Author's notes - historical and geographical clarifications
As for the ship's speed, I assumed a speed of 2 or maximum 3 knots, which should be realistic for a ship of the Late Bronze Age travelling close to islands and coasts. This means the ship would cover a maximum of 50-70 nautical miles per day. If you know more about the topic, please correct me.
The mentioned island of Corcyra is Corfu.
In this fiction, the city of Phthia is identified with the city of Pharsala.
Nauplia is Mycene's harbor.
OOO
With his hands nestled on his lap, Molossus looked down.
Sometimes he forgot that his mother and stepfather had once been prisoners.
He wanted to ask about Andromache and his half-brother but he didn't dare.
"I've heard that Agamemnon was indeed murdered just after the war... and that many Achaean ships were actually crushed while returning home" the younger man said hesitantly.
"Yes. Agamemnon was killed. As for the ships, there was a storm near Chios. The fleet was disbanded and many ships were damaged. But all of the Achaean kings managed to get back home - even our neighbor Odysseus, with some delay"
"But then the Huntress did listen to you" said Molossus, impressed.
Helenus grimaced. "I don't know. Maybe the gods were angry for their own reasons, maybe Agamemnon's murder and the storm had nothing to do with the gods at all"
"Well, some people in the city think that the ships were crushed because of you" insisted the prince.
"And you will let them think that. Even your father thought that, and I saw no reason to contradict him" concluded Helenus with a hint of smugness.
"Were you involved in the crush, too?" asked Molossus.
"No. On the third day of navigation, after coasting the island of Lemnos, your father decided to head west instead of south like the other Achaeans did"
"Why?"
OOO
Helenus sat in the middle of the ship, inhaling slowly. The sea travel wasn't making him really sick but it was slightly unpleasant and this was the least shaky part of the ship.
He still couldn't quite realize that they had left Troy forever. Upon sailing, he had refused to look back at the city, now he was regretting that.
Contrary to his brothers, he had never left the city before, apart from a few visit to the surrounding woods or the island of Tenedos, just on the other side of the strait. He had never been so far away from home. He couldn't say whether he was missing the city or just his own habits, like looking outside of his window every morning.
He had barely spoken to Andromache. She always sat together with her maids, away from the men. From her attitude, it was clear that she didn't want to speak or be spoken to. Aesacus behaved in the usual way - it was difficult to say if he really felt fine or if he was just pretending.
And he?
Helenus just felt empty. He supposed that at some point he would start aching, mourning the lost ones, but nothing. Was he really so heartless?
In addition, they were travelling with Eudorus, who was now serving Neoptolemus after Achilles' death. The very same Eudorus who had tried to make him join the enemy. They hadn't exchanged a single word so far, but Helenus could often feel the Achaean's look on him. Eudorus' presence made him feel uneasy and constantly watched.
Beside him, Aesacus said "what...?" and Helenus looked up. For a while, he couldn't understand what was wrong, then he noticed that their ship had decidedly turned west. They weren't following the Achaean fleet any more. Turning around, he saw that the other ships belonging to Neoptolemus were doing the same.
He and Hermes' priest looked at each other, uncertain.
"Why have we turned west?" asked Helenus.
"I am asking myself the same question" Aesacus replied, frowning. "We have just left the island of Lemnos behind us. If we go west, we will spend several days in the open sea before we reach the mainland. And when we do, we will be much further north than Phthia, Achilles' city. But maybe I remember wrong - I have been to the land of the Achaeans only once, and it was many decades ago"
"You remember correctly" said a voice. They turned to see Neoptolemus standing behind them.
"The fact is... we are not going to Phthia at all" the Achaean went on, switching almost immediately to his own language. "My grandfather Peleus was indeed the king of Phthia, but he lost the throne. That's why my father grew up together with Patroclus in Opus"
"But then... where are we going?" asked Helenus.
"Many years ago, my father settled down on the mainland, close to the island of Corcyra. We are going there" said Neoptolemus.
"I'm sorry but that name is unknown to me" replied Aesacus.
This island of Corcyra had to be at the edge of civilization if Hermes' priest didn't know it. Aesacus knew merchants from all over the world.
"It is on the other side of the Achaean mainland, further north than Odysseus' island of Ithaca" explained the Achaean.
Helenus wasn't even aware that there were any cities in that part of the world!
"I turned west just because I didn't want to travel together with the other Achaean chieftains. It would be a bad idea to travel with Agamemnon, since you cursed him" Neoptolemus added, turning to him.
"This is a wise idea" said Helenus sternly.
Two days later, now certain to be far away from the other Achaeans, Neoptolemus decided to head south again. They spent several days coasting the mainland and many islands. They were so close to the land that supplies of food and drinking water were never a problem.
They had already passed the city of Athens and the island of Idra when Neoptolemus ordered his sailors to land.
Helenus was surprised: they weren't short on water or food. But the reason for this new delay was immediately clear.
"We are close to Nauplia" Neoptolemus said to Eudorus. "Take one of the smaller ships and go see whether Agamemnon has already arrived. Then come straight back. We have taken a long detour but he probably folloewd the shortest route. He should already be there"
Slowly and deliberately, Neoptolemus turned around and stared at Helenus.
Helenus tensed but stared back, trying to pretend that he was perfectly calm.
Of course. The Achaeans had been scared of him at first, but now they were starting to call his bluff.
Since they had left Troy, Neoptolemus had treated him and his fellow Trojans with great respect. But what if Agamemnon was safe and sound at home again? Yes, he could argue that he had never said how soon Agamemnon would be killed. But who was going to believe him?
He spent the whole day in a pretty agitated state and lay awake for the whole night. Noticing Neoptolemus' gaze on him, he tried his best to look unfazed.
On the following morning, he was sitting at bow when he spotted Eudorus' ship in the distance. It seemed to be going at full speed.
"They are already here!" said Neoptolemus, taken aback. "I was expecting them in the afternoon"
Well, maybe Agamemnon hadn't arrived at all. After all, they had probably lost only four or five days. But what if he had arrived and was still alive?
Helenus felt like he was going to be sick.
He watched Eudorus' ship get closer and closer, until it was at shouting distance. Eudorus stood stiffly at the bow.
Leaning on the ship's rail, Neoptolemus shouted: "Did you see him?"
"No!" Eudorus shouted back.
Helenus bit his lip to suppress a sigh of relief.
"Hasn't he arrived yet?" prompted Neoptolemus.
Eudorus' ship was very close now, and Helenus noticed how pale the Achaean looked.
"He arrived three days ago... and he was murdered on the same day"
The whole ship fell silent. Helenus heard only the waves breaking on the ship's side.
He turned and looked at Neoptolemus. The Achaean was shocked, his mouth open.
"Why are you surprised?" he asked with the bitter voice he could use so well. "I told him".