#And like Achaea wears so much gold

[the0verboss]

“Consul, I hope waking me was worth your life. My associate is far less forgiving than I am.”

[littlesparklight]

Troy Dies

(What about the other ways this could've gone?) *

With three goddesses in front of Prince Paris of Troy, asking him to choose who is to be given the apple, in a moment of folding to expectations he knows everyone has, knowing he cannot fulfil them, he stretches his hand out, clutching the fruit, and offers it to Athena.

He is only human, and for twenty years he's been told he's lacking - and Athena, by the very gift she's offered if she's declared the fairest, promises acceptance and welcome.

His father, his memories of his warrior past not so very deeply buried, gets ambitions. They turn east and south, first, and Paris gets a chance to prove himself. Dozens die at his spear and sword in just the first battle, easy as breathing. He feels hollow. War is still dirty, unpleasant and cruel, but there is always one more within his reach, and that pitches him forward, a furious wind tearing across the battlefield. Hektor and Antiphos congratulate him, stunned not just at what he's accomplished, with the weapons he did, but that he had been among the first to lead his men into the fray. The success tastes of iron in the back of his mouth, stale and cold, but he can't distract himself by his usual methods.

The lyre feels foreign in his hands, and he seems quite unable to stay focused on what he's supposed to be doing in bed, plans and strategies for the next battle intruding, and Paris, after he's sent the girl away, stares at his hands.

He doesn't know who he is anymore, but his father and Hektor are happy, and Paris clings to that instead. That was what he wanted.

Suggests - he doesn't know why, expect that it's quite natural, isn't it? - that they should turn east, to the islands nearest to their coast. Islands turn into the Achaian mainland beyond, and by now Paris is trusted with a large enough force he can take his ships south-west as Hektor goes east, and Sparta, glorious, warlike Sparta, falls at his hands. He almost gets a vase to the head while searching through the royal bedchamber, the king dead in the throne room and maybe he was still hit on the head because she's---

Beautiful.

Paris takes the former Queen of Sparta for himself, even if he still isn't focused enough on anything but the next battle, one more glowing word of praise from Hektor or his father, and while he still wears gold and jewels, they're mostly on his armour now. He doesn't know what he's doing, can't remember songs he used to know like breathing, and he doesn't know what Athena has done to him but if he thinks too long on it, unable to sleep while Helen is asleep next to him, stiff yet curled close, he feels as if he might throw up. He doesn't recognize himself, and no one has said anything about it other than effusive praise for how he crowns the battlefield, and that's fine. Really, it is; isn't this what everyone wanted him to be? Isn't this what he is supposed to be?

He hasn't touched Helen since he brought her with him.

The Achaeans rally - Hektor didn't get deep enough to claim Mycenae, and King Agamemnon is the brother of the late king of Sparta, and apparently furiously grieving for his brother's loss. There's also apparently some sort of oath when it comes to Helen, even though she's not married anymore, and half of Achaea turns up on their doorstep.

Nine years of chasing the Achaeans from cities and islands belonging to Troy, until the Achaeans make another attempt at Troy itself. Paris kills Patroklos and dies to Achilles, his own sword wetted with the man's blood but he hadn't gotten a killing blow, and Achilles, so furious, still freezes in confusion when Paris with his dying breath thanks him.

Troy dies.

(Left is Aeneas escaping the razed city, hunted by a still-angry Hera but with his pleased mother's protection.)

*

With three goddesses in front of Prince Paris of Troy, asking him to choose who is to be given the apple, in a moment of ambition - perhaps this will get his family off his back - he extends his hand and offers the apple to Queen Hera.

They're visited by a herald of the king of Hattusa a couple days later, the king casting wide for support against the Assyrians on the eastern borders of the empire, and Paris has some time alone with the man. He makes an impression. A month later there's a marriage proposal for one of the king's daughters, and there's hardly any reason to refuse. Paris goes.

Getting a feel for the court at Hattusa is as easy as breathing despite that the politics and the geography are so much further beyond what Paris has ever known. Somehow, he helps stabilise things against the Assyrians and the threatening invaders pressing in from the north, not with Hattusa's swaying military might, but diplomacy. The king turns towards re-establishing power over vassal states, and it's not until months later that Paris finds out that includes vassal states long left mostly alone, such as Troy. It doesn't occur to him to change that; all he does his argue for good terms for his family.

With the center stable, the king stretches outwards, towards the ever-threatening Achaeans, since they have always been a thorn in Hattusa's side. The Achaeans are mightily displeased.

Three years into the brewing conflict and a plague sweeps through Hattusa. Paris and his wife are left on the throne, and for all that he can still keep relations both east and north - and Egypt as well - stable, the Achaeans are unbending, and Paris isn't going to withdraw what troops are massed around Troy, of course.

After nine years, Troy dies.

After another ten, Paris dies in bed, stabbed by his own wife for the love of another man who she wishes on the throne instead.

(Left is Aphrodite leaving Hattusa, left is Aeneas landing in Italy.)