Pikachu: Yes, Achilles wasn't honorable in this case. And for the death of Paris, I am not sure if we will see it, although I could mention it.
Jupiterpercyjack: Well, you are going to see what will happen!
7DeadlySins: Ah! Ah! I love this comment! Well if you are conflicted then, it meant that I succeeded to make Achilles a three-dimensional character, so I am happy!^^
So, I need to mention that I have now reached the milestone of 100 reviews on this story! It is very incredible because it is very hard to achieve that when you write an OC story in a small fandom (and let's admit it, a story that it is not about Hades and Persephone.) So, I want to say a big thank you to everyone! Your encouragement is very appreciated!
Chapter 27: Priam
Delphina knew she had been discovered. While she tried to lift Hector on a proper surface and attach it to the carriage (out of the question she left it on the ground and profane it even more), she heard him drawing his sword.
Not frightened one bit, she turned around and present him the palm of her hand to warn to not approach. "Don't come to me!" She ordered, maintaining her divine voice from earlier.
Furiously possessed by his anger, Achilles only kept one thing in mind: preventing anyone to humiliate him in any possible way! This was his spoil of war and he was ready to defend it!
He stepped toward her but she quickly reminded him that he was confronting a goddess. She warned. "Try to come closer… And I will change you into a dolphin."
The threat succeeded to stop his walk. He continued to glare at her and asked. "You would not seriously do that."
"Do you think I am stupid enough to think I could manage to take Hector's body without waking you up?" She said with confidence. "I would have not taken action without having a backup plan, so trust me! I will not hesitate to do this if you ever leave me no choice."
Achilles could clearly guess she wasn't bluffing at all. He lowered his sword. Delphina still watched him carefully. She knew they weren't done yet. Mad and angry, he replied in a desperate way. "I have lost Patroclus! I don't have that much time to live! The only thing I still possess is my honor. So, why are you determined to shame me like this?"
Delphina could detect that he calmed down a little. Still, she remained careful but she sized the attention she received. "Your honor? Now, that's the thing I totally fail to understand in you. You always talk about how you are the best fighter! How you are the bravest, the fastest, the strongest! You always brag how people look up to you. How future generations will sing and praise your name for many centuries. How you will be venerated like a god. You want to be the greatest hero of all time… But does being a hero equal this?"
She had said that while pointing to the awful corpse badly treated. She could see his throat move a few. She had hurt a sensible spot. She pursued. "Perseus was a hero when he saved Andromeda and delivered Ethiopia from Cetus. Heracles was a hero when he killed all those monsters that terrorised people. Theseus was a hero when he risked his own life to slay the minotaur to prevent it to devour more of his own people… And what do you do? You kill people, enslave women and children, burn villages? What Patroclus would think of what you did today?"
Achilles was speechless. He now remembered how much older than him she was and how much life experience she possessed. The words she uttered were…
But suddenly, he heard a sound coming from somewhere else. He raised his sword once again just in case. He distinguished a silhouette approaching them. "Who is there?" He asked.
The figure came closer. Someone hidden behind a black cloak with a hood covering his face. Then, the hood was taken off by the stranger to reveal an old man. Long white hair well brushed, a thin beard while covered a tanned skin damaged by many years of living. The elder appeared tired, desperate but still brave and confident.
But where did he come from?
Not afraid of the sword, he came closer to Achilles who didn't dare to attack him. He didn't seem menacing at all but he was curious to see what this man was going to do.
The senior knelt in front of him and delicately took his hand to kiss it. Now, the goddess and the demigod were truly puzzled by the action.
"Can you tell who you are, now?" Achilles asked more imperatively.
"Just a man who has dared to kiss the hand of the one who took away his son." He said while giving a glimpse to the body of Hector.
They both became shocked when they realised what it meant. No! It couldn't be!
"Priam?" Achilles said, totally confused. What would the King of Troy do here? In the camp of the enemy? Was he suicidal?
"Indeed, this is me." The man confessed, without fear, more with sorrow.
Delphina became quite afraid as soon the man revealed his identity. Will Achilles kill him? He didn't seem ready to do it. More curious than furious. But she had a good idea the reason of the presence of the king here, so she decided to stay close just in case.
Definitely perturbed, Achilles asked. "Why did you come here? Are you crazy? I could kill you!"
"Then, at least, I would die knowing I did everything I could for the peace of my son's soul."
No need to be an Oracle to guess that he probably came to bargain. Somehow consenting to converse with his enemy, Achilles said. "Delphina, could you bring him a seat, please?"
Then, he gasped before hitting his forehead with his palm, knowing the mistake he just committed.
Luckily, Priam didn't seem to react that much at learning by the name that he was in presence of the Goddess of Dolphins in person. And the deity in question also obeyed and went to bring a chair from the tent. She also brought one for Achilles. She chose to not sit with them, judging that it was a discussion between them only but still stayed there at two meters of distance.
Finally, Achilles said. "I got to admit. You are very brave to come here alone and unarmed. But also, very stupid. If Agamemnon, Menelaus or any other soldier knew your presence, they would capture you and use you to defeat your city. Would you live knowing that you provoked the fall of your city because of your selfish actions?"
"I would simply implore my wife to let me die instead of trying to save me for the sake of our people. And I don't consider selfish the act of saving my son's soul." He said with visible sadness in his eyes.
Achilles became suddenly highly uncomfortable. Through his rage directed to Hector, he consciously ignored the fact that this man owned a family. He only tried to visualise him as a monster to justify his hate toward the man who took away his Patroclus.
Now, he felt like having a trial despite the fact he was in position of power. "I don't want to sound rude but your son killed my beloved!" He responded in order to defend himself, his own pain coming back to the surface.
He could hear Delphina sighing at hearing him complain like a victim but she still didn't dare to interfere.
Priam only sent an expression of pure compassion. "I am deeply sorry for your loss. But my son murdered your lover thinking it was you. And even if he would have known, he tried to defend himself. He tried to defend his family, his city, his people! He went to fight you knowing he had few chances…for his honor."
No, he didn't want to hear that. He didn't want to hear the confirmation that Hector was clearly a better man than him to the eyes of Patroclus.
"I know you did it for revenge. I can't tell you how many times my son wanted to do the same toward you in particular since you have first killed my youngest, Troilus, while he was defenseless in the Temple of Apollo."
Achilles felt a big node in his stomach at the mention of this episode. He remembered how he had hated to do this. But he did it anyway… Because he wanted the victory that would bring him glory… Glory through the blood of innocents.
"I…" For once, Achilles didn't know what to say. He felt powerless, in front of his enemy, no less!
"I remember how much we did cry. My wife was screaming through the nights. Hector punched himself for not having been there to protect him. Even the servants mourned his demise. I don't know a soul that didn't love Troilus… But at least you left us his body so we could organise a burial for him."
Achilles felt his heart ached like pierced by a spear. He also had blamed himself for not having prevented Patroclus to go to the battlefield all by himself. He should have come to protect him like he had always done.
Deep inside, he learned more about Hector as a person. They were more similar than he wanted to admit. Except that the Trojan prince had clearly more value than him. How he would have reacted if Patroclus' body had been profaned in the same way he did? The image alone enraged him!
Then, Priam on the edge of crying pursued. "Did you know that Hector had a son? A healthy little boy named Astyanax. His wife had difficulty to produce a child for many years. We offered many gifts to the gods and prayed every single day… And then, a miracle happened. I saw Hector holding his offspring with a sense of wonder that I recognized so well: it was the same feeling I got the day my wife gave birth to Hector. My precious son."
A tear escaped his eyelid. Then, he said. "Today, the baby cried continuously. His mother fed him, cuddled him but nothing did calm him. I could interpret those cries. 'Father! Father! Where is my father?!' It broke my heart. But then, I can imagine my own son screaming these words as his ghost wanders the land of living waiting to rest in peace. I can hear my child crying for me to help him."
He wept stronger but maintained his dignity when he begged. "I pledge you. Give me back my son! Give me back the blood of my blood! Allow me to put him on a pyre. To give him the fee to pay Charon. To pray for the safety of his afterlife. Allow his family to grief him properly. As a broken father, I implore you!"
Watching this old man, a king, trying to reach his own enemy did manage to touch Achilles' heart. It was the first time since the beginning of this war that the demigod was talking to someone of this age.
He remembered his own father, Peleus.
His adored father unaware of the prophecy concerning his death. A man whom he had always admired. Someone who had lived beside Great men like Heracles, Jason and Orpheus. A great warrior and a generous person considered so pious he got offered by Zeus the hand of a goddess in marriage.
His loving father who waved goodbye to him and Patroclus before departing. 'Be careful. Take care of each other. I love you both. And you, my son, I am so proud of what you have become. You are fated to be greater than me. So, go chase after your own destiny and come back home soon!'
It was the last time he would ever see him. His father will soon get the news of the death of Patroclus. And someday in the near future, the death of his only child.
He will be in the same sentimental state than Priam right now.
Achilles started to cry.
While surprised Delphina who still observed them. She had never seen him cry, not even when he was a kid.
While he finally evacuated all his emotions of sorrow, anger, guilt and regrets through the water coming out from his eyes, the hero finally said. "I will."
…
Delphina washed Hector's body while using her hydrokinesis powers. Since Achilles had accidentally revealed her divine identity to Priam, she had nothing to hide from him. So, she proceeded to execute a good and quick job.
Once it was done, Achilles lifted the body and put it on a woody trailer connected to the chariot that Priam used to come here.
The king of Troy was ready to leave, but he sent some last words before departing. "I want to thank you both." He looked at her. "Dear Goddess, you have always been a favourite of our people. I will not forget what you did for me and my son. Although, you never ask for any tribute, I will still demand for homage to be paid to you during the funeral."
"It is very kind of you, King of Troy. " She responded.
Then, he turned to Achilles who talked before the elder got a chance. "You know it doesn't change anything. You and I are still enemies."
The monarch smiled. "I know."
"I will give you twelve days of mourning. My army will not attack yours during that time and I would ask for you to do it as well. Let's have twelve days of peace to grief." Achilles added all while he also implicitly referred to his own need to mourn properly Patroclus.
"Thank you. I have to say that I would have probably never come to you if I was totally certain you would kill me. But despite the way you desecrated my son without any pity, deep inside me, I could feel you were still an honorable man. I couldn't explain it, but I felt it." He smiled again. "I am happy you proved me right."
This statement warmed Achilles' heart. One thing for sure: this king was far more virtuous than any other participating in this war, in particular Agamemnon and Menelaus.
…
Once Priam left the camp with the body of his son, Achilles went to wash himself. He took off his shirt, wetted his hands in the basin and began to clean his face, marked by the tears. He had been through a symphony of crescendos and decrescendos in term of emotion in the last days. He almost had a headache in particular since it was late in the night.
Delphina approached him. She did nothing special. She just stayed there. To make him know she was still here.
Then, he said. "I owe you apologies. You were right since the beginning."
"It's ok." She replied. "After this, I think I can say you are forgiven."
"Thank you." He said while biting his lips. "Thank you for staying with me. I don't deserve it, but you are still here, keeping me company, saving me from loneliness. For this, thank you!"
"You forgot that I have no choice. I made an unbreakable promise to your mother. Remember."
"I know." He made a pause before anxiously asking. "Does it mean you would have left me if you had your free will?"
Delphina opened her mouth but no word escaped her throat. She didn't expect that trick question and didn't know what to say. She reflected about it. The wrath she had felt today was very close to what she felt during the tragedy of Niobe. Although it was less awful in this case because it didn't involve children and it wasn't a betrayal from a man she was in love with. Still, very painfully close.
"You are right." She admitted. "I might have left you. And yet, knowing that you are going through a hard time and that I still hold affections for you, I would have probably come back at some point."
"You are way too good for me." He confessed.
"Don't overpraise me. I have my flaws. Sometimes, I also commit the mistake of letting my emotions control me. However, tonight, you demonstrated a side of you I wish I would have known earlier."
"You are talking of me crying?" He said with sarcasm.
"There is no shame at crying! I don't understand why you, men, see it as a weakness. It makes you human. No, what I am talking is that you showed virtues. You apologized, you realised your mistakes, you made amends for them, you have learnt to show compassion. I now can say that you have become a good man."
Achilles didn't know why but hearing these words from her mouth convinced him. He had the impression that everything she said was uttered with pure honesty and sincerity. Maybe because she spent so much time with the God of Truth, that she got the habit to always speak the truth. But it was a quality he appreciated.
He breathed with relief. "Thank you. If you still believe in me, then it means that I am not a lost cause."
"Let me tell you this. You may have not slayed terrific monsters or accomplished other kinds of big exploits, but I hope you will be remembered as a hero who grew from being highly prideful through violence and rage to being compassionate and repentant. Someone who learnt the virtues of a wise man."
Achilles smiled. But then, he said. "You are nice but… I'm not sure if I want to be a hero anymore."
This sentence honestly took Delphina by surprise. Like what? "Achilles? You are sure?"
"Well, you know I came here knowing that I would die. But I never planned for Patroclus to die as well. I wanted him to go back home, take a wife, have children, live a quiet life. That's what I desired for him even if it would pain me to see him live happily without me. But then, I realise that maybe he wanted the same for me."
Delphina became speechless. Achilles had changed. Where was the impulsive and fearless warrior? She never thought she would someday hear him say something like this. Not that she complained though.
Then, he added. "Do you think it is too late? To go back home? To choose the other option: living in peace with a wife and children? Even at the cost of having my name fall in obscurity? I don't think I can continue to participate in a war that doesn't concern me."
"I don't know. The rules of the Fates are sometimes complicated. But maybe it's not too late."
Did she even believe in her own words? At the moment, she didn't care. She only wanted to diminish his anxiety while he was going through guilt and grief.
Achilles sighed intensively before smirking. "Damn! It would mean that I was forced to tolerate your unbearable presence for ten years for absolutely nothing!"
A little provoked, Delphina used her powers once again to levitate the water from the basin and wet Achilles in a splash while caused a big growl. "Can you stop doing that for Zeus' sake?!"
"I will stop when you will stop being such a brat!" She defied him while laughing.
Achilles began to smile maliciously. "Ho! You will regret this."
Then, he went to grab his glass of wine She opened widely her eyes when she understood what he was about to do. No!
She rose her hand and succeeded to stop the liquid before it hit her by maintaining it in the air.
Achilles growled in frustration but stayed amused. "That's unfair of you to use your powers all the time!"
"Well, you chose to confront a sea goddess, my dear!" She replied before sending the wine back in his direction splashing him once again.
She laughed. Despite the war, she hadn't lost her playful side. That reminded her of when Achilles was still a child. She would often go visit Thetis and end up playing with her son and Patroclus in the water. Great memories!
And also, she was glad to see Achilles smiling for the first time in a while.
The demigod eyed her furiously before smiling menacingly. "Ho! You are really going to regret this!"
Then, he did something totally unexpected. He threw himself on her and pushed her to her bed where they both fell, with him on top of her.
Delphina screamed a little, stunned by the move before grimacing when humming the smell of wine. "Achilles! You bastard! You know I hate wine! Now, you have contaminated my furs as well!"
"You are the one who began if I recall!" Achilles laughed.
She wanted to riposte so badly but then, she stopped when she realised the position she found herself in. He had his arms around her head and was shadowing her with his body in a dominating way. He was bare and she blushed at the thought of knowing him so close to her in a such intimate way.
The demigod looked at her. He had stopped laughing when he caught her unsure expression. He breathed slowly and he could feel their hearts beating in reaction to the awkwardness of the situation. And yet, he didn't want to pull out. Something strange was drawing him to her.
And suddenly…he approached his face and deposited his lips on hers.
She was quite shocked! And yet, she didn't debate. Despite the smell of wine still present, it was still somehow enjoyable. She never experimented something like this. It was soft, caring and so intimate. She felt the heat around her increasing but her anxiety decreasing as well.
She closed her eyes in order to truly taste that experience in its totality with all of her other senses stimulated… Until she opened them once again once he left her mouth.
He looked at her, visibly shocked by his own action. He appeared completely paralysed. "Ho! No!" He whispered.
"Was it…your first kiss?" He asked, completely embarrassed and in panic.
She nodded. She didn't know what to say. This was the most surreal moment she had ever found herself in. She was ignorant of the appropriate way she should react.
But Achilles completely lost it and retired himself from her to stand up while holding his hair in disbelief. "Ho! Dammit! I'm so sorry!"
Of course, he had to feel guilty to death. And yet, she longed to reassure him. "It's ok, Achilles. I'm not mad at you."
"It's not ok at all! I don't know what took me! I still didn't recover from Patroclus' death. It's so wrong to do this right now! And you! You are probably still…" He growled in frustration!
Then, he shot to her. "I'm going outside to take some fresh air!" And he left before she could have any chance to reply.
Delphina stayed all lonely in the tent with her thoughts. Freed from the tension, she took a long breath. She felt a little numb. She needed to think straight.
She put her hand on her chest where her heart was beating like a drum without giving any rest. She tried to explain to herself what just happened.
Achilles just lost Patroclus and certainly remained deeply in love with him. But he also admitted that he wanted to move on.
And in her case, how did she feel?
Confusion dominated her. She had deep affections for Achilles. However, there was still someone else in her heart… No! She needed to move on as well!
She felt a single tear fall on her cheek. Damn! Why it had to be so hard?!
Now the big question: what should she do next?
…
Achilles exited the tent furiously, still mad at himself. Thankfully, it was summer, so he didn't feel so cold despite being shirtless in the middle of the night, all wet with water and wine. Well, he was immune to sickness anyway.
He put his arm on a tree to support himself while he attempted to retake control of himself.
He thought of Patroclus and he wanted to cry again.
He missed him deeply and yet, he couldn't explain what just happened between him and Delphina some minutes ago.
For ten years, there have been the three of them: him, Patroclus and Delphina. At the beginning, he was a little grumpy at the presence of the goddess in their own intimacy even though she always respected their need of privacy. But Patroclus insisted to welcome her properly.
And they never regretted it. She had been a great source of company. Just like when she would invite them to play with her dolphins during his childhood.
What happy memories they were!
Being with Delphina meant that many things remained despite Patroclus' demise. Being with her was like nothing had truly changed. Being with her helped him to maintain some happiness highly needed in his life.
He sighed. He needed to reflect about his feelings.
Then, suddenly, the air around him felt terribly heavy. Like a big pressure tightening his lungs. It was becoming difficult to breathe. He even developed a headache.
What was happening?
Then he raised his head and saw it.
The raven was deeply eying him. In the darkness, its eyes were glowing in yellow like a wolf watching his prey. A strange power was restricting him to stay there, forced to stare at the black bird.
It looked at him like if it desired to murder him in the most atrocious way. The glare felt so vengeful and scary. Ready to torture him in every corner of his body. Those eyes reflected a wrath.
A divine wrath.
Suddenly, the raven flew away and the air went back to normal.
Achilles began to breath fast, his adrenaline ruling him highly under the realisation.
This wasn't a real raven… but it still meant bad omen.
Tonight, he had sealed his fate.
Thank you for reading!
The conversation between Priam and Achilles is truly one of my favourite parts in the Iliad so I hope that I did it justice.
The change of mind of Achilles is somehow canon. In the Odyssey, when Odysseus meets Achilles in the Underworld, our demigod confesses that, although he is receiving all the greatest honors, he hates it. He said if he would choose, he would rather be a slave on Earth than having this afterlife. The moral is that having your name immortal in death doesn't make you happy for sure.
Don't hope too much that the next chapter will arrive as fast as this one (I admit that I was on fire on this chapter!XD).
I hope you enjoyed it.
See you soon!