#and what gave her the strength to keep going was wanting to help this other hurting child

[moonperil6]

Blessed by a Trickster

Chapter One: The Voice in my Head is Laughing at me

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Warnings: Reader is struggling with a voice in her head, but that's it

Word count: 979

Listen to: The Horse and the Infant

“Alright my brothers, listen closely.”

Your head snapped up at the sound of Odyseus’s words.

“Tonight we make the Trojans pay. Ten years of war they’ve killed us slowly.”

You let yourself close your eyes, thinking of all the times you had been weak and starved and miserable. Oh, how badly you wanted to inflict all of those feelings on the Trojans.

“But now we’ll be the ones who slay.”

A smile played across your lips.

“Think of your wives and your… children.” Odysseus faltered a bit when his gaze caught on you. You didn’t have a husband or a significant other. You were alone except for him, Eurylochus, and Polites.

He quickly regained his composure. “Your families wonder where you’ve been.”

“They’re growing old and yet you’re still here. Do what I say and you’ll see them again.”

Your eyes flew open, revealing a determined look in your eyes as you said with the rest of the crew, “Yes sir!”

“Diomedes will lead the charge, Agamemnon will flank the guards. Menelaus will let our mates through the gates to take the whole city at large. Y/N will shoot any ambush attack, and little Ajax will stay back. Nestor, secure Helen and protect her. Neo, avenge your father, kill the brothers of Hector.”

You drew an arrow from your quiver and shot a grin at Ajax. You were an outstanding archer, but the job could get lonely at times. You were glad that Little Ajax would be keeping you company, even if he wasn’t helping. He smiled right back at you, visibly relaxing.

“Yes, sir!”

“Find that inner strength now.” Odysseus drew his blade, making a rather eerie sound. “Use that well of pride. Fight through every pain now. Ask yourself inside.”

He stalked through the lines, stopping in front of you and Eurylochus. “What do you live for? What do you try for? What do you wish for? What do you fight for?”

You straightened, dipping your head in respect to your leader as you repeated the lines with the rest of the army, “What do you live for? What do you try for? What do you wish for? What do you fight for?”

Odysseus turned and you marched after him in turn with Eurylochus, who gave you a grim smile. “What do you live for?” You and your comrades said again.

“Penelope,” Odysseus murmured so softly in response, that only you and Eurylochus could possibly hear.

“What do you try for?”

“Telemachus.”

You drew your bow.

“What do you wish for?”

“I’m on my way.”

You notched your arrow.

“What do you fight for?”

“Attack!”

The men charged forward, while you picked your way to a higher vantage point. After a while, Polites joined you, guarding your back from stray swords and wild arrows. Your free hand gripped Little Ajax’s until you reached the top.

You let go of the small boy’s hand and taunt your bowstring. But instead of shooting, you glanced over your shoulder at Polites and offered your friend a small smile. “You should go now,” you said.

He shook his head. “Odysseus said to guard you, and I will.”

Your smile turned into an irritated scowl, but you turned your attention back to the battlefield below you; you knew there was no point in arguing.

You saw a man going to strike Neo while his back was turned. Coward, you thought bitterly, releasing the arrow. 

The arrow met its mark, as did all the others you shot. 

A couple of times Polites actually did come in handy, cutting away arrows that came whizzing toward you while your focus was mainly on the fight progressing below you. 

Each time he did this, you gave him such a genuinely grateful smile that it made his heart melt and his cheeks flush. Did you not know your own power over him when you smiled like that?

Suddenly everything was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

You followed all of the warrior’s gazes up to a balcony. The scene made you gasp.

There Odysseus stood, his face streaked with tears as he looked down at the bundle in his singular hand. The bundle hanging dangerously above a perilous drop. 

An infant.

For a moment Odysseus looked as if he might retract his hand and bring the baby back to his arms, but in this moment you had a second of clarity.

“This mere infant will grow into an avenger,” a voice spoke, clear as a running stream inside your head. While what it spoke of was so serious, the mysterious voice was followed up by a fit of giggles. “You must choose: kill the infant and save your friend, or don’t act and watch your king die. Consider carefully!” Then one last laugh and the voice in your head was gone.

You repositioned your bow, your fingernails digging into your palm as you aimed your arrow at the bundle, at the thin piece of fabric that Odysseus was dangling over a fatal drop.

“Y/N?” Polites asked. “What are you doing?”

Your only response was a soft whisper, “I’m sorry.” And then you shot.

Your arrow found its mark, tearing into the cloth that connected the swaddle to Odysseus’s hand. 

You watched the infant fall, faster and faster until it met the ground. Your heart fell with it as you dropped your bow and clutched your head.

“Y/N?” You faintly heard Polites’s voice. He was right next to you, wasn’t he? Why did it seem like he was calling from so far away?

“You can’t break now,” the voice from before entered your thoughts once more, without permission again. “You have to get up. Your friends still need you. The war may be over, but it’s not over for you. Get up.” Then, like the first time, the voice dissolved into obnoxious laughter.