Disclaimer: The characters are taken from Homer's Iliad, and also from the awesome movie Troy! Warner Brothers did an excellent job with all of the characters. I have added my own creation, Daphnea, for this story. Enjoy!
Daphnea, Priestess of Apollo
Ch. 1: Fond Remembrances
Word has reached my ears that my childhood friend will be returning to Troy today. While he and his older brother were visiting the great cities across the Aegean on a peace mission, I had received the honor of wearing the sacred pure white robes. Along with my best friend, Briseis, I had completed the training, taken the solemn vow of virginity, and entered into my service of Apollo as a high acolyte.
I long to see him when he greets his cousin Briseis at the palace today. Yet I know much has changed between us since our last meeting. I have always loved Paris from afar, but I have never acted on that feeling. For I'm well aware of the young Prince's reputation – he's quite the heartbreaker. Many a young maid has found herself the recipient of his affections in the night, only to find herself alone and abandoned the next morning. At least now that I have become a priestess, I should be immune to the complications of love that constantly plague women. As I watch the docking of a royal Trojan ship from the temple, I doubt that he will even remember me.
(Flashback to ten years earlier)
Excitement coursed through my veins, for I had just snuck out of my parents' home long after Apollo's chariot had reigned in the sun. Normally I behaved like a proper nine-year-old girl should, but I just couldn't pass up this wonderful opportunity. My friend Paris promised me that tonight we would go riding on his father's prize stallion. Maybe we would even ride as far away from the city as Mount Ida! Hitching up my skirts, I crept to the back entrance of the royal stables and hid in the shadows. Paris had told me to wait there until he came out leading Apollo's Light, the swiftest horse in all of Troy! Voices drifted from inside the stable into the cool, summer evening.
"What are you doing here?" demanded a deep accusatory voice.
"Do you love me brother? Would you keep my secret from reaching father's ears?" That was Paris, earnestly begging Hector to leave him alone.
"Stealing the King's horse is not a minor indiscretion! You are only ten winters. You could endanger yourself, and besides, you don't have Father's permission!"
"But you rode him last night with Andromache into the hills," Paris pointed out. "Would you like me to tell Father about that?"
"No!" said Hector, emphatically. "You little spy!" He continued uneasily, "What else did you see?"
"Just you kissing her. And then you both went out of my sight. Were you playing that grown up game that you won't tell me anything about?" From my hiding spot in the bushes, I could almost hear Hector's embarrassment.
"Oh alright Paris, for the love of Zeus, take the horse. You are indeed a fine rider. Just don't tell..."
"I won't. Thank you, brother!" He bid Hector goodbye and then I heard hoofbeats approaching my hiding spot. Paris dismounted and softly called for me.
"Daphnea? Are you there?" I emerged, my wavy brown hair billowing in the Trojan wind, my innocent dark eyes scintillating in the moonlight.
"Oh Paris, you made it!"
"Ready for the adventure of your life?"
"Of course!" I smiled gratefully at him, and he grinned back while helping me up into the saddle. Paris swung up behind me and took hold of the reigns. "Hold on tightly now," he whispered directly into my ear, "because we are going to fly!" He gave the stallion a nudge with his heels and we were off! A feeling of exhilaration and freedom allowed our spirits to soar into the star sprinkled sky. Galloping through the fields, we made it to Mount Ida in record time. It was over all too soon; my dream-like state waned as Paris commanded for Light to slow down. We quickly dismounted in a clearing and tied Light to a nearby tree where he could eat and rest comfortably. Paris and I lay beside each other in the lush, dewy grass, silently gazing up at the wide night sky.
"Did you overhear me talking with Hector?"
"Yes. You mean he STILL won't tell you the secrets about the game that all the grown-ups play when we're asleep?"
"No. He won't tell me. Why can't we know, Nea? It's not fair," he complained.
"Yeah, I'll bet it's really fun," I agreed.
"I wish I was older." I looked over at him knowingly.
"No you don't, Paris. I giggled, "because then you'd have to go to war with the men."
"That's true," he realized dejectedly. "I HATE sword fighting. I'm not good at it, and I'm constantly getting injured. So, I tend to stay away from all my practical lessons except for archery. Instead of learning to fight, I'd rather be out running, riding, or swimming with you, Nea." He turned his gaze away from the sky and stared at me intently. "Do you wish you grown?"
"No. I don't want to marry someone I don't like, and have to stay indoors all day. That's what I fear my life will be like when I'm an adult. I doubt I could live if that was my fate."
"Then prevent it from ever happening to you. Become a priestess, like my cousin Briseis." Paris made it sound so easy, as if my choice of 'career' could be made in an instant.
"Hmm, I guess I could be happy dedicating my life to the Gods," I pondered.
We were quiet. I considered his suggestion; becoming a priestess wouldn't be half-bad, especially if I had a friend in the temple. Briseis was the only girl in the palace that would even talk to me; the others envied my time spent with the Prince so much that they scorned and ignored me.
Paris suddenly broke the tranquil silence. "You know, I was wondering if you and I will play that secret game when we are grown."
"I can't think of any other boy that I would rather play with." I smiled innocently at him.
"I'll bet it the mystery game has something to do with kissing, since that's what I saw my brother and his girlfriend doing before I couldn't see where they went."
"Paris, you might be right! Once when I couldn't fall asleep, I watched my parents return home late at night from a party. They were kissing and Mother was laughing about something when she and Father disappeared into their bedroom." I glanced at Paris and affirmed, "They must have been tickling each other, because Mother kept laughing and screaming. Father must not have known when to stop. I hope she wasn't mad at him."
"So that's it then? Kissing and tickling – it doesn't sound very grown up to me," said Paris in disbelief.
"Perhaps you have to be older to really enjoy it," I suggested.
"Maybe. But I'm already pretty good at tickling people," stated Paris, a sly grin forming on his lips. I began to laugh uncontrollably, for he was wagging his eyebrows at me in the silliest fashion. "What? Hector does it all the time and Andromache seems to not find it that offensive." Shaking my head in amusement I exclaimed, "Paris, you are such a goof!" He started to reach over to tickle my sides but I had already stood up.
"Hey!" he whined, "Am not, I'll get you for that!"
"Only if you can catch me!" He chased me through the woods, past a stream, and back to the clearing where Light was asleep. We both stopped to catch our breath, and I 'let' him wrestle me to the ground and begin his tickling assault on my sides.
"Haha! By the Gods, Paris, that's enough!" Tears of mirth glinted in the corners of my eyes as Paris finally released me. It was then that I realized that I was lying on the ground again, and that my eyelids were beginning to droop. My bedtime must be long past, I thought in dismay.
"Nea, you look a little tired."
"Yeah, I'm exhausted," I admitted. "I'm ready to fall asleep."
"Wait! Before you doze off, there is something I want to show you," Paris told me. He went and removed an object from a pack that he must've carried with him. Sprinting back to me, Paris held out a small box. "Open it," he urged. I sat up, lifted the lid, and took out a tiny teardrop-shaped amethyst seashell. Confused, I looked back at him for an explanation. "You've been a wonderful friend, Daphnea. I just wanted to give you something that will always remind you of the friendship that we share."
"Oh Paris, it's perfect," I breathed. "I'll treasure it always." He pulled me in for a fierce hug, and I returned it gladly. Having a friend like Paris is great fun, I told myself as he pulled away. I hope we shall always be this good of friends. Then I yawned again, and lay back down in the soft grass again.
"Good night, Nea."
"Night, Paris." I tried to fall into slumber, but the unfamiliar noises of nature's night creatures were making me feel uneasy. I'd never spent a night outside before, much less away from my parents! Not wanting to seem afraid, I asked the Prince a question about the next morning.
"Do you think we'll be punished severely tomorrow, when our parents discover we've spend the night up here?"
"You know them. Sure we will. But the time spent was well worth it."
"Yeah, it was." A cool breeze blew over Mt. Ida and I shivered, both with cold and in fright.
"Do you miss your parents?" I nodded, miserably.
"Go ahead, laugh at me. I don't care."
Paris frowned. "I wasn't going to. I can understand that it feels scary, being away from your family. When Hector took me on a hunting trip last year, I felt the same way."
"It's just that my father and mother always kiss me goodnight, I've never gone to sleep without them being there."
"Try this, it seemed to work for me. Lay back down on your back - " I looked at him warily. "I'm not going to tickle you, I promise."
"Promise on the Gods?" After Paris solemnly recited the oath of Apollo, I decided to try his advice and lay down.
"Now, close your eyes. Take a deep breath and let it out." I complied. Paris came over to my still form and held my hand. "Try to visualize your room. Can you see your bed and the toys around it? I nodded, feeling sleepier by the moment. "Just try and relax." Paris' lilting voice was soothing me into sweet slumber. I would've crossed over the threshold into sleep at that moment, but something extraordinary happened. A sensation of great warmth was being pressed to my lips. My eyes flew open and locked with his brown orbs. Never had I seen him so close before. Never had I been more awake. Never had I received a direct kiss from Paris, much less from anyone. Neither one of us wanted to break away, but the need to breathe was becoming urgent.
"Are you mad?" asked Paris softly, after we'd pulled away.
"No. Don't look so guilty, you didn't break your tickle promise," I lightly pointed out. He still appeared quite worried. "Was I - " I finally understood his nervousness.
"You were great! I really liked it," I reassured him. "You are my first, so I have no one to compare you to."
"Me too. I liked it, I mean. But I still don't know why Hector loves kissing Andromache so much. It wasn't THAT fun."
"Yeah. I'm still glad we tried it though." I motioned to him to come over by me. "Come and lie down, we really should try to get some sleep." I lay my head on his chest and we slowly fell asleep in the meadow, miles away from our majestic city; forever friends.
End chapter 1
How was it? I hope it wasn't too random, I tried to keep the movie characters as real as possible. It's not easy writing from the POV of kids, but I did the best that I could, while trying to allude to certain things. Does anyone else think that little Paris would be really adorable? I do! Awwwww. The rating shall go up a few notes in later chapters. I'm just working up to the good part, I promise! Review, and I'll write more. Flames will be ignored.