Upon reaching the palace, I thanked my father and said I would see him at the feast. Patroclus led me back to the guest chambers in silence. When we reached where I had been staying, he motioned to the empty room.
"Your father mentioned we will leave at sunrise tomorrow. I had the servants bring your wares and my father's gifts back to the boats for tomorrow's journey. I have more items to resolve prior to the feast shortly. I see you have dressed for it, but…but..."
"What?"
"YourmotherbroughtgarmentstothepalacethatsheandIthinkyoudlookreallyniceinthem." He spoke unintelligibly.
"What about my mother?" That was all I could understand.
"She came to the palace earlier and said since you were representing the kingdom officially, she brought a robe that would complement your fair hair and skin, as well as bolden your green eyes. She said that last part." Patroclus noted defensively.
I looked down at it. I did not care for fashion. Mother had brought a dress robe of fine red with a dark green lining around its edges.
"If Mother said it would look good, who am I to judge?"
I started to unwrap my current vestments, but Patroclus stopped me.
"What are you doing?"
"I am putting on my new clothes from Mother."
"But I am still here."
"So?"
"You will be naked." He blushed imperceptibly but stated it as a matter of fact.
"So? I do not mind if you see anything. You will be my therapon, so you are going to see this in the future anyways." I stated. Therapons were aides de camp and very rarely left the presence of their benefactors without their permission or knowledge. (I learned this phrase from an angrier soul I recently encountered. He was very concerned about his height and kept screaming how 'French' and 'inches' were different. His tactical mind was shrewd and firm; he could conquer the world with that mind. A fascinating case of humanity's variety.)
I returned back to undressing and redressing. I turned around but Patroclus was not around at all. I left and there he was, face flushed with embarrassment. I chuckled at the sight.
"What, you are nervous about seeing others naked? That sentiment will change soon. Us boys back home all take baths together…without clothes on!" I wavered my voice, trying to scare him.
"Yes, I understand the foreign concept of bathing while naked." Patroclus responded sarcastically as he stood up. "I will see you soon. Father thinks it be a good idea to do a formal announcement, procession, and a grand entrance into the party. Since it will never happen again. See you soon. Your father should be in the main hall, where the feast will be held. You know how to get there, right?"
I nodded. As soon as my head became still, he turned swiftly, and left me alone.
I went to the main hall and found my father. He was speaking with some noble I had not recognized. Once he stopped speaking, he saw me and waved me over.
"My son! I will be pleased to see you next to me. Pray, sit! Sit!"
He patted the pillows next to him. I sat. There were some refreshments already out. I did not notice my hunger until my hands started to grab a dozen grapes. I chewed quickly and had their sweetness in my mouth. I kept going back for more until a hand grabbed mine.
"Achilles, my dear boy, slow down. You will choke if you keep this pace up!"
Father kept hitting my back, forcing me to cough up some of the food out of my throat. He continued to talk.
"You know, Achilles, you have more tact than I thought."
"How…how so?
"Firstly, this whole affair helped me soothe Menoetius's rage and keep our treaty intact. So, thank you for your dedication to the kingdom. You are very dedicated to Patroclus and fought hard for us to accept his soon-to-be exile. If you think about it, since neither one of us has daughters to marry off, taking in a son as exile would perpetually tie both cities. I got my trade and military assurances; Menoetius avoided troubles from the nobles whilst bettering his kingdom. And of course, you get your Patroclus."
My Patroclus. That sounded right to me since Father first said it. There was a warmth that arose within me that I did not recognize. I have said that praise multiple times since then but the warmth from my lips never paralleled that moment's. And will never again be. He has been saved from Asphodel, exalted above the others at the price of my own soul. Such is love.
My thoughts then were interrupted by a beating drum and general music. The full hall simmered into silence.
One of the servants proclaimed that Menoetius had a final affair to attend to with Lord Patroclus with a Spartan messenger and he would arrive soon. He also then kept lauding Menoetius as king of the realm, and the like. The same type of things my father had listened to back in Pythia…and I would have as well someday. But I never did.
They brought out a bard to entertain us in the interim. The old man was blind but sung to us various exploits of the gods. To honor both kingdoms, he sang the tale of the Myrmidons, which involved Patroclus's grandmother and my great-grandmother: Aegina. Queen Hera became angry at my great-grandmother and that, as the goddess of marriage, Zeus was philandering. She detested that my grandfather Aeacus was a mortal bastard of Zeus himself. Whilst Aegina and Aeacus were on an island, Hera sent a plague that killed everyone. Aeacus prayed that the island would be repopulated. Zeus realized there were millions of loyal subjects for his beloved son. He transformed the ants crawling around the island into a people: the Myrmidons. The ant origins explain our people's dedication to the royal family and their earthen armor, the bard surmised. A branch of them followed my father to Thessaly.
As the bard finished, everyone lauded him for a lovely retelling. Those in our journey hollered in joy, applauding loudly. I just shook my head. As a descendant of the gods, I understand why mortals try to link everything to divinity. It makes existence a smidgen more tolerable to be special. When I was old enough, I asked Mother if this story was true. She laughed, mocking the mortal's divine version. The Myrmidons were descendants of Myrmidon, a nobleman in Thessaly, she had told me. Nothing more.
I looked at Father and sighed in weariness.
"Why do people let this news go around? We know it is not the truth of our people's origins. Mother confirmed it."
He leant down and whispered.
"My son, sometimes it is better for a mind to function if one believes a lie and does not face the truth."
I understood what he meant later, when I kept telling myself at Troy that he was not dead. I wanted to believe the lie because I could not face the truth. I cannot do so now.
About an hour later, the music restarted, turning the room calm and silent. The same person from before stood up and exclaimed:
"Presenting the beloved rulers of the realm, Opus, the city favored by the gods themselves. The descendants of Zeus on high, Lord of Thunder and Olympus: King Menoetius and Lord Menoitiades!"
Patroclus and his father emerged together into the main hall. Both had been dressed in purple, laden with baubles of the king's wares. The crown upon his head was a simple one, grape leaves surrounded his head. Patroclus smiled at the crowd a genuine smile. I saw the glow of happiness in his face. Menoetius motioned and four bearers arose, grabbed the gestarioral chair, and knelt before Patroclus. He sat down in it, and the bearers arose again. He enjoyed himself. I saw his previous point of royalty's responsibilities. The positives, even meager ones as being carried, were minimal against the negatives.
At this point, Patroclus passed Father and I and motioned for his bearers to stop.
"Ho, why are our guests not seated at the royal table? Make places and bring them up. And you boy, sit up here with me." He smirked, "You might enjoy the ride."
I answered, "My Lord Patroclus, I would be honored to ride on top of you." I jumped up, made myself comfortable in his lap, and he motioned for us to go.
It was a relatively quick procession after that, but to me, it felt like the universe had come and gone. Patroclus and I were close and intimate. I felt his breath on my neck, warming me. His hands around me to ensure I would not fall. My cheeks were flushed with blood, reddening with each moment. I enjoyed being this close to him. So close. I could barely be any closer but yet I still imagined I could. If only…
"What is wrong, Achilles? You do not sound as if you are having fun." Patroclus asked, concerned.
"No, no, I am! Just looking at everyone."
The presentation was simple, but the effect was well received. Once we approached the throne, Patroclus motioned to my and Father's seats at the end of the table. I was disappointed we would not sit next to each other. Father was already sitting. He saw my face, my latent frustration.
"I hope you had fun. He certainly did. Remember, you can sit next to him…or on him…for the rest of your lives starting tomorrow night."
My face reddened again.
"Please, please. Sit." Patroclus said as he sat on the throne.
I looked around. There were dozens of Opian nobles that Father introduced to me in passing. They had stopped paying attention and all concerned with their own conversations and had not heard him. Our flank from Pythia did, as some were seated, waiting patiently. A few other tables had listened as well, but a majority of other tables did not notice.
I looked back at Patroclus, who looked at his sitting father. Menoetius gave an imperceptible nod, and Patroclus bellowed:
"AS YOUR PRINCE, I DEMAND YOUR WHOLEHEARTED ATTENTION!"
All chatter ceased. Some people gasped at Patroclus's sudden burst of royal command. Every table sat immediately.
"Thank you." Patroclus continued. "Let us do the libations to the everlasting gods who never die as good and faithful citizens should."
He took his cup and poured some wine into it.
"To Lords Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, we honor you as lords of your respective realms, and may you reign well."
He raised his cup and poured some wine on the ground.
"To Lords Apollo and Helios, Ladies Artemis and Selene, we honor you as the light of our lives." Father and Menoetius chuckled at the play on words.
Repeating himself, Patroclus invoked and poured wine for each and every Olympian, as well as a few minor gods I never even heard of.
"And finally, to Lady Thetis, goddess of the sea, who I will be a personal subject to tomorrow. To Achilles, her divine son! To Peleus, her beloved husband and king! I thank them for their generosity, love, and patronage! Long live them all!"
He poured the remaining wine on the ground, emptying the cup. Our troops hit the tables and raised a raucous over our names being mentioned.
"And finally, my beloved subjects..."
At this point, Menoetius interrupted him. "My subjects, eat well. Drink well. Let us live well tonight. Tonight, my son is King, tomorrow I have no son. He will be dead to you and the land! Eat well, drink well!"
People started to eat and drink at those words. My jaw had dropped. Did Menoetius commit such disrespect? I looked towards Patroclus. His dark eyes watered. I saw his mouth pout. His eyes glared over. His face hung down. He sat down next to his father and ate in silence.
I did not see Patroclus say a single unnecessary word that night after that. The night of joy had ended for him. I looked down at my plate as well. Father had
Father leaned and whispered it was time for me to retire. I went around the table saying my goodbyes. I skipped Menoetius. I put my hand on Patroclus's shoulder and wished him a pleasant rest. He did not look up or acknowledge me.
"Achilles, my friend, you did not wish me a good night yet!" Menoetius had more than his fair share of wine that evening. His speech slurred, tipsy on his feet.
My emotions flared as I walked back to him. I wanted to scream and punch him, but Father had mentioned my sense of tact. I needed to practice that if I was to rule.
"Can you kneel down?" I asked politely. "I want to embrace my host."
He was able to do so, and I hugged him. To the world, I was being the polite guest. But he would know the truth and never tell a soul. He never could. It would be shameful to his guests, a violation of xenia and an embarrassment to himself. I whispered into his drunken ear, hoping he would remember this.
"I hope your name does not live on. You are a bad king and even worse father. You banished your only surviving blood. You dishonored Philomena's and Myrto's spirits with your actions. I hope Patroclus never thinks of your name again. I know I will not. You are a disgrace."
I let go and rose to walk away. I saw his face briefly, full of shock at my words. I went back to Father, and we went back to our chambers.
"Do you want to play some senet, twenty squares, or dice before bed?" Father asked, trying to raise my spirits.
"Father, I am very tired and will go right to bed. Good night." I spewed out emotionless in tone.
I bowed and left him behind.
"Wait."
I turned.
"If I ever disrespect you that way, you have my perpetual permission to punch my face into the ground. Now, good night."
Father turned, summoned the slave girl from a few nights ago, and he went into his chambers with her. I laid down on the bed and closed my eyes.