2

Ten years is a long time. But even the changes a decade had wrought couldn't keep me from recognizing my father when he came to the door. His once-black hair that had rippled down his back was now gray, and he walked a little more slowly and stooped a bit, but his smith's muscles and pride kept him a strong and upright figure. He stood in the doorway, confusion weighing down his brow. "Lady, you must have the wrong house," he said gently, looking at Signey and smiling as she shyly hid her head on my shoulder. My daughter peeked out, looking at the man she didn't know was her grandfather.

My father smiled at the child and waggled his fingers, bringing a smile to her face. "There's no mistake, Hectos, finest smith of Athens. Am I that changed that you don't recognize your own daughter?"

His mouth dropped open, and he looked down at me as I smiled. "Chryse?" he asked, incredulous. "I thought you had died, years ago."

"I was worrying the same about you, old man."

Hectos drew himself up to his full height. As his shadow fell over me, I realized with shock that my father was almost as tall as Achilles had been. A small sigh escaped my lips. Even in death, Achilles had been right again to send me back here, and not to his lands.

"We don't die off that easily, daughter, as you can tell. You doubted your father?"

"You doubted your daughter?"

He smiled again and relaxed. "Well, you always were an impetuous thing. It's really no wonder you're back here. And who's this little princess?" he asked, turning and looking at Signey where she sat on my hip, arms around my neck. I smiled, looking down at her. "This is Signey. Signey, darling, this is your grandfather. Can you say hello to him?"

She cast me a dubious look, and then turned and looked out at the smith. Giving him a dazzling smile, she unwrapped her arms and reached out for him. "Hello, Grandfather!"

In shock, Hectos took her from me, jiggling her on his hip as she squealed. Peering behind me at the servants and soldiers, he asked in a loud voice so they could hear. "And where is your husband?"

Eyes dropped everywhere, and the smile froze on my face. Signey cast her gaze down to the ground, and my father picked up on the somber mood that had descended.

"He wasn't so lucky to leave Troy alive," I said, and the men gathered behind us busied themselves again, giving us a moment of private time. "Father, you've heard of the great warrior Achilles, yes?"

My father nodded. "Who hasn't? Did you fight with him in battle?"

I gave him a crooked grin. "Yes. I did. He was my master. And…he was my husband. You're holding his daughter in your arms."

He gave a start, almost dropping Signey was he looked down. Wailing, she clutched to his arm, and he hoisted her back up. Stopping her shrieks, they turned into bubbles of laughter as she pulled on my father's beard. I smiled at the picture they made, crossing my arms. I was finally home again. Casting my eyes up to the bright skies, I gave my head a small shake. Well, maybe I wasn't completely home.

As my father waved us into his house, making sure the servants and soldiers could move my things in without much trouble; he ran around, my blonde girl on his hip, gesturing to the servants, talking with the soldiers of the war, of their previous master, of his exploits in battle.

The special urn was carried in between two steady-handed soldiers, and they reverently placed it on the special niche in the wall near the back door, between the door and a window that looked over Athens' hills. Smiling to myself, I shook my head in silent laughter. Achilles was surely raising hell in Olympia, with the disdain only he held for being placed somewhere quietly, reverently, were you would only see him if you wanted to reflect in silence. It didn't suit him, but the contrast between the area and the man he had been was a nice, contradictory touch to a death that had come too soon for all.

I sat on the front stoop, chin in my hands, listening to the hubbub behind me; the laughter of my father and daughter, the low voices of Achilles' men, and the quiet voices of the servants as they moved things around to make room for their bundles. A slow smile started across my face, the feeling of peace quiet and serene after the years of clanging armor and the sea.

I might never see my mother again, and the goddesses might be done with me, but I had a good feeling about my daughter's future and how her life's path would be made for her. Just the day before, I had come upon her playing in the dust with a small toy. Taking it from her, I asked her where she had gotten it. With a smile, she reached for the carved wooden hare, jumping up and down for it. 'From the crazy lady with the arrows,' she had told me, and I felt someone run a hand over my shoulder, even though no one was there. Yes, my daughter wouldn't be alone.

Looking back up to the sky, I shielded my sun-browned face with a slender hand. "We did well, love. You'll have to wait, I'm afraid, for a while. I know how impatient you get. But in the meantime, you have Athena and Artemis to chase after you like I did, making sure you're not getting in trouble. But there's a whole world out there for me yet. You didn't expect me to just stay put, did you? No, I didn't think so," I agreed as a breeze started, blowing my hair against my face from behind me.

Standing, I stretched as the sun began to sink behind the distant hills. My father called from inside the courtyard, and I smelt the tangy odor of spiced beef cooking over a fire. Turning my back on the brilliant blood reds of the sunset, I started in to join my family. Even with lifetimes, miles and worlds between us, I knew that all of us would be attending this dinner, be we mortal or god, living or dead. Love was much too important for the conventions of life.