Undersee, king of the Spartans, paced the length of his tent. Boards had been laid over the sand, so that his booted feet rang against the solid surface, and the cold breeze of winter snaked underneath the large, doming white cloth walls rising about him, throwing the entrance flap one way, then the other.
The king rubbed at his beard and turned on his toes. Back and forth he went, back and forth.
About him the hustle and bustle of his army thrummed as steadily as the waves on the nearby shore, and he turned abruptly to the makeshift throne at the center of the tent. There, he picked up his crown. He studied the gold, gem studded thing and made a noise of disgust.
He threw it back down on the throne and started to pace again.
It seemed he would do so forever, until a man appeared at the tent opening, and told him that returning scouts had been sighted. "All of them made it alive and they have brought back one of the girls."
"Which?" Undersee asked with some interest. "The boy's princess?"
"Nay. Gale's woman. Katniss."
"Pray, send them here as soon as they reach camp. Call for Gale as well."
The messenger bowed his head and left.
By the time his expected guests arrived Undersee had placed himself in his throne, sitting tall and rigid, his crown resting on the arm of the throne beside him. He was an older man, but not too old to not be seen as a warrior. His thinning blonde hair was made up for by his generously sized beard, and his shoulders were broad for his lean, tall frame. No one would find the man caught dead in fine clothes. He only ever wore a warriors outfit. The only thing that spoke of his wealth and status was the flash of gold in his teeth when he smiled – which was rare for the stern man – and the crown that he so detested.
The first guest to arrive was Gale, of course. Gale bowed, as he was meant, and it was the low, strong bow of a humble and respectful young man, as it always was. Undersee did not even glance at Gale as he bowed, too used to his brown nosing, but instead frowned at the woman lingering at the entrance of his tent.
"Why are you here?" he asked her. "I did not call for you."
"I was with Gale," she answered, stepping inside, lowering her eyes. "I was hoping I could meet her."
"Madge..." the king began, and then sighed. He was a stern man and an unruly king, but he knew he needed an informed heir, at least. "You may stay, but silently. You hear me? No words from you."
"Of course," she said, clasping her hands behind her back and curtseying to him gratefully.
As she moved to stand beside her father's throne, Gale rose from his bow and caught her eye.
She smiled slyly at him. Gale had told her not to come, when she'd insisted on following him, telling her scornfully that it was no matter for young women and that her father would certainly not allow her to stay. The triumphant look she gave him caused Gale to scowl, before looking away.
He had no times for pampered princesses of Sparta.
He could think only of Katniss.
Over the past couple of weeks, waiting for Rory and the scouts to return, he'd never imagined the scenario he was facing now. Katniss! Returned to him! The thing he'd been working toward the moment he'd seen his beloved home Niuva crumble before his eyes.
How had it happened? Rory and the others had been given orders not to go among the Trojans, but to merely figure out their exact location at a safe distance. Was it possible Katniss had somehow sensed them? Or had she miraculously wandered far enough from Peeta's leash that she found herself in rescue's arms? What of Prim?
So many questions flashed through Gale's mind as he stood in the silent tent, waiting. They battered around inside of him like a ram, the anticipation twisting his stomach into knots. His gaze was fixed on the entrance.
When distance calls rose, louder than the usual noise of the camped army, he knew it was them. He straightened and he heard Madge shift around anxiously. He scowled again, momentarily, at the reminder of her. She had lit up at the news of Rory's return and the fact that one of the girls that she and all her people and her father had heard about was near. The fact that she was so eager to meet Katniss and Primrose irked Gale for some reason, but he could not place why.
The flap was pushed open by a familiar man: one of Undersee's generals; Cray. He was the eldest of the scouts that had been sent out with Rory. He nodded at Gale, and then bowed to his seated king.
Gale misliked Cray. There were rumors of Cray and women that made Gale's skin crawl and that went against all of Gale's morals, and the truth of the rumors shone sometimes from Cray's pale eyes. He was a slimy man, and Gale would never have promoted him, but he was loyal enough for Undersee.
Next came the Dorian Greeks Gale had sent himself. They shuffled forward to bow beside Cray. Rory lingered behind them, holding open the flap for the final member of their group.
She hesitated momentarily before she entered, then she stepped through and Gale allowed the breath he was holding to escape him.
It was Katniss, and any doubt over that disappeared. He stepped forward, around the bowing men and he allowed a smile to touch his face – the first real smile Gale had smiled since the loss of his home.
"Katniss," he greeted, and when her gaze met his, she smiled, too, though it didn't reach her troubled eyes.
He hugged her.
She stiffened but returned it.
Perhaps for a moment too long he held onto her, for he heard Undersee clear his throat loudly. When he pulled back, Katniss' eyes did not return to his face, but were glued beyond his shoulder.
Rory moved to join the row of men, bowing his hasty bow – opposite of Gale's deep one.
"This is her, then?" Undersee spoke.
"My name is Katniss," said Katniss, the sound of her strong and clear voice surprising Gale.
She moved forward, stopping beside Rory, and Gale winced when he noticed that she made no move to bow as they all had done. Katniss merely pulled the cloak about her shoulder more firmly around her chest and tilted her chin as she examined the king.
As much as Gale had liked the daring side of Katniss in Niuva, he had forgotten just how audacious she could be.
The king rose an eyebrow but was looking her over just as blatantly.
"Katniss it is," Undersee allowed. "I have heard much of you."
"And I do not know you," Katniss replied, in a curious tone. "You know me, but I have not even heard of your name before. Last I knew Sparta was lost and her people lost as well, if not slaves."
"Spartans are not slaves, girl," Undersee said, though not with too much hostility. "But you are right enough. Sparta is lost. Yet her people are not. You see them here, gathered under me with strength. We are still strong warriors."
"But are you wise?" Katniss said and Gale stiffened. He looked to Rory and found that his little brother gave him a helpless don't-blame-me look and shrug. "A wise king will turn away from here."
"You are a little young to be speaking of wisdom," Undersee said, narrowing his eyes.
Katniss was unfazed. "You're a little old to think of war."
"No Spartan king is ever too old. He would not be a king if he was not strong."
There was a decisive edge to that statement that Katniss could not have missed; a warning. Still, she moved as if to retort.
Gale stepped hurriedly forward, took her arm and spoke over her.
"Your Majesty," he said and tightened his hold slightly to let Katniss know she should address him as such, too. "You remember I told you of her guardedness?" He mustered a tight smile. "She is merely unsure of this, as any sane person would be. Primrose is not here, I see." He turned to Katniss, curiously. "Would you not allow her to come? Did you worry about what you would find here?"
"She stayed because she wanted to," Rory spat out before Katniss replied.
Gale reeled. "Prim stayed? You spoke with her?"
"Aye," Cray said, speaking for the first time. "She did not appreciate the rescue."
"That is not very becoming of a princess," commented the king. He glanced at Madge, his own princess, who was never out of line and whose hair was never ruffled, and who never disregarded his orders. Even now, though she watched the scene with excited, hooded eyes, she kept her head bowed and her lips shut. "She should be grateful that we have come all this way for her. And you offered her rescue?" The king tutted and rubbed at his beard. "Perhaps we will not send for her again."
Katniss, face flushed and angry, scoffed.
Gale leaned away from her, surprised.
"Rescue?" she said and sent Cray a look. "Perhaps you should tell him who rescued who. Then you will see who the grateful ones should be."
"What does she mean, 'who rescued who'?" Undersee asked Cray.
Cray sneered at Katniss, before he smoothed his face and answered his king. "We were scouting as asked. We walked for three days before we met a great forest. It took two days just to reach the end of it, and as we moved about the trees, three Trojan guards came upon us." He said 'Trojan' as once Prim's father had, as if the name was a slur itself. "Though we outnumbered them, they were quick to subdue us. I had not expected them, since there was no sign of civilization. As it turned out, we were not far from a main road that led to a town."
"Panbank," Rory supplied; he'd learned the name from Katniss on the trip to the beach.
Cray continued, "On this road they herded us toward Panbank and we were told we were being led to Peeta."
Undersee shifted on his throne and grew more attentive at the mention of the Trojan leader.
"It was near the end of this road, among the houses of Panbank, that we came upon the girl," Cray said, nodding briefly Katniss' way. "She helped our escape."
"Helped?" murmured one of the Dorians. He looked to Gale, asking for permission to continue, and Gale gave it. "Truth be told, if Katniss had not shown up there would not have been an escape. She was our escape. Not 'help'."
Undersee looked to Katniss. "And your side?"
"I saw Rory," she said. "I've known him since he was a boy. I could not watch him be brought before my husband and see him harmed. Not when Prim loves him so dearly. Yes, I helped them escape the guards and led them safely away from Panbank. They speak true."
"Then," Cray put in, before Undersee or Gale commented, "she refused our rescue."
Out the corner of Gale's eye, he saw Madge raise her head.
"And yet, here she is," the king said, pulling Gale's attention back around.
"Aye, she changed her mind the moment she heard of you, Your Majesty," said Cray.
"Why is that?" The question was directed at Katniss. "You say 'husband' and did not wish to come with Rory, the man you have known since he was a boy and brother to your... friend, Gale. Strange, no?"
Katniss stared at the king for a few moments and Gale could see she was thinking carefully over the words she spoke next. He felt anxious for her answer as well. The use of 'husband' had stunned him a little. She could not truly think of Peeta as her real husband! Not after all the hate she'd had for him in Niuva. Gale expected her hate to be tripled by the loss of her city and people. The fact that she wished to stay with the Trojans was... inconceivable. He'd worked toward this land, had pulled the attention of this most stern king, petitioned his cause as loudly as he could, all in the thought that the entire time Katniss was suffering.
I should have known better, he thought scornfully to himself.
Of course, Katniss did not just sit and endure her suffering. That was not the woman she was. That was not the woman Gale had known and admired throughout the years at court. He'd seen something more substantial in her than all the other woman he'd had in his life. It showed in the way she'd not sat idle as Peeta's abused thrall in Niuva; how she'd gathered those swordsmen for a rebellion.
Where was that her, now?
"If I am here, now," Katniss said evenly, holding Undersee's stare, "then it is not as a rescued girl, nor do I intend to be your enemy. I am here merely as an envoy, to ask for peace for my people."
Undersee was not happy, that was clear.
Cray and the others, even Rory, looked away; they'd known why she'd come.
Gale frowned at Katniss and pulled on her arm. "'Your' people are dead, Katniss."
"Gale –" she started, sounding wary and sad.
"Your people are dead beneath your home city, because of these Trojans that you are now calling your 'people'. My mother, my little sister and brother, our king, lies dead underneath the stones of our old home, due to the Trojans, because of that damned Peeta. He killed Thom. He raped you. He held a sword to Prim's chest and threatened to kill her." Gale's voice was not growing louder, but softer, more disbelieving, and the more he spoke, the more Katniss looked pained. "Have you forgotten?"
"No, of course not," Katniss said. "I haven't forgotten. The memories are always there, and I still grieve over it, but so much has happened–"
"You cannot truly wish for him to live," Gale said. "To remain unpunished…"
Katniss bit into the side of her cheek. "Gale..."
"You do!"
"Gale!" She grabbed at his arm and tried to pull him close to her, but he jerked back. "Listen! There is much more than you know that is happening here. This is not an empty land. There are natives here, peaceful people who deserve no war, no matter the Trojan's past crimes. A war..."
"You fear for him," accused Gale, harshly. "Or do you fear to lose the power he gives you? I had not thought you that greedy, but perhaps that was why you hovered so close to Princess Primrose. Was that it? All that time you followed her about and were her closest companion, did you envy her? Were you planning to slip something to her at some point, after winning her father's favor? Or just control her through that bond you built with her? To whisper to her behind the throne and be in control?"
"I have done nothing but love Prim."
A mixture of hurt, disbelief, and anger ran over Katniss' face, and her hand twitched at her side, as if she thought to strike him for saying such things to her, but after a moment she composed herself.
"I fear for none of that," she said, softly now. "I fear for you, Gale. For these men I see on this beach."
"For them? For me?"
Her face turned anguished. "You will lose this war, Gale."
He just stared at her.
"Do you doubt Sparta's strength?" Cray cut in, angrily.
Katniss' eyes flickered to the man. "No. I just know Peeta will not lose."
"And why do you say that?" Undersee asked, his voice leveling over the others and drawing all the attention back to where he sat on the edge of his throne. "Tell me of Peeta. I have heard all the Dorians speak of him, the rumors of his exile, and of Gale's thoughts of him, but you must know him better."
Katniss narrowed her eyes at the king. "You can't think me that naïve."
"Most woman your age are," the king replied easily, waving a carefree hand.
"I will not give away anything that could harm him, nor this land," she said, furthering the horror on Gale's face. "I will tell you things that a wise king should heed and turn him home once he hears."
"Ah," Undersee said, "but, like the Trojans once, this 'old and wise' king does not have a home."
"Then make it here on this beach, if you wish, but no farther south."
"My country-men are not fond of coasts," said Undersee. "Sparta was inland."
"Was," Katniss said. "Change is often for the better."
"My men tell me the south is only more plentiful and wealthy."
"And it is guarded," Katniss said. "You can want the land, but it will not have you."
Most of the men assumed her words were phrased as such to mean the people settled there would defend the land, but Madge, whom raised her head even further at what Katniss said, gave a confused frown.
Katniss turned her eyes for the first time to the Spartan princess. Madge held her gaze.
The two stared at each other. Madge tried not to balk, not sure what to make of this most bold of women. All the things she'd heard Gale say of Katniss flooded through her mind, making her even more uncertain. She was certainly as beautiful as Gale had implied. Madge herself was much smaller than Katniss' height and her limbs were shorter, more rounded, her face doll-like, lips red and eyes blue, and graced with the blonde curls of her mother; gentle, where Katniss was striking.
Then, almost uncertainly, Katniss turned away, and looked up at Madge's father. "What advantages do you have?" she asked him. "You are numbered, I see, but I can tell you that the Trojans have more."
"But we have not brought many women and children," said Cray. "We do not need to worry about the weak."
"No," Katniss agreed. "But this land is vast, and you do not know it. Winter is upon us."
"Winter always passes," said Gale. "Wars can survive over the wait. If we wait."
Katniss shook her head at that. "You cannot fight in winter. Don't be foolish. Even I know that. You could have brought food on your ships, but you cannot outlast a winter without stores of a harvest."
"All the more reason to take the land and to take these people's supplies for ourselves," said Cray.
"Desperation isn't enough to win a war." She paused, looking doubtfully at the entrance of the tent, and then said, "Perhaps if you make peace, we can offer you food and safety for the winter... but after..."
"Can you offer such?" Undersee asked. "Is that your place? I am curious to see what the Trojans will say to this invitation. You will risk feeding all my men, giving us shelter? What if tragedy befalls your stores? What if they are not enough? You risk your people's happiness and full-bellies."
"I would rather them go a little hungry, than bleed and die in the cold months to come," Katniss said.
"Will their king agree with you?"
"If I ask him, perhaps."
A small smile broke over Undersee's stern face. "Will he then? He listens to you?"
Katniss' guarded eyes, if possible, became more guarded. "If you love your men, you will leave."
"I do love my men," he said, and his smiled vanished. "I do not, however, think your threats amusing."
"They are not meant to be amusing. They are meant to frighten you, as all threats are meant to. I do not wish to see any blood spilt, but if blood is being spilt it will be more Spartan blood than Trojan. You have lost your element of surprise, because Prim knows you are here, and she will tell Peeta if I do not come back within a few days. If I do return, and you do not promise peace, I will tell him. You have no advantages. You have no chance. You are not facing a mere man, but a god. He will win."
"A god, you say? Is that what this man makes himself out as?"
"It is what he is," Katniss said. She looked to the Dorians in the tent and her eyes lingered on Gale's betrayed ones before continuing, "Ask anyone of how Niuva fell. Ask how he won his first battle against Gale. He is powerful. He will not lose against you."
"I find myself almost disappointed, Katniss," Undersee said, his voice pensive. "All these tales I have heard from Gale, yet you do not match up with my expectations. We were under the impression that once we got you and that little one, we'd have this victory. We'd have your information on the Trojans to fuel us and perhaps with that our winter will be led in comfort here, in this rich land. Instead, I find myself in this position... you are not a key in which to win, but the lock that will perhaps cost me the war."
Katniss said nothing.
"Men," Undersee said, not looking away from her, "see yourselves out. Madge... you, too."
Gale tensed and started to protest, but his own men and Rory ushered him out, Cray close at their tails. It was Madge who took a step away, then stopped and glanced back. "Father," she started.
He sent her a hard look. "You were given orders."
Madge opened her mouth, then, rethinking, closed it, and followed the men out of the tent.
Katniss drew her hands behind her back and tried to appear unshaken, though the king could see the discomfort plainly in her face at standing alone in the silent tent with him.
He picked up his crown.
"Do you know what this is?" he asked her, holding the circlet of gold out before him.
"A crown."
"What are crowns?"
Katniss cautiously answered, "A sign of kingship."
"And kingship is…? The strength of his people, right? The person who holds it all together?"
"Aye."
"So, I ask you again," Undersee said, tightening his grip on the object. "What is this?"
"It is your crown –"
"Wrong!" Undersee's voice thundered through the tent. With disgust, he threw the golden circlet at the wooden boards with enough force to send a few rubies and emeralds scattering. "It is nothing. I am no true king. The crown is an insult to me. You are an insult to me, standing before me, insolent and young as you are. I cannot king over any people who are not a people; for who are these people I command? They are not Spartans, not truly. They are brought low, and though not slaves, they are no better. They win no victories, they hold no land, they are untried in war. All the characteristics of slaves! I am no more than a glorified slave-owner so long as it remains thus. I know no slave-owners that wear crowns, do you?"
"No."
"No, you do not, because they do not. So, you must see, now, why I am here. It is less a call for rescue, as I am sure you already know, and more to do with pride. What are true Spartans, but proud warriors? How can I make my people Spartan again, thus making me a real king? You know the answer to that better than I. We are both Greek here, Dorian to Spartan, do you see no better way to regain the glory of Sparta but to once more conquer over our bitterest enemy, the Trojans?"
Katniss moved closer to the throne, looking as if she meant to put his frustration to rest. "I understand," she said. "I understand. But... Helen... is the past. Troy is the past. Leave it in the past."
"It is our forefathers greatest grievance, child. It is never to be forgotten. Now, I do not wish to see you harmed, nor any other Dorians, especially not Gale. For it was because of you that he has led us here, and I would not have found this wondrous land without him and I would not have known of this Peeta's wish to rebuild Troy. I can honor the fact you aided us, unintentionally, but know that I cannot accept your peace. War will come."
Katniss, who'd been moving closer, stopped. Before her feet sat the dented crown and she plucked it off the ground, turning it about in her hands.
For a long while she was silent, then, she said, "First, you will lose..."
As she trailed off, Undersee leaned farther out of his throne, to hear. When she did not continue, he stood, stepped the few steps down to her and put his much larger hand over hers.
"And then?" he asked.
She looked up, her eyes dark. She reached up and set the crown on his head. He did not move. "And then," she said, voice hard, "you will die."