisoner; you do not have the privilege of wondering around wherever you please." He stated.

"Then why don't you escort me as I was on my way to Achilles' tent. I suspect that's where she might be." I had him there, I knew most men were scared or wary of Achilles and the expression on Haemon's face told me he was one of them. He had no reply for me but I could see his eyes searching for another way to object. Evidently he failed.

Composing his face, he allowed, "Very well." And turned to walk beside me to my destination.

I had hoped for Haemon to allow me to go by myself at the mention of Achilles but being escorted there was better than having to wait around by Agamemnon's tent until he requested my presence. We walked in silence and I thought about Haemon as an ordinary man back in Greece and not a soldier against Troy and therefore me. I imagined that he could have a wife and could be a decent man; he had not touched me or struck me as many others would have at my defiance. He found it amusing and he was more irritating than anything else. If he was Trojan or I was Greek we might have even been friends. He was only my enemy by Agamemnon's doing and not his own.

I had been staring at my feet the whole time we were walking and didn't realise we were outside Achilles tent until Haemon stopped. I looked up to see Achilles talking with a boy who shared a striking resemblance with him, only younger. Haemon stayed a few paces back as I walked over.

"Achilles!" I shouted as I got closer.

Both of their heads turned towards me.

"Princess, I didn't expect to see you this morning. Is there any particular reason?" He asked politely.

"I was looking for my cousin. Has she not been here?"

"Not this morning. Speaking of cousins, may I introduce my own? This is Patroclus." Achilles motioned to the boy next to him.

"Phoenix of Troy, it's a pleasure." Patroclus smiled.

I raised my eyebrows at the unexpected greeting, it was surprisingly refreshing. "And to meet you too. Tell me, Patroclus; are you as good a warrior as your cousin?" I enquired, genuinely curious about the forward Greek.

"I could only hope to be."

"He will make me proud." Achilles praised. "But we will not fight today."

"Why?"

"Agamemnon has disrespected me. I will not fight his battles for him until I get Breseis back."

I smiled at his defiance to Agamemnon. "I respect you for your pride and bravery."

"We've heard rumours of your own protests to Agamemnon. Tell me, are they true?" Patroclus wondered with a smile.

I couldn't help but feel pride that the Greek's were talking this way of me. "Well, I do not follow his orders respectfully if that's what you're asking."

Patroclus grinned at my reply.

"Princess!" I turned around to find King Odysseus strolling towards us; I had already met him and I respected him as a noble King, warrior and man. It was too bad that he was Greek.

"Yes?"

"Agamemnon has begun assembling the army and wants you to join him on his chariot now." Odysseus informed me.

I sighed.

"You're going to the wall with them?" Patroclus asked.

"Agamemnon will take great pleasure in taunting Troy with their beloved princess." Achilles explained bitterly. "Has he requested Breseis too?"

I shook my head.

"She is his back up in case he is forced to give you back." Odysseus explained.

"Well, I'd better not keep the King waiting." I said unenthusiastically.

A short while later I was on a chariot with Agamemnon and Menelaus, the entire Greek army, apart from the Myrmidons, behind us. We came over the sand and the Trojan army was ready, waiting. Paris and Hector were on horses at the front, I locked eyes with them both. We stopped about half a mile away from my brothers.

As Hector and Paris brought their horses closer, Agamemnon ordered us forward too. Before we were at touching distance we both stopped. My brothers' dismounted their horses and walked forward. Agamemnon pulled me off the chariot by my arm and Menelaus and Odysseus followed.

"I see your not hiding behind your high walls, valiant of you, ill-advised but valiant." Agamemnon stated when we got to them.

"You have no business with my sister, Agamemnon. Release her." Hector replied, ignoring him.

"You have my wife, we have her." Menelaus taunted.

"Phoenix has nothing to do with me and Helen." Paris said.

"Even so, she comes in handy." Agamemnon laughed while stroking my arm.

I pulled away and Hector pulled out his sword.

"Do not do this yet, Hector." I warned.

He didn't move.

"Please brother, I'll be fine. Just let it go for today." I pleaded.

He slowly concealed his sword again but he was still angry. "You come here uninvited. Release my sister, go back to your ships and go home."

"We've come too far, Prince Hector." Agamemnon told him.

"Prince? What Prince?" Menelaus interrupted. "What son of a king would accept a man's hospitality, eat his food, drink his wine and place him in friendship and then steal his wife in the middle of the night?"

"The sun was shining when your wife left you." Paris teased.

If the situation wasn't so serious I would have laughed at his joke but Menelaus didn't find it funny; he took out his sword. Hector stepped forward to protect Paris.

"She's up there watching isn't she. Good, I want her to watch you die." Menelaus pointed his sword at Paris.

Agamemnon restrained his arm. "Not yet, brother. Look around you, Hector; I've brought all the warriors of Greece to your shores, I have two wishes, if you do grant them, no more of your people need die. First, you must give Helen back to my brother and I will return Princess Phoenix. Second, Troy must submit to my command."

"Don't, they have Breseis too." I told my brothers.

"Why must you always speak out of turn?" Agamemnon asked me, irritated.

"Why must I have to tell you more than once that I do not kneel before you?" I retorted.

"I should have you whipped for your disrespect." He glared.

"Not on my watch." Hector defended.

"You, against my army, Hector? I think not." Agamemnon mocked.

"You want me to look upon your army and tremble? Well I see them, I see fifty thousand men brought here to fight for one man's greed."

Agamemnon stepped forward. "Careful, boy, my mercy has limits."

"I've seen the limits of your mercy and I tell you now, no son of Troy will ever submit to a foreign ruler!"

"Then every son of Troy shall die!" Agamemnon declared and turned his back.

"There is another way." Paris spoke to Menelaus. "I love Helen. I won't give her up and neither will you so let us fight our own battle. The winner takes Helen home." He turned to Agamemnon. "And let that be the end of it."

"Paris, you don't have to do this." I was proud of him but this was foolish, he couldn't win.

"I started this war, sister."

"A brave offer, but not enough." Agamemnon told him.

Menelaus then whispered something to his brother; I knew he wanted to fight Paris.

Menelaus walked forward. "I accept your challenge and tonight I'll drink to your bones."

We retreated back to the Greek frontline while Hector and Paris went to Troy's. I stood between Odysseus and Agamemnon. Menelaus collected his sword and shield and put on his armour. At the other side Paris already had his on, he hugged Hector and began to hesitantly walk forward, and he looked terrified. When Paris was close enough Menelaus threw away his shield and began violently hitting Paris' shield with his sword.

Agamemnon laughed.

Paris swung around to try and hit Menelaus but missed. When Menelaus began striking his shield again Paris crouched to the floor, it was painful to watch. Eventually, Menelaus kicked him over and Paris' helmet fell off.

"Come on, Paris." I whispered.

Agamemnon laughed again.

Paris swung for Menelaus three times before he struck his sword. Menelaus then elbowed him in the face and swung his sword towards him which Paris deflected with his shield, Menelaus grabbed the shield and used it to swing Paris around so he would let go then threw it away.

Agamemnon clapped me on the back and laughed again, pointing at Paris. I pulled away angrily.

Paris swung for Menelaus again but Menelaus grabbed his wrist and bent his arm backwards so Paris used his other hand to swing around and punch him. I saw Menelaus spit out some teeth before he went for Paris again. During the clanging of their swords Menelaus managed to cut Paris' leg and he fell to the floor crying out in pain, he tried to drag himself away as Menelaus walked towards him. When Paris stood up again, Menelaus knocked the sword from his hand and punched him, knocking him over again.

I tried to step forward but Agamemnon roughly yanked me back.

Paris got up onto his knees and Menelaus rested his sword on his shoulder, getting ready. I looked away as the tears welled in my eyes; Odysseus put a comforting hand on my shoulder.

I looked up surprised when I heard Menelaus shout. "Is this what you left me for?"

Paris was scrambling back to Hector, I blinked and a single tear rolled down my cheek. Hector walked forward to meet Paris as Menelaus followed shouting. "Fight me! Fight me, you coward!"

Paris hugged Hector's leg.

"We have a pact! Fight!" Menelaus carried on.

"The Trojans have violated the agreement! Prepare for battle!" Agamemnon shouted, stepping onto a chariot.

"No!" I shouted.

"Agamemnon, what about the princess?" Odysseus asked, concerned.

Agamemnon ignored him.

Menelaus was still shouting. "This is not honour! This is not worthy of royalty! If he doesn't fight, Troy is doomed."

"The fight is over." Hector told him.

"The fight is not over. Stand back, Prince Hector, I'll kill him at your feet, I don't care!"

"He is my brother." Hector stated angrily.

When Menelaus raised his sword I held my breath but then Hector's sword came through Menelaus. I let the breath out in shock and relief.

But then I heard Agamemnon's battle cry.

Big thank you to cherish15 who beta'd this. You give great advice and I kind of have an outline plan but no concrete details. I know mostly how it will end it's just the details in the middle.

Until next time!