Smiling at Diane in wonder he said, "I think I just found something worth living for."

The Myrmidons were cooking breakfast when Achilles and Diane returned. A space was cleared for them and breakfast brought. Diane noticed the men looking at her warily. "It's alright, really. I don't bite," she told them semi-teasingly.

At her words the men relaxed. Diane smiled and returned to her porridge.

"Out of curiosity, what rumors are going about the camp about Diane?"Achilles asked.

Eudorus looked at the rest of the men. "There's the theory that she's a goddess, perhaps Aphrodite, come to bless us."

Diane snorted, "I look nothing like Aphrodite. She's a shapely blonde and I'm well, not."

Eudorus, heartened by her response, continued. "Then there's the theory that she's an Amazon Queen that you've captured my lord." Both Diane and Achilles rolled their eyes at that one. "It's said that she ripped Agamemnon's manhood off and it was only by the grace of the gods that it was restored."

Diane had just taken a sip of water and hearing this last began to splutter and choke. Achilles smacked her back as she gasped for air. "WHAT?" she yelled. Seeing the men's faces and their unintentionally crossed legs she laughed. "No, no, no! I did not rip off his manhood. I didn't go anywhere near his manhood. Thank the gods," she added to herself. "All I did was a spell to make sure that he couldn't have sex for a month."

"So you didn't eat it?" Patroclus said, somewhat disappointed.

Diane's eyes went wide. "EWWWW!" she cried out. "That is extremely disgusting! For crying out loud, I hate the guy! Why would I want a part, especially that part, inside of me? EWWW!"

The men laughed at her obvious distress. "It's not funny!" Diane denied vehemently. "I don't want people thinking that I eat-EWWW!" She covered her face with her hands to hide her blush and Achilles theory about her being a virgin was practically confirmed.

He wrapped his arm around her. "It's not so bad," he comforted. "Now the entire camp will leave you alone for fear of you—" Diane placed a hand over his mouth.

"Don't you dare say what I think you were about to say. I would never!" she cried. Achilles eyes danced with laughter. Realizing what she had done, she removed her hand and wiped it subtly on her pants.

Achilles laughed at her. Diane shook her head and went back to her breakfast. When she finished she went into the tent to change. Achilles joked with his men about the rumors until she came out. Eudorus's expression made him turn.

Diane's hair had been braided and wrapped around her head like a crown. Two smaller braids hung by her face reminiscent of her Anglo-Saxon forbears' war braids. But it wasn't her hair that the men stared at. It was the skin tight leather pants and vest that she wore. The pants molded to her legs like a second skin. The vest was short and exposed her midriff and ample bosom. She walked with a feline grace towards the men.

"Is anyone willing to spar with me?" she asked seriously.

As if they were one animal the men looked at Achilles. He smirked, "I volunteer Patroclus."

Diane looked appraisingly at the teen who stared panicstricken at his cousin. "I guess a lesson or two won't hurt. We'll be fighting in sand so that's a disadvantage for you. Come on," she ordered briskly moving to a level area.

Patroclus, who still had the vision of Amazon warriors going through his head, followed along with the rest of the men.

Diane looked at Patroclus seriously. "Repeat after me. 'I swear by the River Styx to not in any way use the lessons I am about to receive in forcing a woman. If I do may the gods boil the blood in my veins and may Artemis use my genitals as target practice'."

Patroclus looked shocked at the idea of forcing a woman. He readily repeated the oath to the approval of his mentors. Diane nodded and said simply, "Attack me."

Patroclus looked to his cousin for permission. Diane took the opportunity and struck him a blow that knocked him back several paces. She raised her voice so the rest of the men could hear. "Do not look at your cousin. Every time you turn your attention away from your opponent is a chance for them to kill you."

The youth blushed and swung at Diane in a roundhouse blow which she quickly ducked. He immediately followed it with another that she ducked again. Diane went in low, hooking her foot around his and dumping him to the ground. There she quickly straddled his back and twisted his arm around, threatening to break it. Patroclus refused to cry out and Diane realized what she had forgotten. "Slap the ground three times to be let up," she instructed. He did so frantically.

Diane let the boy up. "You are bigger and stronger than I am. I can't match you physically so I need to find another way," she lectured. The Myrmidons listened attentively, not caring that the advice came from a woman. Fighting was fighting after all. "I know better to let you get your hands on me. So I dodge and I find the places that you're not paying attention to. What is the thing you need to know the most?"

Patroclus shrugged and was taken aback when the woman screamed, "CONSTANT VIGILANCE! Don't let your guard down for a second! Know your blind spots and keep them safe! Now attack me again."

Diane was pleased to see that Patroclus took her advice to heart. He was prepared when she dodged and guarded his legs against attack. Diane did a rolling dive behind him and kicked him between the shoulders. He tumbled to the ground, wheezing. From there she showed him how to keep his balance and how to throw a punch properly. "Thumb inside the fist, otherwise you break it," she told him. "Use the first two knuckles. I want you to practice hitting things, rocks, and shields, build up calluses on those two knuckles." She showed him her calluses. "I can hit a solid metal breastplate without bruising the bone."

By the time an hour had passed Patroclus and Diane had worked up a sweat. Diane declared an end to the impromptu lesson and headed back to the tent. The Myrmidons talked excitedly amongst themselves about the new techniques they'd learned.