Disclaimer: The characters belong to Homer and the scenario writers of the movie "Troy", not to me.
Author's note: This is the first fanfic I have written in a long time and it is my first Troy story. It is a what I call a "What if story", how would the story end if Troy had fell almost immediately. It will feature several moments and events of the movie, but in another context.
The rebirth of a nation
Achilles and his Myrmidons have taken the temple just like in the movie, only Briseis got away this time. The next day the two armies are ready to fight each other, and that's where the story kicks in.
1)
Achilles was ready for battle. He turned around to face his Myrmidons, to say the ritual last words in case it would be the last time they would see each other alive.
'Yesterday,' he began, 'yesterday we won the first battle against the Trojans.' His men nodded approving. 'Today, we will win the last battle against Troy. Victory is ours!'
'Victory!' they all shouted as one.
Satisfied, Achilles turned to Patrocles. His cousin had wanted to fight yesterday, but then he had been able to stop him. Now, he couldn't. Achilles had wanted to protect his cousin from the war, but this time Patrocles couldn't be stopped. Finally Achilles had allowed it, but he had the intention not to let his cousin out of his sight. 'Are you ready for war?'
'Yes,' he said eager and with confidence. Achilles almost had to smile about his naivety.
Achilles looked at Odysseus to see if they were ready for their plan. Odysseus would take the city of Troy with one of his brilliant ideas, Achilles would beat the army of troy standing outside their walls. Glory would be his.
'Let's go!'
'They're coming!'
Hector had already realized this a minute ago, he had seen the Greek kings who weren't afraid to fight take their positions. 'Spears ready!'
Without looking, Hector knew his orders were followed. The Prince took a firm hold of his own spear, ready to throw it at the first enemy soldier that would appear in his reach. His heartbeat went up, the sweat appeared on his forehead. He could not fail, his army could not fail. If they failed, Troy would fall.
They just had to win.
Hector pointed his spear at the first man appearing in sight. The man's armor told him the man was a low-ranked officer. The Greeks rushed forwards, their lances horizontal to pierce the first Trojan line. Hector grinded his teeth, he wouldn't let the Greeks succeed.
'Hold the lines!' he yelled as he threw his spear. He hadn't the time to check, but he thought he hit his target right in the chest. Quickly he pulled his sword to fight off the first Greeks reaching the Trojan line.
Within seconds the chaos was complete. There were fighting men everywhere he could see. And soon there were dead and wounded soldiers everywhere. The wounded screamed, prayed or just looked at the sky, waiting for their end. The less seriously hurt soldiers tried to keep standing and to keep the enemy away.
Hector fought off the first four enemies without problems, but was suddenly hit from behind, which almost caused him to fall into the sword from a man coming at him. Luckily this man was so confused by the chance to kill the leader of the enemy, he waited just long enough for Hector to recover. He slashed the other man's throat.
Suddenly Hector found himself having a lot of space. Because his head still hurt and had the occasion now, he pulled off the helmet. The metal appeared to be crumpled, it must have been a really hard blow.
Hector looked around, but noticed the men immediately around him were Trojans. But a man just a few meters away was not. The other man noticed him too, and immediately rushed closer. Hector noticed the man was a Myrmidon.
He instantly thought back at what happened at the temple yesterday, how the Myrmidons had slaughtered the priests. Briseis had escaped, but would have to remember this for the rest of her life. Hector was suddenly filled with rage. He had delivered the first blow before he had even realized it.
Achilles killed, as usual. He killed fast, he killed many, and he was the winner of every duel. But he had lost Patrocles. His cousin was nowhere to be found. Although he fought a magnificent battle, he wasn't happy.
He was worried.
When the Trojan in front of him fell down, Achilles suddenly spotted Patrocles. His cousin was fighting a Trojan, a skilled warrior by the look of it. And the Trojan seemed to have the upper hand.
Achilles made his way to where the encounter was taking place. It was hard to reach because the battlefield for some reason moved this way. So in order to reach his young cousin, he had to fight himself.
When he got close, Patrocles just fell down. The Trojan was about to deliver the finishing blow, but Achilles prevented this by blocking the blow with his sword. Patrocles looked up, the relief clearly visible on his face. 'Get away!' Achilles hissed towards his cousin. This time, Patrocles obeyed without complaining.
Achilles focused on his adversary, and suddenly recognized him. It was the Prince of Troy, the same man he had allowed to go home yesterday! He had not recognized him before because the Prince had lost his helmet, the royal symbol on his armor was severely damaged and the cloak with the color of royalty had been torn off. The Prince looked like an ordinary soldier.
'Long time no see, Prince of Troy,' Achilles greeted his opponent before delivering his first blow. The look in his eyes told Achilles the other man recognized him too, and he probably also remembered what had happened to his priests.
They returned blows, both trying to locate the other man's weaknesses. The Trojan Prince was an excellent swordfighter, Achilles had to stay focused in order not to be killed. Achilles realized this might be the best opposition he ever had. This Trojan Prince didn't just fight, in contrary to the cowardly Greek kings, but he was actually a very skilled warrior. Besides Odysseus, this was the only man of royal blood that earned and deserved his respect.
Suddenly a man fell between them, separating Achilles from the Prince. And he couldn't reach him again, because half the battlefield had moved in between them. Achilles watched in horror how a Spartan soldier ran the Trojan Prince through from behind with a spear. After standing still for a moment, shocked by the fact he had been wounded, the Prince did fall face down in the sand. The only positive thing Achilles noticed was that the man was still moving.
Achilles was filled with rage. The Trojan Prince did deserve better than this! The bad luck of the Spartan soldier was he came in Achilles' direction. The Spartan was decapitated with one blow.
Achilles continued fighting the many men appearing in front of him. He was forced back, away from the Prince who was still situated on the beach of his kingdom. Achilles promised himself he would come back, even it was only to burry the best adversary he ever had. The Prince of Troy deserved that honor.
'They are in the city!'
How could that be! Paris looked in the direction the soldier was looking, and saw the man was right. The city was filled with enemy soldiers.
'Father, they are here! How can this be?'
Priam quickly got up, and Helen and Andromache also joined him. 'The tunnel,' Priam said in horror.
'Tunnel?' Paris didn't get it. 'What tunnel?'
'There is a tunnel from the city to the outside,' Priam filled in his son. 'But no one knows.'
'Apparently somebody does,' Paris stated the obvious.
Suddenly they heard many footsteps coming up the stairs. Soon the Greek soldiers had reached the balcony. The Trojan guards fought their last battle. There was one possibility left to flee; over the wall; but Paris doubted it would have any use.
'Paris, run!' Helen screamed.
'No!' he objected. 'I can't leave you.'
'They won't kill us women,' Andromache supported Helen, 'but they'll certainly kill you.'
'Safe yourself,' Helen begged.
Paris watched in horror how his father was killed by Menelaus, who looked at him with hatred in his eyes. He was suddenly filled with fear and realized the women were right: Menelaus would kill him. Paris risked a last glance at his beautiful Helen. Then he ran over the wall to one of the towers, grabbed a rope and tied it to a beam. He looked back at the approaching Greeks soldiers and his city, and then he looked down at the beach that was far down beneath him.
Apollo, please help me…
Please let me know if you think this is a good start and if I should finish this.
