Hector was staring at the sea, Paris's words ringing in his ears. At last he looked at Paris and shook his head sadly. "You'd let Troy burn for this woman?"

Paris said nothing.

Hector grabbed him by the neck of his tunic and shook him.

"If she goes back, I go with her."

"To Sparta?" snarled Hector. "They'll kill you."

"Then I'll die fighting."

"That sounds heroic to you, doesn't it? You've never killed a man or even seen a man die. I've killed men and I've seen them die. And there's nothing heroic about it.

"All the same, I go with her. I won't ask you to fight my war."

Hector let go and Paris stepped back. "You already have." He turned away from his brother. "To Troy."

Agamemnon met with his most trusted advisor, Nestor.

"The Trojans have never been conquered. Some say they can't be."

"I haven't tried yet," said Agamemnon. "King Priam think he's untouchable behind his high walls. He thinks the Sun God will protect him. But the gods only protect the strong."

"Prince Hector and the high Princess Evangelia command the finest army in the east. They are the strong."

Agamemnon's eyes glittered. "Women do not belong in war."

Nestor's eyebrows rose.

"I'll attack them with the greatest force the world has ever seen. I want all the kings of Greece and all their armies."

"We need Achilles and his Myrmidons."

Agamemnon shook his head. "Achilles can't be controlled."

"We have to have him."

"He threatens everything I've built."

"We have to have him," repeated Nestor. "This will be the greatest war the world has ever seen. We need the greatest warrior."

Agamemnon paced the room for a moment. At last he turned. "There's only one man he'll listen to."

Ithaca.

A lean, bearded man was sitting on a hillside looking out over the Ionian Sea. Beside him was a lean, hunting dog. They where watching a troop of emissaries climb the steep hill.

At last they reached the top. "Greetings, brother. We were told King Odysseus was here in the hills," said the leader.

"Odysseus? That old bastard sits around and drinks wine and makes love to his wife all day."

"You should respect your king."

"Respect him? I'd like to punch him in the nose."

The emissaries exchanged looks and began walking away. The man watched them go. At last he sighed and looked at his dog. "I hope Agamemnon's generals are smarter than his emissaries."

The leader stopped and turned. "What did you say?"

The shepherd scratched behind the dog's ears. "You want me to help you fight the Trojans."

The emissaries stared at him. Suddenly, they fell on the ground.

"Forgive us, King Odysseus." The emissary leader looked up at him. "King Agamemnon has a favor to ask of you."

Odysseus smiled. "Of course he does."

Odysseus stood in his room. "I don't know how I'll do it, Penelope."

His wife looked at him from where she was still lying on the bed. "I don't know how you'll do it either. You'll feel like the worse sort of traitor."

Odysseus shot her a look. "You do make me feel better."

Penelope stretched and looked at him, with a bright light dancing in her dark eyes. "I know I do."