After Troy
Chapter 3 – A new life
Wind toyed with the blond hair of the muscular man lying on the ground. No scratch or scar could be found on his body where, previously, they existed. The warrior, as he had been known before, bore no battle wounds, and existed as the perfect image of health.
A straying sheep bleated as it viewed the strange lump on the ground. The creature was wary as it approached, and when the lump moved, the sheep let out an almighty bleat and took off back towards the herd, hoping to find the shepherd waiting.
The second bleat struck Achilles' ear like a gong, and he shook, suddenly awake. Sitting up he felt the sand upon his face and moved to rub it off. He spat out some grains and looked about him. Where was he? Was this a dream? He felt his arm, his leg, his face. He was here and in tact. But how? And, physically speaking, where?
Suddenly a memory came rushing back to him;
"Paris, no!" Briseis screamed beside him. An arrow left Paris' bow and struck him clean in the heel. Now he felt the mortality his mother had always told him about. Another arrow struck, this time in the chest. A third, a fourth. Falling to his knees he whispered parting words to Briseis. She left his side and Achilles finally felt his freedom. He reached out a hand to his saviour. Now he was immortal, the world of the living would remember him always. He fell at last to the ground. Free.
"I should be dead." Achilles realised with a shock. "I did die!" He stood up and as he felt the wind in places it normally didn't penetrate he realised, with some modesty and embarrassment that he was also unclothed.
"Take these, my child." Said a long-lost voice from behind him.
"Mother." Achilles turned to find his mother, Thetis, and his heart leapt to his throat with a rush of emotion. Finally he took the clothes, "Thank you."
"I'm not here for long. Just enough time to deliver a message." She told her beloved son, focusing on his eyes, careful not to embarrass him.
Achilles nodded, disappointed but content to hear the message. "A message," he paused, "from whom?"
"From the gods, my dear son." She spoke as though it was commonplace to be receiving a message from the mighty beings.
"I see." His mother had told him as a child that she was a goddess, but had sworn him to secrecy. As he grew older he had begun to suspect it was just children's myths, invented to amuse him and keep him in line. Now, however, he was inclined to listen.
"The message is this; You have become immortal earlier than was intended, and thus must exist on the earthly plain until your worth has been demonstrated..."
"Demonstrated, to whom?" Achilles interrupted.
Thetis continued unfazed, "to the gods at which point you will ascend to their level. You will become a god of love and war, worshipped by man and respected by the gods themselves." She finished and smiled. Her son had only managed to clothe half of himself before the impact of the message had hit him.
"Come my son. You must dress yourself and get ready to prove the remainder of your godly worth."
"Immortal." Achilles said, having heard little else. Another sheep bleated in the back ground, the wind again alerting him to his lack of dignity in his appearance. He finished dressing and said, again, "Immortal?"
"Yes Achilles. Now," She fixed his clothes, not sad about their imminent separation, as she knew they would meet again once his trials were over. "You must go south-east, about thirty miles from here. Do not stop. You will find a traveling party with whom you must join. It won't be as difficult as you first believe, and I will guide you when I can."
Then, knowing his mind, Thetis told Achilles "You are just outside Troy. That is why you must not go directly south. Your men and friends all believe you to be dead." She stopped, taking his hand in hers. "Go now, my son, and fulfill your destiny."
Achilles was sad to leave his mother so soon, but none the less he did as she bid him. He walked now, unarmed and with only the clothes his mother had given him. Then suddenly he realised, and swung round to ask 'Mother, who am I meeting?' but she was not there. In this vast expanse of grassy sand, she had disappeared.
Achilles resumed his march and soon discovered that he felt no physical pain or exhaustion. The sun on his back did not trouble him any more, nor the hot sand at his feet. This was his new life and, while the beauty of being doomed had disappeared, at least he now had a purpose. The gods, he swore, will still envy me when I am one of them.
A/N: Alright, I'm getting there! Thanks all for the reviews, and I do apologise for the spacing issue I had earlier (it's been so long!) At the moment I'm just establishing what's "goin' down in da hood!" (j/k) and I promise you, crazy sex fiends, slash is on its way! If you have any ideas you want me to incorporate, please stick it in a review or email me (cerasi01hotmail.com) and I'll try to involve it. Thanks again and keep up that damned fine fic reading!
CW
Wind toyed with the blond hair of the muscular man lying on the ground. No scratch or scar could be found on his body where, previously, they existed. The warrior, as he had been known before, bore no battle wounds, and existed as the perfect image of health.
A straying sheep bleated as it viewed the strange lump on the ground. The creature was wary as it approached, and when the lump moved, the sheep let out an almighty bleat and took off back towards the herd, hoping to find the shepherd waiting.
The second bleat struck Achilles' ear like a gong, and he shook, suddenly awake. Sitting up he felt the sand upon his face and moved to rub it off. He spat out some grains and looked about him. Where was he? Was this a dream? He felt his arm, his leg, his face. He was here and in tact. But how? And, physically speaking, where?
Suddenly a memory came rushing back to him;
"Paris, no!" Briseis screamed beside him. An arrow left Paris' bow and struck him clean in the heel. Now he felt the mortality his mother had always told him about. Another arrow struck, this time in the chest. A third, a fourth. Falling to his knees he whispered parting words to Briseis. She left his side and Achilles finally felt his freedom. He reached out a hand to his saviour. Now he was immortal, the world of the living would remember him always. He fell at last to the ground. Free.
"I should be dead." Achilles realised with a shock. "I did die!" He stood up and as he felt the wind in places it normally didn't penetrate he realised, with some modesty and embarrassment that he was also unclothed.
"Take these, my child." Said a long-lost voice from behind him.
"Mother." Achilles turned to find his mother, Thetis, and his heart leapt to his throat with a rush of emotion. Finally he took the clothes, "Thank you."
"I'm not here for long. Just enough time to deliver a message." She told her beloved son, focusing on his eyes, careful not to embarrass him.
Achilles nodded, disappointed but content to hear the message. "A message," he paused, "from whom?"
"From the gods, my dear son." She spoke as though it was commonplace to be receiving a message from the mighty beings.
"I see." His mother had told him as a child that she was a goddess, but had sworn him to secrecy. As he grew older he had begun to suspect it was just children's myths, invented to amuse him and keep him in line. Now, however, he was inclined to listen.
"The message is this; You have become immortal earlier than was intended, and thus must exist on the earthly plain until your worth has been demonstrated..."
"Demonstrated, to whom?" Achilles interrupted.
Thetis continued unfazed, "to the gods at which point you will ascend to their level. You will become a god of love and war, worshipped by man and respected by the gods themselves." She finished and smiled. Her son had only managed to clothe half of himself before the impact of the message had hit him.
"Come my son. You must dress yourself and get ready to prove the remainder of your godly worth."
"Immortal." Achilles said, having heard little else. Another sheep bleated in the back ground, the wind again alerting him to his lack of dignity in his appearance. He finished dressing and said, again, "Immortal?"
"Yes Achilles. Now," She fixed his clothes, not sad about their imminent separation, as she knew they would meet again once his trials were over. "You must go south-east, about thirty miles from here. Do not stop. You will find a traveling party with whom you must join. It won't be as difficult as you first believe, and I will guide you when I can."
Then, knowing his mind, Thetis told Achilles "You are just outside Troy. That is why you must not go directly south. Your men and friends all believe you to be dead." She stopped, taking his hand in hers. "Go now, my son, and fulfill your destiny."
Achilles was sad to leave his mother so soon, but none the less he did as she bid him. He walked now, unarmed and with only the clothes his mother had given him. Then suddenly he realised, and swung round to ask 'Mother, who am I meeting?' but she was not there. In this vast expanse of grassy sand, she had disappeared.
Achilles resumed his march and soon discovered that he felt no physical pain or exhaustion. The sun on his back did not trouble him any more, nor the hot sand at his feet. This was his new life and, while the beauty of being doomed had disappeared, at least he now had a purpose. The gods, he swore, will still envy me when I am one of them.
A/N: Alright, I'm getting there! Thanks all for the reviews, and I do apologise for the spacing issue I had earlier (it's been so long!) At the moment I'm just establishing what's "goin' down in da hood!" (j/k) and I promise you, crazy sex fiends, slash is on its way! If you have any ideas you want me to incorporate, please stick it in a review or email me (cerasi01hotmail.com) and I'll try to involve it. Thanks again and keep up that damned fine fic reading!
CW