Achilles studied the beach of Troy. They would be there in about twenty minuets. His cousin, Patroclus, was sulking. He would not be aloud to make the charge for the beach and that was final.
Achilles stepped down and stood in the midst of his rowing men. "Myrmidons! My brothers of the sword!" he shouted above the sound of their rowing. "I would rather fight besides you than any army of thousands! Let no men forget how menacing we are, we are lions! Do you know what's waiting, there, beyond that beach?" He drew his sword and pointed at the golden beaches of Troy. "Immortality! Take it! It's yours!"
Evangelia mounted her horse and had her men ready. She met a captain by the palace steps. "I want every house outside the walls searched. Bring everyone in. everyone. No one is to be left behind." She galloped through the city and met her Father outside the walls.
"Are you ready?" asked Hector.
She nodded.
Hector turned and looked out over the men. They where the elite Apollonian guard, eighty in all. "All my life, I have lived by a code. And the code is simple: honor the god, love your woman and defend your country. Troy is mother to us all. Fight for her!"
The men raised their swords and roared.
Hector and Evangelia arrived at the top of the hill and stopped.
"Look!"
One ship was far ahead of the others. It had black sails. Even as they watched, it landed and about twenty men poured out, one at their head that was a head taller than them all.
"By the gods," whispered Hector, "There he is. Achilles."
Evangelia watched as the man charged up the beach. "The man wants to die."
But Achilles and his small band of men fought to the temple and disappeared inside. With the remaining Trojans staying behind and killing every other man that set foot on the beach. Archers stood on the dunes and fired scores of arrows into the arriving Greeks.
"Here they come," said Markos.
Achilles watched them impassively. Then held out his hand.
Markos looked down and picked up a fallen spear and handed it to him.
Achilles waited a moment, then stepped back and hurled it as hard as he could.
Hector jerked his horse to a stop.
Evangelia was staring at one of her men. He was lying on the ground, half the spear in front of him and the other half sticking out his back. He had a look of frozen surprise on his face. She turned back around and her eyes went hard. "Philip."
Her captain came forward.
"Take twenty men. Burn all the ships you can. But don't sacrifice yourselves."
Hector looked at the temple and kicked his horse into a gallop.
Achilles waited in the shadows.
The Trojans had come into the temple and had already been attacked by his men.
"You must be Hector, prince of Troy."
Hector regarded the man calmly. "I am."
"You're brave to have come this far alone, Prince of Troy."
"These priests where unarmed." Hector motioned to the floor, which was slick with blood.
"That is no concern of mine," said Achilles. He turned and went out on the back porch of the temple.
Hector followed him. "There where women and young girls here."
Achilles raised his sword and pointed it at Hector. "Go home, Prince of Troy. Make love to your wife, kiss your children, and tomorrow we will have our war."Achilles's men came out and surrounded Hector. But Achilles shook his head. The men backed away and lowered their swords.
Hector's sword dropped slightly but he stared at Achilles for a long moment.
Achillies started to go back in but stopped instantly when he felt the sharp tip of a sword at the back of his neck.
Hector froze.
Instantly Achilles's men stepped forward and their swords rose.
"Tell them to stay back," ordered a firm voice. The speaker was hidden in the shadows.