The streets of Troy were nothing like the streets of Sparta. The women and children gawked at me from their tiny windows, while in Sparta any captive would be greeted by a mob of insults and words that would cause a priest to gasp. The thought made me chuckle, giving all of the citizens watching the illusion of madness.
"Are you always this amused by the idea of capture?" I laughed again, looking Hector straight in the eye as he led his horse to the palace.
"No, only by the idea of fear." The prince never bothered to look back until we reached the marble steps of Troy's palace. Deiphobus jerked me off the horse in a rude gesture, causing several common men to cackle amongst themselves as my gown road up my thigh. I mumbled a curse to their pathetic souls, but kept my cool composer as I was yanked up the steps.
"You are not required to herd me like livestock, you know. I'm perfectly capable of keeping a pace." The young prince only sneered and continued on his way, chaffing my wrist with every jerk. Hector finally took the rope once we reached the palace doors. Though his hold was gentler, it still had a firm grip of authority. The throne room was placed in the middle of the palace, which I soon discovered after traveling though several chambers to reach the King and his royal court. Once another set of bronze doors were flung open, I was pulled down to my knees by a powerful jerk from Hector.
"Father…we found this Achaean woman by the shore. What do you wish to be done with her?" I lifted my head and held my shoulders back, mustering as much dignity as I could. I examined all of the faces of the court, recognizing only two. One face, in particular, caught my attention. A young beauty with flowing gold hair and blue eyes; eyes that wove a spell into anyone who dared to look into them. Eyes that resembled my own in too many ways possible.
"Sister?" Helen whispered, holding a hand over her heart. "Alala, is it really you?" I gapped up at my sister, believing the mirage yet denying it completely. I nodded my head in a simple way, not trusting my tongue as hot fire rose to my face. "Oh, Alala! Guards, release her! Release my sister!" I heard a prince grumble as a cool dagger was brought to my wrist, and the tight ropes were cut; I heard the soft padding of leather sandals sprinting across the floor; I heard the screams of a thousand men dying by Trojan arrows, and the gargle of my brother's blood on his lips. As soon as the maiden's flesh connected to mine, my fingers immediately circled her neck.
"Stupid, little whore! Do realize what you've done!" Her breath was short as I brought her to the floor, forcing my weight onto her body. I could hear the protest of the other Trojans, but none of it processed in my brain. "Our brother's blood stains the beaches of Troy because of you! All because of you, Helen! Selfish, stupid whore!" My arm was nearly popped out of its socket as I was yanked to my feet.
"Enough from you, Greek viper! Perhaps it's time you've learned proper respect to royalty!" I looked right into the eyes of Paris, who has barely caught my attention before. His sword was drawn, and only inches away from my neck. I hadn't realized I had been shedding tears until I saw a droplet hit the ground. Shaking, I grabbed the blade and pressed it closer to my flesh.
"Go ahead, do it. What is another Achaean's blood spilt to you?"
"Alala! Please…don't do this." I looked down at my sister, whose face was now a delicate shade of pink from the lack of air.
"If I am to die, I want my blood to flow down the steps of this forsaken place; I want it to stain the white marble of these floors as an offering to the gods. An offering of myself to save my country from farther death. You have not seen what I have, Helen. Thousands of Greek bodies, stacked upon one another as their stench attracts flies and vultures-"
"Ah, please! No more!" I chuckled sadly, shaking my head at Helen's child like idiocy.
"I'm afraid it's too late, sister. The sand is already red."
"Enough of this! Someone clean up the girl. Take the woman to my chambers…I'll deal with her when the time comes." I glanced over at Hector, who had been giving the orders. I jerked my eyes away as my ropes were retied and I was brought to my feet again. Helen was surrounded by at least five servant girls, who whispered words of comfort as she wailed out of self-pity and sorrow. Hector lead me to the hall, where he glared at me with a fire in his stormy eyes.
"Are you happy now? The girl's a mess, thanks to your snake tongue!" I lifted my chin and backed out into the passage way.
"I am completely satisfied, you're highness. The pain I just inflicted to my sister is nothing compared to the pain she inflicted unto me." He only growled in his throat, then threw me to the palace guards.
"Don't you dare touch her, or I'll have your heads." I raised my eyebrows at the threat, but didn't comment as Hector returned back to the throne room and as I was lead down the hall. The guards, two in total, were starting to bruise me with their grip. Once we reached the chamber of the champion prince, I was thrown in and locked inside. Smiling to myself, I grabbed a large pitcher of wine standing on Hector's table, and took a long sip, savoring the burn in my throat. It wasn't until I finished a fourth of the wine that I sat down, and began to strategize my plans for escape. There was always the window, but that was surely a suicide drop, and I've used all of my favors of the gods. Of course, I could always fake my death. But what if they had some disgusting tradition to tell of a body was completely dead? Or….or I could possibly work to secure a certain trust among the Trojans. Wrinkling my nose, I shook my head. The thought was too vile to fully process, even if it could save my life.
I must of lost track of time, since I had drunk the three fourths of the pitchers by the time the favored son graced the chamber with his presence. He grabbed the jar out of my hand and looked down at me in disgust.
"Don't they give you any manners in Sparta? It's rude to become drunk off of a host's wine when you're not even offered it.
"You're not my host," I slurred. "You're my captor. So tell me, general. What is it that you exactly plan to do with me?" Hector gulped down the rest of his wine, wiping a dribble of the dark red liquid from his beard.
"Make you a whore, of course. It's what's done with all capture women. Oh, don't look at me like that! I'm faithful to my wife, you little viper. You will make a lovely addition to Deiphobus' collection of harlots." I cackled, sounding more hysterical than amused.
"He can only pray to Aphrodite. The gods will save me." Hector raised his eyebrows.
"Oh, is that so? Then why would they allow you to fall into our hands in the first place?" I help my chin up, crossing my arms in dignity.
"Not every gift is served on a silver platter, your majesty. Now excuse me, but I have to retire. I feel a bit queer…" Hector laughed as he examined the jar in his hand.
"Foolish girl, that wine was drugged by my wife's servant! She is quite the cunning one, always trying to seduce me." I gasped as a hot fire shot directly to the spot between my legs. Gasping, I crossed my legs.
"Let me retire," I growled through gritted teeth. Hector only laughed and set the wine down, moving to throw a piece of silk on the ground.
"There, princess. There's your bed for tonight!"
"It's queen to you!" I snarled. "And even the common soldiers of war are treated better than this! Why, when the king Diomedes hears about this, he'll make you pay!"
"Oh really," Hector asked in an amused voice. "I heard you were Achilles' mistress, or did he tire of you so soon?" I gripped my seat, fighting the urges racing through my body.
"Yes, he's now fucking one of your precious priestess!" Hector gasped.
"Such talk from a lady! Is this how the elders of Sparta raise their young?" I waved my hand away to clear my head. The thought of Achilles was enough to make my stomach turn.
"They will come." Hector snorted before calling a servant to fix me a mat in the corner of his room. Once that was done, he stripped of his garments and poured another glass of wine. I averted my eyes.
"Shouldn't I be placed in the dungeon instead of your quarters?" Hector's throat rumbled with laughter.
"Nonsense. I now know the true extent of your insanity. People like you shouldn't be trusted to cower in a cage without a fight." I sighed, realizing that the Trojan knew more about me than I cared for him to. I rolled over onto the hard mat, facing the wall and refusing to acknowledge the Prince's presence.