Later that day, when the dust of the battle had settled, both peoples gathered their dead with the intention of giving them a worthy funeral, after all, they had died for their homelands and that alone was worthy of a place in the Elysium.
As soon as Alessandra had arrived at the palace with Hector, her family gathered around them, thanking the gods for not taking them too!
"My children, welcome back home," said Priam, his royal robes brushing the light ground as he kissed her cheeks.
Alessandra smiled fondly, watching as her father spoke to Hector with a relieved expression on his tired face. He was relieved for not having to bury two of his children that day. The princess's eyes went through all the figures, but the one she wanted to see was not there.
"Where's Cassandra?"
"She decided to stay in your room awaiting your return," Andromache had said after lovingly kissing her husband with their little son babbling in her arms.
"I'm glad you're okay," Helen had told her, her cheeks flushed and a shy expression on her handsome face. The princess of that land had never been envious of Helen like many others, but she still wanted to see her punished by the divine arts. "The gods have heard my prayers!"
"Apparently." Alessandra said dryly. "But none of this would have happened had it not been for you, woman of Sparta."
"Alessandra!" Exclaimed Paris, seeing the expression of pain his lover.
"What, Paris?" Alessandra asked, with cold eyes . She did not scream but with blood on her face and armor, she had never looked more frightening than at that moment, her red-tinged sword tingling whenever she moved. "I may have forgiven you, brother, after all you are blood of my blood, but her? This woman who did nothing but run away from her responsibilities? Forgiven her, never! "
"Calm down, sister," Hector murmured into her ear.
"Don't ask me to calm down, Hector! We may have won this battle but we have not won the war that this woman caused! "
"I'm more than a woman!" Helen shouted, surprising the others with the scorn she had in her nymph's voice. "I am a queen!"
The silence lasted for a few seconds, all eyes fixed on the golden-haired beauty. Paris frowned, shocked at Helen's reaction.
But the silence was short. Alessandra laughed, and laughed, and laughed once more.
She sneered, "Queen? Oh Helen, don't fool yourself, you stopped being a queen when you left your husband. Tell me, was it easy to leave your daughter, Hermione, too? She must be very young, should not be more than ten summers, correct? She still needs her mother. "
"Do not talk about her, you ...!"
"You...?" Alessandra teased, enjoying what was going to happen. Smiling, she disdained: "Go on, woman of Sparta."
Helen straightened, trying to make herself superior. She looked at Paris, who tried to stop her knowing that his sister was not kidding, but she continued: "You whore!"
And it was then that Alessandra roared, rushing forward and with a force that Helen did not expect (after all, she always thought that Paris would interpose between them if something like that happened), had been pushed against the stone wall, with a strong hand wrapped around her fragile throat cutting off her breath.
"Let me make something very clear as it seems to be a bit tricky for you to get this into your gold-headed head. You are nobody! No one wants you here! "
"Alessandra, stop!"
"Alessandra, my daughter, let her go immediately! Please, the gods are watching... "Priam had begged. Did he not realize that the gods were waiting for this to happen long ago? That everyone expected and practically begged for the Princess of Troy to put that woman in her rightful place?
"Do you know how you will be known? You will be known as the woman who started a war because she did not know how to close her legs to the naive princes who continue to think that what exists between you is love! "
"I-I love him. I love Paris." Helen said as she tried to breathe.
"What you feel is not love, you stupid woman. Aphrodite herself could come down from Mount Olympus and tell you this. Paris feels lust for you, after all, for him you are the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. He is attracted to you by your scent, by your golden hair, by your delicate skin. You're wanted by many and that's why he wanted you, that's why he insisted. You're a challenge to him... And you!" Alessandra looked at Paris, who was being restrained by Hector. The princess's hand squeezed the blonde beauty's throat with such force." You are her escape. You're the boy who did not give up on her and who was foolish enough to get her out of her town, to get her out of the husband that she always wanted to get rid of. She was not able to get rid of the life she was carrying and so she seduced you! You are no more than a means to an end. And now people die for your selfishness. "
Alessandra let go of her throat and Helen's body hit the ground with a sudden noise. Servants and guards watched the scenes unfold, and later the event would spread through the kingdom.
"Let it spread," Alessandra thought. Many would even thank her for finally putting Helen in her place. Nearby brethren tried to hide their satisfied smile but it was impossible. A small, light smile had made way to their lips. Since Paris had brought that woman, she had been quick to walk and talk as if she were the Princess of Troy, and not Alessandra or the poor princess Cassandra.
Alessandra sighed as Paris swiftly passed through her and helped his lover to rise from the floor, still trembling and coughing. All eyes were on her.
Her father looked at her, disillusioned, and of course he would be... How could he not?, Alessandra thought. How could he not be disillusioned after his daughter practically attacked the woman his beloved son claimed to love?
Hector stared at her with understanding the look and Andromache impressed. Her sister-in-law knew that this moment was about to arrive a long time ago, she knew that Alessandra had been swallowing many words out of respect for her father.
The princess looked at Priam with reddened eyes full of feelings.
"Troy will fall one day because of your most beloved son and you know it, my father. You insist on forgiving everything that Paris does even though it causes serious problems and who has to always clean up the confusion left behind is Hector and I. You closed your eyes to his childhood tantrums, the struggles and offenses against the servants, and say that he was learning to love every woman he stole from their husbands. Helen is just one more and a war was started because of both of them... This is not a fisherman, a guard or a farmer... This is Agamemnon against whom we are fighting, a man who will not rest on anything to destroy us! And while Paris and Helen are rolling in the sheets, whoever has to go out and fight the war they started is Hector and I again! Do you really care that we both risk our lifes or you are just relieved that it is not your baby son? You do not want to admit it, but you have more pride in Paris, the one who has always given you headaches, than in Cassandra, your beautiful daughter, always willing to learn, educated, fortunate in the arts... What would mother said about that?"
Priam and the others all widened their eyes at the princess's speech. "I love you in the same way, Alessandra, and do not speak about your mother... I can not stand it!"
"Continue to say that to yourself, continue to say that the size of your love for the four of us is the same to calm your guilt and to well-say yourself in the eyes of the gods. I have nothing else to say, I'm going to retire to my room, my sister is waiting for my return."
And so the princess of Troy drew away, sword in hand, leaving a trail of little drops of blood that insisted on falling from the blade of her sword that the servants were quick to begin to clean.
When she finally crossed the corridors and made her way to her room, she opened the heavy door and entered. She barely as entered when Cassandra, sitting on her bed of furs and staring out at the sky, said to her, "You must leave the palace."
Alessandra interrupted her walk and looked at her with confusion: "What? There are no words of my return? There are none: Welcome back, Alessandra, I'm glad you survived one of the battles that could have been avoided if you had thrown that woman of Sparta into the sea? "
Cassandra smiled at her sister, her eyes misty. "I knew you'd survive..."
Alessandra returned the smile, approaching her sister, grabbing her cheeks lightly with care to stain her face with the blood that was on her hands and kissed her forehead.
"Of course you knew, my sister, of course you knew..." She kissed her warm skin again. "Now, tell me, what's that story of needing me to leave the palace?"
Cassandra laughed, releasing that single laugh she had... sweet, soft, and extremely dreamy.
"It is the request of the gods, Alessandra."
"Oh yes? Why?"
"I don't know... No, stop!" Cassandra prevented her from removing the armor. She took her sister's hands, insisting when she tried to shake it because they were still soiled with blood and gently watched the red-spotted skin. "You need to leave, sister. Where you will go is your choice, but it is essential for a big and amazing change in your life."
"What do you mean? Is it something about the war? Is there anything out of the palace that will make us beat the Greeks "Alessandra asked quickly and very carefully. Was something out there that would help them? A weapon, some invention?
"That I don't know, sister..." Cassandra had said, but Alessandra was sure she knew but did not want to reveal it.
"I see." Alessandra sighed, looking into the eyes from the other woman. "Can I at least take a shower and rest?" The idea of relaxing in the hot tub was so tempting.
Cassandra denied it, got up, freed her sister's hands, and walked to a corner of the room where Alessandra's favorite arc was displayed on the wall. She took the weapon, then the white quiver with the arrows, and joined Alessandra to whom she delivered the objects.
"Here, you may need it." Alessandra's dark eyebrows furrowed and she opened her mouth to say something, but Cassandra did not allow it, and took the long robes that were on the bed, handing it to the other woman. "This I know you'll need!"
Alessandra also picked up the garment after she had placed the bow and quiver on her back.
Once more, she wanted to speak, but Cassandra was quick to grab her by the hand and pull her out of the room. Alessandra had been dragged by her, with an amused grin on her face at her sister's games and wiles, and when she found herself, she was in the royal stables with Cassandra caressing Thunder's glossy hair.
Alessandra noticed that her beautiful animal was already sealed, and ready to go. Cassandra pushed her to Alessandra's longtime friend, waved her right hand, smiled, and ran back toward the palace.
Alessandra had been left in place with a confused expression on her handsome face. Shaking her head, pulling away the strange event, and raising and lowering her shoulders, she stroked Thunder's nose.
"Well, my friend... I can not seem to let you rest after this battle..." Thunder looked into her eyes as if it understood what the woman was saying, and whinnied in exasperation. "I know, I know... You're too strong to be tired... Thank you."
The warrior princess mounted the beautiful animal, and with a sigh she galloped past her people and out through the huge wooden doors. As she was already outside the gates, she looked around. Where would she go? The guards watched her, they would never forgive themselves if something happened to the woman who was kind to them, who fought beside them, who defended them and their house with all the force of her being.
Alessandra was uncertain where to go, after all, she could not forget that there were enemies in every corner of her country, but she could not return to the palace, not after all Cassandra had told her... What would she mean by that? Where you will go is your choice, but it is essential for a big and amazing change in your life.
With a confused look, Alessandra let Thunder choose her fate... The animal ran fast, its strong muscles bulging with effort, and a small forest near Troy entered her field of vision... Alessandra had not been there for several years…
The trees, herbs and flowers were dense and beautiful, in the center of the small forest a brilliant lagoon awaited the arrival of Alessandra, surrounded by high vegetation.
Alessandra dismounted Thunder leaving him to graze, and looked around carefully, alert to any unwanted company. Finding nothing, she undressed her armor without further ado and plunged into the cold water.
She did not let herself enjoy the water too much, after all, she was in an open place and not as protected as she would be in her palace room. It was not long before she came out of the lagoon, clad in the clean robes Kassandra had thrust into her arms, and braided her hair in a long, thick wet braid.
Minutes later something happened.
The vegetation trembled slightly and Alessandra became alert, picking up the beautiful arch that lay at her side. Anyone else would have thought it was normal, after all, it might just have been the wind, but Alessandra was different. She had been trained by mortals and immortals to know when something was not right; And she knew someone was there.
Rising quickly – faster than a normal mortal could ever do – she picked up one of the several arrows that were inside her white quiver still to her things, stretched the rope and said, with the arrow ready to fire at the slightest sign of any suspicious movement: "I know you're there. Show yourself, Greek!"
There had been silence in the woods for several moments only to be broken by the sound of the lagoon's shining water. Alessandra waited, her back straight and her breathing suspended. She felt the material of her bowstring pierce the flesh of her hands because of the force with which she pulled it. She narrowed her eyes slightly at the slightest movement, and bright strands of golden hair – those same gold-colored hair that invaded the dreams she never dared share with anyone – became visible.
Alessandra felt strange as she saw the tall vegetation swaying. She could practically see the gods themselves, certainly also connoisseurs whose golden hair belonged, leaning on their thrones in the palace of the heavens, with an extreme curiosity of what would unfold.
And then, with a small, seductive smile, Achilles showed himself. His muscles solidified as he raised his strong hands in surrender.
"You!" exclaimed Alessandra, not knowing why.
"Me." The man replied, still with his extremely white smile, bright and ama... Annoying! Yes, annoying!
"What are you doing here, Greek?"
"Oh princess, can not I explore the beauties of this beautiful country? I'm a guest, after all... "
"A guest?" Alessandra spat, the word leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. "You're an invader."
Achilles looked at her with extremely blue eyes glittering. With a sigh, and aware that he still had an arrow pointed at one of his orbs, he walked to a nearby rock and sat down, one of his feet wrapped in brown sandals resting on a smaller stone.
"This war... The war that your brother and the Queen of Sparta began..."
"Oh, please!" Alessandra rolled her eyes. "If what they say about you is true..."
"And what they say about me, Princess of Troy?" Achilles asked curiously.
They said several things about Achilles: that he was handsome and intelligent, strong, well built, with quick feet and hands that could move a sword even faster... He was one of the finest warriors in Greece and surroundings. People said that he might be one of the best warriors in the world... But Alessandra would never tell him such a thing in her life.
"If what they say about you and Agamemnon is true, if you have such an antipathy and can see beyond his flatteries and see his wiles, you know as well as I that this was only a means to an end. He does not care about Helen or Menelaus's wounded pride. Agamemnon only saw this as something that would give him an apology to the rest of Greece to start a war with Troy, a war he longed for. "
"This war will never be forgotten." Achilles began to say, repeating the words that Odysseus had already told him... How long had it been since that day? How long have they been at war? "Not even the heroes who fought on it..."
"So that's what this is about? Your obsession with the memory of your name?"
"When we leave this world and surrender our soul to the god of death, the only thing that will remain of us is our name."
"Your name will not be worth much, one day we will all be forgotten, it does not matter if it's in a hundred or a thousand years."
Achilles smiled and watched the princess lower her guard and sit by the pond, watching him closely. She lowered her bow and rested it at her side.
"How is Briseis?" The woman had asked.
Without delay, the son of Peleus rose from the little rock and slowly sat down beside her.
"She's fine, nothing was done to her, that was something I guaranteed. She and my cousin, Patroclus, are... Strangely fond of each other."
"Oh yes? Briseis is a priestess of Apollo, surely she will do nothing that might outrage the god."
"Apollo is too busy with this war than with passions that his priestesses may be experiencing."
Alessandra sighed, feeling the breeze cooling her face tenderly. Thunder whinnied in a nearby place, and Achilles' blue eyes gleamed as he looked at the princess.
"Why don'y you leave? Why you and your soldiers not pick up your things and abandon my country? Agamemnon is no warrior, without you he will not have enough support to continue this war!"
Achilles took some time to reply, "I could do that, Warrior Princess. It would be very easy to do, believe me, but there's something in Troy that interests me."
"The memory of your name?" Alessandra asked.
Achilles smiled enormously, showing all his bright white teeth.
"Something similar."
And Alessandra's answer had been swallowed by Achilles' strong lips as he approached and kissed her.
