Rating: PG
Summary: I kinda got inspired when Paris asked Hector "Do you love me, brother?" So this is a little short something where Paris stole his father's horse. (It's my first time at this so please r/r.)
Disclaimer: Anything recgonizable - that would be Priam, Paris and Hector (duh) - does not belong to me. Anybody else belongs to me. Thank you.
Chapter 1
He ran.
He ran as best as he could. He knew he had to hide. He could not get caught. Then he heard them. Footsteps. Nearing. Quickly he dove into the nearest bush, panting.
"I'm gonna find you, Paris, and you're dead. You're the last one now, and if I can find the rest, I can find you too."
He recgonised the voice of Silas. Peeking between the bushes, he watched as a boy with golden curls walked past him. He heaved a soft sigh. He knew that Silas may not be able to see him, but his keen ears would be able to pick up any sounds that may indicate his position. Looking out again, he saw two other boys – Dinys and Kikos – following Silas silently, looking around too. They must be searching for him as well.
Just then, he saw Kikos' eyes widen in his direction. He must have seen him! Immediately Paris placed a finger to his lips, glancing towards Silas. Kikos nodded, as though understanding the message Paris was trying to bring across.
Paris knew he had to create a diversion. Fast. Otherwise, sooner or later he would be found. Spotting his opportunity, he groped for a rock beside him and gripped it tightly. Then he aimed, and hurled.
Silas, his keen ears picking up a sound, whirled around. He was positively sure he had heard a noise in the bushes. Striding back to the clump where he had heard it, he bent forward and dug through the bushes. "Pa-ris... I've found you! You're dead meat!" He said in a singsong tone as he rummaged through the lush green clumps.
Paris, taking hold of his chance, dived forward. There was an 'oof' and all of a sudden, Silas was pinned down to the ground by a smirking proud Paris who was sitting on his back.
Silas groaned. "Hey no fair!" He grumbled as he struggled to get out from the heavy load above him. "You cheated! You tricked me!"
Laughing at the scene before him, Dinys folded his arms and protested on behalf of the other three of them. "No, Silas. We're fair and square. You cheated too at the beginning, remember? Don't think we didn't hear you count!"
"Fine," Silas chuckled. "I admit I did cheat, okay? Now... can you get off me Paris? You are really heavy and it's choking me, you know!" Paris quickly got up and Silas stood up as well. As he was dusting away the dirt on his tunic, his eyes twinkled. "Hey, how about another round?"
"And let Paris be the one who finds us. After all, he is indeed an expert at this game." Kikos suggested, grinning.
"Okay." Paris agreed. He turned round and covered his eyes. He had seen the twinkle in Silas' eyes and the light bulb in Kikos go on, and he knew immediately that the duo had something up their sleeves. Fine, then I'm cheating too. "One, two," he counted. "five, eight, ten! Okay I'm coming!"
He whirled around, expecting to see either Dinys or Silas still searching for a place to hide, but none of them were in sight. Not even Kikos. He was surprised now. How could his friends be so fast in hiding?
"Ah... look what we have here now, Nar. Little children, huh? Let's see... Silvanus, Dionysios, Akakios, right? And... "
Paris's blood ran cold. He knew that voice. It belonged to Kyriakos, a notorious bully in his brother's class. Slowly, he turned around. What he saw did not make him feel any better. Kyriakos and two of his friends – he guessed they were Anargyros and Matthias – were holding onto his best friends. The contorted pain and uncomfortable look on their faces allowed him to conclude that the bullies had vice-like grips.
"Well, well, isn't it our dear little prince Paris?" Anargyros taunted as Dinys squirmed in his grip.
Paris mustered up the little courage he had left. "Let them go, Kyriakos. You have no feud with them." He tried to sound threatening, but...
"Ooh..." The trio burst into laughter. "What was that? A command? Oh I'm soo scared! Somebody help me!" Kyriakos mimicked a poor boy whimpering. They cracked up further.
"I said, LET – THEM – GO, or else..." Paris tried again. He was more successful this time round, but it was still no use. It wouldn't even seem like a threat to the bullies! They were, after all, what, twice his age?
An eyebrow shot up. "Oh yeah? Who are you to tell us what to do? You think you have power just because you are a prince? But let me tell you, it's not true. You don't even have authority! And you think we're gonna let your dear friends go just because of your tiny, weak, little threat? Please!"
"W-Who says so? I do! And you're not going to take my friends because I say so!"
"Yeah? Then prove it! Let's see how you go about doing it then."
Panicking, Paris looked around in search of an answer. Then his gaze fell upon it. Something clicked on inside him.
"Sure, but I don't have it now, you see. Why don't you meet us here tomorrow and I'll prove it to you?" Paris lied smoothly.
Kyriakos' eyes narrowed. "Why should we agree to it? What if you don't turn up at all? You may be lying to us. So I say we take your friends first, till tomorrow when –"
"Well, if I ever lie to you, then you can have my... my..." The young prince trailed off, unsure of what to offer.
"I want your horse." Anargyros pointed at the brown mare behind the prince.
"B-But that... that was my birthday present from my father last year!" Paris stuttered, but glancing at the looks on the bullies' faces, he added hastily, "Sure, you can have it if I lie to you, though."
"And I want your bow." Matthias gestured toward the bow that was slung across his horse, along with his quiver.
"S-sure." Paris said weakly. That was a gift from his uncle when he was four.
"And as for me..." Kyriakos stroked his chin thoughtfully. Then his eyes sparkled, and a wide grin spread across his face. "I want you to strip in front of all of us if you lie. And," he added, unable to wipe the smirk off his face, "I'll bring every single person of my class. Of your brother's class. And you'll have to strip in front of them, too."
"B-But –"
"What? Chicken now? Anyway, if you really can prove it to us, then there's nothing to be afraid of, is there?"
"I- "Paris started to defend himself, but then stopped. "Okay." He agreed reluctantly.
"Good. So it's settled then. Tomorrow, here, at the same time."
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"Paris, are you crazy? Why did you agree to that kind of deal?" Silas practically jumped down his throat on the way back to the palace. "You didn't have to bother about us!"
"Yeah! Unless... do you really have that... thing you said you had?" said Dinys.
"Don't be silly. He can't possibly have anything of that sort! He's only a young prince!" Silas snapped.
"Look guys, I know you're concerned about me, but don't worry. I know what I'm doing." Paris assured them, before walking off on his own. He hoped what he had told his friends were true; that he really knew what he was doing, because honestly, he didn't.
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"Kyri! Are you mad? Why did you choose that kind of deal? Are you really gonna invite the whole class tomorrow?" Matthias hissed.
"Yeah! What if that guy really can prove that he has power and authority?" Anargyros said. "What are you going to tell the class then?"
"C'mon guys! You really believe he has some toy that can prove his authority? Please! He is so young! I can only guarantee that we're – and the rest of the class too – going to have a great time tomorrow!" Kyriakos chuckled. "And, for Apollo's sake, you two are the ones with the unimaginative penalties! What, a bow and a horse? What's good of that? I still say it's best for him to live in embarrassment for... well, forever."
"Wait till we're the ones to be embarrassed if he really shows up with something tomorrow." Matthias muttered, but Kyriakos pretended not to hear the passing comment.
"And what about Hector?" Anargyros asked. "Are you inviting him to tomorrow's 'party'?"
"Leave him be. We wouldn't want him come running to his brother's rescue."
TBC...
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