Chapter 1: The Fall of Troy

Iantha's lips curls as she and Chryseis arrive with Nikias. The scene was displeasing, and worrying. While mos her prayers were to Artemis she di not forget Athena. To keep a sharp mnid on the battlefield and use tactics and smarts to defeat the enemy was something she tried to pay heed to..except in the moment her temp or emotions got the better of her. Such moments have become more infrequent as she got older, but there were still time her heart acted before her head. The moments with Helen wee some, and even now her fingers curled around her spear as she thought of making those stripping the statue back of. But she doesn't. These were the last few hours of a long war. Best let everyone deal with it their own way. Get it over with, and then they could also just....move on. S


She hadn't give much thought to what o do after and as she thought on it she hesitates,.,. It had been so long, these 10 years she wasn't quite sure what next. They would work it out they. They don't have a choice not to.

Nikias, reaching to comfort the young girl, pulls his hand back swiftly as thoughts - images? - rushed into his mind. Tragedy, terribly tragedy.

He stands as Kiuru approaches, unsure of what he had just envisioned. "Youthful indiscretion," Nikias echoes, struggling to mask his contempt for what was happening. "Athena will not be pleased, Friend Kiuru. The temples of Sparta be damned, do you believe the Goddess will allow these treasures to make it that far? I would not wish to be aboard the ship carrying these trinkets. In the same fleet for that matter, though I have not that choice. And these young ones...if ten years was too long a wait, the men's intent to sack this city may have grown similarly too ripe." He catches Iantha's eyes, sees her grip tighten on the spear, and understands her feelings.

As the young man, this Seer of Apollo, appears and bears into them, Nikias can only lower his head. He waits in silence, listening to his own heartbeat in rhythm to the boy's words of concern towards his sister. "Sparta has claimed you," Nikias relents, "but I still feel sorrow for your family. Things could have gone better - would have gone better - had this war never started. Yet here we stand."

"Kiuru, cousin, have you any sway to at least keep these two siblings together in their servitude? Perhaps you can talk to Menelaus."

Kouru would meet the gaze of his fellow soldier, pupils wide and unfocused as words come to his lips unbidden "Wings and wind, children and cliffs..." before he blinks, offering a weak shrug "It is my intention to claim the family as my booty, even if it takes my entire share. My Good King is just, and I'm sure he will not object to keeping a family together as that's exactly what brought this war about." Turning his head to glance over his shoulder the old veteran would sigh, hands continuing to pack herbs in the bandages covering the still dripping gash running from collarbone to abs "We will offer sacrifice before we set sail, and... we will hope that the gods of war will honor our victory. Frankly" Here he leans forward to lightly headbutt the other man in an old soldier's salute, bringing him close enough to murmur "I'm going to pray that she spares my ship for keeping the idiots off of her women" "Drums and anvils, maidens dancing in procession and wailing around the pyre, a child cursed and blessed by the gods... Troy was burning already. Many children were and would be lost on this day. "Why did I see that one? Where were those cliffs?"

'A hydra? Sure you can keep up?' She teases giving her fellow amazon a playful nudge on the soldier, before she looks over at the rest of the army and sighs. 'That sounds nice. Sure we can find at least one boat to take us. Nikias owes me'

Nikias accepts the salute and hears the Kouru's words. "Truly," he says quietly, "would that I might have the same fortune. I'll winds blow this night. Gods be good to you on your travels home," Nikias says with a weak smile. He was exhausted: of the war, of haughty minds, and brash behavior in the sake of family. What did most of these boys, even these kings, know of family?

He sighs and looks to Iantha and laughs, "A hydra? If only I might join you on that adventure. Alas, my fate, I hope, shall bring him home, to Ithaca, not the beaches of Sparta. Perhaps our friend Kouru could accept your presence aboard his ship, however?" He looks to the man, "These women are most lucky and blessed of the Gods. You would be ever more wise to allow them passage."

'Just lucky? Not skilled and great warriors?' She raises an eyebrow but her smile shows she is just teasing.

The eyebrow stays raise the Tiwaz approaches, a brief scowl also crossing her face at his simplification of things. 'For a start it is a better tale. Also I would imagine the heads block access to the body. Fighting monsters is not as simple as fighting men.'

'I do not remember inviting you Luwian.' The scowl comes back the warrior clearly irritated at him shouldering into their conversation and then quest.

'The war is over. You are a skilled warrior, but while we fought together on the battlefield, that is no longer the case. This hunt is ours.'

Nikias's mood darkens immediately at the mention of this temple's plunder aboard his own ship, but all he can manage is a weak, "My king," in response to Odysseus's commands.

He looks to the others, "It looks as though we may need all the luck, and prayers, we can aboard mine own ship as well." It's clear he's concerned about this turn of events. "Kouru, seems we're to sail together, your ship and mine while we help deliver these, hm, spoils."