Confusion. Loss. Devastation. These emotions dominated Hector's suddenly blank mind and crushed his still beating heart. His jaw slackened and water prickled at his eyes. Breathing became a laborious act and soon Hector's legs grew weak. The stunned warrior took a few steps and collapsed onto the roughened ground. All around him his beautiful city was charred and broken. Buildings still smoldered and an eerie silence had settled over the city. Bodies lay scattered and torn. Blood still flowed from fatal wounds to mix with the sand and created mud. Nausea rose into the prince's throat until it erupted passed his parched lips. Immediately he hunched over and felt his stomach roll. Coarse palms fell to the earth and gripped the fresh mud beneath them. Hot tears streamed down his ashen face. Vocal rage and hurt spewed from him. Despair took him then.
His precious city. Everything he had worked so hard to defend: the women, children, and his fellow soldiers. Cherished memories that once were fresh in his mind met a sudden death as he searched through a watery gaze. Yet no where could Hector find life. Not one soul stirred. There were none left. There was no meaning he abruptly realized. The only rightful thing he could do was to die here with them. How could he live when all others had died? He had failed to defend the lives of his people therefore he did not deserve to live.
A quick glance at his surroundings revealed a sword not far away. Its fallen master lay quiet next to him, peacefully unaware of the wreckage. Slowly, Hector reached out and wrapped his shaking hand around the simple unadorned hilt. Next he brought the point of the blade towards his chest to cradle it. This was it.
Just as Hector was about to push the blade into his heart, a soft and firm hand stopped him. Hector raised defiant eyes and was prepared to slaughter the person who had stopped his willing sacrifice but he started however at who he found before him. The figure was a women no doubt for her features were far to feminine but she was dressed as a male warrior. Long dark curls settled around her shoulder and piercing golden eyes stared him down. A snowy white owl glided down to rest upon her shoulder and Hector immediately knew who this woman was.
The prince lowered his head with respect and allowed the goddess Athena to take the sword from him and lay it next to its master. Then the goddess proceeded to walk back towards the keeling man and gently lifted his chin. Her eyes were stern as she looked upon the heartbroken prince.
"Look about you Prince of Troy," obediently Hector gazed and what he still found cut at his heart.
"This can all be avoided," with that statement, Hector's eyes darted again towards Athena, "if and only if you trust the woman you found today."
"Are you saying this is a dream? A nightmare?" Hector's voice was surprisingly strong in contrast to the weakness he felt inside.
Athena only nodded then continued her prophecy, "This woman has been brought from a far away land, you need not know more than that until the time is right. She has not been brought to save Troy -" when Hector started to protest, Athena gripped his face tighter, "but in fulfilling her task, she will save your city. However, you must listen to her advice and not stray from the path she lays before you. This woman knows much of the coming months and she can help you."
Bewilderment swarmed through the prince's mind at this knowledge and he asked, "How?"
"It is of no consequence how she knows but what she knows. As I have stated, do not question her. Simply obey what she commands. Do this, and Troy will thrive."
With these final words, the spell was broken and suddenly, everything became blurry. The city around Hector faded and darkness took him.
The moment lee became aware of her surroundings, she realized three things. First, there was warm sand beneath her. Second, refreshing water was lapping at her hot skin. Third, judging by the previous insight, Lee figured she must still be at the beach. Somehow, she must have washed ashore and was alive. A quick pain in her head reinforced that theory. Danm pain, she thought.
With this new reassurance, Lee began to open her eyes. Instead of finding Coronado beach as she expected, Lee found a completely new shore. The water was a clear turquoise unlike the rather murky waters of the beaches back home. With this in mind, Lee decided there was no possible way that she could be home because there were no beaches that looked like that where she came from. Upon further notice, Lee found a high cliff wall behind her. Where the hell was she?
A small splashing of water drew Lee's attention towards a shallow area. There stood an older woman wading in the water. She was tall yet slender in frame. The way she held herself made her appear regal and important. The woman's long flowing brown hair had graceful streaks of gray throughout it and fell to her slim hips. All-in-all, she was a beautiful woman. That is, until Lee saw her eyes.
The most stunning electric blue eyes met Lee's vibrant green orbs. Shock registered in the young woman's mind which quickly turned to flaming rage. Not too long ago, Lee had seen those eyes just before she had been pummeled by a wave. Even if the woman in front of her was not young, she was undoubtedly the same woman. Those eyes were no different. She was responsible for this. Everything was her fault.
Thetis could see the surprise on the woman's face. For a moment the nymph felt sympathy. After all, she had taken Anacleta, Thetis refused to call her Lee for it was too manly for her taste, from her home and everything she knew. The emotion was suppressed however when the nymph remembered why she had actually brought Anacleta here. Thetis had to save her son.
"You!" outrage echoed off the cliffs as Lee's fists clenched and her eyes narrowed.
"Yes what of myself Anacleta?" Thetis' voice was arrogant as she spoke.
"My name is Lee!" the marine pat at the elegant woman standing in front of her.
"I will not call you by that cad-ish name!" Thetis screeched back, "you will not raise your voice at me you little wench! I am a goddess and you will treat me as such!"
Lee stalked towards the nymph with murder in her eyes and pointed a finger in he face.
"It's your fault that I'm here!" Lee spat, "Where ever here is…" the marine focused a glare on Thetis.
"You are in ancient Troy Anacleta," a calm voice drew Lee's attention to her left. There stood an ageless woman dressed in what Lee assumed was armor. She appeared young but she had an atmosphere of wisdom about her and upon her shoulder sat a snowy white owl. Wariness settled in Lee's mind as the woman stared her down with her piercing golden eyes.
"And who the hell are you?" most of the anger had dissipated from her voice.
Immediately warmth settled in Athena's heart which lead to approval. The young warrior that stood before her held the same fighting spirit that Athena held in her own heart. Yes, this woman could save her Odysseus and Thetis' precious son.
"I am Athena," Lee's eyes widened at the impossibility as Athena continued, "And the woman before you is Thetis, mother of the great warrior Achilles."
A rockslide began in Lee's mind as bits of memory came crashing down. The urge to walk, the feel of wading into the water itself, the words that Thetis had spoken.
"'You will save my son…'"
"Holy shit!" Lee screeched as she fell flat on her butt into the sand below her, "So I'm in freaking Ancient Troy just before the Trojan War on a mission to save freaking Achilles? Are you fucking kidding me?" Thetis sniffed in distaste as Athena hid a soft chuckle behind a graceful hand.
"Aw shit, did I say that out loud?" Lee slammed her forehead into her palm when she fully realized her mistake. What a great impression to make, cussing in front of goddesses, seriously? Oh well, she was a sailor after all. Yeah, she would go wit that excuse.
"So what's the plan?" hesitance was in her tone and her question hung in the air for a few moments before Thetis finally glanced towards Athena.
"Well, you are currently in the are of the eldest prince of Troy," was Athena's only reply.
A blank expression settled on Lee's young face, "Then how the hell am I supposed to save her son?"
"If you can save Patroclus, then Achilles will go home." Thetis' voice was tense with frustration. This impudent little girl was proving to be most troublesome.
"You mean on the day when Achilles chooses to go home and Patroclus fights when Troy makes a move for the beach?" Lee rambled as images from the movie flashed in her mind. If Patroclus lived, then Achilles wouldn't see revenge, if he went home, he wouldn't be killed in the final battle. If Achilles went home, the rest of the Greek army would lose and Troy would be saved!
Without notice, Thetis and Athena slipped away until Lee glanced up to find them gone.
"Well, I guess I better get to work."