There was a strange tingling all over Alexios' body and when I touched him it spread through my fingers as well.
"He's healing himself," Apollodorus whispered, astonished, mostly to himself. Then louder he added, "We need to move now it won't be long before someone comes looking."
We tried to slip back over the fence unnoticed, but it's hard when you're carrying away a wounded prisoner. Alexios let out a moan as we tried to lift him back over the fence and, although it wasn't very loud, it caught the attention of a few soldiers standing guard around a dying fire.
"Hey, you! Stop! You're not supposed to be here!"
"Glad you agree with us. We were just leaving," Apollodorus cracked and he tried to shove Alexios and me over the fence, but I wasn't about to leave a man behind. I set Alexios against the wall and readied my bow. The Achaeans drew their swords.
"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Apollodorus warned, "She'll kill you faster than you can say can beg Apollo for forgiveness," but they just laughed and each took a swing at me. I blocked both but I couldn't have them attracting more soldiers so I shot them quickly and silently, apologizing to any gods who might want to avenge their deaths.
Carrying Alexios in my arm, we were greeted at the gates by a mass of flabbergasted soldiers. We were a sight. We were covered from head to toe in dust from running through the desert and I was also covered in Alexios' blood but I had a sense of accomplishment. A girl had done soldiers' dirty work without a snatch on her, or maybe not. I hadn't realized it before but now I saw the bloody gash in my forearm. I tried to step towards the soldiers but I was losing blood fast and the strength that had been with me before was gone and so was Apollodorus. Then a think blackness covered my eyes and I collapsed.
I woke up on a harsh rundown cot. It was still dark, but close to sunrise and I smelled smoke so I must be near a fire. The fire light gently bounced off walls of a small room. I study the room carefully, every stone and timber, until I recognized my old bedroom. I was home. Then I felt something in my hand; another hand, Alexios' hand. He was on another cot next to mine but it looked like he had been awake for some time because he was cleaned up and what remained of his wounds were bandaged. I tried to move but my whole body groaned in resistance. The other hand in mine tightened.
"That was a crazy stunt you pulled. I'm supposed to be your protector, not the other way around." Even with his words, his face had an expression of relief and joy.
"We promised, remember?" I was surprised by the mangled hoarse sound that was my voice.
"Yeah, that was dumb of me," Although his voice was upset I think he was more mad at himself for putting me in danger, "I still can't believe he helped you. I mean he helped you risk your life. How could he do that? And do you know how you were dressed? Did you want to be punished? And he helped you!"
"What are you rambling about? We're together now, it's okay," I reached for his face but he intercepted my hand.
"I don't deserve you. I …"
"I don't want to hear it. Go complain to someone who cares," and I kissed him. He pulled me close and we hung in balance with everything. In that perfect second the world came to a complete stop and allowed me to enjoy every splendid moment when we finally acknowledge the feelings we have kept buried away inside ourselves for so long.
"We can't," he stuttered pulling away, "The gods…"
"What gods?" but it wasn't a question. I was sick of his carrying on about the gods that don't exist.
"You need to rest. I'll wake you if anything happens."
"You need rest, too, you know. How about we watch each other's backs?"
He couldn't fight me, and if he did he would lose, so he gave in.
"Hector was killed," he blurted out of nowhere.
"What? How? By whom?" I couldn't contain my surprise. Hector was our best fighter and the prince he was virtually immune to death.
"By Achilles. It turns out, when Hector said he killed Achilles, he actually killed Achilles' friend and Achilles was irate about the loss of his friend and Hector's bragging so he hunted Hector down during battle and killed him.
"They ran circles around the city wall until Hector decided to face Achilles and, well… that didn't turn out so well for him. I believe Achilles still has Hector's corpse tied to his chariot and is riding it around, taunting the soldiers."
"Oh…" I was so astonished that was all my brain could possess. I did, however, remember Hector's bragging and how Achilles chased after Hector instead of finish me off. I also remember how I felt when I thought the Achaeans had killed Alexios and the fury that had been building up inside of me. I knew I would have done the same.
We combined the two individual cots to make one big bed and fell asleep holding each other's hand, so we would know if the other left.
I hope you enjoyed chapter 7 of my story, Promises. Please review if you have any suggestions or concerns. Thank you.
