First Chapter

Hercules had been a mere boy when his hometown in Greece had been raided. In a horrid mess of blood, tears and agony his life as he had known had ended as well as his childhood. Nothing was left behind and even now remembering that day made him feel both anguish and shame. Anguish for not being able to defend his home and his family, and he felt ashamed for surviving that chaos. Many had been less lucky than him, if surviving and becoming a slave could be counted as luck.

Before any of that had happened, there was a rumor following after him. The word was that he was a son of Zeus, as he had strength and stamina unlike anyone else. But also one of the reasons for this rumor was that he had nothing in common with his parents when it came to appearances. Maybe Alcemene had had an affair or perhaps he wasn't truly the son of his parents. Who knows.

All this mattered only a little later on as his parents had been slaughtered in the massacre and he had been saved by his young age and his strength, which made him a desirable slave.

He had been bought by a man who thought of his slaves almost like a cattle: something of use and value, but not capable of feeling or thinking. The years under his servitude had stripped Hercules of his most naivety and childishness, but he never gave up his optimistic nature. He wanted to believe that things would come to a better place one day: after all, without hope, what was point in living in general?

But, at the moment, he was just trying to manage under his master's control. Hercules was busy running an errand for his master as he trekked down the busy streets of Pompeii. He did his best to keep his gaze averted from looking at the other people, trying to look occupied, but he felt more than noticed how people's attention was less than subtly directed at him.

He did his best to draw as little attention to himself (something he had embraced during his time as a slave), but as he became older the harder it became. It seemed as if he draw attention of either wishful, lascivious glances or openly hostile gazes from mostly men. He didn't enjoy receiving either, but especially the lustful looks he felt even more uncomfortable with.

"Herc, my buddy!" He was pulled from his thought as a enthusiastic greeting was addressed at him.

"Icarus," he smiled back and greeted the one person he considered as his friend.

Icarus was a slave from Greece, just like him. They had connected on the grueling journey from Greece to Rome. But the Gods had favored Icarus as the man who became his master, Dossensus, was an old, but educated man, who trusted Icarus' unconventional way of thinking.

Hercules squinted his eyes as he studied Icarus. He was always eccentric, that much was true, but he seemed even more so than usually. He had huge grin on his face and he was almost dancing around Hercules.

"Ick, are you okay?" Hercules carefully probed, watching the antics of his friend.

"You ask me if I'm okay, I'm more than okay! I'm in love!" Icarus loudly announced, drawing more than few questioning looks to their direction.

"In love? Ooo-kay, tell me more, but maybe watch that tone?" Hercules pointed out, nervously looking around them.

"Oh, sorry. Yes, I'm in love, rest your eyes on her," Icarus dramatically pulled Hercules closer and directed his attention at two young women, surrounded by servants who obviously were watching over their safety.

Both of the women had long, auburn hair: the first one had left it fall freely to her back, but she wore a frown and her lips were pursed in distaste. Her blue chiton was well-made and obviously from good fabric.

But the second woman, she was probably the most beautiful woman Hercules had ever seen. He felt his heart missing a beat as he studied her.

Her long, curly her was pulled back in an elegant hairdo, revealing her long, swan-like neck. She had heart-shaped face and beautiful, almond-shaped eyes, which were purple. Such an unusual color, but on the other hand, there was nothing usual about her. She had a beautiful, lavender colored chiton, which hung to her body, accentuating her well-shaped body.

"Isn't she a sight?" Icarus sighed dreamily, his eyes still fixed on the first woman.

"Yes," Hercules breathed out, yet his eyes still fixed on the other woman.

"Wha- Whoa, buddy! I saw her first so she's mine! I will fight you if I must! Oh what a horrid end to a beautiful friendship!" Icarus took a stance, putting his small fists up, clearly misjudging who had captured Hercules' attention.

"No! Icarus, no! I meant her!" Hercules shook fiercely his head, pointing his friend's attention to the woman with the high ponytail and immediate relief filled Icarus' face.

"Oh! Well, she's quite a catch as well! She's the daughter of a merchant they say, Creon was his name I believe? Anyway, she's originally from Greece, Megara is her name," Icarus recalled.

"Megara…"Hercules murmured to himself, smiling slightly as she laughed at something her friend had said to her, snorting in the most unlady like manner.

"And who is that lucky lady of yours?" Hercules teased, pointing their attention back to Meg's friend.

"Lucky indeed! Her name is Cassandra and I got my eyes set on her!" Icarus reclaimed excitedly.


"I must be the unluckiest girl walking on this Earth," Cassandra moaned, covering her face with her hands.

"Oh come on Cass, it's just one party!" Meg tried to reason with her friend, who simply shook her head.

"Exactly. A party. They expect me to pretty up and behave. I don't do either," Cassandra replied and Meg unwillingly snorted in the most ungraceful manner.

Cassandra had been the first person Meg had really gotten to know after they had moved up to Pompeii. She too was a Greek immigrant, and she had a cynic, almost morbid sense of humor. All these made her stand out from the other young women of their age and made Meg feel almost an instantly connected to this girl.

Meg was pulled from her thoughts as she saw a man approaching them.

"Oh no, don't tell me its Hierolychus," Meg groaned, covering her face with her hands.

"Yep, it's Hierolychus alright," Cassandra affirmed, patting her friend's back.

Hierolychus was a local official's son, arrogant and full of himself. And for Meg's misfortune, he had set his eyes on her.

"And he's coming for me?" Meg made sure, her face still covered.

"Yep, afraid so," Cassandra now confirmed.

"Megara, my delicate, precious flower. So shy, covering her face from the prying eyes! As a good, modest woman should," Hierolychus proclaimed as he came closer to her.

Meg fought the desire to roll her eyes. What was this man thinking, mistaking her for some simple-minded wallflower?

"Hierolychus," Meg simply replied between her gritted teeth.

"Ah yes, you do the as the most perfect wife any man could dream of. I have, you know, talked about it to my father and yours as well," Hierolychus casually offered, looking much too smug for Meg's taste.

"What?" Meg felt the color draining from her face.

"You know, you and me, becoming husband and wife," Hierolychus grinned in almost predatory manner. Meg felt her stomach turn.

"I'm sure my father…" Meg begun, but was soon cut off.

"Ah, your father is considering it. My father is, important imperial officer, after all. It is an enormous honor on your and your family's part," Hierolychus continued his monologue and now Meg had to roll her eyes. She shared a meaningful look with Cassandra.

"Any woman would be thrilled to become my wife," Hierolychus offered another poor excuse of a smile for Meg who felt simply revolted at this point.

"Don't see any of those woman around here," Cassandra muttered under her breath. Hierolychus didn't either hear her or simply ignored her.

"So I'm sure well see each other soon enough, my dear Megara. Can't wait, my dear," Hierolychus emphasized, walking away with his goonies, leaving miserable Meg behind.

"I'm not 'Megara', I prefer Meg," she hissed at his retreating back.

"And I'm doomed!" Meg then wailed, shaking her head.

"Talk about grim visions," Cassandra frowned as she watched the man walking away. Then she turned to her friend, offering her consoling look.

"You think your father is considering his offer?" Cassandra quietly asked.

"I don't know, but I guess so. I mean, I have heard him talk about such things with my mother. So it is possible," Meg confessed.

"You can't talk him off of it?" Cassandra pressed on.

"He's my father and he's the most stubborn person I know. I don't think I stand a chance," Meg groaned in in combined desperation and frustration.

"That rings a bell, the stubborn part I mean," Cassandra responded and Meg gave her an icy look.

"Look, he's stubborn, you're stubborn. Just… Try to talk it over, he is your father after all. You have to give it a try at least," Cassandra reasoned and Meg sighed.

"I guess you're right. I'll give it a try," Meg agreed and was rewarded with a sly smile from her friend.

"Unless your in a hurry to get married to Hierolychus…" she teased.

"Oh yeah, that really would be my dream come true," Meg replied in sardonic manner.

"Well, he seems to believe so," Cassandra reminded her as they got going, ready to return back to their daily duties.

"Don't even remind me of it!" Meg moaned desperately, getting a playful nudge from her friend.

Yet they failed to notice the two young men who were still longingly looking after them, too caught up in their own matters.


-A/N: Yes, here's the first real chapter! So, this is going to be a bit more "realistic" than my other story, but not too dark anyways. Thank you all for your enthusiasm, I try my best to update this story, but I'm most likely gonna post it on a slower pace compared to "All this and Olympus too" (mainly because I need to figure out the plot). So thanks for sticking up with me and thank you for your comments on the prologue!