"Come on, Evangelia," called Briseis as she entered her cousin's suite.
Evangelia appeared. "How do I look?"
"Beautiful!" exclaimed Briseis. "Just like the High Princess of Troy you are!"
And Evangelia did look like a high princess. She had dressed with care that night, to prove that it was she that was the Princess of Troy. And not Helen. She was wearing her Father's gift. Her maids had worked quickly and whipped her dress together from the glorious blue and gold silks that Hector had given them. And the necklace of gold and blue stones rested on her white neck. She had gold bells on her ankles that tinkled softly as she moved. Her long dark hair had been brushed till it shone. Her gold crown held the curls back from her face.
Briseis and Evangelia left the room in a whirl of perfume and laughter.
Hector looked at Evangelia and kissed her forehead. "You look beautiful."
"Thank you."
"My gift was good for you."
Evangelia smiled. "Thank you for it."
Priam looked at Paris.
Paris was watching Evangelia. He looked at his Father. "She's furious with me."
"And she has every right to be," said Priam. "Her perfect life is about to be in shambles. The Father she loves with every breath of her body, will be ridding to war."
"She'll be ridding with him," said Andromache, who was sitting next to Priam.
Paris went pale. "What?"
"Evangelia will ride to war."
Evangelia watched the dancers with little interest. She had heard the gossip of the soldiers today. They said that Agamemnon was bringing with him Achilles the Great. He was said to be the greatest fighter and an immortal.
"Hector."
Hector looked at his wife.
"Are you alright?"
Hector smiled and took her hand. "Yes."
"You looked so sad."
"It's not I that looks so sad," said Hector. "It's Evangelia."
"She fears that with this war, comes the end of her world as she knows it."
"Sadly, she's right."
The first night of feasting had ended and Evangelia had still not gone to bed. She walked the gardens, restlessly.
"Evangelia."
Evangelia turned.
Zeus, the god of gods, stepped out from the shadows.
Evangelia, who had seen Zeus before on many occasions, smiled. "Zeus, you have taken time from your love life to come and see me."
Zeus smiled. "That I have."
Evangelia sat down on the rim of a fountain. "So war is truly coming for Troy."
"Yes," said Zeus. "And so, I have a gift for you. But you must use it wisely." He handed her a necklace. On a delicate silver chain, dangled a black diamond. A black diamond of life.
Evangelia took it. She knew what it was.
"You will fall in love during this war. With the least likely person you could ever imagine. But he will fall. And cause others you love to fall. Especially someone you love dearly."
Evangelia's eyes grew troubled.
"But when your love falls, you must take this necklace and go to Hades. Give him this necklace and in return he will give you the life of the one you love."
But what of the one I love dearly that will fall? Why cannot I use this necklace for him?"
"Because it is the way I have set it," said Zeus firmly.
"If fate changes things …"
"If fate changes things and your lover lives through the war, then the necklace may go to your choice. But if he dies, you can use it on none other."
"I am to make a journey to the Underworld?"
Evangelia, who had seen Zeus before on many occasions, smiled. "Zeus, you have taken time from your love life to come and see me."
Zeus smiled. "That I have."
Evangelia sat down on the rim of a fountain. "So war is truly coming for Troy."
"Yes," said Zeus. "And so, I have a gift for you. But you must use it wisely." He handed her a necklace. On a delicate silver chain, dangled a black diamond. A black diamond of life.
Evangelia took it. She knew what it was.
"You will fall in love during this war. With the least likely person you could ever imagine. But he will fall. And cause others you love to fall. Especially someone you love dearly."
Evangelia's eyes grew troubled.
"But when your love falls, you must take this necklace and go to Hades. Give him this necklace and in return he will give you the life of the one you love."
But what of the one I love dearly that will fall? Why cannot I use this necklace for him?"
"Because it is the way I have set it," said Zeus firmly.
"If fate changes things …"
"If fate changes things and your lover lives through the war, then the necklace may go to your choice. But if he dies, you can use it on none other."
"I am to make a journey to the Underworld?"
"Yes. And there in lies your greatest challenge. It is hard and full of nightmares. But I have faith that you can make it."
"How far off is the war?"
Zeus smiled. "Concern yourself not with the war yet, Evangelia. Feast, make merry, for your Father has returned home."
Evangelia smiled bitterly. "And with him came my uncle, bringing war."
"Paris is young and headstrong. And it is not entirely his fault. Goddesses where involved with this."
Evangelia looked down at the water in the fountain. She touched it and then let her hand sink into the fountain. "The water is cool," she said softly.
Zeus rose to his feet and touched her forehead. "Then cool yourself." And then he was gone.
Evangelia fell backwards into the fountain, eyes closed and all thoughts of the war left her head.