14)

Paris watched the arrival of the new guests with unbelief. And he knew he wasn't the only one. The Trojan soldiers who were close enough to see the party watched them with curiosity or distrust.

Patroclus had gone back to the Greek camp and had now brought two men back here. One was clearly a man with status, both the way he moved as his clothes indicated this. The other man displayed pure strength. He was younger than his companion and his most remarkable feature was his long blonde hair. Paris knew exactly who this was: Achilles. The other man was unfamiliar to him, but he was positive this wouldn't be for long.

'Hector?'

It amazed Paris how quickly his sleeping brother opened his eyes. It was probably the quality of a soldier, being awake and alert in just seconds. Paris had seen this with many of the men.

'Patroclus is back.'

Hector nodded he had heard it and slowly got to his feet. Patroclus, Achilles and the third man were patiently waiting at the edge of the clearing that was the central assembly area of the camp, surrounded by an increasing number of Trojans. Someone must have recognized Achilles, because Paris heard his name being whispered among the soldiers.

Curiously about what his brother and Achilles had planned, Paris followed Hector. They crossed the clearing to meet the Greeks.

'Hector, I must say you have a well organized army who get things done quickly,' the stranger said, gesturing at the well-sorted piles of board and beams they had fabricated.

'You might have time Odysseus,' Hector replied. 'But I don't.'

'True,' the other man admitted.

Odysseus? Wasn't he a king? Paris now wished he had paid attention when Hector and his father had discussed politics. He knew about Agamemnon, Menelaus and Achilles, but that was about it. He felt slightly uncomfortable he couldn't place Odysseus, because he knew a worthy Prince should have. But he grew even more uncomfortable when he felt the eyes of Achilles upon him. 'I assume this is the young man responsible for the Greek presence here,' Achilles asked Hector. Paris was painfully aware the Myrmidon had not addressed the question to himself, hereby insinuating he had no high regard of him. Which, Paris remembered himself, was probably true. He couldn't claim any results in diplomacy or warfare that could earn him the respect of kings and warlords.

'This is my brother Paris,' Hector answered surprisingly sharp, 'but I must disagree with you about your remark about his fault in this war.'

Paris didn't understand why Hector defended him. He had been furious himself when he found out about him and Helen, So what had changed?

'It looks like he isn't so convinced about that,' Achilles noted. Paris was beginning to despise the arrogance of the Greek warrior. He refused to respond to the remark and remained dead silent.

'Young man,' Odysseus spoke friendly, 'Hector is right. Agamemnon would have thought of another excuse to come to Troy.'

'But even he must have realized the possible consequences of abducting a queen,' Achilles refused to give up.

To Paris's utter shock, Odysseus laughed. He put his hand on the shoulder of Achilles. 'Love is a powerful force Achilles,' Odysseus spoke. He reminded Paris of his father Priam, speaking wise words like this. 'Even you might discover this some day.'

Paris knew he would remember this conversation for the rest of his life. And the odd look on Achilles' face would certainly be part of this memory.


Patroclus sat apart from everyone and watched the preparations around him. It were the usual scenes he knew well: the cutting of spears and arrows, improvised reparations of body armor and clothing, and men exercising their fighting moves. But Patroclus was paying more attention to a more unusual sight. A strange wooden structure was arising.

The Trojans had moved their base camp closer to Troy. At first Patroclus had not understood, but now he did. Whatever this thing was, it had to be used in the battle for Troy. Transporting it from the original campsite to the battlefield would simple take too much time.

'So, what do you think of my latest creation?'

Patroclus was startled by the words of Odysseus; he hadn't seen or heard him coming . He wondered why the King of Ithaca bothered to sit and talk with him. He wasn't that important, jut the companion of an important man.

Patroclus looked up at what appeared to be the skeleton of something. 'It kinda reminds me of an animal,' he answered.

'It will be a horse,' Odysseus revealed.

'A horse?' Patroclus started to wonder if this was such a strange problem or if he was that unintelligent, because he still didn't get the purpose of this wooden horse.

'You noticed it is hollow?'

'Yes,' Patroclus answered the strange question.

'There will be room for roughly fifty men.'

Patroclus tried to put the pieces together. What would be the use of a wooden horse with people inside of it? It would only be useful if… 'You want to bring this horse into Troy?'

'Yes. Agamemnon and his council can't ignore a present to Poseidon.'

So the horse will get taken inside the city and then the men will come out, unnoticed if possible, and open the gates. But Patroclus wasn't totally convinced yet the plan would work. 'You really think Agamemnon will take this thing inside the walls of Troy?'

Odysseus smiled. 'I will strongly advise him to do so.'

Agamemnon and the other kings would listen to Odysseus. This plan was so unusual, it was just brilliant! Patroclus felt a strange form of excitement, he was thrilled he was part of this. Whether it would work out or not, this would be a story that would be told for generations. But suddenly he felt guilty. He was glad he would fight Greeks. He couldn't be. He shouldn't be.

'What's the problem?'

Patroclus watched Odysseus critically, but his concern seemed genuine. 'It somehow feels like I'm on the wrong side.'

Odysseus nodded. 'But you don't hate the Trojans anymore, do you?'

Patroclus had been trying to understand why he felt different than before, but hadn't succeeded. But now Odysseus had said it.

'Don't be so surprised,' Odysseus spoke. 'Many soldiers first hate the enemy, until they find out they are also humans just like themselves. I have been there too.'

Sometimes Patroclus would forget kings are men too. Maybe this was because King Odysseus was wiser than an average man and King Agamemnon had such an inhumanly lust of power. 'I guess you're right,' Patroclus admitted. 'And Hector is easier to like than Agamemnon.'

Odysseus nodded. 'I have always obeyed him, because that was the thing I was supposed to do. But there is a limit to what I can accept of my King. He crossed the line.'

'But it is dangerous to oppose him,' Patroclus questioned him. 'Agamemnon is much more powerful than Hector.'

Odysseus looked away. He seemed to be looking for the right words. 'Being a king is trying to do the right thing for your people. Agamemnon does lead us in wars that are not in the best interest of my people. Or…' Patroclus felt Odysseus found it difficult to say what he was about to say. 'Or in the best interest of his people.'

'So you are basically saying Agamemnon is a bad king?'

'I guess you could conclude this, yes.'

Patroclus felt he could nothing but have the same opinion. Achilles had never really respected Agamemnon. Patroclus had never understood, but now he did. He had always believed a king deserved respect because he had power. But now he saw it really should be the other way around: that a respected king had power. And one should earn respect, not blindly demand it. Achilles had always acted on these principles; that was why he respected Odysseus and had also respected Hector even though he had been the enemy. Hector had earned respect, Agamemnon had not.

'You believe fighting Agamemnon is the right thing to do?'

Odysseus waited long before answering. 'I have reached that conclusion. May the Gods agree .'

May the Gods agree indeed.