Will More Strongly

Will More Strongly


Chapter VIII


It had been shockingly easy for Achilles to gain entrance to the supposedly impenetrable city.

He had fought his way through the combating armies and after killing one of the Trojan soldiers, he had simply donned the man's armour in the confusion and walked casually through the opened gates. If he were to have any malicious intentions for the city and not simply been attempting to reunite with his lover, Achilles could have done great damage to Troy's defenses. Since it was not, Achilles simply rushed through the chaotic streets towards the palace.

Once he reached the palace the main challenge for him had lay in finding Alexandros. The building was extensive, taking over several city blocks and reaching up high into the sky. Undaunted, Achilles jogged up the impressitairtaircase that led to the main hall and stood there a few minutes in an attempt to orient himself.

In the end, he found Alexandros by following the physician to his rooms and had hidden himself away to wait for a more opportune moment to reveal himself.

Achilles hovered at the edge of the room, hiding himself behind one of the many crimson curtains that littered the room. His beloved lay on the bed in the center of the room, features screwed up in pain as the aging physician sewed up the gash Alexandros haceivceived from his battle with Menelaus. Yet, despite his pain, not one sound passed Alexandros' lips. Every flinch, though, was a wound to Achilles' heart. His lover should not have to endure such pains. Alexandros was not meant to be a warrior; his heart was too gentle.

"Rest now, my prince," the old man said as he completed his task. "In a few hours time I will send a serving girl up with some food. For the moment, though, sleep will cure you best."

Alexandros' head jerked slightly in affirmation, but he said nothing. His dark eyes followed the man's movements as he gathered up his supplies and made to leave the room. As soon as the door shut behind the physician, Alexandros curled in on himself and let out a keening wail as his hands clutched at his thigh just above the injury. He had kept his pain hidden until he believed himself alone.

"'Xandros," Achilles breathed out as he stepped out from behind his hiding place.

Alexandros did not seem to hear the sound, lost as he was in his own pain.

Crossing the room soundlessly, Achilles knelt beside his beloved's head and reached a hand out to smooth the rumpled curls from his brow. Alexandros' eyes shot open, the dark gaze locking instantly with his own. Not a word was spoken as Achilles lifted an arm to drape across his shoulders, guiding him still closer to the younger man. Achilles carefully pulled his lover's upper body into his arms, holding him safe as he shuddered and sobbed out his pain.

From experience, Achilles knew that it was not the injury itself that had brought his beloved Alexandros to tears, but rather a type of shock. He did not doubt that this was the first time someone had attempted to purposely injure the young prince. Menelaus had set out to kill him and had nearly succeeded.

"Hush, my love, you are safe now," Achilles murmured into the dark curls. "You have done your country proud. You have done me pr For For a moment I believed that I was watching a vision of myself in battle."

"I was a coward," Alexandros lamented, his voice muffled as his face still remained pressed to Achilles' throat. "I did not stay to finish the fight."

"No, Alexandros, you are not a coward. You could never be a coward," Achilles said passionately, meaning every word of it and not simply attempting to placate the 's f's fears.

There was a look of wonderment on Alexandros' face as he shifted in order to meet Achilles' gaze. "I have not been Alexandros for some time. I almost fear that he is a ghost who haunts my dreams."

Framing Alexandros' face with his palms, Achilles shook his head. "That is not so. I see the same man I fell in love with when I look into your eyes. Prince or no, the shepherd remains a part of you."

Alexandros' sobs reduced to mere sniffles then and Achilles continued to stroke his curls all the while, seeking to calm him. The life of a prince was not one Achilles would have ever wished upon his young lover. The boy was too good, too trusting to withstand the lies and intrigues of palace life. He was too idealistic and had likely been unaware that his actions would result in a war. And while Achilles knew he should feel betrayed knowing that his lover had taken another lover and had convinced her to leave her husband for a distant country, he could not be. Knowing Alexandros as he did, the younger man would not have entered her bed willingly.

"I have missed you so much," Alexandros moaned as he attempted to draw Achilles onto the bed with him. "I feared that I would never see you again."

Achilles allowed himself to be pulled down onto the bed and gathered the slighter man into his arms. "I would have found you eventually."

Alexandros laid still in his arms, his emotions calming and his breathing returning to normal. The younger man let all of his guards down, trusting in Achilles to keep him safe. It was something he was more than willing to do because despite all that had passed between their last meeting and this, Prince Paris of Troy was still his beloved Alexandros.

"Menelaus was going to send men out in search of me," Alexandros murmured a short while later once his tears had stopped.

The information was already known to Achilles, but he was eager to hear Alexandros' version of events. He had his own assumptions and it was only Alexandros' own motivations that were unknown to him.

"Wh was was in Sparta with Hector, I heard Menelaus talking to one of his stewards. They were plotting way to kill you and intended to use me as the bait. Who I was before, at any rate. Alexandros the shepherd. I could not allow that to happen. I will not be used to hunt you.... So I stole Helen from Menelaus to distract him. I didn't mean to start a war. I only wanted to keep you safe."

The logic was quite flawed, but the sentiment behind remained pure. Alexandros had reacted instinctually and with an earnest intent to do good. It was an endearing quality of the boy's, something Achilles was pleased to see hadn't changed despite his new royal status.

"Please tell me that you do not hate me for bedding Helen," Alexandros pleaded, alerting Achilles to the fact that he had remained silent for too long.

"I could never hate you, my beloved," Achilles assured him, dipping his head down to meet Alexandros' impossibly dark eyes. \ouldould shake you for placing yourself in such danger this morning. I have never known such terror as when I realized that it was you who fought Menelaus. Had I known that you were Paris.... I do not know what I would have done, but I would have kept you from harm."

The silence between them was much more comfortable that time. Achilles ran his fingers over the exposed flesh of Alexandros' chest, arms and bahopihoping to coax the younger man into a restful state. Dangerous as it was for him to be caught within the palace, Achilles wanted his love to heal and sleep was the best way to accomplish that. He was glad, therefore, when Alexandros' breathing evened out in sleep.

Achilles kept guard over him, his senses tuned to the room around him so that he could keep Alexandros safe. At the same time, his gaze was locked on Alexandros' face, relearning his features. More than a year had passed since he had held Alexandros in an embrace. For a time he had feared that he would never again see his beloved let alone be able to hold him.

Achilles knew that he only had a few hours with his young lover before his absence would be noticed by the Greek army. The plans that he had made to leave Troy were suddenly even more urgent than before. Achilles only concern at this point was to get Alexandros to safety which meant sailing far from Troy. His only real challenge would be convincing Alexandros that it was necessary. The former shepherd had a great sense of honour and would not want to abandon his family in the midst of a war that he had helped to create.

The warrior's attention was not as finely tuned as it should have been as he was caught wholly unawares when the door to the room was thrown open and a woman rushed in.

"Paris! Oh, my love!" the woman Achilles took to be Helen cried. Her eyes locked with Achilles' before she let out a loud scream. "Guards! Guards! Someone is attacking the prince!"

The shout woke Alexandros from his sound sleep and he instinctively pressed himself to Achilles as he struggled to regain his senses.

There was an echo of many footsteps and barked ordernnounnouncing the arrival of the palace guards. Achilles bolted to his feet, pulling Alexandros up with him. He tried his best to keep from hurting his lover, but a pained gasp still escaped Alexandros' lips. Achilles held Alexandros to his chest and pressed a dagger to the slender throat.

"I will not hurt you, my love. I only need them to believe that I would," Achilles murmured against his hair, the words spoken only loud enough for Alexandros to hear.

A dozen guards filled the room then, some with bows others with short swords. All were prepared to die for their prince.

"Release him!" the leader shouted as he advanced from the rest of the group. "Set the prince free and we will not kill you."

Achilles let out a snort of mirthless laughter, his grip on Alexandros tightening. "Very amusing. It is too bad that it is not true. The moment I release the young prince you will kill me."

"And we will kill you just the same if you do not," the palace guard challenged, daring to take a half-step forward.

The man stoppeen Aen Achilles pressed the blade still closer to Alexandros' throat. "Do not test me. I came for a purpose and will not leaveil til that purpose is fulfilled."

"Shoot him! Shoot the assassin! Do not allow him to leave with the prince!" Helen raved, only there was not fear in her eyes. Not for one moment did Achilles believe she feared for Alexandros' life. She would have seen her supposed love dead and not shed a single tear for his passing.

"I will kill him," lleslles growled, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Allow me passage from the city with the prince or you will soon be mourning his death."

The guards fidgeted uncomfortably, glancing from one to the other and back again. At the same time it was all Achilles could do to keep from comforting Alexandros who was trembling against him. He could not even do something as simple as caress his lover's stomach for fear of revealing a weakness to the armed soldiers in front of them.

"I am Achilles, son of Peleus," Achilles said in case there was any doubt as to his identity. "So you know that it will take more than a single arrow to take me down. In the time that it would take each of you to fire I will have slit his throat. If you want your prince to live through the hour, you will act as our escort to make sure that we are delivered safely from the city."

~*~*~

Whimpering quietly, Paris leaned further into Achilles' chest. His leg ached terribly and he could put very little pressure on it, but worse still he feared for both his and Achilles' lives. Even with the blade pressed to his throat, he knew that Achilles would not harm him. Not intentionally in any case. The palace guards would have no such qualms about kill the Greek warrior.

"I beg of you, grant him this request," Paris moaned, softly pleading with the guards.

"My prince?" Remus, the leader of the group, gasped as he turned his shocked gaze to Paris.

"You heard me," Paris said with a confidence that the guards had undoubtedly never before heard from him. "You know as well as I do the tales of Achilles. Try to stop him and he will kill me before he ends each and every one of your lives. So for all of our sakes grant him this request. It is an order from your prince."

To Paris' dismay, Helen darted forward at that time only to be held back by Remus and a second guard. "No! Do not be a fool, Paris! Agamemnon will have you killed!"

"I was a coward this morning, Helen, I will not be so now," Paris declared boldly.

"It is not your fault you were not raised a warrior," Helen protested as he continued to pull against the hands holding her back. "There is no need for you to attempt to live to your brother's legend."

Paris was at a loss for words. Helen's words were true enough, though they were not the reason he was placing himself in such danger. Paris had told Hector the previous afternoon that the safest place for him was with Achilles and it was something he still believed.

"You heard the prince, lead us from the city," Achilles instructed, his voice lacking any sign of emotion. It frightened Paris to hear his lover sound so menacing as he had never before sounded that way with him.

There were a few more moments of silence as the guards continued to glance between themselves. Then, as one, they seemed to come to a decision. Remus instructed one of the other guards to take Helen to her rooms and ensure that she remained there while the rest would act as a secured escort to see Achilles and Paris safely to the city walls.

~*~*~

After descending the first staircase, Achilles was supporting Alexandros almost entirely. His injured leg was barely able to support any weight. Achilles would have lifted the boy into his arms if he had not thought it would reveal a dangerous vulnerability. Instead he tightened his grip on Alexandros' waist, supporting him as best as he was able.

"Hold tight to me," Achilles murmured under his breath, loud enough only for Alexandros to hear. "I will see us safe from here."

Alexandros nodded his head weakly. "I know that you will."

Any discussion they would have had after that was halted as the palace guards had stepped too close. Though it pained him to do so, Achilles kept the dagger pressed to Alexandros' throat in order to maintain his threats of harm. To his knowledge, no one in the palace knew of his relationship with Troy's young prince for if they had Achilles was certain that Priam would have used the information to his advantage.

"What, in Apollo's name is the meaning of this?" Priam demanded as he stalked towards them from the opposite end of the hall. "Release my son!"

"That is not an option," Achilles informed the aging king. "The young prince is coming with meensuensure that I am able to safely leave the city."

"You have my word that you will have safe passage from the city. Release my son," the Trojan king pleaded.

"There will be no reasoning with him, Father. Achilles has given his word that I will be left unharmed so long as he is allowed to leave the city unmolested," Alexandros said before Achilles was given a chance to respond. "I have placed enough people in danger for my foolishness already and will do it no more."

"Paris...." Priam moaned, reaching a hand towards his son as Achilles once again began to guide his young lover forward.

"Hector is without, Father. He will see me safe," Alexandros called over his shoulder. The act caused him to stumble once again, but Achilles held him fast.

Once they were far enough away, Achilles leaned over so that he was able to speak softly in Alexandros' ear. "Will Hector be a threat? Will he challenge me?"

"It is my hope that he will not," Alexandros gasped, a wrong step causing the cry of pain.

Unfortunately, Achilles could not be as certain. The day before the elder prince of Troy had given no indication that his younger brother had ever had any type of relationship with the Greek warrior. Achilles honestly blame the man. Nor could he feel any malice towards Hector since he had saved Alexandros' life that morning when he had been unable to do so himself.

"Even so, I will not be parted from yoain,ain," Alexandros murmured as they reached the top of the stairs that led down to the streets below. "Hector will need to kill him in order to keep me within the city."

"Do not even jest of such things," Achilles growled, unconsciously bringing the blade still closer to Alexandros' throat. When he realized what he was doing, Achilles relaxed his grip. "I will not lose you, 'Xandros. I have believed you dead once before and I refuse to face the reality of it for some time."