The next day, I left Patroclus's chambers to run. Rosy fingered Eos arose before her brother. Her chariot lit the skies. I went to the beach and put my feet in the salty waves. Mother arrived instantly. She always enjoyed these early morning hours alone with me. She saw my advancements in swimming, swiftness, running, fighting. She admired my prowess. She adored seeing her divinity shine within me.

These mornings made me feel enough. Reminiscent of how I feel…felt…with Patroclus.

I reclined my head on her lap. She ran her fingers through my hair, combing it in the process. I had lots of knots within my hair which only she, in her godhood, could untangle.

"I hear from your aunts, who have nothing better to do except flirt with the men on the ship, that you will be returning home soon."

I sat up quickly in fear. My body flowed with ichor-infected blood, making me more alert and ready to fight. (I have since learned from a soul that was a physician above that it was not the ichor in my veins, but a mortal chemical called adrenaline. He had mentioned it in passing and I inquired on the subject. It causes one's body to increase blood flowing within it. This causes an immense ability to grow stronger. The physician said it would make me a better warrior. And alas, it did).

I then remembered my dear therapon and relaxed. He would be duty bound by the gods to be by my side forever more.

"What is wrong, my son? Do you not want to return home?"

"I do, Mother. When will I return to Pythia?"

"My sisters said you would leave the day after the Prince's Feast. The prince of this land is being exiled. His father is giving him a feast and then he will be sent out into the world, to die alone."

Looking back, I was too casual. I did not think about telling my mother beforehand. My excitement clouded my judgement.

"Oh, no he will not. He is returning to Pythia with us!"

"Now, son, I know the prince will be exiled but that does not mean your father will accept his plea for refuge. You should discuss it with him first." She massaged my back. I enjoyed that. All of my hidden stress went away. Mortal aches cease existence at the hands of a goddess.

"Oh no, it is a fact. I claimed him as therapon. We are bound for life."

Her hands stopped. The air grew crisp with silence. I moved my head up to look. Mother's face grew from one of delightful passivity to one of active horror."

"You did what?"

"Claimed him as my companion. You and Father have obstinately clarified you wanted me to get one, so I did.

She pushed me away and stood up. I had rarely seen the fire in her eyes.

"Why did you do that? It was not your choice to make! You are to be surrounded by worthy kings and demi-gods, not exiled mortal princes who will be made into beggars and slaves."

"Patroclus is worthy, Mother. And I will not….

She screamed, pulling at her hair in exasperation. She paused and took a breath. Her scream had shaken the tidal pools and cracked the rocks afar from us. She was a minor deity, having few powers, but still a deity, nonetheless. One must not anger the deities. Not even their children were free from their wrath. Zeus happily tortures his son Tantalus (and rightly so).

I stood my ground.

"Mother, he is descended from Lord Zeus, just as I am. He is a prince by birth, just as I am. I do not understand why you and Father disdain him."

"THERE ARE THINGS YOU DO NOT KNOW!"

For one of the few times in my life, I cowered in fear. My mother had never shown this level of unjustified anger.

She saw the fear in my face. She quieted down.

"Son, you need to go tell your father. Now. I need to discuss this…ill-fated choice." She spat the last words out as she turned to dive beneath the foamy waves.

I stood alone on the beach.

Mother was right about one thing; I needed to tell my father. As king, he had to formally accept Patroclus in order for our city to truly accept him and protect him. I was not old enough or powerful enough to protect Patroclus on my own.

And I never was, it seems.

I entered into Menoetius's Hall. I saw my father, reclining eating some dates. A slave was beside him, but Father sent him away. He had finished the bowl but wanted more.

I cleared my throat and he heard me, turning towards me.

"Father? I have a request."

"Of course, my son, what is it you desire? You know I can never deny you anything."

He sat up and motioned for me to sit next to him.

Doing so, I sat down.

"Father, Mother said we would be leaving after the upcoming banquet, is this right?"

"Your mother is correct, although I wish she would not have told you."

"Father, I request that Patroclus, who will be exiled, come back with us."

Father stiffened. This must be how Helios felt, promising his son something he could not have.

He gulped and spoke.

"Achilles, this has gone on far enough."

He stood up.

"What do you mean, Father?" I asked in confusion.

"I am not accepting his refuge. He is not a good fit for our country. I will not discuss this further. Achilles, your youthful and naïve obsession with this bastard needs to stop."

My heart grew cold, yet simultaneously aflame. My father is not immune from my anger. I could not fight him, but I could outsmart him. Peer pressure was my last solace. It rarely worked for him, but when it did, it worked powerfully.

I screamed for the whole court to hear.

"YOU WOULD DENY A THERAPON HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE BY A PRINCE'S SIDE?!"

Heads of state turned. I did not reciprocate. Only stared at my father.

His eyes widened and I saw pure ice. He knew he could not do anything in public in retaliation. And then, his glare became the fires of Helios. He dragged me out of the hall, out of the house, and down to the beach, at the shores of the water.

He pushed me to the ground with one hand and took off his sandals with the other.

He stood in the water.

"THETIS. COME HERE. NOW."

Mother arrived. I did not know that she kept the same promise to him that she made to me.

"Have not I told you to never do this again…? oh, Achilles, are you hurt?" She went to me and coddled me.

"YOU ALWAYS TREAT HIM AS A BABY. HE WENT AND MADE THE PRINCE HIS THERAPON."

"I know." She rose and stood next to him. Father was apoplectic, pacing frantically.

"YOU KNEW? YOU ALLOWED IT? WHAT ABOUT WHAT WE WERE TOLD? WHAT ABOUT THE PROP…"

"CALM DOWN, MORTAL."

She threw him across the beach with a wave of her hand. She moved her hands again, and waves splashed upon him. Her face was colder than I ever saw her. Her skin grew the shade of kelp that washed upon the shore and over Father.

She went to him and waved the waves back.

"Are you calm now?"

He stood and took a breath. "Yes, I am."

"I found out about it this morning. I have been talking to the Lord of Prophecy himself, Lord Apollo. He said what is done is done. We cannot override the Fates."

Mother turned to me.

"Son, are you determined to have this boy as therapon?"

I looked at both of them.

"Yes. Patroclus is my therapon, Father. I claimed him earlier. We are blood-brothers."

Mother sighed.

"Then the matter is decided. As queen, I hereby will accept the child to our land."

"Thetis…." Father protested.

"You cannot…we cannot…override the Fates. Despite how much we want to."

She dove back beneath the waves, leaving Father and I alone.

"Father, I apologize that you do not agree on the decision but given time..."

He shushed me.

"I need some quiet time to think. Go back to the palace, I will join you later."

I left my father sitting alone on the beach. As I walked away, I heard the sounds of sobbing.

"He is lost. He is lost. He is lost. He will die. Due to the glory of his father, the son will die. My only child."

I never heard my father cry. Or care about me to the point of tears.

How can glory to Peleus be death to me?

Oh how wrong I was.