Arli's POV
I had to follow Father to the temple, in case he ran into trouble. I could not talk to him or answer him when he asked me questions, and if he found out that I had disobeyed him, he would be so furious.
We followed that cocky Greek soldier into Apollo's temple and out the side of it, but we did not expect others and now we were surrounded. I drew my sword and stood in a fighting stance, but Hector did not. Why did not Hector draw his sword? We could take these men, just the two of us!
The cocky blonde soldier began speaking again. "Go home, Prince; make love to your wife and we shall have our war tomorrow. But only you may go, that aggressive soldier is staying here."
Chills were sent down my spine.
Hector looked confused and questioned what the blonde warrior had said. "What do you want with this soldier? He has not even killed one Greek yet! Let him come back to Troy with me."
"I do not bargain, Prince. Now say your goodbyes and leave," the blonde soldier said, and waved his hand at me.
My mind remembered something. I knew this man now: Achilles, the Immortal Warrior.
Hector turned to look at me and then an absolute look of horror washed over his face; he had seen my eyes—he knew it was me!
"No, what have you done?" he whispered at me, barely audible.
I hung my head and started shaking under his glare. I could hear Hector's voice pleading with Achilles. "Please, take me instead. I would rather be the one stuck here than this soldier."
Achilles cocked his head to the side and spoke with genuine interest in his voice. "Now, why would a Prince of such high value to his kingdom, want to sacrifice himself, for a lowly soldier? I have made up my mind… now leave before Agamemnon's servants find you."
Hector was about to protest again, but I gently took his hand and looked him in the eyes and mouthed the word "go" to him. He shook his head, but I started pushing him to the stairs of the temple.
Before he went down the stairs, he turned back to me. "I will come back for you." I only nodded in response.
Achilles walked over to me and grabbed my arm roughly. "We must go."
I hated being touched by this man, so I pulled his arm off mine. He tried to pull me back again, but I pushed my hand at him until it connected with his breastplate and sent him reeling back. All the other men came in closer around me and pointed their swords. I grabbed my sword, ready to fight anyone who dared come any closer to me. One man tried to slice my arm, but I blocked his attack and brought my sword around to cut his cheek. The man went to grasp his cheek and I took the sword from his hand; now I could do more damage to these men. A second man tried to slash my face, but I leaned back and the sword missed me. I brought myself back up and swung my swords around at him and saw that I made a deep cut into his arm. The third man that tried to kill or wound me was about to slice my neck, but he got my wrath; I tilted my head to the side just before the blade was about to hit and then I ducked low to cause a nice long cut in his abdomen.
I was stopped by a sword that was digging into my neck. I looked up to who sword it was and it was Achilles'. "I would drop your swords if I were you."
I did what he asked, I only wished I had hurt more men before he stopped me. Once I did that he put his sword back into his skirt holster and grabbed me roughly by my arms.
"Eudorus," I heard him call and a man that I had not wounded gave him some rope. "That was some stunt you pulled. Do you know who I am? Do you know that these are the fiercest warriors in all of Greece?" he asked, as he tied my hands up behind my back.
I did not answer him, because I could not disguise my voice to be like a man's, but if I did, I would have said: "If these are the fiercest warriors in all of Greece, then Troy will be victorious."
When I did not answer him, it made things worse. "Answer me!" he yelled, and turned me around so he could look me in the eyes. When he saw my eyes he looked at me in shock and his voice became a hoarse whisper.
"Take your helmet off," he told me coolly.
This could not be...he knew! I shook my head rapidly, but it did not matter; he took my helmet off for me.