Opal dark eyes sparkled beneath fluttering lashes. A pink, wet tongue moistened trembling lips spread before a sweet, deep groan.

"Achilles…" the youth whimpered, lifting his slender, tempting hips in supplication. His shaking hands roaming frantically over his lovers rippling back and his long fingers clenched tightly in loose golden hair. Oh, but lovemaking had never been so divine!

"Please, please, beloved, do not tease, do not tease me!"

Licking the salt and musk from the slick, bronze flesh between his lips, Achilles brought their bodies together hard, filling his beloved with his cock. When his larger hands caressed the hairless, heaving chest beneath his, pausing to pinch a tender nipple, the beautiful Shepard tightened delicious around his organ and arched his back, mewling like a kitten.

Achilles threw his head back, his blue eyes wide to the over-cast day. Grunting, he lowered his head to claim those bruised lips, devouring his mouth with a passionate plunging of his tongue. While he did this he thrust again and again into his lover, driving loud, helpless cries from his throat. He relished spearing this youth who was already stimulated beyond coherent thought.

As his climax fell upon him, driving him into the very depths of pleasure, Achilles growled into the soft, peach-scented hair around the boy's neck, "Alexandros! Oh, gods, Alexandros!"

The black armored men, fearsome Myrmidons, hearty souls all, rowed with a strength and single-mindedness surpassing men of normal means, cutting through the mild waves to the beat of their oars upon the water. No man aboard could say that time and tide had done him harm, only that it had not been kind. Still, for what time the gods had granted them, they would rather be no farther than a strong summons from their lord.

The most loyal and devoted of these fifty warriors at present made his way to the bow of the swift ship, his wind-teased hair and dark beard drawing out the startling blue of his eyes, which were at the moment narrowed and wary.

"My lord!" He called, stopping short. "Should we wait for the others?"

Achilles, face smiling deeply at the sea, schooled himself and turned to face his lieutenant. The man seemed as reluctant to disturb him as he was to be moved, so he answered simply, "They brought us here for war, didn't they?" Then he returned his eyes to the water.

"Yes, but Agamemnon's orders-"

"You fight for me, Eudorus, or Agamemnon?"

The question seemed to catch Eudorus but he did not hesitate. "For you, my lord." Had they not been on a warship bound for hostile shores, Eurodus would have fallen to his knees.

Patroclus moved toward them from the port side, holding to a rope to keep his balance. Achilles avoided his gaze.

Achilles turned to Eurodus. "Then fight for me." He gestured with his eyes to the ships falling behind them. For lack of courage, the warrior pricked darkly. "And let the servants of Agamemnon fight for him. And die for him."

"Black sail," the general confirmed, "Achilles."

Agamemnon joined them, looking from his brother's sun-stained face to the distant ship they pointed the man pointed to.

"What's the fool doing? He's going to take the beach of Troy with fifty men?"

Troy's eldest prince galloped hard through the clogged streets and over-run avenues of his city, already two feet on the ground before his horse had been handed off to a stable hand. He removed his helmet as the entered the darker armory where soldiers handed out spears, swords, and helmets, shields to those who would go out with the guard.

It was ordered chaos, efficient, practiced insanity that Hector wove his way through. He found one of his most trusted men already arrived.

"Tecton," he called loudly over the clunking of metal and din of voices, "Is the Apollonian Guard ready?"

"Waiting at the city gates."

"Good. I'll be right there." They separated with no more words.

Hector had not taken ten steps before he found another of his men helping to pass along weapons.

"Lysander!" The man stepped down from a latter to speak with his prince. "How long before the army is ready?"

"Half of our men are still coming. We have to arm them, we have to match them with the hor-"

"How long?"

"Noon."

With an affirmative nod, Hector was already on his way with the passing order, "Make it sooner."

TBC…
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE review this story!