After Troy
Chapter 15 – Access Granted
Hector sat quietly, embracing Andromache as she struggled to comprehend all that had happened.
"So there remains a possibility that you will go back? Return to... to the underworld?" She asked timidly, not really wanting to hear the answer.
"Yes. They may ask for my place and Paris' to, again, be switched. But, my love, you must understand; I would do that for Paris. It is not really my place here, it is his."
"Why can you not both exist in this world?" Andromache felt a pain in her throat, an aching as the tears in her eyes welled.
"I do not know anything at the moment. I am hoping that we can settle this soon." Hector sighed. "The gods will see us, they are reasonable. They will decide what to do."
Andromache breathed in sharply and whispered; "But what if they make the wrong decision?"
In another room Aeneas sat at a table, staring, aggrieved, at the maps spread out in front of him. The plans he and Paris had concocted. As he looked over Paris' unrefined yet beautiful handwriting, and glanced over at Paris' possessions strewn about in the corner, a tear slipped quickly from his eye and fell on the first map.
As it fell Aeneas closed his eyes and he did not see it fall on Italy, the place that would be Rome, the future for the Trojan survivors.
Achilles sat on a grassy knoll. As he looked up at the stars that, now, had risen, a sheep bleated in the distance. Achilles ignored it and continued to stare.
'What is the use,' he thought to himself, 'of being immortal, when my one true love is not?' He closed his eyes and drew another deep breath, releasing what he could of the tension in his chest. Then he stared back at the stars. They shone brightly that night, a mockery of what had been done.
"Very well." Zeus said. "I'll bring them here." He sat back in his chair, sighing under the immense workload this was going to mean for him, not to mention the floods in Achaea he now had to fix. With a flick of his wrist, four figures appeared in the hall which already housed himself, Athena and various other gods who chose to be present.
Aeneas, who had arrived in the same position he had left in, fell backwards due to his lack of chair.
Achilles and Hector, who had been sitting on flat surfaces merely stood up and glanced around, maintaining their dignity as best they could in the company of gods.
The final figure who had appeared of his own doing, stood calmly as he had arrived, fingers entwined, shrouded in a mist of darkness. His pale face, magically visible, bore a serious, even grim expression. He stared at Zeus with a calm, ruling demeanor which no other god would have dared.
"I didn't call you, brother." Zeus said, prepared to deal with Hades later. "Arise, all of you." He said, though only Aeneas remained seated.
Each of the mortals stood tall, composing themselves in honour of their great god. Though Achilles mostly honoured him for the gift he had been granted.
Hades smiled as he watched Hector bow gracefully, recalling all the time he had spent learning the mortal ways from this man. Suffice to say, Hectors ruling attitude had rather hit Hades' soft spot. Of course, in the mortal world they had only spent a day discussing the comings and goings of the world, the new trade system, recent deaths, comparing notes on dealing with incompetent brothers, though Hector still admired and adored his. However in the underworld, Hades controlled the passing of time to suit him.
"My lord." Hector said, addressing Zeus. "Thank you for granting us this audience, it was very gracious of you."
"Yes, I know." Zeus smiled briefly, he too was fond of Hector. "But time is ticking, well..." he paused putting his all-seeing mind back in the 'present', "not ticking for you I suppose..." he was muttering now, "in the future it will... Anyway" he started again, "Time is passing rapidly, we'll leave it at that. And time, my good Hector, is something I can not control."
"Funny," Hades raised an eyebrow, and grinned, "I can."
"I told you to be silent." Zeus snapped.
"Inferiority complex." Hades muttered.
"Moving along." Zeus glared at his brother. "Hector, you called for my audience. What is it that you want done?"
"I wish to hear your advice concerning my brother's return to the land of the living."
"Mmm..." Hades interjected. "I'd have to agree with that. He's a feisty little one." He glanced at Achilles. "Didn't seem to happy when I suggested he spend time with his old flame. What was her name?" he paused for effect. "Oh, Helen, that's it, am I right?" He laughed and smiled inwardly 'Of course' he thought. He actually had nothing against Achilles, but he always enjoyed winding up mortals, and Achilles was close enough. He hadn't even discovered his potential yet.
Achilles fumed and seethed. "Hades..." he began, before he was interrupted.
"Uh, uh, uh..." Hades smiled. "Wouldn't want to lose our privileges, would we?"
"Privileges?" Aeneas questioned, feeling a tad out of the loop. He knew that Achilles and Paris had made up their differences, but he had no idea why Achilles was so distraught. 'Were they really that close?' He pondered.
"That is a topic to be discussed at another time." Hector chose this moment to take charge. He faced Zeus again. "Zeus," he spoke up, "as you know, my brother has been taken by Hades to the Underworld. This, of course, inhibits Achilles' likelihood to succeed in his trials and, I believe, the Trojans' future."
"Trials?" Aeneas asked. "Trojans' future? I thought that was my deal." Hector ignored him and spoke on, though.
"Therefore it is in everybody's interest that Paris is returned to the world of the living. How do you propose we go about this?"
"Hades." Zeus looked to his brother, only just having caught on. "This is your doing?" He shook his head. "I should have known."
"But you didn't." Hades smiled. "If I might add, it was not really my concept to take the young man from the land of the living, kill the whelp, so to speak." He sniggered, yet another quote reaching him as his mind pierced the folds of the curtains of time. "The plans conception actually occurred in the mind of none other than your own son." He smiled.
"Which one?" Zeus raised an eyebrow. He was, after all, father to most of the gods in Olympus.
"Apollo, of course." Hades smiled.
"Apollo?" Zeus growled.
"You called?" Apollo appeared in the midst of the mortals currently taking the floor. After viewing the collection he suddenly regretted it. Zeus, however, used his will to stop Apollo from leaving.
"You are responsible?" Zeus glared. "I ought to strip you of your immortality."
"He doesn't deserve to be one of us!" Apollo burst, pointing an accusing finger at Achilles. "He does not honour us. Respect and obey, that's what mortals should do. He doesn't. He should not be a god, he hasn't even learnt about his powers yet!"
"Powers?" Achilles asked.
"Of course you have powers! As an immortal your will is amplified. You would will practically anything to happen. You could build an empire based on your will power." Apollo roared. "Yet you are not one of us." With that his will power triumphed over Zeus' and he left the hall in an instant.
"So... there you have it." Hades shrugged, unmoved by the scene that had just played out before him. "I suppose I'll be off."
"You'll be going nowhere." Achilles said, feeling ready for a few experiments of will power. "Not until you return Paris to this world."
"I, uh." He laughed, humourlessly. "That can't be done."
"Why not?" Achilles demanded.
"Because to grant life you have to take life. Else the balance will be thrown. You understand... ying and yang? No, no you wouldn't. It's all about the balance." He nodded to reaffirm his statement and made to disappear.
"Wait." Hector said. "You..." he paused, thinking of Andromache. But his brotherly love was too strong for such a bond. "You may return me to the Underworld, in Paris' place." He sighed.
"Self-sacrifice? That is really getting old." He muttered, though it was tempting to have Hector back. He was bored and a normal sacrifice just didn't give him quite the same pleasure, energy even. 'If only I could sacrifice Zeus.' He mused. Then he was struck with an idea.
"Zeus." Hades said, quickly approaching his brother's 'throne'. He spoke quietly so that no other heard. "If I might suggest an idea." He then whispered his plan in Zeus' ear so quietly that even the ever-interfering Hera couldn't hear it.
"Very good." Zeus nodded when Hades had finished. "Very good." He looked up at the mortals. "Aeneas, come forth." He put the plan straight into action. "Aeneas, you must begin your journey. You have the maps, you must find a ship and a crew. Do not fear for your friend, Aeneas, all will be well. Think of the future of Troy." Then Zeus waved his hand and Aeneas disappeared, back to whence he came.
"Hector." Zeus called next. "We will organize what to do about your brother. For the moment, get settled, you're going to be here for a lifetime." Before Hector had a chance to respond he was transported back to his wife and only Achilles remained in the chamber.
"Achilles." Zeus banished all the other gods from their presence, bar Hades who managed to overrule his brothers command and remain in the hall.
"Achilles, there is nothing that can be done at the moment for Paris." Zeus said.
"I need Paris back." Achilles spoke, attempting to be reasonable. "The trials rely on that."
"I realise this. Now be silent. We will sort that out at another point. For the moment you must focus on your trials."
"You haven't given me all of them." Achilles said.
"The final is yet to come. The first you have already completed. The next is the second task. You must assist in the building of the Trojan's future city. But you cannot accept the rulership of it. You must receive no gratitude, nor appreciation for your part in this task."
"Why?" Achilles asked. "What is the purpose?"
"To overcome your pride. Overcoming personal faults is what one must do in order to attain a godly state."
"And Paris?" Achilles asked quietly, voice filled with desire and love.
"We have a way." Hades told him.
"Then I shall wait." Achilles said. His transition to god-like calm and composure was coming naturally to him, now.
"In that case." Zeus raised his hand, wrist-flick at the ready.
"Wait." Achilles demanded. "I'll give it a shot, if that is possible?"
"In theory yes, but with no practice..." Zeus said, brow furrowed.
Achilles laughed. "I need no practice." He told the gods in his usual cocky tone. He closed his eyes and concentrated on what Apollo had said. Achilles focused his will and as the gods watched, Zeus and Hades were both amazed to see Achilles disappear from their sight.
"He is determined." Zeus said.
"I do not think we have seen the half of it, yet." Hades smiled as he, too, disappeared.
A/N: Cerasi had battled for days and nights until, at long last, she triumphed over the evil beast of Riterzblok and thrust her sword into its underbelly. Taking a spear she plunged it deep into the beast's brain thus destroying it forever, or until one of its progeny spring forth. Then, at last, she sat down, took pen to paper, and wrote... Haha! I am back! Oh, lord, I need to get back into the working mode. But anyhoo, another chapter down, we have Hector, but still no Paris! But hey, who's to say Achilles won't have an interesting dream to keep you slash-fiends happy. But anyhoo... Peanut Gallery – Alaska's Own, I've been meaning to ask, are you from Alaska or do you just enjoy claiming to be. Also, agreed, never, ever piss off your partner's older sibling, just doesn't work! Yana5, always a pleasure, thank you, and I really hope you survived the no computer for the holiday... I barely did. Jamy, love hearing from you. I am lazy otherwise I would probably email you... thank you, thank you, and thank you. I am so glad I can help you relax after work. Me, I just go to sleep after work. (generally do a big day and so much running about!) Hellodemonkitty, you soiler of cute merchandise! But anyhoo, thank you, and sorry so much for making you wait. I am just getting worse and worse... oh dear! Goldensong, sorry about the previous cliff-hanger, but I don't think I left one in this story. Bradleigh, you, too believe in the not insulting older brother things. I'm glad I pulled that scene off, I didn't much care for it at first. X-shadowcat, I can't be bothered with just 'x' anymore (I am a very mood-dependant person. Not moody, just mood-dependant) Welcome back! And I really think you should download VET or something, get rid of the damned virus! And, indeed, what IS happening to Paris in the Underworld? g. chicalette, are you new? I think so. Thank you for your most gracious compliments. And it is a master pairing! Colonel Ketchup, thank you for the constructive criticism, I'll try to take that on board. Also, to everyone else, our good Colonel is writing a fic that, if you are a fan of Monty Python, should be read! What was it? A 'Monty Python' does 'Troy' parody? Anyhoo, how is that going? And Gilrean, thank you for understanding the non- working-on-holidays-because-you're-less-productive issue. And I read your fic and I am severely enjoying it (that's a bit of an oxymoron)! But do try to update because I would very much enjoy hearing more. And a cheerio to Lucy, and all her crazy kids! Toodles kids! Word Count: 457 words cw
Hector sat quietly, embracing Andromache as she struggled to comprehend all that had happened.
"So there remains a possibility that you will go back? Return to... to the underworld?" She asked timidly, not really wanting to hear the answer.
"Yes. They may ask for my place and Paris' to, again, be switched. But, my love, you must understand; I would do that for Paris. It is not really my place here, it is his."
"Why can you not both exist in this world?" Andromache felt a pain in her throat, an aching as the tears in her eyes welled.
"I do not know anything at the moment. I am hoping that we can settle this soon." Hector sighed. "The gods will see us, they are reasonable. They will decide what to do."
Andromache breathed in sharply and whispered; "But what if they make the wrong decision?"
In another room Aeneas sat at a table, staring, aggrieved, at the maps spread out in front of him. The plans he and Paris had concocted. As he looked over Paris' unrefined yet beautiful handwriting, and glanced over at Paris' possessions strewn about in the corner, a tear slipped quickly from his eye and fell on the first map.
As it fell Aeneas closed his eyes and he did not see it fall on Italy, the place that would be Rome, the future for the Trojan survivors.
Achilles sat on a grassy knoll. As he looked up at the stars that, now, had risen, a sheep bleated in the distance. Achilles ignored it and continued to stare.
'What is the use,' he thought to himself, 'of being immortal, when my one true love is not?' He closed his eyes and drew another deep breath, releasing what he could of the tension in his chest. Then he stared back at the stars. They shone brightly that night, a mockery of what had been done.
"Very well." Zeus said. "I'll bring them here." He sat back in his chair, sighing under the immense workload this was going to mean for him, not to mention the floods in Achaea he now had to fix. With a flick of his wrist, four figures appeared in the hall which already housed himself, Athena and various other gods who chose to be present.
Aeneas, who had arrived in the same position he had left in, fell backwards due to his lack of chair.
Achilles and Hector, who had been sitting on flat surfaces merely stood up and glanced around, maintaining their dignity as best they could in the company of gods.
The final figure who had appeared of his own doing, stood calmly as he had arrived, fingers entwined, shrouded in a mist of darkness. His pale face, magically visible, bore a serious, even grim expression. He stared at Zeus with a calm, ruling demeanor which no other god would have dared.
"I didn't call you, brother." Zeus said, prepared to deal with Hades later. "Arise, all of you." He said, though only Aeneas remained seated.
Each of the mortals stood tall, composing themselves in honour of their great god. Though Achilles mostly honoured him for the gift he had been granted.
Hades smiled as he watched Hector bow gracefully, recalling all the time he had spent learning the mortal ways from this man. Suffice to say, Hectors ruling attitude had rather hit Hades' soft spot. Of course, in the mortal world they had only spent a day discussing the comings and goings of the world, the new trade system, recent deaths, comparing notes on dealing with incompetent brothers, though Hector still admired and adored his. However in the underworld, Hades controlled the passing of time to suit him.
"My lord." Hector said, addressing Zeus. "Thank you for granting us this audience, it was very gracious of you."
"Yes, I know." Zeus smiled briefly, he too was fond of Hector. "But time is ticking, well..." he paused putting his all-seeing mind back in the 'present', "not ticking for you I suppose..." he was muttering now, "in the future it will... Anyway" he started again, "Time is passing rapidly, we'll leave it at that. And time, my good Hector, is something I can not control."
"Funny," Hades raised an eyebrow, and grinned, "I can."
"I told you to be silent." Zeus snapped.
"Inferiority complex." Hades muttered.
"Moving along." Zeus glared at his brother. "Hector, you called for my audience. What is it that you want done?"
"I wish to hear your advice concerning my brother's return to the land of the living."
"Mmm..." Hades interjected. "I'd have to agree with that. He's a feisty little one." He glanced at Achilles. "Didn't seem to happy when I suggested he spend time with his old flame. What was her name?" he paused for effect. "Oh, Helen, that's it, am I right?" He laughed and smiled inwardly 'Of course' he thought. He actually had nothing against Achilles, but he always enjoyed winding up mortals, and Achilles was close enough. He hadn't even discovered his potential yet.
Achilles fumed and seethed. "Hades..." he began, before he was interrupted.
"Uh, uh, uh..." Hades smiled. "Wouldn't want to lose our privileges, would we?"
"Privileges?" Aeneas questioned, feeling a tad out of the loop. He knew that Achilles and Paris had made up their differences, but he had no idea why Achilles was so distraught. 'Were they really that close?' He pondered.
"That is a topic to be discussed at another time." Hector chose this moment to take charge. He faced Zeus again. "Zeus," he spoke up, "as you know, my brother has been taken by Hades to the Underworld. This, of course, inhibits Achilles' likelihood to succeed in his trials and, I believe, the Trojans' future."
"Trials?" Aeneas asked. "Trojans' future? I thought that was my deal." Hector ignored him and spoke on, though.
"Therefore it is in everybody's interest that Paris is returned to the world of the living. How do you propose we go about this?"
"Hades." Zeus looked to his brother, only just having caught on. "This is your doing?" He shook his head. "I should have known."
"But you didn't." Hades smiled. "If I might add, it was not really my concept to take the young man from the land of the living, kill the whelp, so to speak." He sniggered, yet another quote reaching him as his mind pierced the folds of the curtains of time. "The plans conception actually occurred in the mind of none other than your own son." He smiled.
"Which one?" Zeus raised an eyebrow. He was, after all, father to most of the gods in Olympus.
"Apollo, of course." Hades smiled.
"Apollo?" Zeus growled.
"You called?" Apollo appeared in the midst of the mortals currently taking the floor. After viewing the collection he suddenly regretted it. Zeus, however, used his will to stop Apollo from leaving.
"You are responsible?" Zeus glared. "I ought to strip you of your immortality."
"He doesn't deserve to be one of us!" Apollo burst, pointing an accusing finger at Achilles. "He does not honour us. Respect and obey, that's what mortals should do. He doesn't. He should not be a god, he hasn't even learnt about his powers yet!"
"Powers?" Achilles asked.
"Of course you have powers! As an immortal your will is amplified. You would will practically anything to happen. You could build an empire based on your will power." Apollo roared. "Yet you are not one of us." With that his will power triumphed over Zeus' and he left the hall in an instant.
"So... there you have it." Hades shrugged, unmoved by the scene that had just played out before him. "I suppose I'll be off."
"You'll be going nowhere." Achilles said, feeling ready for a few experiments of will power. "Not until you return Paris to this world."
"I, uh." He laughed, humourlessly. "That can't be done."
"Why not?" Achilles demanded.
"Because to grant life you have to take life. Else the balance will be thrown. You understand... ying and yang? No, no you wouldn't. It's all about the balance." He nodded to reaffirm his statement and made to disappear.
"Wait." Hector said. "You..." he paused, thinking of Andromache. But his brotherly love was too strong for such a bond. "You may return me to the Underworld, in Paris' place." He sighed.
"Self-sacrifice? That is really getting old." He muttered, though it was tempting to have Hector back. He was bored and a normal sacrifice just didn't give him quite the same pleasure, energy even. 'If only I could sacrifice Zeus.' He mused. Then he was struck with an idea.
"Zeus." Hades said, quickly approaching his brother's 'throne'. He spoke quietly so that no other heard. "If I might suggest an idea." He then whispered his plan in Zeus' ear so quietly that even the ever-interfering Hera couldn't hear it.
"Very good." Zeus nodded when Hades had finished. "Very good." He looked up at the mortals. "Aeneas, come forth." He put the plan straight into action. "Aeneas, you must begin your journey. You have the maps, you must find a ship and a crew. Do not fear for your friend, Aeneas, all will be well. Think of the future of Troy." Then Zeus waved his hand and Aeneas disappeared, back to whence he came.
"Hector." Zeus called next. "We will organize what to do about your brother. For the moment, get settled, you're going to be here for a lifetime." Before Hector had a chance to respond he was transported back to his wife and only Achilles remained in the chamber.
"Achilles." Zeus banished all the other gods from their presence, bar Hades who managed to overrule his brothers command and remain in the hall.
"Achilles, there is nothing that can be done at the moment for Paris." Zeus said.
"I need Paris back." Achilles spoke, attempting to be reasonable. "The trials rely on that."
"I realise this. Now be silent. We will sort that out at another point. For the moment you must focus on your trials."
"You haven't given me all of them." Achilles said.
"The final is yet to come. The first you have already completed. The next is the second task. You must assist in the building of the Trojan's future city. But you cannot accept the rulership of it. You must receive no gratitude, nor appreciation for your part in this task."
"Why?" Achilles asked. "What is the purpose?"
"To overcome your pride. Overcoming personal faults is what one must do in order to attain a godly state."
"And Paris?" Achilles asked quietly, voice filled with desire and love.
"We have a way." Hades told him.
"Then I shall wait." Achilles said. His transition to god-like calm and composure was coming naturally to him, now.
"In that case." Zeus raised his hand, wrist-flick at the ready.
"Wait." Achilles demanded. "I'll give it a shot, if that is possible?"
"In theory yes, but with no practice..." Zeus said, brow furrowed.
Achilles laughed. "I need no practice." He told the gods in his usual cocky tone. He closed his eyes and concentrated on what Apollo had said. Achilles focused his will and as the gods watched, Zeus and Hades were both amazed to see Achilles disappear from their sight.
"He is determined." Zeus said.
"I do not think we have seen the half of it, yet." Hades smiled as he, too, disappeared.
A/N: Cerasi had battled for days and nights until, at long last, she triumphed over the evil beast of Riterzblok and thrust her sword into its underbelly. Taking a spear she plunged it deep into the beast's brain thus destroying it forever, or until one of its progeny spring forth. Then, at last, she sat down, took pen to paper, and wrote... Haha! I am back! Oh, lord, I need to get back into the working mode. But anyhoo, another chapter down, we have Hector, but still no Paris! But hey, who's to say Achilles won't have an interesting dream to keep you slash-fiends happy. But anyhoo... Peanut Gallery – Alaska's Own, I've been meaning to ask, are you from Alaska or do you just enjoy claiming to be. Also, agreed, never, ever piss off your partner's older sibling, just doesn't work! Yana5, always a pleasure, thank you, and I really hope you survived the no computer for the holiday... I barely did. Jamy, love hearing from you. I am lazy otherwise I would probably email you... thank you, thank you, and thank you. I am so glad I can help you relax after work. Me, I just go to sleep after work. (generally do a big day and so much running about!) Hellodemonkitty, you soiler of cute merchandise! But anyhoo, thank you, and sorry so much for making you wait. I am just getting worse and worse... oh dear! Goldensong, sorry about the previous cliff-hanger, but I don't think I left one in this story. Bradleigh, you, too believe in the not insulting older brother things. I'm glad I pulled that scene off, I didn't much care for it at first. X-shadowcat, I can't be bothered with just 'x' anymore (I am a very mood-dependant person. Not moody, just mood-dependant) Welcome back! And I really think you should download VET or something, get rid of the damned virus! And, indeed, what IS happening to Paris in the Underworld? g. chicalette, are you new? I think so. Thank you for your most gracious compliments. And it is a master pairing! Colonel Ketchup, thank you for the constructive criticism, I'll try to take that on board. Also, to everyone else, our good Colonel is writing a fic that, if you are a fan of Monty Python, should be read! What was it? A 'Monty Python' does 'Troy' parody? Anyhoo, how is that going? And Gilrean, thank you for understanding the non- working-on-holidays-because-you're-less-productive issue. And I read your fic and I am severely enjoying it (that's a bit of an oxymoron)! But do try to update because I would very much enjoy hearing more. And a cheerio to Lucy, and all her crazy kids! Toodles kids! Word Count: 457 words cw