Paris left my chamber soon after with instructions for me to be ready by daybreak. I knew I should start packing but I couldn't. I just sat there, staring at the closed door, my mind attempting to talk my heart out of something it had yearned to do for years. I slowly stood up, my mind and heart conflicting. I learned the meaning of the word turmoil at that moment. I heard a drunken shout again and I made up my mind. But there was something I wanted to do before I left…

The guards had all deserted their posts or been reassigned. The walls were deserted just as I knew they would be. I took a deep breath and climbed the rest of the stairs, closing my eyes and letting the wind brush my apprehensions aside. The moon was dim tonight but it still managed to illuminate the vast expanse of the sea stretching out before me. The waves crashed on the rocks hundreds of feet below. My mind wandered, back to the last time I'd stood here.

"Love the sea, Helen, for from it will come your salvation."

"A prophetess or a goddess," I murmured, smiling at her words. "Well, Aphrodite, it is said you favor my love." I remained there for just a little while, enough to calm my nerves and deaden my fears. The gods would protect us, no doubt was left in my mind.

I was packed and ready to go when there was a knock on my door.

"Yes?" my voice betrayed no hint of the fear that had suddenly leaped up within me.

"My queen," Polydora called out. "Please open the doors."

To refuse her would have aroused suspicion. I threw my bags under my large bed and hurried over to unbolt the door. I now feared that Paris would come while she was still here.

She stepped in, her eyes tired and a mark on her neck that revealed her activities of the previous hours. She saw my eyes glance at it and self-consciously pulled at a strand of hair. "You leave with the Prince Paris," she said knowingly, looking at me. I did not even flinch.

"I could have you killed for even suggesting such a thing," I answered back coldly.

"Forgive my boldness, my queen," she said, not at all repentantly. "But I thought this would come in useful if you're to appear in Troy." She held out a key in the palm of her hand.

"What is it?" I asked warily, not taking it.

"The key to the treasury," she replied. "The king still sleeps in his chamber, the wine has soothed him to sleep. If we hurry I can help you and return it before he awakes."

I studied her, wondering if it was a trick. We'd grown so distant, and could one really trust the mistress of the king? She saw my hesitation and smiled sadly. "You and I are just two women trying to find happiness in any way we can. I stole your husband from you; I could never resent you this opportunity."

I pulled her close and kissed her cheek. "I never had him to begin with; you didn't steal him." I then took the key from her and set off cautiously down the hall, my sandaled feet making soft pats on the marble floor.

For such a vast amount of wealth, the Spartan vault was relatively unguarded. A sleeping guard sat near the entrance, but because the vault was so hard to find Menelaus had elected to keep it inconspicuous.

"Fill this bag with coins," I said, tossing a sac to her and turning to survey the items.

"We must be able to carry it silently back to your quarters," Polydora warned, seeing me fingering a few items.

"We'll take some of the jewelry, then," I said, grabbing a few gold headpieces, necklaces, and earrings. "I'll not come to Troy like a penniless servant girl."

"They'll know you're not a servant girl, Helen," Polydora said softly, pausing her work to look at me. "You are a queen."

I smiled back at her, a sad smile though not regretful. "I'm quite certain that I'm giving up my title," I murmured.

She shook her head. "Royalty does not depend on your marriage situation," she said confidently. "It lies deep within you, something you cannot discard even if you wanted to." She laid a hand over her heart as emphasis. "You'll always be a queen to anyone who knows you."

A noise outside made us jump. "Hurry," I said, stuffing a few more items into my sack. "Do you think this is enough?"

"You've more than compensated a bridal price," Polydora said, surveying the items I was taking. "Even Menelaus did not inherit so much when he married you."

"He received Sparta," I reminded her.

Our journey back to my chamber was uneventful and Polydora quickly set down her sack before leaving again. "It's best I return this key before he awakens."

"Make sure you're there when he wakes up," I warned her.

She nodded. "I will. And I won't say a word."

"I know you won't."

We stood there, not knowing the words to say. We had never loved each other nor had our circumstances allowed us to become friends. But it was she who in my hour of need stood by me as a friend.

"Thank you."

She nodded. "Be safe, Helen."

"And you also," I said, and we embraced. "We shall most likely never meet again."

"I pray to the gods we don't," she replied, and slipped from the room.

…

"I wish we'd left the jewels behind," Paris muttered, adjusting the heavy sac on his shoulder.

"I'll not come to your family as a penniless whore," I replied.

"No one would think that," he reassured me. "They'll know you as my wife."

"A wife with another husband," I sighed.

"Forgive me, but in the case of an unfaithful wife is the marriage not ended?" he asked innocently.

"It is," I answered. "Unless you happen to be Queen of Sparta and the supposed daughter of Zeus."

"Keep your head down," Paris warned.

"What did you tell Hector?" I asked him.

"I took care of it," was all he would say. We kept silent for the rest of the way.

It was only until we had left Sparta that he told me the truth.

"My brother does not know you're onboard," he said, gently tracing the outline of my jaw. I closed my eyes.

"He'll bring me back."

"I'll talk to him," Paris promised, gently kissing my brow before climbing up the ladder to the deck.

I waited fearfully as I heard him talk to his brother. Time seemed to crawl by and I could feel beads of sweat forming on my brow.

Hector followed Paris down the loft and I stood, gently pulling back my hood to reveal my face. I have never seen such a horrified look of shock as I did at that moment. The silence lasted for a few moments as his shock turned to anger, then he turned to Paris.

"If you weren't my brother I'd kill you where you stand," he growled, his voice deadly. And with that, he turned and went back up the ladder, knowing Paris would follow.

Paris turned to me first and gently cupped my face. "We're in this together," he said, and kissed me. He left to follow his brother and I sat back down.

There had been fear in his eyes, but there was nothing I could do. My fate was out of my hands.