** Disclaimer: I only own Zana ********** ************* *************
Hello again!And first of all, thank you very very much for your reviews!! By the way, this story is not finishing at all!I mean, I plan to make it a lot longer, so long that nobody will be able to read it from the beginning because they'll get bored! : ) I like writing it, too much to finish it.. : ) Maybe I'm complicating things too much? : )
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Mystery deep in the royal heart
Crying at night, I wanna be apart
Prince, oh prince, are you really sincere?
Bet you one day you're gonna disappear
My oh my, do you wanna say goodbye?
To have the Kingdom, baby, tell me why?
My oh my, do you wanna say goodbye?
To rule the Country, baby, you and I?
If you were my King, I would be your queen...
- My oh, my - Aqua
When I woke up I was in a cellar.. all I remembered was the fight.. Paris had tied my hands and left me in front of one of the three doors of the Trojan wall. A troop of soldiers had come to take me, and I resisted.. a big mistake, because they beat me and I fell on the ground. Then everything became black.
It was a small room, and the ground was made of stone. Not like in a jail.. there was food stored. I supposed they were keeping me there until they decided something. I sat down, touching my head. There was a wound over my forehead, and it hurted. But that wasn't important.. the important thing was that I was alive.. but lost. Alone. Without possibilities of escaping.
Standing up, I walked towards the door, and heard some voices outside. I couldn't understand the language. Two women. When the steps came to the door, I separated a bit. An old woman opened it and looked at me kindly, speaking in that unknown tongue. She was asking me something, but I just shrugged. Then ,she laughed and took my hand. I followed her, while my heart was beating so fast. I was carried upstairs, to the luxurious part of the palace. It was so wonderful, and for a while, I forgot about all my worries.
The woman opened a door, and I saw a huge room full of girls, who looked nervous and happy. They were shouting, laughing and choosing clothes. And suddenly I remembered that Trojans had more than one wife.. that looked like.. a harem? No, I didn't want to think about that. The woman left me there, alone. A girl with black long hair came and greeted me.
"I'm sorry, I don't speak your language.." She smiled and shouted something. All the girls turned around and one of them looked at me sharply.
"I know your tongue.. but we all know who are you.. why are you pretending that you can't speak Trojan?"
"What?" I asked, confused, while they all checked me, with envy maybe?
"You, stupid poor girl.. how did you manage to be selected? You don't belong to royalty! I've sailed hundreds of miles from my kingdom, just to become one of his wives.. they.." She pointed at the rest of girls " They come from the most noble families in the world.. but you.. you're just a servant and you were chosen.. just because a stupid old man talked to the King.. you.." For a moment I thought she would beat me, but then she calmed down, and kneeled on the ground, in front of me. "Please, leave this palace.. go away.. I must marry him.."
"Who?" All the girls shouted, as if I was crazy. "I mean.. someone knocked on my head.." I showed them the wound " And now I can't remember anything.." I lied, and it seemed it worked, because the face of the girl who had been speaking to me became kinder.
"My apologies.. " She murmured, but then attacked again. "So.. you don't remember anything.. well, I'll tell you.. you're just a stupid servant of the King.. but.. wait a minute.." She stood up, as if she was scared. "How come a servant can speak a foreign language?"
"Because I'm not a servant!!" I shouted, loosing my patience.
"Of course you are! You live in the out part of the city, near to the beach, and the stupid old friend of the King chose you! You don't deserve to be here.." She murmured, leaving. I remembered Haldir's words.. I lived this life. so I was here already, before I had come. And they were confusing me.. they thought I was the Zana who lived in Troy.. but I wasn't.. I had to escape. This other girl would appear sooner or later, and I wouldn't be able to see her. I couldn't meet my double, like Legolas couldn't meet his.
"Where do you think you're going? You have to take a bath and get dressed for the ceremony" The girl shouted at me, when I was leaving to the halls.
"Ceremony?" I asked, and she showed me her dress in the distance.
"Tonight, the King will choose wives among the selected ones.. I was the only selected until you appeared.. now you're my rival.. and I won't show pity. " That sounded like a threaten. I returned to the room where the bath was waiting for me. My head was full of information, useless information. I was lost, I had to escape from there.. everything was getting more and more complicated. I was acting like a person I wasn't .. well, I was her, but we couldn't live at the same time.
I took a bath, the water was full of special perfumes and soaps. My hair was too long, and I needed to cut it. But it wouldn't be a good idea, not in that century. When I dried, three servants came running, and gave me a strange dress, a blue one, almost transparent. One of them started to fix my hair, curling it with special tools, and then she put a kind of jewel holding it over my forehead. I put the dress and they gave me bracelets and a necklace. My wrists were full of those golden metals, and I wore sandals on my feet. I was going to leave the room when they held me again. Make up. A lot of make up. When I looked in the mirror I couldn't recognise myself. I looked like a real Trojan girl.
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"A big event will take place tonight" Haldir looked at the old man while he spoke. "One of my wives is already preparing everything for the ceremony"
"What kind of?" Gimli asked, and the old man looked at him, angry.
"You can't talk unless I'm quiet.." The dwarf murmured something, and walked towards a window. Haldir was sitting on a small sofa, and Achilles was in a corner, leaning against a high marble column. There was something about that old man he didn't like. "I'm the King of Troy, Priam. And we have some rules here.. we're being condescending with language.. I should be speaking Trojan, but.." He pointed at them "I'm being kind with you, and I speak this one.. " He started walking around the big room, slowly. "Tonight we'll choose the new wife.. "
"New?" Haldir was scandalised. "But.. if he's already married.. if he's in love.."
"No, my guest.. you don't understand anything.. he must have more than one wife.. it's the tradition..oh, here he comes" The door opened and a young man came in. He looked at Haldir and Gimli, and then he turned to meet Achilles. His dark eyes shone.
"What's wrong, father? " When he spoke, Haldir and Gimli looked at each other. He had Legolas voice.
"His reincarnation.." Haldir whispered, and checked the face of the man standing there. He looked alike the elf.
"We have new guests, son.. Haldir, Gimli, Achilles.. this is my son, the Prince Paris" Achilles face turned into red, and he took his sword.
"You.. you! You stole what belonged to Greece!!" He jumped to attack Paris, but didn't succeed. Paris took his sword and fought, and after some seconds a troop of soldiers caught Achilles, while the king smiled.
"Yes.. Greeks had already come.. I knew it.." He looked at them while they left, and then turned around to meet Haldir. " I suppose you found them by coincidence, right? " Haldir nodded, surprised with the intelligence of that man. "So tell me.. what were you doing, in the middle of the sea? Alone with this.. man?" He looked at Gimli.
"We got lost.. we come from.. England.." The King frowned.
"You come from distant places I don't know.. but your language is common.. which was the purpose of your journey?" His intelligent gaze was on Haldir's eyes all time.
"We wanted to know the islands.. we heard about them.." He tried to sound convincing, but the king and the prince looked at each other.
"And you used a small boat to cross the sea.. don't lie to me, I'm not stupid" He stopped walking.
"I'm not lying. The problem is that we can't remember anything.. I don't know how did I arrive here.. we woke up in a small boat.." Haldir looked at Gimli with nervous face.
"Well, well.. " The king's voice was kind again. "You can stay here for two days.. then, disappear. Never come back. We're waiting for a war, and I don't want to have more extra worries" He walked towards the door and left. Paris checked the two friends.
"Strange things are happening today.." He looked confused. "A lonely girl on the beach, sleeping in the sun.. who speaks a foreign language.. and who seems to know everything about me.." He saw Haldir's face changing. " I see that you're affected by this remark, man.. why?" His dark eyes shone while he approached.
"I just think that it's a strange story.. it doesn't affect me at all" Haldir found very hard to tell lies. It was something new for him. But he couldn't hide his worries.. obviously that girl was Zana.. and she had made a big mistake saying details about history.. people would think she was a spy.
"And then Achilles.. I knew he would come.. but.. this is not your business. Now, go to your rooms and get ready for dinner. It will be a nice event" He said good bye with a smile, while leaving the room.
"I don't like them" Gimli murmured, looking at Haldir. "They found Zana, and they don't say where is she!! They have her hidden, and Legolas is missing!"
"I know, I know.. by the moment we can't do anything. Calm down, they can't discover who are we.. so shut up" Haldir looked through the windows. The blue sea in front of them was full of big ships, waiting in the harbour. The sun was already near from the horizon. Night was coming.
Haldir was walking in the halls, going to his room, lost in his thoughts. He was trying to find out a way to leave Troy and arrive in another century. But the thing that most worried him was Gandalf. He still hadn't shown up, under any shape or character. And he said he would be there.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you" He had met a young woman turning around a corner. She stopped, but didn't say anything. Probably she didn't speak his language. But it didn't care.. because Haldir was shocked. He checked her and felt something very strange inside him. He couldn't speak, and she seemed to be suffering the same effect. She had blushed deeply, and then smiled. Haldir almost fainted. Her blonde hair was long, and her blue eyes were the nicest eyes he had ever seen before. Her face was perfect, like everything on her. She looked more like an elf than like a human.
"I can speak a bit of your tongue.." She murmured, shyly. He found himself smiling like a child.
"Then I can introduce myself.. I'm Haldir.. I'm a guest here.."
"I know.." She interrupted, and looked at him with a provocative gaze. "I saw you when you arrived here.." They both stared at each other for a while. "I'm Helen.." Her voice was so nice that he could have been listening to her for hours. Then she turned around and left, giving him a last smile. He needed some minutes to react. It had happened.. the thing he had feared all that time. He had met Helen of Troy.
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Legolas walked around the wall of the palace, looking for an entry. But there were too many soldiers around it. He was nervous, wishing to meet Zana and his friends. Somehow he felt that things wouldn't be so easy in that century as they were in England.. now everything turned into a mess.. they al were separated and Gandalf still hadn't shown up.
He walked in the crowded streets, his blue eyes searching that new world. Each and every small detail was new for him , the people, their dark eyes.. he thought that only Zana had those black eyes.. but in that land, the strange was him.. with his long blonde hair and his blue eyes.. and his rare clothes. He felt observed. And then, shocked. Going out from a small house, he saw Zana.. but a different one.. her skin was darker, because of sun.. and she was wearing different clothes. A long skirt and a light shirt, carrying boxes with fruits. Her hair was even longer, and she looked scared.
"Zana, what are you doing here?" He didn't expect the woman's reaction, she screamed something in a strange language and ran inside the house. "Zana.." He whispered, and followed her. She was inside, crying, and shaking, speaking something he couldn't understand. And he kneeled in front of her, with his hand over her shoulder. But she jumped and looked angry. "What's wrong? What happened to you?" His blue eyes looked at her. And for the first time, she looked at him directly, calming a bit. She was breathing strongly. "OK, it seems you're not Zana.. but you're exactly like her.. this is amazing.. well, maybe it's something about reincarnations, I don't know.. but you shouldn't be afraid of me.." She shook her head, and then looked around, looking for something and making a sign with her hand. Legolas waited. After few seconds she came back with a young man, who looked surprised to see him there. The spoke something and Legolas stood up.
"She said you speak this language.." He commented, and Legolas smiled.
"Finally, I'm able to talk to someone.. I'm sorry if I scared her.." The man translated and she smiled, exactly like Zana.
"She thought you were coming to bring her to palace.." His eyes darkened and looked angry.
"Why? No, I arrived here in a small boat.. I lost my friends, they were captured inside palace.. and I was looking for help.. and then I found her.. it's amazing but she looks like my friend, they're' so.. similar.. I mean, they're the same one.. so I thought she was Zana.. and then I realised I was wrong." His blue eyes looked at her sadly. "Please, you have to help me to come inside the palace"
"Who are you?" He asked, checking the elf. "Your clothes are so different.."
"I can't remember where I come from.. neither of us.. but we must leave Troy.. a war is coming.."
"We know it.. we also know that an old man ordered the king to choose her for the wedding.."
"What?" Legolas asked with the same face as Haldir, some moments before.
"An old man, the king's best friend.. they were selecting new brides for the wedding.. and once he was walking near from here and saw her.. my poor Atelia.." She took his hand, scared, as if she understood the meaning of his words. "She was chosen for tonight's ceremony.. but they still didn't come to look for her.. I won't allow them to take her away.. we'll escape from Troy tonight.."
"But this is amazing.." Legolas face changed, and he opened his eyes. "Oh, no! Now I understand.. they took Zana, thinking that she was Atelia!!" The man watched at him, and then smiled, talking to the girl in his own language.
"I'm sorry for you, but this is too good to be true!! Now we can escape and nobody will notice it! Your friend saved our lives.." He took Legolas hands, looking at him gratefully. But Legolas was too shocked.
"No, it's not good, they have her, they will force her to stay here! Oh, why? You have to help me. ..please, give me some clothes.. I can't walk dressed like this.. and please, tell me about the palace.. how can I come in?" Legolas begged, and the man nodded.
"All right.. here.." He went to his room and came back with a bag. He picked up some clothes. "Part of my clothes.. this is a present for the good news you brought.. and now, wait a minute.." He left him alone with Atelia. She was smiling and took his hand.
"Thank you" She whispered, with a strange accent.
"I only hope that with your escape, future won't change too much.. you were destined to marry another person and live here.. and I came from another world to change everything.. " She shrugged, confused. The man came back.
"Well, this is the palace " He drew a square. "It's rounded by a high wall.. but you won't have problems if you carry those boxes with fruits.. you have to say those words in my language.. " He wrote them on the strange kind of paper. "They will think you're the man of the fruit shop.. and they will lead you to the kitchens, where I used to bring food from here. Once in the kitchen, open the second door that will carry you to the halls.. the rooms are in the first floor.. but be careful.. and.. I would recommend you to hide your .. ears.. they're strange.." Legolas covered them with his long hair.
"This is everything I need to know?" He asked, impatiently. The man nodded.
"I will always be in debt with you, strange man.."
"Legolas.. I'm Legolas" The man opened his eyes.
"Strange name indeed.. I'm Marco.. I'm Roman.. and you already know her.. " Atelia smiled. "And now, we must leave.. night is coming.. again, thank you very much for saving her future.." He shook his hand and the three left the house. " Here you have the keys.. stay here and then take the boxes.. and good luck, my new friend" Legolas looked at them as they left, walking in the streets. Atelia was covering her face. They disappeared behind a corner.
"Great.." Legolas murmured, entering the house. He ate something and drank a whole jar of water. Then , he took a bath and changed his clothes, tied his hair in a pony tail, hiding the ears. "It's time to change things again"
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We had to wait in a small room, it was already dark outside. I could see the fire lamps in the harbour, the sea in the distance. There were more girls with us, I wondered why, if the selected ones were only two. And I wondered who was the old man who chose me.. or my double.. maybe he was Gandalf.. with that thought I recuperated part of my hope. But it wasn't sure yet. I would have to wait. And the waiting was killing me. The sharp girl, who hated me, suddenly became kinder. She was talking about the king, and I couldn't imagine who was him.. I had a lack of History knowledge, and I wished more than ever to have a book from 21rst century.
"And then we'll come in the huge party room, where lots of persons will be looking at us.." She was explaining, proudly. "And there you will also find his main wife, the one he chose over all of us.. because his heart belongs to her.. but I don't care" She made a face, as if she was angry.
"The king will choose another one? Why? I mean, if he's already married and.." The girl's face changed its expression.
"Are you crazy? Of course important people have more than one wife! You're an ignorant servant.." She looked at me disgusted.
"I'm already tired of you, you know? And I don't want to marry.." I looked in the distance, the moon shining in the sky, and heard again her horrible voice.
"Don't ever say this in front of the King Priam!"
"Priam??" I almost fainted. "He's an old.. man..!" I remembered him indeed.. but he was too old, I could never be with someone like him, I could never love a person of his age, he was about seventy years old" "No, I must leave" I stood up, and the girl watched at me.
"What are you talking about?" And suddenly, she smiled, as if she had discovered something. "Oh, of course.. you'll have to marry the old King Priam.." Her voice sounded fake, and I looked at her. "So.. if you don't want to marry an old man.. then you can go.." There was something in her eyes that I didn't like.. she looked too happy, all from the sudden.. how could she be in love with a very old man? And why would an old man want to marry? Many things weren't clear to me in that moment.
"Wait a minute.. why do you want to marry him? " I asked, and she blushed, and looked confused.
"Well, he's a king.." She blinked, tried to look innocent. I tried to remember, forcing my memory. Did that king have a son? I couldn't remember.. I felt useless..
"OK; you win, I leave.. but how can I escape from here? " She looked delighted, and stood up so fast that I thought she had jumped the whole room.
"Go, there, to the balcony.. and then, run towards the harbour.." She was smiling happily.
"I think it's not so easy to leave the palace.." I didn't trust her at all.
"Do you think I would lie to you? Ill be one of his wives! All I want is to make you disappear, and if you escape and don't ever return.. " I nodded.
"OK, OK, I catch it" I walked towards the balcony. All the girls were looking at me, scared. The sharp girl whose name I still didn't know, ordered them to shut up. But just in that moment a soldier came in. I heard a cry of disgust.
"Girl.. they call us to meet the King.." She looked so disappointed that I couldn't help feeling happy for staying there. Sure, there was something waiting for me that all girls wanted.. and maybe it would help me to come back with my friends. But the idea of marrying Priam.. that.. killed me.
We walked in line, through the halls, and heard the sound of hundreds of voices in the huge room. I felt so nervous, I almost couldn't walk. The soldiers stopped, and we came inside the place. I opened my mouth in surprise.. the walls seemed to be decorated with jewels.. the windows without glasses showed the sea and the starry night.. hundreds of guests were sitting on tables, and I tried to look for my friends, but they didn't allow me. They forced me to stay in a corner, and wait for the King.
He came in the room, followed by a group of people.. but I only paid attention to his face.. his old face, that maybe I would have to kiss.. I didn't like his gaze, his expression.. I didn't like anything on him, and I wondered how come all those girls were fighting for having him as a husband. I felt sick. People applauded and then, they all sat down.
"Hello, my friends.." To my surprise, he spoke in my language, and another man was translating.. but why? How many people there spoke English? I looked in the distance, and saw a blonde head. My heart beating so fast, I wanted to shout "I'm here!", but he was too far away.. and maybe, he was an unknown person.. how could I be sure? The King went on speaking. "We're here because tonight we'll take a big and important decision" He looked at all of us, and stopped his gaze on me. For a while, he kept silence. Then, suddenly, walked and came by my side. "So you're the last one who was chosen.. my dear friend insisted a lot.. I can't understand why.. they say you're a servant.. who speaks the language of the two foreigners I've met today.."
"Oh, my god.. they're safe!" I said, and the King's face became serious. He beat my face with his hand.
"Don't speak while I'm speaking" He could have killed me with his gaze, and I heard noises in the distance, as if someone was fighting. "I can't understand why my friend wanted you.." he looked back, and an old man with a dark tunic came. When I saw his face, all my fears were gone. He was Gandalf. I smiled, but he remained serious. As if he didn't recognise me.
"She's a good choice, Priam. Trust me." I felt angry with Gandalf.. How come did he allow that? I was forced to marry a horrible old man, why did he allow that? I wanted to shout on his face, asking for an explanation.. Galadriel had failed Haldir.. and now Gandalf had betrayed me? But suddenly I saw a smile in his blue eyes, hidden under his long white hair, and a voice inside my head. "Trust me" The king returned to his place, followed by Gandalf. I tried to look who else was there.. but there were too many people standing still.
"Now the second wife will be chosen.." The King went on, looking at me. I felt ill again. The sharp girl was smiling happily. I couldn't understand her.. but.. then I did. "Please, come here, my son". The King said, and the big wooden door opened. Paris. My heart almost stopped beating. He was a prince, and he was Priam's son! I froze. Legolas reincarnation was a Prince, and he was going to marry more than one girl. I had to escape from that century.
Paris walked towards us, a sad expression on his face. His father looked at him ,and asked something in Trojan. Paris shook his head and I heard the word "Helen". His heart was broken, or this is seemed. The King looked back at me, with anger in his eyes.
"Look what your friends have done.. look" He pointed at Paris, and when he saw me, he gave me a surprised look.
"You!" He shouted, and then, walked towards me. "You're the girl from the beach.." His dark eyes checked me. "I didn't recognise you with those clothes.. and this hair.." He touched my head, slowly. For a moment his eyes bright with a kind expression, but soon he looked sad again. "And you came with those strange men.. you all spoiled my life.." I didn't want to speak, afraid of the King's reaction.
"Forget it, my son.. now, you must choose" An evil expression on Paris face made me scared. His eyes smiled evilly too, and then nodded. People held their breathings.. waiting..
"I choose her" He pointed at me, and the girls behind me screamed sadly. But I didn't feel happy, I knew he had a plan, I knew his choice had a double intention.. revenge.
Hello again!And first of all, thank you very very much for your reviews!! By the way, this story is not finishing at all!I mean, I plan to make it a lot longer, so long that nobody will be able to read it from the beginning because they'll get bored! : ) I like writing it, too much to finish it.. : ) Maybe I'm complicating things too much? : )
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Mystery deep in the royal heart
Crying at night, I wanna be apart
Prince, oh prince, are you really sincere?
Bet you one day you're gonna disappear
My oh my, do you wanna say goodbye?
To have the Kingdom, baby, tell me why?
My oh my, do you wanna say goodbye?
To rule the Country, baby, you and I?
If you were my King, I would be your queen...
- My oh, my - Aqua
When I woke up I was in a cellar.. all I remembered was the fight.. Paris had tied my hands and left me in front of one of the three doors of the Trojan wall. A troop of soldiers had come to take me, and I resisted.. a big mistake, because they beat me and I fell on the ground. Then everything became black.
It was a small room, and the ground was made of stone. Not like in a jail.. there was food stored. I supposed they were keeping me there until they decided something. I sat down, touching my head. There was a wound over my forehead, and it hurted. But that wasn't important.. the important thing was that I was alive.. but lost. Alone. Without possibilities of escaping.
Standing up, I walked towards the door, and heard some voices outside. I couldn't understand the language. Two women. When the steps came to the door, I separated a bit. An old woman opened it and looked at me kindly, speaking in that unknown tongue. She was asking me something, but I just shrugged. Then ,she laughed and took my hand. I followed her, while my heart was beating so fast. I was carried upstairs, to the luxurious part of the palace. It was so wonderful, and for a while, I forgot about all my worries.
The woman opened a door, and I saw a huge room full of girls, who looked nervous and happy. They were shouting, laughing and choosing clothes. And suddenly I remembered that Trojans had more than one wife.. that looked like.. a harem? No, I didn't want to think about that. The woman left me there, alone. A girl with black long hair came and greeted me.
"I'm sorry, I don't speak your language.." She smiled and shouted something. All the girls turned around and one of them looked at me sharply.
"I know your tongue.. but we all know who are you.. why are you pretending that you can't speak Trojan?"
"What?" I asked, confused, while they all checked me, with envy maybe?
"You, stupid poor girl.. how did you manage to be selected? You don't belong to royalty! I've sailed hundreds of miles from my kingdom, just to become one of his wives.. they.." She pointed at the rest of girls " They come from the most noble families in the world.. but you.. you're just a servant and you were chosen.. just because a stupid old man talked to the King.. you.." For a moment I thought she would beat me, but then she calmed down, and kneeled on the ground, in front of me. "Please, leave this palace.. go away.. I must marry him.."
"Who?" All the girls shouted, as if I was crazy. "I mean.. someone knocked on my head.." I showed them the wound " And now I can't remember anything.." I lied, and it seemed it worked, because the face of the girl who had been speaking to me became kinder.
"My apologies.. " She murmured, but then attacked again. "So.. you don't remember anything.. well, I'll tell you.. you're just a stupid servant of the King.. but.. wait a minute.." She stood up, as if she was scared. "How come a servant can speak a foreign language?"
"Because I'm not a servant!!" I shouted, loosing my patience.
"Of course you are! You live in the out part of the city, near to the beach, and the stupid old friend of the King chose you! You don't deserve to be here.." She murmured, leaving. I remembered Haldir's words.. I lived this life. so I was here already, before I had come. And they were confusing me.. they thought I was the Zana who lived in Troy.. but I wasn't.. I had to escape. This other girl would appear sooner or later, and I wouldn't be able to see her. I couldn't meet my double, like Legolas couldn't meet his.
"Where do you think you're going? You have to take a bath and get dressed for the ceremony" The girl shouted at me, when I was leaving to the halls.
"Ceremony?" I asked, and she showed me her dress in the distance.
"Tonight, the King will choose wives among the selected ones.. I was the only selected until you appeared.. now you're my rival.. and I won't show pity. " That sounded like a threaten. I returned to the room where the bath was waiting for me. My head was full of information, useless information. I was lost, I had to escape from there.. everything was getting more and more complicated. I was acting like a person I wasn't .. well, I was her, but we couldn't live at the same time.
I took a bath, the water was full of special perfumes and soaps. My hair was too long, and I needed to cut it. But it wouldn't be a good idea, not in that century. When I dried, three servants came running, and gave me a strange dress, a blue one, almost transparent. One of them started to fix my hair, curling it with special tools, and then she put a kind of jewel holding it over my forehead. I put the dress and they gave me bracelets and a necklace. My wrists were full of those golden metals, and I wore sandals on my feet. I was going to leave the room when they held me again. Make up. A lot of make up. When I looked in the mirror I couldn't recognise myself. I looked like a real Trojan girl.
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"A big event will take place tonight" Haldir looked at the old man while he spoke. "One of my wives is already preparing everything for the ceremony"
"What kind of?" Gimli asked, and the old man looked at him, angry.
"You can't talk unless I'm quiet.." The dwarf murmured something, and walked towards a window. Haldir was sitting on a small sofa, and Achilles was in a corner, leaning against a high marble column. There was something about that old man he didn't like. "I'm the King of Troy, Priam. And we have some rules here.. we're being condescending with language.. I should be speaking Trojan, but.." He pointed at them "I'm being kind with you, and I speak this one.. " He started walking around the big room, slowly. "Tonight we'll choose the new wife.. "
"New?" Haldir was scandalised. "But.. if he's already married.. if he's in love.."
"No, my guest.. you don't understand anything.. he must have more than one wife.. it's the tradition..oh, here he comes" The door opened and a young man came in. He looked at Haldir and Gimli, and then he turned to meet Achilles. His dark eyes shone.
"What's wrong, father? " When he spoke, Haldir and Gimli looked at each other. He had Legolas voice.
"His reincarnation.." Haldir whispered, and checked the face of the man standing there. He looked alike the elf.
"We have new guests, son.. Haldir, Gimli, Achilles.. this is my son, the Prince Paris" Achilles face turned into red, and he took his sword.
"You.. you! You stole what belonged to Greece!!" He jumped to attack Paris, but didn't succeed. Paris took his sword and fought, and after some seconds a troop of soldiers caught Achilles, while the king smiled.
"Yes.. Greeks had already come.. I knew it.." He looked at them while they left, and then turned around to meet Haldir. " I suppose you found them by coincidence, right? " Haldir nodded, surprised with the intelligence of that man. "So tell me.. what were you doing, in the middle of the sea? Alone with this.. man?" He looked at Gimli.
"We got lost.. we come from.. England.." The King frowned.
"You come from distant places I don't know.. but your language is common.. which was the purpose of your journey?" His intelligent gaze was on Haldir's eyes all time.
"We wanted to know the islands.. we heard about them.." He tried to sound convincing, but the king and the prince looked at each other.
"And you used a small boat to cross the sea.. don't lie to me, I'm not stupid" He stopped walking.
"I'm not lying. The problem is that we can't remember anything.. I don't know how did I arrive here.. we woke up in a small boat.." Haldir looked at Gimli with nervous face.
"Well, well.. " The king's voice was kind again. "You can stay here for two days.. then, disappear. Never come back. We're waiting for a war, and I don't want to have more extra worries" He walked towards the door and left. Paris checked the two friends.
"Strange things are happening today.." He looked confused. "A lonely girl on the beach, sleeping in the sun.. who speaks a foreign language.. and who seems to know everything about me.." He saw Haldir's face changing. " I see that you're affected by this remark, man.. why?" His dark eyes shone while he approached.
"I just think that it's a strange story.. it doesn't affect me at all" Haldir found very hard to tell lies. It was something new for him. But he couldn't hide his worries.. obviously that girl was Zana.. and she had made a big mistake saying details about history.. people would think she was a spy.
"And then Achilles.. I knew he would come.. but.. this is not your business. Now, go to your rooms and get ready for dinner. It will be a nice event" He said good bye with a smile, while leaving the room.
"I don't like them" Gimli murmured, looking at Haldir. "They found Zana, and they don't say where is she!! They have her hidden, and Legolas is missing!"
"I know, I know.. by the moment we can't do anything. Calm down, they can't discover who are we.. so shut up" Haldir looked through the windows. The blue sea in front of them was full of big ships, waiting in the harbour. The sun was already near from the horizon. Night was coming.
Haldir was walking in the halls, going to his room, lost in his thoughts. He was trying to find out a way to leave Troy and arrive in another century. But the thing that most worried him was Gandalf. He still hadn't shown up, under any shape or character. And he said he would be there.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you" He had met a young woman turning around a corner. She stopped, but didn't say anything. Probably she didn't speak his language. But it didn't care.. because Haldir was shocked. He checked her and felt something very strange inside him. He couldn't speak, and she seemed to be suffering the same effect. She had blushed deeply, and then smiled. Haldir almost fainted. Her blonde hair was long, and her blue eyes were the nicest eyes he had ever seen before. Her face was perfect, like everything on her. She looked more like an elf than like a human.
"I can speak a bit of your tongue.." She murmured, shyly. He found himself smiling like a child.
"Then I can introduce myself.. I'm Haldir.. I'm a guest here.."
"I know.." She interrupted, and looked at him with a provocative gaze. "I saw you when you arrived here.." They both stared at each other for a while. "I'm Helen.." Her voice was so nice that he could have been listening to her for hours. Then she turned around and left, giving him a last smile. He needed some minutes to react. It had happened.. the thing he had feared all that time. He had met Helen of Troy.
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Legolas walked around the wall of the palace, looking for an entry. But there were too many soldiers around it. He was nervous, wishing to meet Zana and his friends. Somehow he felt that things wouldn't be so easy in that century as they were in England.. now everything turned into a mess.. they al were separated and Gandalf still hadn't shown up.
He walked in the crowded streets, his blue eyes searching that new world. Each and every small detail was new for him , the people, their dark eyes.. he thought that only Zana had those black eyes.. but in that land, the strange was him.. with his long blonde hair and his blue eyes.. and his rare clothes. He felt observed. And then, shocked. Going out from a small house, he saw Zana.. but a different one.. her skin was darker, because of sun.. and she was wearing different clothes. A long skirt and a light shirt, carrying boxes with fruits. Her hair was even longer, and she looked scared.
"Zana, what are you doing here?" He didn't expect the woman's reaction, she screamed something in a strange language and ran inside the house. "Zana.." He whispered, and followed her. She was inside, crying, and shaking, speaking something he couldn't understand. And he kneeled in front of her, with his hand over her shoulder. But she jumped and looked angry. "What's wrong? What happened to you?" His blue eyes looked at her. And for the first time, she looked at him directly, calming a bit. She was breathing strongly. "OK, it seems you're not Zana.. but you're exactly like her.. this is amazing.. well, maybe it's something about reincarnations, I don't know.. but you shouldn't be afraid of me.." She shook her head, and then looked around, looking for something and making a sign with her hand. Legolas waited. After few seconds she came back with a young man, who looked surprised to see him there. The spoke something and Legolas stood up.
"She said you speak this language.." He commented, and Legolas smiled.
"Finally, I'm able to talk to someone.. I'm sorry if I scared her.." The man translated and she smiled, exactly like Zana.
"She thought you were coming to bring her to palace.." His eyes darkened and looked angry.
"Why? No, I arrived here in a small boat.. I lost my friends, they were captured inside palace.. and I was looking for help.. and then I found her.. it's amazing but she looks like my friend, they're' so.. similar.. I mean, they're the same one.. so I thought she was Zana.. and then I realised I was wrong." His blue eyes looked at her sadly. "Please, you have to help me to come inside the palace"
"Who are you?" He asked, checking the elf. "Your clothes are so different.."
"I can't remember where I come from.. neither of us.. but we must leave Troy.. a war is coming.."
"We know it.. we also know that an old man ordered the king to choose her for the wedding.."
"What?" Legolas asked with the same face as Haldir, some moments before.
"An old man, the king's best friend.. they were selecting new brides for the wedding.. and once he was walking near from here and saw her.. my poor Atelia.." She took his hand, scared, as if she understood the meaning of his words. "She was chosen for tonight's ceremony.. but they still didn't come to look for her.. I won't allow them to take her away.. we'll escape from Troy tonight.."
"But this is amazing.." Legolas face changed, and he opened his eyes. "Oh, no! Now I understand.. they took Zana, thinking that she was Atelia!!" The man watched at him, and then smiled, talking to the girl in his own language.
"I'm sorry for you, but this is too good to be true!! Now we can escape and nobody will notice it! Your friend saved our lives.." He took Legolas hands, looking at him gratefully. But Legolas was too shocked.
"No, it's not good, they have her, they will force her to stay here! Oh, why? You have to help me. ..please, give me some clothes.. I can't walk dressed like this.. and please, tell me about the palace.. how can I come in?" Legolas begged, and the man nodded.
"All right.. here.." He went to his room and came back with a bag. He picked up some clothes. "Part of my clothes.. this is a present for the good news you brought.. and now, wait a minute.." He left him alone with Atelia. She was smiling and took his hand.
"Thank you" She whispered, with a strange accent.
"I only hope that with your escape, future won't change too much.. you were destined to marry another person and live here.. and I came from another world to change everything.. " She shrugged, confused. The man came back.
"Well, this is the palace " He drew a square. "It's rounded by a high wall.. but you won't have problems if you carry those boxes with fruits.. you have to say those words in my language.. " He wrote them on the strange kind of paper. "They will think you're the man of the fruit shop.. and they will lead you to the kitchens, where I used to bring food from here. Once in the kitchen, open the second door that will carry you to the halls.. the rooms are in the first floor.. but be careful.. and.. I would recommend you to hide your .. ears.. they're strange.." Legolas covered them with his long hair.
"This is everything I need to know?" He asked, impatiently. The man nodded.
"I will always be in debt with you, strange man.."
"Legolas.. I'm Legolas" The man opened his eyes.
"Strange name indeed.. I'm Marco.. I'm Roman.. and you already know her.. " Atelia smiled. "And now, we must leave.. night is coming.. again, thank you very much for saving her future.." He shook his hand and the three left the house. " Here you have the keys.. stay here and then take the boxes.. and good luck, my new friend" Legolas looked at them as they left, walking in the streets. Atelia was covering her face. They disappeared behind a corner.
"Great.." Legolas murmured, entering the house. He ate something and drank a whole jar of water. Then , he took a bath and changed his clothes, tied his hair in a pony tail, hiding the ears. "It's time to change things again"
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We had to wait in a small room, it was already dark outside. I could see the fire lamps in the harbour, the sea in the distance. There were more girls with us, I wondered why, if the selected ones were only two. And I wondered who was the old man who chose me.. or my double.. maybe he was Gandalf.. with that thought I recuperated part of my hope. But it wasn't sure yet. I would have to wait. And the waiting was killing me. The sharp girl, who hated me, suddenly became kinder. She was talking about the king, and I couldn't imagine who was him.. I had a lack of History knowledge, and I wished more than ever to have a book from 21rst century.
"And then we'll come in the huge party room, where lots of persons will be looking at us.." She was explaining, proudly. "And there you will also find his main wife, the one he chose over all of us.. because his heart belongs to her.. but I don't care" She made a face, as if she was angry.
"The king will choose another one? Why? I mean, if he's already married and.." The girl's face changed its expression.
"Are you crazy? Of course important people have more than one wife! You're an ignorant servant.." She looked at me disgusted.
"I'm already tired of you, you know? And I don't want to marry.." I looked in the distance, the moon shining in the sky, and heard again her horrible voice.
"Don't ever say this in front of the King Priam!"
"Priam??" I almost fainted. "He's an old.. man..!" I remembered him indeed.. but he was too old, I could never be with someone like him, I could never love a person of his age, he was about seventy years old" "No, I must leave" I stood up, and the girl watched at me.
"What are you talking about?" And suddenly, she smiled, as if she had discovered something. "Oh, of course.. you'll have to marry the old King Priam.." Her voice sounded fake, and I looked at her. "So.. if you don't want to marry an old man.. then you can go.." There was something in her eyes that I didn't like.. she looked too happy, all from the sudden.. how could she be in love with a very old man? And why would an old man want to marry? Many things weren't clear to me in that moment.
"Wait a minute.. why do you want to marry him? " I asked, and she blushed, and looked confused.
"Well, he's a king.." She blinked, tried to look innocent. I tried to remember, forcing my memory. Did that king have a son? I couldn't remember.. I felt useless..
"OK; you win, I leave.. but how can I escape from here? " She looked delighted, and stood up so fast that I thought she had jumped the whole room.
"Go, there, to the balcony.. and then, run towards the harbour.." She was smiling happily.
"I think it's not so easy to leave the palace.." I didn't trust her at all.
"Do you think I would lie to you? Ill be one of his wives! All I want is to make you disappear, and if you escape and don't ever return.. " I nodded.
"OK, OK, I catch it" I walked towards the balcony. All the girls were looking at me, scared. The sharp girl whose name I still didn't know, ordered them to shut up. But just in that moment a soldier came in. I heard a cry of disgust.
"Girl.. they call us to meet the King.." She looked so disappointed that I couldn't help feeling happy for staying there. Sure, there was something waiting for me that all girls wanted.. and maybe it would help me to come back with my friends. But the idea of marrying Priam.. that.. killed me.
We walked in line, through the halls, and heard the sound of hundreds of voices in the huge room. I felt so nervous, I almost couldn't walk. The soldiers stopped, and we came inside the place. I opened my mouth in surprise.. the walls seemed to be decorated with jewels.. the windows without glasses showed the sea and the starry night.. hundreds of guests were sitting on tables, and I tried to look for my friends, but they didn't allow me. They forced me to stay in a corner, and wait for the King.
He came in the room, followed by a group of people.. but I only paid attention to his face.. his old face, that maybe I would have to kiss.. I didn't like his gaze, his expression.. I didn't like anything on him, and I wondered how come all those girls were fighting for having him as a husband. I felt sick. People applauded and then, they all sat down.
"Hello, my friends.." To my surprise, he spoke in my language, and another man was translating.. but why? How many people there spoke English? I looked in the distance, and saw a blonde head. My heart beating so fast, I wanted to shout "I'm here!", but he was too far away.. and maybe, he was an unknown person.. how could I be sure? The King went on speaking. "We're here because tonight we'll take a big and important decision" He looked at all of us, and stopped his gaze on me. For a while, he kept silence. Then, suddenly, walked and came by my side. "So you're the last one who was chosen.. my dear friend insisted a lot.. I can't understand why.. they say you're a servant.. who speaks the language of the two foreigners I've met today.."
"Oh, my god.. they're safe!" I said, and the King's face became serious. He beat my face with his hand.
"Don't speak while I'm speaking" He could have killed me with his gaze, and I heard noises in the distance, as if someone was fighting. "I can't understand why my friend wanted you.." he looked back, and an old man with a dark tunic came. When I saw his face, all my fears were gone. He was Gandalf. I smiled, but he remained serious. As if he didn't recognise me.
"She's a good choice, Priam. Trust me." I felt angry with Gandalf.. How come did he allow that? I was forced to marry a horrible old man, why did he allow that? I wanted to shout on his face, asking for an explanation.. Galadriel had failed Haldir.. and now Gandalf had betrayed me? But suddenly I saw a smile in his blue eyes, hidden under his long white hair, and a voice inside my head. "Trust me" The king returned to his place, followed by Gandalf. I tried to look who else was there.. but there were too many people standing still.
"Now the second wife will be chosen.." The King went on, looking at me. I felt ill again. The sharp girl was smiling happily. I couldn't understand her.. but.. then I did. "Please, come here, my son". The King said, and the big wooden door opened. Paris. My heart almost stopped beating. He was a prince, and he was Priam's son! I froze. Legolas reincarnation was a Prince, and he was going to marry more than one girl. I had to escape from that century.
Paris walked towards us, a sad expression on his face. His father looked at him ,and asked something in Trojan. Paris shook his head and I heard the word "Helen". His heart was broken, or this is seemed. The King looked back at me, with anger in his eyes.
"Look what your friends have done.. look" He pointed at Paris, and when he saw me, he gave me a surprised look.
"You!" He shouted, and then, walked towards me. "You're the girl from the beach.." His dark eyes checked me. "I didn't recognise you with those clothes.. and this hair.." He touched my head, slowly. For a moment his eyes bright with a kind expression, but soon he looked sad again. "And you came with those strange men.. you all spoiled my life.." I didn't want to speak, afraid of the King's reaction.
"Forget it, my son.. now, you must choose" An evil expression on Paris face made me scared. His eyes smiled evilly too, and then nodded. People held their breathings.. waiting..
"I choose her" He pointed at me, and the girls behind me screamed sadly. But I didn't feel happy, I knew he had a plan, I knew his choice had a double intention.. revenge.