A/N: Sorry for the wait!
Back to Craig~
Enjoy!
We stare down at the worn edges of Clyde's map and scowl a bit at it. This has been us for the past few weeks. Just sitting around and trying to figure out just what the hell we're actually going to do once we get to Troy.
"They won't be far behind us," Damien comments, leaning back against the mast of the ship behind him and crossing his arms. "A few weeks or so."
"Is that enough time to earn Troy's trust?" I question.
"I'm sure that they'll be willing to accept more militia help for the situation at hand," Clyde says.
"No, we cannot tell them of Kyle's escape," Damien jumps, slamming his hand down on the crate our map is laid upon.
Clyde and I raise our brows at each other before looking back up at him. "Why not?" Clyde asks.
"Because you idiots," he rolls his ruby eyes and sighs. "If they know that Kyle is on the way, that'll give them time to think about what to do. They may just send Kyle right back home to save their people."
"You really think that?" I ask.
"Okay...maybe not," he shrugs. "But let's just leave this up to surprise, huh?"
Clyde leans back on his seat and stares at Damien. "Damien, explain this to us," he commands. "Don't you believe that the Trojans deserve the warning that they're about to be thrown into war?"
He scowls and stares us down. "Look. Everyone knows about the rumors of what happened to Kyle, correct?"
"The basics, yeah," I cock my brow.
He comes up and sits down next to us, looking between the two of us. "Well, the rulers of Troy? They knew Kyle before the...incident," he shrugs.
"How?" Clyde wonders.
"They were his servants...and from what the oracle told me...his best friends at the time."
I pause for a moment before scowling. "You mean to tell us that we're just gonna let them think that the world is right and celebrate the return of the man who's essentially a piece of bait?"
Damien sighs and nods. "It's not the best of options, but it's a good idea. Let the men focus on training, not on fear and enjoying their last moments with their family. You'll just have to use influence. Clyde, you can tell them that you fear your country may be falling into a war and could use the assistance of someone and are hoping for them to come to your aide."
"Oh yes," Clyde drawls. "That'll go well. The king of Ithaca came all the way to Troy of all places for assistance."
"They're neutral territory," he shrugs. "Maybe you're unsure of the actions of other lands and just wanted to go somewhere where you believed you could start trusts anew."
"You've put a lot of thought into this," Clyde smirks.
"Well, it is war, King-boy," he chuckles. "I believe that it calls for at least a bit of planning, wouldn't you say?"
I rub my eyes slightly and shake my head. "I think I want more than anyone for there to be some action going on but Troy is no where near prepared to take on the Spartan armada."
We all look up as footsteps approach us and find Pip staring at us with a smile over his pale face. "Well, perhaps they'll prove you wrong, Craig," he suggests, sitting next to me on an overturned crate.
"I doubt it," I mutter, leaning my chin into my palm. "Clyde, you're a king. Do you think that your men would be able to do it should they of had to?"
He looks up in thought for a moment before returning his gaze back to me and shrugging. "I'm not sure. Ithaca has a pretty damn good defensive...but Spartans are trained for blood nowadays."
"So then the Trojans are basically just plates of freshly slaughtered cow carcasses calling out to them, aren't they?" I drawl out sarcastically before standing and pacing around our little setting.
"Oh, Craig," Pip sighs. "I'm quite sure that the Trojans will be able to hold their own. From what Damien has said, they are quite fond of Kyle of Sparta. Perhaps their caring for him will lend them a hand in the conquest, hm?"
"I very highly doubt that, Pip," I roll my eyes. I may have never been in a war, but I know my way around battles. Even defending people or fighting so strongly for what you care about doesn't make much of a difference. If you're weaker than your enemy, chances are that you will fall.
"Why, with us all at the front lines," he prattles on excitedly, "We're sure to at least make a dent in Sparta's armor, hm?" he grins.
This stops the rest of us and we look at each other before redirecting our attention to the boy in front of us.
"Us, you say?" Damien raises his brow amusedly.
"Well, you do plan on fighting, do you not, Damien?" he asks. "With your powers, you'd be sure to give those Spartans what for!"
"I...don't think that's what he meant," Clyde winces.
"Pip, you're not fighting," I state blatantly. His face falls into a cute little pout as he stares with his glassy, gray eyes.
"But...but you've trained me..." he says softly.
"Not much. You're no where near ready for war, I'll tell you that much," I say firmly. "You'll be staying in the palace and protecting citizens in case some stray Spartans happen to break into the Trojan wall."
His brows furrow slightly and he bites his lip. "I don't want to just protect the citizens like that! I want to fight, too!"
"Pip, you're not ready!" I slam my hands on the crate similarly to Damien and they all jump slightly. "Listen to me," I say lowly. "If you can prove that you can hold your own in battle, then by all means, you can fight. But you better be training your heart out every day until the Spartans get there. Do you understand me?"
He stares at me for a moment before his face falls into determination and he nods sharply. "Very well, Craig. If that's what I have to do then I will."
I can see Damien and Clyde smirking out of the corner of my eye and I feel a wave of regret washing over me. I know Pip well enough to know that he will go good on his promise and train with the army all he can before the war starts. Who knows? He could surprise me.
I doubt it, but with all the insanity going on lately, I'm willing to believe just about anything could happen.
"So, once we get onto Trojan territory, what are we going to tell people to let us in?" Damien breaks the tension.
"Well...like you said," Clyde starts, "We can claim that I may need some assistance for Ithaca and I'm willing to trade help for economic resources since you did say they were struggling, correct?"
"Yeah," Damien nods. "What of you, Craig?"
"We can say that he was one of Ithaca's militia leaders," Clyde suggests. "Tell them that he wants to be sure that their army can stand up in the face of adversity against Ithaca."
"You do know that I've no idea of Ithaca's battle strategies or anything of the sort, correct?" I raise my brow.
"That's not important," Clyde sighs. "The important thing is that we get you in there and get you training their troops and working with their militia leader so they can fight at their best when the time comes. We haven't got much time to work with so we need you to be up there at all times taking charge of the situation or at least have it so you have their leader by your strings."
"That may be easier said than done," Damien says quietly. "Don't forget, Troy's general is also their prince. The smart prince, anyways," he rolls his eyes.
"But you said he's not the best in combat, correct?" I ask.
"I said he's not the best in the world, but Trojan wise, he's excellent with a sword," he states. "You may just have to work on the note of influence, not overtaking command of the army."
I nod sharply. "I think I can manage that."
"What of the citizens, though?" Pip asks, looking at us all. "Do you not think they'll find it odd or even hate us because we came to them wanting to thrust them into war?"
"That'll be up to the kings to address," I say. "They'll have to be responsible for assuring the people of Troy all that they can. We're not there to comfort people, we're there to take command and get them ready for combat."
Clyde nods softly, "I'll work with the kings and see what I can do." He rubs his forehead and sighs tiredly. "I have a feeling this isn't going to be a simple brawl."
"It's a war," Damien chuckles, "of course it won't be."
"I have to say...," Clyde continues, "This seems...unbefitting for Kyle to be doing."
"How so, King Clyde?" Pip cocks his head.
He looks at him with somber brown eyes and shrugs. "He may have been reduced to a whore but in all technicality, he is still royalty. Royalty has no right running from their land."
I scoff and shake my head at him. "Thought starting wars and slaying innocents was what you royal jackasses do best," I state before turning on my heel and walking towards the side of the ship. I hear him murmuring to Damien and Pip but pay him no mind as I lean over the side of the ship and stare at the waves beneath us crashing against the hull as the oars swing rhythmically beneath the blue.
All I want to do is get off this ship and get started on this battle. The waiting is the worst part. I need to see Troy's army. I need to see if we stand even the slightest chance against Sparta...But then again at that point, I doubt it'll really matter.
Someone comes up beside me but I keep my focus on the roaring ocean.
"Still that hateful of authority, hm?" Clyde's voice looms over me as he leans down beside me.
"Not fond of it, no," I shake my head, tapping my knuckles against the railing under us.
He's silent for a moment before he sighs. "What's your goal here, Craig? Why are you fighting?"
I pause and look at him, finding questioning eyes staring back at me and tearing my gaze away. "I want to be known," I say quietly. "All my life I've been a side-show attraction for washed up sailors. Demonstrating strength, gathering food for them and all that," I shake my head again, my raven hair brushing my forehead. "I deserve more than that."
"Perhaps," he muses. "Or...perhaps you don't."
"Excuse me?" I narrow my eyes.
"Your only goal here is to be famous, hm? What is fame without honor?"
"You believe me to be dishonorable?" I scowl at him. "If I was, I would just toss you over the side of this boat and never look back."
He chuckles and looks at me again with softer eyes. "I never said that. However, if that's your only goal, with no indication of who's side your on or anything of the sort...well...people may not look back and remember that episode of you very fondly. Being a good warrior is one thing, Craig. Being able to hold up that title with quiet dignity in the mass of chaos...that's an entirely different story," he pats my back before turning back around and heading over towards his crew.
I continue staring out at the ocean and can feel my stomach curling in excitement and uncertainty. I've no idea of what awaits us just weeks from now as we land upon the shores of Troy. I've no idea if this Kyle of Sparta is really a man worth fighting for.
All I know is that I have to decide what is right for me to defend; whether it be this whore of a has-been prince, my comrades, or perhaps merely my own nobility.
A/N: Sorry again for the wait, guys. Hardcore rut. You know how it is =_=
Thanks for R&Ring!
