From Afar
Chapter 2: An Unnerving Agreement
Disclaimer: I do not own Troy or Homer's epic poem.
Summary: Appointed by Artemis, she must now perform the unthinkable and change the course of a Prince's destiny. Can Paris fall in love with an ordinary woman and learn the truth in life or will he still go after Helen and throw everything else he ever treasured to waste? PG13 for: some language, violence (later in the story), and some sexual references (small love scene, mention of a love scene).
AN: I am sorry I haven't updated in a while but between vacation and packing to move it's been virtually impossible. Also I'd like to let you know that starting this Friday, since I am moving on Saturday, I will have no internet access for atleast a week. I will continue to write new chapters between now and then so that way when I get the Internet back I can update right away. Thank you to my four reviewers from the first chapter! I love you all greatly, cookies to everyone!!!
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In passing a pair of cold marble pillars I was capable of viewing the whole of the Trojan market and its bumbling residents meandering from cart to shop to cart yet again. A jovial fellow to my right was desperately trying to sell a worthless scrap of black fleece to an under worked maiden from the palace, who in turn was grimacing at the very sight of the older man. On the other hand, to my left was a tall scrawny man with a small child, wrapped in a soiled cloth, latched endearingly to his sweaty palm. The man had been arguing with the merchant over the expense of the sandals he most definitely needed for his daughter for a while now, it seems. I shrugged the incident off of my shoulder as I have learned to do for many such occasions and continued on my way at a steady pace.
I gently pulled my shawl back away from my face, exposing my deep unruly curls and my slightly tanned face. My eyes were scanning the scene and every once in a while fixating on a glittering object or a food item, but due to the immense crowd visibility was at a minimum. After a few tries of jumping up and down to see over the balding head in front of me I decided to weave myself as best I could through the thick gathering of bodies. Though I soon realized that the crowd was not only due to the market but a small time act that a young boy with auburn hair and brown freckles dashed across his face was performing. He was juggling three balls composed of scrap fleece and fabric about the size of my hand. He was talented but not great enough to get me to stop and watch.
As the large crowed slowly filtered out I was finally able to reach my destination. I stepped up from the soft dusty dirt and on to the threshold of Xenos' wine and herbal shop. My feet padded across the humid sticky floor leading me directly to Xenos' front counter. He slouched behind the wooden surface arranged on a creakily aged chair that looks as though it would bust at any moment. Xenos' oily black tresses draped across his brow and swept over his shoulders blocking out most of his facial appearance, though I could detect a slight grin. "Xenos." My voice wavered as I tried to determine if he was actually awake or passed out.
"Damaris! My dear it has been way to long!" Xenos jumped up at me his plump face swaying from the move, though he still smiled and offered a warm embrace.
"That it has, but I must be direct for I have not much time before I must be off yet again." His dark eyes peered through me with their impeccable charm and delight; I had to smile.
"You don't have time for an old friend?" He began to plead with me, saying he wanted nothing more than the company of a friend.
"You want nothing more than the company of a lovely woman." I retorted playfully.
"Well, you can't hold that one against me. After all, you being here once in a while might boost my profits up." His sweaty fingers pried up the sweating logbook and scooted it in between us. "So what is it that I can help you with?"
"I thought you'd never ask," I grinned wryly ignoring any sense of pleasure Xenos was receiving from my impatience. "I should need a simple red wine and perhaps a small bottle of your own recipe, you know the white iris wine, for the wine festival in three days."
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"THE FESTIVAL! That's in three days, Briseis are you insane!" Paris' voice echoed across the courtyard his vocal cords streaming with madness. "Do you even know what goes on out there? Can you even comprehend it?"
"You've been going to it since you were thirteen, granted you were sneaking out then, but you went no less! I know what goes on down there and that is precisely why I want to go! Besides I've seen you return to the palace at dawn the next day after the festival and you would glow with sheer joy written all over your face, of course you generally return every dawn like that. Well atleast when you've had the chance the night prior to sleep with a woman." Her brown eyes leveled with Paris' and she saw the glare of frustration glint in his eyes as a warning. "I admire you, Paris', for your freedom and charisma. I want to be able to feel that, to live like that!"
"To live like that? It is a burden sometimes more than it is a pleasure. Besides you're too young! You're- you're only-." He couldn't finish knowing full well that he was wrong; she was old enough. Women were sometimes married at thirteen why wasn't nineteen a suitable age for her to experience lust?
"I'm nineteen Paris, you know this. Please, don't hate or resent me because I want to go." She mumbled as they continued their stroll through the courtyard, passing a statue of Athena.
"I don't hate you, it's just you don't know the world out there. I can't even remember how many times I've been thrown out of a woman's house." He admitted freely, proposing his past as advice.
"Yeah well, if I were her husband I'd throw the both of you out and wallop you as much as my fists would grant me." Paris starred down at her in awe. "I would! You'd deserve it, sleeping with another mans wife! You'll end up in Hades' one of these days!"
"Bless you cousin, it's always nice to know that I have a relative ready to murder me if the husbands of my lovers don't first." His voice was bantering in sarcasm.
"That's what I'm here for." She took a breath as she halted in place peering up at the noonday sky. "Paris, when I'm at the festival will you do me a favor and keep an eye on me. I'm just worried about the risks. I've heard stories from past years and I just want to know I have my savior watching over me." She confided while holding on to his arm.
"Savior? After that compliment I suppose I'd have to." Paris snickered as he embraced his kinswoman in a heartfelt hug. But truth be told, he was shaken beyond belief over the risks for his poor cousin and wasn't sure that he could fulfill his promise of knighthood to her.
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As my fingers traced and wended through the soft bushels of fabric I couldn't help but daydream about the occurrences that were sure to develop on the night of the wine festival. The dancing and feasting all under the light glow of the full moon with dull normal faces by day shrouded by uniquely designed masks at night. What a wonderful specter it would be, and I with the PRINCE! He's here? Oh, Artemis you have blessed me, he is here!
My eyes faced him with explicit curiosity though my body itself was hidden behind a rack of plain wool fabrics in the corner of the tiny shop. Out of nowhere almost I felt a surge of warm air lunge me forward to the center of the shop. Where all the rich colored linens were laid in crates for people's wondering eyes to gaze over though few could actually afford such perfected linen; I stumbled into place peering down at a soft royal blue linen with gold and silver etchings weaved throughout it. The young prince was not more than three feet from me, his free- falling brunette curls landing gently against the glowing tan skin forged on his face. As he bent over to look closer at the fabrics I could detect a small grin forming at the corners of his childish mouth. He was beautiful, which is a comment that only few men can fulfill, and I was starring. I believe he was smiling only to hold back laughter for the awkwardness of this situation and so I turned my sights back to the blue fabric.
Why he was at this shop I had no idea, it wasn't exactly the most royal shop out there and it was a good ways into the market. I reached down and grabbed the linen rubbing its silky texture between my fingers as I noticed the prince struggling with a decision of two colors that should never have been held in his hand. Offer it to him, that voice had returned, it was so powerful that I thought everyone would have heard it. I exhaled quietly while stepping carefully around the crates as I approached him.
His charismatic brown eyes rose to meet mine, "I'm sorry, I was just standing over there and I couldn't help but notice the difficult time you were having with your decision about fabrics." He now stood to his full height, which was not more than a pea pod taller than I, for I will proudly admit that I am a tall woman "Those colors of auburn and burgundy are much to dark for your... er...skin complexion." The Prince's laugh was released in a joyful way that for some reason had me laughing along with him.
His voice broke through after a little while, "is this your first day working here or do you always start conversations this way?" His comment killed my kindness, how dare he presume I work here!
I bit my lip holding back the stream of profound comments that wanted nothing more than to pour out. "Forgive my ignorance, highness." I dropped the blue linen, I had been wrenching in my hands, onto the pile and turned leaving the shop.
My hair hung loosely down my back as the plain brown gown I was wearing dragged across the dirt. "Arrogant little chit! Has no right to presume the lives of people he has so little to do with." My rude selfish remarks continued to pour from my mouth as I marched steadily down the street, ignoring the passer- by's.
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"PARIS!" Briseis appeared from the back of the shop, running to chew out her cousin. Her fair porcelain hand flying across his face brought a halt to everything else occurring in the shop. "You are so ignorant to your surroundings that you can't even except some help from a woman! I don't know how you manage to charm so many if you can be so cruel to the rest! She was merely trying to guide you in the right direction and you insulted her pride!" Briseis had a knack for speaking out and voicing her opinion even when it was bad for her health and this time she hit the Bullseye.
"Well what do you expect me to do about it now?" Paris' body was leaning haughtily against a crate while his right hand rubbed at his sore cheek.
"Go apologize!" The young women's feet were planted stubbornly on the wood flooring with her arms crossing over one another.
"You expect me to go find her in that crowd?" Briseis nodded coldly, "there's no way, you're mad!" Paris voiced aloud trying his best to handle this how Hector would, though he was failing miserably at it. Hector wouldn't have been rude in the first place, he chided himself.
"Paris you get your tail out there and apologize to that woman! If it was me who was insulted you would want the dog who did it to stick his tail between his legs and apologize to me!" She shouted her finger pointing directly at him, her eyes burning with a fire of a thousand suns.
"His apology would spare him nothing for I would still pummel him, he'd be lucky if he wasn't killed!" Paris thought for a moment, Curse her for being so intelligent! She had done it to me again! "Fine!" His eyes were cold and stern as he glared at Briseis' warm conniving smile. "But you will pay later!"
After stomping his way out of the shop Paris wondered aimlessly up and down the streets of the market place hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman. But what bothered him the most is she looked just like every other woman there; long locks of curly hair slightly dusted from the dirt, a plain mahogany frock that flowed freely around her tall body, and a basket strung over one arm carrying two bottles of wine. He would never find her at this rate, and then he suddenly got the urge to check the shop to his right.
The Prince stepped into the hut his eyes scanning the jewelry strewn about the store. Most of them made of shells and pearls, some of agate and others of jasper. In the back trying on a string of pearls stood the insulted woman, her hazel eyes completely fixed on the jewels. Paris hadn't noticed it before but her face had an enchanting bone structure and her flesh appeared to be as soft as sand with a hint of gold hurtled into her complexion.
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My mind was racing over a thousand and one things and at that moment I was still very flustered from earlier. How does Artemis expect me to fall for a man who is too egotistical to notice me? I pulled the string of gorgeous pearls from my neck and laid them back down on the stand in a pitiful manner. As I did so I could feel the cold sensation of another necklace lacing its way around my neck and I lifted my hand to my throat to see if what I was feeling was in fact real. It was, there was another string of pearls dangling from my neck but this time they had several dripping from the main string as if rays of light beaming from the sun.
"I already told you Atalo that I wasn't going to try on any more." I reproached him good-naturedly.
The man behind me started leaning in close to my ear to speak in a hushed whisper, his warm under worked hands were resting on my shoulders. "What if I said I wasn't Atalo, and I simply wanted to help you with your decision on jewelry?"
Without turning to face him I spoke steadily, "I would ask if it was your first day working here or do you always start out conversations this way?"
"Fair enough," he was speaking in a regular tone as he pulled his hands away from my body. "So we're even now?"
"Even? Heh, you call placing an expensive pearl necklace around my throat, brushing your soft hand across my shoulders, and whispering soothingly into my ear even? How you ever gained the title of charmer of maidens on such inexperience eludes me." My response was less than kind but what did it matter to me, he was the one at fault not I.
"Are you not afraid of the consequences your insults to a Prince of Troy can bring?" Prince Paris' response was sharp to the point.
As was mine, "are you not afraid of the public humiliation a woman who does not care can cause?"
"You? A Prince does not trifle with such boasts nor does it matter. Besides you lack the courage of your convictions, I dare say you wouldn't follow through with them." His royal arrogance beamed as he turned tail and left.
My eyes were beginning to swell with rage and before I knew it I had ripped the necklace from my throat and thrown it down on the table. "Oh, I lack the courage of my convictions? Let us see how well he fairs out there!" I took off out into the wry dusty streets now changing my disposition to one of a weary lover. "Paris! Paris!" I cried out mournfully as I followed him down the length of the street.
"My sweet Paris won't you turn to speak with me?" I caught up with him finally and spun him around to face me. "Please Paris forgive any wrongs I have inflicted on you, my love." I was at his feet groveling, his magnificent eyes scorning me with all the power of the heavens. "Paris, my beloved, come back home and make sweet love to me once again. My body is aching for you, just to feel your soft skin on mine once more. We can tumble if you like, I know you like that, rolling around on the floor like animals!"
Everything around us practically stopped; mothers were covering their young children's ears, old women were shaking their heads, and all the men were intently listening. Paris was shaking his head at me, and then he turned swiftly and began stalking off. I had to break out the mother of all cries; it was all I had left. "Paris, what about our baby?"
Even though he was standing some feet from me I could see the flash in his demeanor and I knew then that I had won. His feet were heavy as he made his way over to me, eyeing me with distaste the entire time. That cry would be spread around in gossip like wildfire; there was no way he could escape that one.
All I could do was smile mischievously up at him as he finally came to a halt in front of me. It seemed everyone around us started to go back to their normal routine and it was just the two of us left in the black void of hate and distrust. He extended his forearm down to me and I gladly excepted. I instantly begin brushing the dirt from my clothes awaiting his speech.
"What do you want from me?" Paris' posed question bothered me somewhat.
"Well, an apology to begin with. That would be a nice start, don't you think?"
"Very well, I'm sorry."
"For?" I loved pushing him to his limits; it was such a fun sport.
"For insulting you."
"Where?"
"What? What do you mean where?"
"Publicly." I stated flatly.
"Publicly."
"Put it all together and what do you get?"
"You're treating me as if I'm five years old!"
"You're childish behavior is what determined that!"
"And what about you groveling at my feet?"
"Isn't that what citizens are supposed to do, your highness? Now say it!"
"I'm sorry for insulting you publicly. There are you happy?"
"Not quite," I spoke promptly.
"What now?" The agitation in his voice was growing by the second and I loved every moment of it.
"Unless you want another outburst followed by a string of more unfavorable gossip I suggest you listen to my terms of peace." He nodded, "there are only three terms that I have so count yourself lucky. The first one: you must take me as your partner to the wine festival."
"Are you mad? I can't do that!" His shouting nearly echoed off of the buildings.
"And why not?"
"Because there are many beautiful women waiting on me that night."
"I think you can skip one night and spend it with me," my smile was arrogant and yet a hint innocent, too. "And for term number two, I must be allowed to live in the palace until that night, then after that night I will leave you alone and never bother you again." What am I saying and where in Apollo's name were all of these terms coming from? "And lastly, I am not to be harmed while staying with you."
"You actually expect me to agree to these terms?"
"Yes."
"Forget it."
"OH PARIS! THE BABY, SHE'S COMING!" I let loose a scream and then felt a warm hand plaster itself to my mouth.
"Fine! I agree now will keep your trap shut?" I nodded in agreement.
After he had removed his hand from my face I noticed the people starring and I made the decision to explain. "Sorry, false alarm!" They were squirming with revulsion.
"Will you keep quiet for just one moment?"
"Just keep moving, your royal cowardness."
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AN: And thus brings an end to the second chapter, again terribly sorry for the delay. Also I'd like to take the time to explain the Wine festival. It is a celebration in the name of the God Dionysus, it is a one night festival were everyone wears a mask and dances while drinking wine. The celebration lasts all night and usually after people had their full of dancing and drinking they basically find a partner and couple then go back to dancing and drinking. I won't be going into to detail in the story when it comes to the coupling part, so have no fear. Well that's all for now, thanks to those who have reviewed.
And: if I receive atleast five reviews this time I'll throw in a cardboard cutout of Paris! Am I baiting any of you yet?