Author's Note: Since my story was booted off the first page, I decided to post the pitiful few paragraphs that I wrote in the last week or so. I have been suffering from writer's block and a friend's move, meaning this chapter is going to be short and angsty. I AM WRITING THE NEXT CHAPTER NOW AND I PROMISE IT WILL BE BETTER. I will post it very soon! Until then, tootles!

Achilles left me after that. So far, no one has come into the tent. No guards even. They think I'm too scared to try an escape.

They're right.

Even if I did manage to get free, how long will I last in the Greek camp? Two minutes? Three? Before I'm sliced to bloody ribbons, cast in the Trojan sands as a carrion warning?

"Look at the crows, boy. They've never tasted prince before!"

Stop! I've got to pull myself out of this living nightmare. I've got to stop thinking about Helen. I've really got to stop thinking about Hector. I've got to breathe. Breathe.

Don't close your eyes...

I can't afford to have my imagination be my enemy now.

Gods, oh Gods, what am I going to do?

I bite my lip. Hector knows that he is going to die for me. And he's still coming.

He's going to lose everything, for me.

Why him? Why would a man lose all his blessings at a chance to rescue his curse? How can he come, knowing he's going to die, unmourned, like me?

He would have said "Because you'd do it for me". But I wouldn't. If I was like that, I'd have escaped. I'd have fought. I'd be home by now.

Where are you now, Hector?

I wanted to say good-bye to Helen. And father. Will he still love me, now that I've destroyed his city?

At least I'll get to say good-bye to Hector.

Stop. Don't you dare start crying, you freak. Don't think about that. Concentrate on the tent. Breathe. Sheepskin tent. Ugly door. Keep breathing. Bite your lip and don't think of anything but the pain. Look at something else. Breathe.

I'm a gods-cursed coward who's lucky enough to have a brother that loves him too much.

Apollo, hear my prayer, not for me, but for those I love...

I can't do this!

Gods damn Hector! Gods damn him and his brotherly love, and his honor, and his pathetic attempt to save my life!

I don't want to die.

I really don't want to die.

And when I damn heaven above, I'm only damning myself.

The Greeks know that Hector's going to die for me too. But they're laughing. The Greeks love a tragedy, especially when it pulls another city into their empire.

Apollo damn them! What do they want with more treasures, with more glory, with more greed, with more power, with more blood, with more gold?

They want everything.

They want to take the world, and I'm the bit of prince that's going to let them do it.

And I know that Hector's going to die for me. But I'm Paris. Scared of death, of escape, of myself.

Some things are the will of the gods

This isn't.

Now, I would like to take a moment to thank all my reviewers. You are lovely.

Shelli: I have a crush on Hector too-no need to be coy (heh heh). In both the Iliad and Troy, Agamemnon is absolutely odious, with an inferiority complex the size of Texas. I intend to portray him that way. This may be an AU fic, but I'm not sure it's AU enough to have the Greeks lose. I'd love that too, believe me. And Hector would live!!!! However, with Achilles talking to Paris (and they will meet again!) things might change. And thank you for noticing the age thing. Actually, he was 15 years old when he joined the army, but this is a few years into the war. You were also the only one who semi-responded to my burning question "What's up with Achilles?". Seeing that there are all these Achilles/Brisies fics, I hoped someone would know. Apparently not.

AzNnEgGrOePnOi (However you spell it) You are being particularly maddening in your reviews. I don't think this chapter will help you in finally commenting on my work, as it is much too short. CURSE YE, WRITERS BLOCK! However I am writing the next chapter now, and it will be a lot longer, with a lot more happening in it. So thanks for your compliments, however elusive they may be, and keep reading! Also, thank you for reviewing Nothing Left To Win. That was inspired by a nightmare, and I'm glad it has gotten some tolerable reviews.

The Dunadan: Thank you! I'm so glad you said that. I'm trying to work on my characters, so I was quite happy when I got your review. I think Paris's conduct in the duel with Meneleus would make him realize some things about himself. He was pretty self-aware in the second half of the movie, and I bet the duel was the turning point. He'll continue to grow, and test his own limitations, as the story goes on.

Avaenian: Ha! I'm glad someone else noticed the deliciousness of an Achilles/Paris dialogue. I've always wanted them to have an interaction because they are really similar—both are talented, passionate, beautiful, controversial, and quite careless of other people. But they have completely different takes on the Trojan war and war in general. Not to mention life in general. I've always wanted them to meet, and they never have. So I engineered a bit of my own...

Lady Discord: Your story is pretty superb too. I'll post the next 'real' chapter soon; don't worry and please keep reviewing! Thank you!

Luthien: Thank you! I am sorry to say the next chapter has no Odysseus. He is asleep, as people with brains tend to be at midnight (wonder how many dumb people are in my stories then). Please keep reading anyway; you never know...

Sara: Things like your review stop me from being self-deprecating for a while, which is a real improvement. "Beautifully written"-thanks!

Praetorian Guard, FelsGoddess, and ElvenRanger13: Thank you!!!