#oc: melantho

[hawkepockets]

i have tbh i always thought u guys were pussies for not being able to lose npc approval & make dodgy choices in rpgs but now that that npc is alistair theirin im. ah

[streets-in-paradise]

The Man of Aphrodite

Troy (2004) Reader Insert Fanfiction - Part 21 

Word Count 10 K

Warnings: A bit of Eric Bana sneaking into my characterization of Hector ( just a bit, nothing to worry about)

Characters: Paris, Hector, Mycenaean Princess!Reader, Achilles (mentioned), Ereny (OC), Odysseus, Penelope, Telemachus, Melantho, Antinous. 

Pairings: Achilles x Mycenaean Princess! Reader, discussion of Hector x Andromache. 

Summary: The welcome feast begins and the lady sets up her plan, ready to end with all the disruptions causing troubles in what she wished could have been a calm visit to her relatives. However, the result of her schemes lays in the choices of Paris.

Notes: I’m so sorry for taking so long :( This chapter went trough a lot of rewrites untill i reached the final version. I promise the next ones will never take this long. 

Tags: @yerevasunclair @mysticaldeanvoidhorse @spideyanakin @spideyanakin-interacts @awakenedevildays @alaysha-of-middleearth​ @zoegarfield​ @rfkfan​​​

The feast was a merry occasion, foreigners and locals were sharing great food and entertaining stories as a pleasant startpoint for their transactions. Hector was the center of the achaean curiosity and he was asked many questions about the glorious tales being shared by his proud countrymen. Ithacans weren't far behind when it was about talking of the brilliant resourcefulness of their king, and so the fame of both heroes was being celebrated. 

Silent, but not inactive, the mycenaean princess had sporadic interventions on the conversations that were clever strikes manipulating her men into talking for her. She couldn't be the one directly contributing to make the glory of Achilles grow, talking about him with pride in public was too suspicious. Instead, she made others get invested in the telling of recent mycenaean war feats. He took part in all of them, so he would have to be mentioned as the most popular heroe on her land by the men themselves. 

It was presented as a matter of local pride, not the rambling of an enamored girl. She knew how to make her points be heard without letting those could be attributed to her. The men would argue and she would support, subtly putting in their mouths what she wanted to say. 

No one would notice, except for Paris, who had his full attention on her 

Less scandalous than before, the prince was one with her tactic of semi passive observation. Drinking, eating or pretending to care about the conversations were background activities masquerading his interest. If he wanted her before the party, seeing her arrival intensified the craving. Hector tried to explain to him in quick whispers that her looks were a political message. A stance for peace between nations that was most likely personal, the nice gesture of a lady who didn't want to be seen as the enemy. Warnings fell once more in deaf ears, the blue of the trojans fitted her perfectly. 

Paris acted as if all the horrors of the mycenaean crown were well paid with that beautiful image that he couldn't stop looking at. Sharing glances with her wasn't hard because she was sitting ríght in front of him, close to the local royals. 

Her coldness was his personal challenge and the goal was making her smile back to at least one of his imperceptible but provocative public flirting grins. He was ready to work for it the entire time, there was nothing else more interesting to do when the table was full of men praising each other's slaughtering in battle. 

The topic started to suffer changes only when she broke silence to question Hector on a simple detail. Her people were finishing telling one of their stories and there was a misunderstanding of oral traditions with the trojans. Paris thought she must have been as bored as him and started the controversy just to have something to do. 

" Retellings can reach your shores full of misconceptions." The young princess warned " There are people ríght here in Greece that would tell you my aunt was born from a swann egg." 

Penelope chuckled at the reminder of that rumor. 

" ... Others would tell you my mom was the rotten egg of the family. If I had to count all what people say of us as truth ..." 

Hector wasn't truly seeking to correct her, he just had the bad luck of doing a casual reference on the worst time. 

" King Peleus of Phthia received my father in his palace many years ago. It can be said they were friends and that is not a misconception.” 

She was doing an outstanding job pretending to be annoyed because a foreigner was explaining her own country to her. Hiding beneath that acting there was a consternated, confused girl trying to make her world make sense again. 

If Peleus was once a king, that would make his son a prince by birth and that simply couldn't be. Achilles wouldn't have hidden something like that to her. Maybe he was unaware of his royal blood, that was the most logical explanation that occurred to her. 

Unless he would have hushed the detail on purpose so she wouldn't get hopeful. Then the sayings of Odysseus would have at least a portion of truth beneath. 

Strangers exaggerating, that had to be the answer, and she had a vague idea of why. 

" Achilles is a traveling mercenary, I know this because my father points it out every single time when complaining about him. If that warrior wouldn't be a common man, then atta wouldn't be so spiteful seeing accomplishing wonders in battle. Agamemnon wishes Achilles was a prince! He would be way easier to predict and we wouldn't live in fear for his next move. " 

It was a perfectly logical explanation, but not enough for her. Before conclusión she needed to perform a verbal assassination to avenge herself for the nearly awakened doubts. 

" I understand other kingdoms can find demeaning for their greatest figures to be compared with a simple soldier. Kings here have been ashamed to see their champions fall by the blade of that vulgar man."  

" I have known men in the countryfield who I value twice my worth. '' Was Hector's comeback, faithful to his honorable reputation. " My father has no reason to lie, but yours wins from making everyone tremble upon his army because of that man. The things I'm hearing are certainly impossible, my lady. Epical descriptions to create magnificent tales. I have fought countless battles and I can easily separate truth from poetry. " 

The girl looked at Odysseus, who shared her same dissimulated amusement. 

" My father can't lie when he is angry, his mind gets numbed too fast. I would take one rageful rant of his as truth over your word anytime." She concluded, then proceeded to tease him just a bit more. " And by the way: we are not lying to you. My men are witnesses, not poets." 

" Both of you are ríght. '' Odysseus clarified, intending to put an end to the relatively calm altercate. " Achilles is terrifyingly good at what he does. Some things I have seen him do are impossible, but he makes the impossible look effortless. " 

The princess seemed satisfied until he redirected his speech to her. 

" The house of Aeacus is a dying bloodline and my friend is the last one in the line of succession. Theoretically, he is a prince, but he doesn't care at all. In order for that title to hold any value again he would need to marry and have a son, but the myrmidons have lost any hope that could happen and i don't blame them because i know him well." 

It felt like a slap in the face, Odysseus knew that all along and he wouldn't even bother on telling her if the trojan prince wouldn't have pointed it out. His warnings were made in the context of that hidden information. Interpreting everything he said to her in the light of the new facts made it all sound logical. 

She was angry and disappointed, unsure of who she should trust. 

" We are a dying bloodline, I'm the last one in my royal house. " She snarked back, trying to hide her bitterness. " Had I ever told you that the priestesses of Artemis have shown interest in me? Father has bragged about that for years. "

' Was she attempting to threaten anyone with that ? ', the king wondered, unable to hide some laughter. Locking herself in a temple so nobody would have her if Achilles wouldn't wasn't a possibility for her. 

" Temple life doesn't suit you, quietness and Isolation have never been pleasant to you." 

" Sparta is one of the biggest centers of worship. I would be close to Helen." She teased back, stubbornness making her sound almost as if she was convinced. " I am a little behind in praying, but the rest I can learn. " 

Penelope didn't want to allow the madness to escalate. Her husband was having a bit of a petty fight with their youngest relative and she was their middle ground. 

" Worry not, my dear." She attempted to comfort the girl. " Why the sudden pessimism?" 

She was about to explode

" ... Maybe because most of my suitors are noble breed RATS that can't wait to feast on my father's accomplishments."

At that point nothing would have made her shut up, but even in her rage she spoke with prudence. 

" That's the thing, Hector. When greedy arses want to take what belongs to you, they come to your country to fight. When they want to steal from my house all they have to do is pretend they are interested in me. The more intense it sounds, the faker it is." 

Paris couldn't tell if that was an angry callout for him or if she was subtly explaining why she consistently refused his advances. 

" Have you ever spotted anyone you find sincere, princess?" 

Her response was ambiguous, probably inspired by her momentary confusion. 

" Only once, but i have doubts about that one... " 

She was not talking about him, but he had no way to know and preferred to believe she was. 

"... Helen and my best friends are helping me to come up with a method that may help me out with that..." 

It was unfair, she knew it, but if she was going to remain upset she could at least do what she was meant to. 

Her plan to expose Paris and get him away from her once and for all couldn't be postponed. 

"... It's a test in the form of an hypothetical problem of multiple solutions..."

" Test me whenever you wish." He confidently suggested. " i'm ready for your trial and i want to succeed on it" 

Ereny, until then silently standing behind her friend, did her part doing the needed ethical warnings. 

" Good lord, there is no possible success in the Judgement. I see it more as a mental labyrinth where every choice leads to a different sort of imaginary doom." 

" Let me judge that." Odysseus recalled, feeling stimulated by the difficulty Implied in the description. " There has to be one correct answer and I will find it. I have been playing riddles with your princess for years." 

The lady dismissed the claims without objections. 

" Are you in, Hector?" 

He was starting to get sick of her challenging attitude towards him, but he could tell it was somewhat of a game for her. 

" That's not a question I need to answer. I believe in actions over games showing who we truly are." The eldest prince simply declined. " i'm a transparent man. Who you see is who i am."

" ... and you have nothing to prove, i get it. That's fine for me, i'm going to play with Paris." 

The room was paying attention to what was about to happen, never before she captured so many stares explicitly based on what she had to say.

Before starting she drank a sip of wine and begged for divine inspiration. Her storytelling skills were not famous, but it was something she felt a bit proud of herself.  

" I want you to imagine with me that you find yourself in an open, isolated spot from your kingdom. Nature surrounds you... " She started narrating, trying to create an immersive ambience. " ... Forget of your palace, your agora, markets and streets. You are alone, maybe going for a walk in the beach or in the woods near mount Ida." 

Her voice was sweet and inviting, it wasn't hard for the prince to get enraptured in the tale. He closed his eyes instinctively for a moment. 

" Are you there with me?" 

" No, you are on your own... but that doesn't mean you are completely lonely. You quickly come across a woman, a complete stranger. The sight of her overwhelms you and she understands it. Your eyes weren't meant to see her, but she needs your help." 

She stopped for an instante to create some intrigue, mentally vowing to who she was about to evoke.

" She is Hera, Paris, and she has a sacred mission for you." 

Paris opened his eyes like a marveled kid. 

" Why me? People don't come to me with their problems " 

" But inmortals do, alright? Just for the sake of this, imagine they do." She insisted, dulcifying her tone a bit more. " You have been selected as judge in an altercate of olympians, something Zeus couldn't solve because his answer would have been obviously biased. It is up to you to determinate who is the most beautiful goddess from up there"

“ That is not that hard” The prince optimistically commented. “ The obvious answer is Aphrodite because she is the goddess of beauty.” 

“ Has nobody ever told you that if something sounds easy, it is probably a scam?” Odysseus added, trying to guide the naive lad solely from the knowledge he had of her. “ Slow down, we don’t even know the rules yet.” 

“ Am I allowed to give a piece of advice?” Ereny asked her lady, obtaining an immediate approval. “ Rules are implicit, those emanate from the power imbalance.” 

" You are a mortal chosen to judge goddesses: expect gifts, not explanations. " The princess agreed, going further with the narration. " They all possess extraordinary means they would present to you in hopes of quickly winning your verdict." 

" With that attitude you wouldn't last a day in a temple." Odysseus mocked her. " I doubt priests would support that allegory of corruption." 

" Who says we can't consecrate games to the gods?" Was her quick comeback. " My friends and I were very inspired in the process of inventing this. It may be divine, they could have put the ideas in our minds themselves." 

" ... Face it, it is not for you." 

He wasn't talking about priesthood and she knew it. Their underlying argument was about her dangerous romantical life. 

An exhortation to give up and find someone else, give the men he brought there for her a chance. 

" This is a decision making method ironically based on choices, I bet they appreciate the circularity. " 

" A judgment tool built of judgements, it's insane. " Hector commented. " Well thought, still insane." 

" I love to receive gifts. Who doesn't love gifts?" Paris innocently recalled. " So far this sounds very fun." 

" As Queen of the Gods, Hera gets to make you her offer first. " She immediately continued. " ' Choose me, son of Priam, and I will make you the mightiest king that has ever existed.' says the goddess. ' With my blessing you will conquer the world." 

Hector bit his lip to hush a reaction produced by the instinctive guessing of where she got the idea for that first fictional divine gift. It was bait to spot men with the same ambitions of Agamemnon, possibly to avoid them if she had the chance. 

 She was perhaps scared of ending up married to a man who could be like her father, attempting to protect herself through that game. 

One furtive glance was enough to let her know he understood where that came from, but wasn't going to judge her for it. 

" Contestants approach you one by one. " The mycenaean kept narrating to Paris. " Ríght after Hera presents her case, Athena shows up..." 

" ... ' I will make you an invincible hero!' She promises ' With my wisdom and strength you will win all your battles.' "  

Odysseus was the one containing himself then, wondering if the idea of a perfect hero inspiring that part was born from a mix of his own fame and Achilles'. 

" In last place, Aphrodite appears to you, but she does so in very different manners. Softer, sweeter, intimate approach " 

It was the part meant to be played by Helen, the final of her own invention for obvious reasons. For so, the princess tried to make her justice by impersonating her impersonation of Aphrodite. 

Hoping to look as lovely as possible, she stared intensely at him before speaking. 

" ' Paris'." She called softly, something in between a regular voice tone and whispers. Loud enough to be heard in a room full of people, low enough to feel intimate. " ' If you choose me, i will find you a wife as beautiful as i am.Under my bliss you will win her love' "

The prince didn't get to talk before Odysseus started complaining. 

"That's a probability of one against two! It's completely unfair!" 

" Life is unfair, my friend. Helen had a probability of approximately one against over fifty when she got married." The girl lightheartedly replicated. " ... The choice here is simplified to three." 

" Hurting the pride of rejected kings can't be compared with angering two rejected goddesses." 

The girl listened him with a mischievous smirk

" ... I thought you said solving it was going to be easy for you..." 

" My dearest divinity is a participant, I would be morally forced to pick Athena." 

" Congratulations, Odysseus! You just lost the love of Penelope and your kingdom!" She sarcastically exclaimed. " In a combinated strike of Aphrodite and Hera, your wife abandons you and the man she welcomes takes your place as king. Since the gift of Athena protects you in combat, you are most likely to die poisoned in this very same hall."

The macabre but flawless argumentation only stimulated him to take the insane speculation further. 

" You forgot Athena made me too wise to take the poison." 

" ... Then you are forced to exile and Hera doesn't grant you a new kingdom." 

" But he has a son!" Telemachus spoke for the first time, making the girl realize he was being unusually quiet prior to that. " I can reclaim the throne for him." 

" No, you can't. You better go hide because the new king wants you dead." 

Penelope was carefully following the chaos, waiting to see when it would get worse until she felt it was getting too far. 

" Impossible, no change of feelings for a man would make me forget my boy." 

" That is the point! You are not being yourself, cousin. Aphrodite drove you crazy. It's not you, the will of the goddess acts through you. She controls you like a doll."

" I believe Aphrodite would be the wisest choice." Paris interrupted, taking his stand " I know what you are thinking, hers is the less ambitious gift... but I have some very good reasons." 

" Please, enlighten us." The princess encouraged him sarcastically, hoping to hear the crucial mistake after seeing him make the obvious choice she was waiting for. " I would love to know what your definition of a wise choice is." 

" Ignore the bribe, it's justice. If Apollo would be a performer in a music contest, you would expect him to win. Giving the prize to the deity whose domain is being questioned seems reasonable to me." 

" Indeed, but don't hope apparent justice would placate the other two." She darkly clarified. " Sounding like a neutral judge will not save you, I want your personal reasons. What do you think you win with this?" 

" Unlike political power and militar wisdown, my sentimental life belongs to me only because I am not an eldest son. Nobody shall care for the woman I bring home if I get married, I will never be a king. Finally, I am not ashamed of admitting that finding love is a great goal I seek. I wouldn't stand being a powerful king without my queen, or the greatest army leader without love to fight for. What's the point of having all of that if you are going to be lonely? Even if I get disowned and my shots with the bow never hit the target ever again, I have a woman who loves me. I can start over." 

The heartfelt speech got many of the women present in different stages of commotion, some more dissimulated than others. With his honest answer, leaving the mask of a role to play behind, Paris captivated a good part of the audience. 

The mycenaean challenger was speechless witnessing how the prince ruined her scheme completely, and even sounded lovely while doing so. 

" ... Wonderfull, you are a man of Aphrodite in its purest form." 

Paris smiled, thanking what to him was an in point compliment. 

" Did I pass your impossible test?" 

" I guess you did... " She doubtfully concluded. " You understood it is not about finding a completely beneficial outcome and stayed true to yourself. The lascivious, selfish hedonist you appear to be; the man who has been my headache since your arrival, hides a lovely man full of love to give. The reasons behind your selection show a certain wishfulness for seeking love for the sake of love itself" 

" ... This is a frightening experience, I feel as if I would have been truly tested by celestial goddesses peeking inside my heart and communicating through you.” 

For some reason he didn't understand, she seemed to enjoy that observation.

" Thank you so much! I like to cause terror in the hearts of men, but that's very hard to achieve when you are a girl." 

" This entire exchange is grim and terrifying." Hector followed, seeing that he didn't have to hide his thoughts anymore. " I don't even want to ask what would happen next in the riddle if he picks Hera." 

She carelessly smiled before replying. 

" Wise choice, you better not ask about it because you are an heir prince and I don't want to give you nightmares." 

" I would never want Hera to kill you or exile you so I can be king" Paris told his brother regarding his own choice. " ... What kind of man would do that to his own brother?"

For the mycenaeans, that innocent comment was like a misfortunate invocation of ghosts from their past. It belonged to their local history, an obscure saga of it that the prosperous kingship of Agamemnon was supposed to keep buried and everyone tried to forget. The trojan prince had no way of knowing that with precision, but in his sayings the historical and cultural differences between nations became more evident than ever before. Neither their dressing style preferences or referenced local traditions were as exotic to the continental greeks as that simple observation. 

The trojans belonged to a different world, one where darkness and suffering seemed to come primarily from the outside. Hector was the one in the royal family forced to keep himself more in touch with that darkness and that had its effect on him, but also made him be more prepared with an encounter with the greek world. His brother was a mystery, even the young girl contextually leading the mycenaeans was surprised after finding him so unpredictable. 

Although it was a bit more than that what kept her thinking. 

Paris was allowed the privilege of naivety, not even in the sweetest stages of childhood she remembered to have possessed such unawareness of the ways of the world. He was probably sheltered by a father who didn't force him to grow up faster out of negligence or abusive behavior. He loved his brother and never felt the need to compete with him, he was never forced to fight because his kingdom had enough fighters. He was raised on an ideal of peaceful prosperity. What King Priam must have been wishing all his life for Troy found embodiment in the ways of his youngest boy. Hector, the eldest, had to take the role guarding what Troy is in its concrete existence.

One pragmatic, one and idealist, they were meant to complement each other in a cohesive work of two brothers ruling together despite only one could wear the crown. That was what his father wanted for them, the present and future of Troy preserved by his two sons. 

 They could never possibly understand tragedies like the carnage of Atreus and Thyestes. 

" Paris, I don't want you to misunderstand this but I have to say I think you must be a treasure for your people. " 

The prince wasn't the only one confused, disconcert ruled the room and some stiffed chuckles in the trojan side were still be heard. 

" You are the most Trojan thing Troy has ever produced, a miracle of your local politics. Do you have any idea of how many succession wars us greeks used to have before atta started conquering everyone with the hope of creating some damn unity? If we would have more princes like you, we wouldn't have lost decades fighting each other." 

It was the weirdest praise he ever received, but he accepted it gladly. 

" Nobody in Troy would ever believe you told this to me. " He frankly commented, a chill self deprecating joke that had its own dose of truth. " The princess of Mycenae thinks I'm a national symbol... Would you ever come to visit so you can tell that to my father in the face?" 

" ... Only if you come to my palace and tell my father some of the praise words about me you have been repeating. " She snarked back. " He wouldn't believe you either, I can imagine him laughing in your face. " 

" I insist on that. You are as smart as you are beautiful and you are the scariest woman I have ever met. That should be a matter of pride for your homeland as well." 

"... Yet I wouldn't consider myself a national symbol, I have no true significance for the political development of my city. Who you are as a person says a lot about Troy and the ideals in which your father's ruling is based." 

He was radiant with happiness, maybe ready to get a little cocky. It was a very easy turn for a shamelessly confident man like him. 

" See, Hector? I always knew it was a gift to our people, a joy to be around." 

The eldest prince chuckled before replying. 

" You are a gift to women, Paris. Of that I have no doubt." 

He made her laugh, even her servant saw herself forced to stiff her own chuckles. However, it didn't happen out of the textual meaning of the joke. 

Silly sibling bickering, Hector was for once being a bit more relaxed in public and that was fun to see.

The princess felt for once the need of making the youngest know she wouldn't be making fun of him anymore. 

" Don't worry, Paris. I'm speaking less as a woman and more as a politician would. " 

They shared a silent exchange of smiles until the uncontrollable laughing in the sitting crowd at the feast ruined the moment. 

She followed it's direction with her glance and found a young boy laughing at her carelessly and arrogantly. 

" Excuse me???" 

" Apologies accepted. " He replied in the same cocky spirit. " That was really funny, but really dumb... What can you know about ruling? Hey, can you both take the flirting elsewhere? You are ruining the feast... BORING!!!" 

Telemachus looked hatefully at him, almost as if he was craving to jump in defense of the honor of his guest relative but something else was stopping him. Ereny noticed it, but couldn't comment directly to her friend. 

The princess felt humiliated, mistreated like not even the most insolent of mycenaean men would ever dare to in their interactions with her. 

Compared to that kid, even Adrastus seemed nice. The worst part of his intromission was how a nice moment of sincere friendly approach she had with Paris was from then potentially to be confused with a flirtatious exchange initiated by her. 

" Odysseus, who is this insolent brat?"

" Antinous..." The boy answered on his own. "... son of Eupeithes. " 

The king reprobed the behavior, but he couldn't help to feel amused witnessing how the young woman was about to enter in an altercation with a child barely older than his son for a matter of a few years. 

The man who could be assumed to be the father was the noble that couldn't get his audience with the king because of the trojan arrival, the princess' temporary main suspect. 

It would have been wiser to start a conversation with him from the clear offense his son delivered on her. 

" Tell me, Antinous... Do you know who I am?" 

" The divine daughter of the great Atreide" 

He was teasing her, like it didn't matter at all because her father wasn't present. As if she wasn't worthy of respect when the head of her house wasn't watching. 

Reducing all her worth to Agamemnon was the worst crime anyone could commit when dealing with her. She despised it, it was a weakness triggering the most irrational rage. 

" Indeed. " She did her best to simulate calm. " I have to say you need some guts to insult me like that when my father is known as a man who dedicates his life to invading kingdoms, sometimes even without good reasons. I'm going to concede you that." 

Thinking she was done, he seemed secure of getting away with it. 

" Do you have any sisters?" 

" Not yet, my lady. " 

" I hope you never will." She replicated, in a dry but still mockfull tone. " No girl deserves the punishment of putting up with you before marriage would force her to.”  

Telemachus had to contain himself and not laugh to avoid choking with his food. 

She noticed that and it encouraged her. 

"Next time we will get the pleasure of receiving Odysseus in Mycenae, I want you to come here and watch how Penelope handles this whole kingdom on her own while he is away. See for yourself how much a woman can know about ruling. In the meantime, if both rulers agree, I would love to also get visited by your prince so I can show him myself how bigger kingdoms are ruled. My father and I would love to do it. After all, Telemachus will be a king someday. " 

The ithacan prince wished he could have stood up to clap, the brightness in his eyes was a silent equivalent of that. Antinous had no more arrogant comebacks to give, hurted in his pride on a perfect equivalent for his previous offense. 

Since he didn't remember much about Helen, the son of Odysseus and Penelope decided right there that the daughter of his mother's eldest cousin had to be his favorite cousin. 

They had to wait until people dispersed for dancing to share any comments about what happened. As soon as the music started the kid clinged to her and her servant friend, giving Paris a deathly serious stare indicating him to approach only at his own risk. 

After the brief misunderstanding they had before, the trojan abstained from trying because the possibility of being attacked by a child in public was humiliating.  

" It seems like I have found a personal protector for myself." The lady lovefully teased the little boy. " I have an entire group of companions keeping an eye on him, you don't have to. " 

" What you did was awesome. " He directly replied, regretting later "... I mean, your riddle was very fun for the banquet. Everyone was losing their minds, atta hasn't stopped thinking about it. I think I heard mom telling him to stop as they were getting up to dance." 

She chuckled with him before her answer

" I'm glad I didn't bore you as much as I bored Antinous. Although it seems to me that assholes like him don't stop at girls, they bother anyone they find available." 

He looked at her way too seriously for a kid of his age. 

" Don't tell my father, never. Eupeithes may be annoying, but they are friends." 

Ereny wanted to also do her part on comforting him. 

" That jerk thinks he has the upper hand now, but he will have to submit to you someday." 

" Or you can always befriend many slaves and prepare pranks in complete invisibility, making him feel like he is going insane because those can't be traced back to a particular infractor." The princess completed, referencing her own friendship with the girl. " If you don't like someone, make your slave friends befriend their slaves or befriend them yourself." 

" Did it work for you?" 

" My childhood rival is married to a Corinthian noble who deals with the trade routes, far away from me. " 

"Unless you are Achilles, never try kicking ass as first option." Ereny followed with her own recommendations. " If you are, then sure. Go ahead, kill anyone who looks at you in a way you didn't like. If not, it never ends well."

 The princess would have appreciated not to hear him being mentioned, but still defended him. 

" Eny, he is not like that!" 

" He is, he has anger issues. " She reminded her. " He is like... your father, but with slightly better morals. Why do you think they fight all the time? They are more similar than what they are willing to admit." 

After a lifetime making fun of Agamemnon's lack of self awareness that was a strong hit for her. 

What if, after all the struggling to do different, she had ended up falling in love with a man that was like her father? 

" You speak as if he would have killed the first jerky kid he came across with when he was a boy." 

Telemachus made his small contribution. 

" He killed the jerk or he used to be the jerk. I would expect either."  

Ereny had a subtle surprise for her friend: some in spot encouragement to fade the doubts she was feeling. 

"There must be a lot he hides to protect the people he loves. We have done it plenty of times too, like ríght now keeping Telemachus's secret." 

If he did hide the royalty in his origin from her, it must have been for a good reason. She had one when she chose not sharing Hesione's story with. She omitted it to protect him from a violent, intempestive reaction against the remaining men of her family. 

They were in love, just protecting each other from the past. She clinged to that thought, remembering he loved her and trusting on that. 

"... Do you love me?" Telemachus asked, confused. " both?" 

Only then they got back at the literal meaning of the conversation. 

" Of course, we are family. " The princess quickly added. " and i consider Eny part of my family, so you can do it too. " 

He smiled, a beautiful grin full of a happy confidence like feeling. 

The young slave girl felt wonderful 

" Guess what? You are my new favorite prince on the entire greek land. "

 A familiar voice interrupted when Melantho reached them searching for the girls. 

" I guess you haven't met many."

" What are you doing here?" Telemachus complained in return. " Party is over for you, go bother someone else. " 

" See? That's what I wanted to warn you about. " She said to the girls, as if they were friends already. " Everytime Antinous is near he gets fussy." 

"... Maybe if you wouldn't act like a princess all the time just because you are my mother's favorite slave "

"... Maybe if you wouldn't want to simulate a strength you don't have to compensate your father for your flaws." 

It was the peak of bickering between the children. 

" WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO TALK TO ME LIKE THAT?" 

Melantho surprised the adult audience with her reply

" NO ONE, I GAVE IT TO MYSELF!!" 

The young women began to understand why Penelope manifested such predilection for that little girl. She was not only quite clever, but a free thinker. 

" I bet you are here just to keep looking at Paris. " 

" You could learn from Paris, at least he doesn't care about what Antinous says about him. " 

They would never stop fighting unless someone would find a way to stop it and the princess was coming up with an idea to fix more than one problem. 

Antinous was of easier access than Eupeithes. If properly scared into talking he could reveal things his father never would. Forcing an interaction with that man had shown to be harder than expected, but his son was a little prick who wouldn't shut up.  

" Kids, calm down! We have a common enemy to defeat." 

The girl seemed careless about that call to cohesion. 

" Why? Antinous is not bothering me. I would wreck him if he tries, but he hasn't. " 

The lady was going to need a bit more if she wanted them to agree on working together. 

" Melantho, if you follow me on this I promise I will spend time with Paris just so you can come with me and talk with him for hours."

The girl's combative semblance was transformed due to the imminent excitement. 

The princess still needed to convince the boy. 

" Telemachus, trust me on this and I promise Antinous will be scared at the end." 

Not only she calmed the situation, but also got them on board to take roles in her attempt to investigate the economical conflict. 

There was someone else she wanted to recruit for the next step, someone on the trojan side. She spotted the princes in the crowd trying to determine who was the best fitting choice. Hector would have been the obvious, but he seemed tired. He was drinking and chatting with a few local aristocrats, not really engaging in what was happening. Pretty much as if he wanted that mandatory moment of the receivement to be over so they could pass to the important things and finish. 

And the poor guy didn't even know everything was an excuse, a deliberate fraud Odysseus pulled specially for him hoping to play matchmaker and get him a mycenaean wife. 

It couldn't be him, Hector already had enough bullshit to face, so she glanced at Paris. He was all about the dancing, shining like no other and cheering the place. 

His cowardice for fighting was compensated for in the most unexpected of fields, since he was one of the bravest dancers she had ever seen. Paris moved in ways no other man there would, with a natural grace and seductive charm that were his style. Attracting stares everywhere was his glory and the vibrant cheer he transmitted was excellent for the moment. 

" What a lifeful little man, isn't he?" The lady accidentally said to her friend. " I think I like Paris, not in the way he likes me, but still ..." 

" I'm counting points in his score today." Ereny mocked her. " For now, Hector is in the last position. Let's see if his numbers improve over time. "

Paris won a chance to be trusted by his own merit and the princess was going to offer it to him. Her servant girl stayed out only of the recruitment phase, since her lady needed to get to him alone. The road cleaned itself with each step she was giving towards him. People moved without needing to be asked, making her notice of how remarkably aware of her power the insular kingdom was. Although she didn't feel intimidated, it did make her remember a very important detail. 

Smaller the kingdom, faster the gossiping. Being invisible was easier in Mycenae. For ithacans, the coincidence of royal visits must have been one of the most exciting things that happened in some long time. 

As soon as the prince noticed her approaching on her own he made a signal to one of the wine pourers to reach them for drinks. She had him so distracted that he almost forgot of the libations. 

" Forgive me, I was caught up by your beauty. That dress seems to suit you better than the last time I checked. " He praised her ríght away. "But, of course, I didn't have a look from so close before. " 

" It's a miracle that it still fits. " She joked in return. " Odysseus was getting married when I finished it. " 

He smiled, but not exactly as a result of the joke. 

" It turns out to be true that you like seashells. " The prince pointed out, about her simple but well crafted belt. " From a mycenaean princess, the least I would have expected is a silver belt with delicate incrustations of jewels. " 

" I like to show that I can enjoy simple things. I'm not a bragger when it comes to wealth. " 

She deviated her glance towards the few trojan performers Paris had put in service to the feast alternating their songs with the greek ones from the local ithacan musicians. 

" I don't mean to brag, I made them work this time just for you. " He defended himself from the accusation. " Knowing of your deep curiosity for us, how would I resist spoiling you with some trojan music?" 

The speed of that perfect comeback impressed her

" It's beautiful, a very sweet gesture." 

" You knew ríght away that I was going to turn out to be a man of Aphrodite... Why did you play with me anyways?"

" It's true that I guessed the goddess, but you surprised me with the motives. I really don't mind the choice as much as I care for the why. The Judgement is a character test showing where the true priorities of a man lay between the three main goals they tend to seek."

Paris took her hand without breaking eye contact. 

" Would you dance with me?" 

The request was purred with the softest charm. 

" I would love to," answered the princess. " but i have work to do first." 

" Of what sort? Can I help you?" 

" I wish so, but that depends. Do you like children?" 

Paris wasn't sure of the direction that the proposition had, so he said the silliest thing that crossed his mind. 

" Why? Do you want me to make you some?" 

All progress made was at the edge of downfall, she got the sudden wish to smack him. 

" WHAT'S wrong with you?! Of course I didn't mean that!"

She grabbed him by the collar of his tunic, forcing closeness only to seem more menacing.  

" Listen to me carefully. Do you want to know why Hector was formally invited and you came here only as his companion? This is a fraud, Odysseus wanted us to meet because he wants me to become your brother's wife. It's up to us letting him out of excuses to keep you all here " 

Paris was greatly surprised with the news, but not precisely dismayed. 

" Done, he can't try to be a matchmaker for you and Hector if I'm here... Look at us ríght now, we are so close that I may just kiss you and people are surely watching us." 

She dropped him immediately and he felt slightly frustrated about that.

Unfortunately for them, Hector was one of the near witnesses. Lacking context for what he saw made him fear the worst and his worries escalated once the pair disappeared from his visual range. He was no longer in the mood for parties, not even able to pretend he wasn't in a state of alarm. His disconnection with the surroundings was, however, easier to conceal in the festive environment full of distractions. 

At least he hoped so, until someone else attempted to cheer him up. 

" Don't worry for them, Paris is not her type. She prefers them braver. " Said the King of Ithaca, coming from behind with his usual snarkiness. " In fact, I am not completely sure if he is safe with her." 

The prince smiled to himself. 

" The resemblance with your wife it's outstanding... I only hope it includes her prudence, for the wellbeing of us all." 

" She would never harm you, that girl is obsessed with Troy.” Odysseus followed, ready to quickly elaborate in the matter. " ... In a positive way, it could be said that she inherited the reverse side of the paternal obsession. To her Troy is the magical kingdom of her childhood dreams. She would never do anything to endanger you and she is also very aware of her worth. "

Only Odysseus could have been able to disguise his intentions so effectively. The talk advanced in the same direction, but it truly felt as if he was merely giving words of comfort to calm his guest down. Hector wasn't fully convinced, since the King didn't know Paris as well as him. The princess of Mycenae wasn't the first honorable girl in his way and that has never been an impediment for him before. 

He couldn't just talk ríght there about some of the most despicable actions in the licentious history of Paris' nocturnal adventures. That girl wasn't even the most scandalous of his seduction targets, only one of the most dangerous. Hector had spotted him before going after servant girls, married women and even priestesses.No matter the context, his brother would always spot the cutest girl in the room and end up running after her. If he would have known of the danger they would be facing, he would have left him in Troy. 

Seeing them return in rushes and giggling to mix themselves with the dancing people wasn't tranquilizing either. Not at least until they abandoned the activity to get back with him.  

" Hectoor!!!" The princess cheered his name, her voice sounded musical-like. Something in between speaking and singing that was very sweet to hear. " I have great news for you."

Paris smiled innocently at him. 

" Guess what? We are working together on a scheme to investigate the contrabandists. If ithacans know something about that, we will figure out soon." 

Hector was in disbelief, a positive one for once. 

" Working together, you said?" 

" Yes, what did you expect? Us passionately making out somewhere in the palace? " She mocked him. " I only do responsible mischief, like figure out ways out of potential political crises. "

" Better say trying to rule two kingdoms behind everyone's backs. " He corrected her. " I appreciate it, but you can't personally arrange the fate of everyone. " 

The princess responded as if she felt specifically attacked. 

" Are you going to tell me that you have never attempted things behind your father's back when times are difficult? " 

The expression in his reaction was a strong negative. 

" What is wrong with you? You always must interfere whenever he is about to do something stupid! " 

" Even on the occasions when his choices make me angry, I respect those because that is what I have to do. " 

She couldn't believe her ears. 

" ... If i was a man with half of your power and credibility..." She lamented, ironically. " I'm committed to protecting the last drops of common sense in my father and when those can't be saved I often see myself forced to act in the shadows. I'm used to doing it and I want to teach Paris how it's done because I think there is a lot of wasted potential in him. " 

" Just like you told me, I'm using this trip to learn. " The youngest prince concluded. " Only learning from a brilliant greek lady." 

" Be careful with that," Hector warned." her vanity is on her mind. " 

" As yours must lay in your arms. " The lady snarked back. " Strongests in Troy, legends say. " 

She began to tap his ríght arm with the tip of her index finger in an annoying way. 

" What are you doing?" 

" Research... " She simply explained, then proceeded to grab him with full hand. " I would say it's at least twice smaller than Ajax, almost the same size as Achilles… Almost, his are still bigger."

Hector looked at Paris, who seemed about to burst into laughter. 

" I feel like a prisoner about to get sold in the market." 

She reacted in the same amusing tone. 

" Ajax likes to hug, Achilles made me bathe him once as a reward to satisfy his ego. Carelessly touching heroes is the only thing I do that sometimes impresses the people." 

A friendly pat on his shoulder pointed to the end of her examination. 

" I may not have the strongest arms, but i'm pretty proud of my chest." Paris commented, acting casual. " Do you want to lay your hands on me and feel for yourself?" 

The maiden made of stone most thought she was made a stellar appearance. 

" I had enough when I was threatening you." 

The letdown would still make him look cute.

" This isn't working, isn't it?"

" No man ever has attempted to seduce me so openly and persistently, I give you credit for that." 

He began to feel defeated, but she didn't want to make him feel bad about that. 

" However, I would prefer if we stay as conspiracy partners. It's not only beneficial, but more entertaining." 

She made a brief pause before getting into the most delicate topic 

" I will never be a fun lover, but i do well with political intrigue. Would you switch an useful alliance for an awkward first night with me? Because that's what you would be getting. "

Hector couldn't believe what he was hearing, a princess speaking in such frank terms was awkward on itself. 

" Don't judge me, he has to know about what he is exposing himself to. I'm clueless in bed, he is clueless in politics. Which one of both is actually more useful ríght now? " 

" I would never judge you. " Paris interrupted. " Don't judge yourself so harshly." 

" Save yourself the letdown, i'm said to be the coldest bitch in Greece and that reputation has saved me troubles" 

" ... I bet you would find it unfair after getting to know me. There is no such thing as a cold woman, that’s what careless lovers claim to comfort themselves.” 

" You are second born, I'm an only child. What I have between my legs is worth more than your life..." She harshly concluded. " As a maiden I'm valuable and I am not stupid enough to give that away to a pretty trojan boy." 

Paris didn't seem as offended by her words as she thought he would. 

" So, you find me pretty."

" It feels to me like you want to compete against Helen for the ' most beautiful person' award. " She mocked him. " You are pretty enough to stand a chance, but she would wreck you. " 

" Is she really as ravishing as rumors claim? You greeks can't be trusted, Hector spotted you exaggerating about Achilles." 

She chuckled carelessly before replying

" If you think I'm beautiful, she will change your life. When she got married father was so happy because he claims she was blocking suitors for me." 

" I guess it was not the only reason. '' Hector casually commented. " Your aunt and uncle being together brings the family closer. " 

Strong, loud laughter came out of her that she couldn't control, although she didn't even try.Once more, the men wondered what was wrong in the sayings. 

They were so nice, they had no idea. 

" You two are the funniest, most likable princes I have ever met... My stomach hurts from all the laughing!! 

She had a few more chuckles and they had no idea of what to do. 

" Are you alright?" 

" Yes, Hector. I'm not drunk, if that is what you are implying. "

She glanced at him with an amused expression as an idea was coming to her. 

" In fact, I'm going to prove it to you: let's dance. Do you think I haven't noticed that only Penelope has got the chance so far? You are disappointing all those ithacan girls who want to feel the grip of your famous arms. "  

Hector didn't mind the tease. 

" I can live with that, I didn't come here to impress women. I had enough with your servant and some maids of Odysseus looking at me as if I was the first man they had ever seen. "

" That wasn't personal. Eny only found you overwhelming to look at." She defended her friend. " I don't. Just like Achilles, you aren't that impressive to look at no matter how great you fight."

She had the feeling of being back at her formal dancing lessons from when she was still learning how to behave like a princess. The strict tutor would have been pleased watching her dance with Hector. Neither with him or Paris she showed her true level of skill, what she learned far away from those classes,a secret that had no place there. However, alongside the eldest brother her will to incarnate a perfectly well behaved princess was stronger. They didn’t seem like two persons having fun, more like two royal heirs in a meeting salute. It was alright for both of them, since they needed some calm. 

Although she had more fun with him. Paris gave her the strange sensation of being dancing with a man that was moving for her as well as with her. He wanted her to look at him and admire his body in aesthetically pleasant movement, trying to make himself be noticed like a palace concubine sent to entertain the guests. It was like seeing herself in a reverse mirror, a man trying to use on her the same seduction tactic she once tried during the only time ever when she felt desperate for masculine attention. Paris was less cautious than she was, but his intentions were similar. Having the inverted perspective made her consider that she perhaps owed Achilles an apology for her behavior back then, although it was a bit too late for that. He wouldn’t care after all what happened between them later, she was all his with his complete awareness of that. 

Yet there she was, dancing with the heir of the trojan crown as if that welcome party would be the receivement of her newest suitor. 

“ Why are they staring at us?” She murmured, with annoyance. “ Paris was doing more scandal and I didn't see so many caring for that… Even your men are looking odd.” 

Hector chuckled and she noticed a vibrant sparkle in his eyes. 

“ You of all people, Greek Queen of Riddles, can’t see why? We are two heirs holding each one a half of the world.” 

It was obvious, but she wasn’t expecting it coming from him. 

“ I’m aware of that, but your brother…” 

“ Paris has no access to the throne, no formal right to you… Some believe I do, and those are not only greeks.” 

The news was completely unknown for her and he seemed perhaps a bit proud of surprising her playing her own game. 

“ Why would anyone in Troy want to see you bring home the daughter of the man that seeks to destroy you?”

“ If I had one talent of gold for each time I have been advised to reach Mycenae with a wedding gift…” He honestly declared. “ They think that it would be the final victory for Troy because I would be the man of the marriage. If the news about your cultural infatuation with us reaches them, the people in the council believing this may try to convince my father about it.” 

“ Don’t worry. I bet the same man who raised Paris would never force you into an arranged marriage.” She attempted to comfort him. “ I wouldn’t want me as a wife either, if i were you.” 

“ You are the gift of Hera.” He quickly recalled. “ A riddle within the riddle, it was a warning.” 

“ Pick me and you will get the chance to become the most powerful king the world has ever seen… only for the modest price of becoming Agamemnon’s personal battle slave until he would let you rule.” 

Exactly as he supposed, he wished some of his father’s close friends would be listening to that girl. 

“ I must suppose you want to save me from that horrible fate.” 

She was not going to answer that. 

“ Who is Andromache? Paris told me about her and it seems that someone has a crush…” 

“ Are you accusing me like a mean little girl?” Hector affirmed in an ask, evidently amused. “ I see you interact with others, why do you act so childish only with me?” 

They were bickering like Telemachus and Melantho for no need reason, she should have been explaining to him why. 

“ Is your girl an amazon princess? Many people in Greece claim that you won the love of one.” 

“ I’m serious.” The trojan insisted. “ Why me?” 

She stopped moving, frozen by the question and the realization that she would have to be sincere. 

“ Maybe because I grew up in your shadow, you are what my father thinks I was meant to be if I would have been the boy he wanted. I get competitive with you because, only if I feel I'm winning you, I prove him wrong. “ 

Nothing he could have possibly said would have been a proper answer to that, so he stayed in silence. To his surprise, she clinged to him in a quite friendly hug. 

“ Hector… “ She added, whispering in fears anyone else would hear. “ Although you are a son, you have the spirit of an exhausted daughter struggling alone and I relate to that.” 

He smiled and her soft laughing followed not far behind. 

“ You may be a daughter, but you have the spirit of a firstborn prince consumed by the weight of his crown and I also relate to that.” 

Hector gave her a gentle peek in the forehead and she released him with a smile. Under the distant but expectant surveillance they were being submitted to, they choose to abandon the activity and walk away to keep chatting. Many, the deceiveful local king included, may had perceived the wrong energy but their closeness was so strictly non romantic that they didn’t consider it. 

“ So, tell me about your girl. “ She insisted once more, teasing him in a more friendly tone. “ When is the wedding? Do you have one scheduled? Don’t make her wait if you know she is the one.” 

“ Would you ever let it go?” He complained,although she knew it was not a severe observation. “ I can always start making the same sort of questions and assumptions about your personal situation.” 

The suggestion sounded plausible to her. 

“ Me? What would you find so interesting in my boring life? I already told you everything about my ‘ situation’. I don’t have herds of infatuated men coming at me, only my greedy suitors who think like those fool men in Troy wanting you to take me.” 

Like her moments before, he showed himself far from satisfied with that. 

“ I highly doubt the most beautiful girl in the feast lacks real prospects.” 

Unexpected, but she allowed it because she knew it was a clean compliment. 

“ So, you think I’m pretty.” 

She made him laugh by quoting Paris on purpose. 

“ It’s an objective fact. Troy’s tallest mount is the Ida, my name is Hector and you are beautiful.” 

“ I suppose I should say some objective facts about you.” She oddly but gently thanked him. “ You do look more handsome in person, but you have to work on your movements outside of battle. “ 

“ So, what about you?” Hector asked, making a truly hilarious impersonation of her voice. “ You must have someone in mind.” 

Her chuckles were uncontrollable and she was barely able to believe that was the same man from a while ago. 

“ You are actually good at impersonations! Finally a human fact about you.” 

“ I’m waiting for yoours.” He copied the musical tone that caught his attention before.” Who is your secret crush? I bet you have one.” 

He was being as annoying as she was just to make fun of her and her insistence about wanting to know about Andromache, but that inspired her a little experiment. 

“ It’s Achilles.” She whispered, acting out as if she was following Hector’s joke instead of talking the purest truth in an exaggeratedly comical way. “ I often fantasize about sitting him on my father’s throne so I can sit on those glorious thighs while he holds me and whispers to me how much he loves me in ways no one would ever believe coming from him. I have an emotional void that will never be filled, except by an older man telling me that I'm pretty and he would kill for me even despite I don’t want him to.” 

Hearing her say that with a serious tone made him break the character. 

“ That was…, I could have never thought you would… “ Hector tried to answer between chuckles. “ It’s the most insane joke I have ever heard from the mouth of a noblewoman.” 

She smiled, relief mixed with gratitude for the compliment. 

“ Fame is unfair to you.” He added in conclusion. “ Princess, I’m afraid I could also laugh with you to the point of stomach ache. “ 

[killbiroarts]

Infinities: Trixie LaBelle (Stars and Stripes) hello everyone this is commissioned work done for Marcia Taylor (diamond tier) Archetype: Prepared Leader Perk category: Prowess Alignment: Lawful Good Clearance: Delta Cosm: Earth-Realm Born: San Antonio, Texas, USA Occupation: Storm Guild Agent, Personal Assistant to Ms al’Julani, Lead Singer of the Trixie Chicks, Pilot, PlayThing, Working Mother Age in 2021: 28 Faith: lapsed Christian Friends: Vivienne Alban, Tahani al’Julani, Carmen Altario, Aria Melantho, Faith Najuma, Jayne Campbell Sexuality: Bisexual Sexual art: um, yes full story at the bottom link: https://bit.ly/3B4v5sd avaible : HD Files , BIKINIS VARIATION, etc.. ON https://patreon.com/posts/55241522 #oc #painting #bikini #artworks #conceptart #characterdesign #artoftheday https://www.instagram.com/p/CS6-FwYhEUp/?utm_medium=tumblr

[itonje]

toxic oc traits in a modern setting:

kidlat: likes an old post of someone’s and immediately blocks them in humilation

aeetes: kinblr transmasc

louis: thinks hazbin hotel is funny

audrey: one of those people who takes beach pics while like an upsettting global event is happening

leila: has a music.ly

lise and mikhail: make tik toks at school

grigor: british royal family stan

charicles: only posts white men on his gay account

agathon: loses online arguments and deletes everything pertaining to his side of it

melantho: mommy vlogger

amadea: a government official who posts stuff like ‘i wish i could do something to help you :(’

ayaan: reylo therapist

the prince: warrior cats twitter

[positivityjediprince]

OC THING WITH LANA AND EMELI

Full Name: Lana Alair Gender and Sexuality: Female and gay afPronouns: she/herEthnicity/Species: Mixed Space Lantio and White Birthplace and Birthdate: Rishi's Capital City and no idea but in high summer either on or near the longest day of the yearGuilty Pleasures: PLANTS, cheesy/clichee romance, and puns Phobias: Failure, abandonment, and loss of loved onesWhat They Would Be Famous For: Being a princess, Jedi council member, and piloting (also putting up with Necia's shenanigans)What They Would Get Arrested For: Murder (though she be little she is fierce)OC You Ship Them With: NECIA AND EMELI and low key Saira but more as an ambiguous flirty bromance OC Most Likely To Murder Them: That's a hard one....idk why but my gut says Emeli but I don't know why I think cause in a extreme jealousy case idk what scenario but a sort of possessive "if I can't have her no one can' clichee ..??? Maybe???Favorite Movie/Book Genre: Oh shes totally a sucker for fantasy or adventure books especially about outlawsLeast Favorite Movie/Book Cliche:Unessecary heterosexualsTalents and/or Powers: Well she's skilled at Jedi mind tricks and piloting, but also playing several instruments (though not entirely her choice) and diplomacy and strategyWhy Someone Might Love Them: kind, patient, loyal, funny (punny), powerful, enthusiastic, smiles a lot, and dorkyWhy Someone Might Hate Them: Snobbish, arrogant, often puts duty before emotions (of herself and others), self righteous, stubborn, entitled, jealous, and puns How They Change: Lana starts out as this very entitled "I know better" individual, she's constantly out to prove she's the top at everything and does not react well to failure, she also starts off quite closed off refusing to share personal experiences or feelings. As she grows she becomes much more open and trusting of people, she learns to accept that there will always be some one better and worse than you and that academic achievements or praise from authority are not everything. Also she learns about the plights of others and living conditions across the galaxy and realises who luck and privileged she has been and becomes much more appreciative of what she has and feels a little uncomfortable on her return to Rishi where she is surrounded by lavish luxury. Also she becomes extremely gay, her gayness just increases.Why You Love Them: She goes through so much pain, conflicts, and issues but still manages for the most part to maintain her strength and determination and fullfill her duties. And shows how you can be optimistic and kind yet still a very strong and occasionally ruthless person. She's developed so much from this ridiculous idea of Jedi princess pilot to become this really conflicting character and I love that because it shows you can be complex and ridiculous.Full Name: Emeli Melantho Gender and Sexuality: Female and oh so very gayPronouns: she/herEthnicity/Species: Asian (specifically Indian) human Birthplace and Birthdate: Minahil's capital city, no idea whenGuilty Pleasures: getting up to mischief (especially with Necia) and stirring up dramaPhobias: Abandonment and being replaced What They Would Be Famous For: Being a princess, being a representative for both Rishi and Minahil (tho Lana often is her right hand wife) and being so damn beautifulWhat They Would Get Arrested For: Arson, property damage or aggravated assault OC You Ship Them With: LANA AND NECIAOC Most Likely To Murder Them: ......Necia (*insert a sea of tears*)Favorite Movie/Book Genre: Romance and Action Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche: The helpless princessTalents and/or Powers: Public speaking, stirring up trouble, playing musical instruments (again not entirely her choice), and being badassWhy Someone Might Love Them: Loyal, passionate, protective, loving, romantic, snarky, strong, mischievous, and compassionate Why Someone Might Hate Them: Jealous, possessive, arrogant, superiority, vicious, and controlling/manipulative How They Change: well she starts out as a entitled demanding child but as Lana and her grow up together they improve each other. Also she starts out very possessive over Lana and disliking Necia but then actually gets to know Necia and they develop into a polyamorous relationship where everyone respects, loves, and gets along with each other. She starts out very much stubbornly sticking to her ideas and proposals but begins to learn how to compromise and negotiate with other planets and organisations. Why You Love Them: Shes so passionate and driven and will get stuff done and is a phenomenal leader. She is so loving to Lana and Necia and also is just a really fun character cause she loves to stir up trouble, fight everyone and egg Necia on. Also I love how she started just as an obstacle for Lacia but grew into this beautiful and loving character who becomes an integral part of the group and the characters lives. I didn't expect to love her as much as I do, rip Em.

[hawkepockets]

thoughts/headcanons abt dao party body types…

morrigan is skinny, gangly, tough, and rangy from life in the wilds. she has sharp shoulders, stick-out shoulderblades, pointy joints, knobby long-fingered hands, a flat chest. she could be built like a ballerina, except that she doesn’t practice flexibility or grace. which makes her obviously graceless and brittle. the same height as alistair, annoyingly.

alistair is a big-boned, broad-shouldered, strong young man, inclined to beefiness, pudge, and nice boobs… except that he’s always been underfed and has now contracted the taint, so his strength is kind of wasting and drooping on his frame. a sad little belly… slightly pointed ears, just enough to mark him as a shifty character to the eye of a suspicious bigot, without being definitely elvhen.

leliana is plush, pear-shaped, and curvy with big (deadly) thighs and a heart shaped face. her arms have unexpected wiry strength, and her hands are hard. she loses a lot of her healthy fat & rosiness between dao & dai, becoming more rumpled, spindly and birdlike. SAD.

zevran is a beautiful, cat-footed rogue who can charm the rich and classy, so he’s fat and deceptively soft, apple shaped with dainty hands and feet and very strong calves from jumping and climbing. he moves very quietly and springily. medium height for an elf, short king by human standards. long, elegant ears.

wynne is a classroom skeleton. wynne is a folded up ironing board in circle robes. wynne is a murphy bed. wynne is a coffin lid. wynne is taller and more imposing than you expected from a distance. extremely straight, stern posture and big hands that she’s taken good care of. nothing about her bowed or crabbed by age. even her wrinkles are straight lines.

oghren has a beer belly and broad, hairy hands, but by dwarven standards he’s kind of small and slender.

melantho is tiny, much smaller than any of the humans, but to call her “lithe” or “willowy” because she’s an elf would be a joke. her sister is lithe and willowy. mela is a compact, unyielding mass of gristle and bone. no ass, no tits. the taint was already taking hold of her on the road to ostagar, and though its grip on her loosened with the joining she bears its marks—sunken eyes, clawed fingers and toes, blackened extremities, a fevered metabolism that melts away any remaining baby fat and keeps her cranky and cold, a slinking step, sensitivity to light. big, kitten-like ears.

sten is stacked like a sumo wrestler. best tits in the party, easily.

matsendra is bigger than mela but still pretty short with a fat, rounded hourglass figure. like zevran, he has a well-fed, satisfied, domesticated look, but unlike zev he’s not prepared for any chases or parkour. he is genuinely as used to soft living as he looks. with time away from the circle he firms up and gains a subtle, intimidating glow of strength and control, but never gets slimmer. for an elf he has smaller, rounder ears—one torn half off by the demon torpor—and unusually thick facial & body hair.

loghain is actually built very, very similarly to alistair, in a more advanced stage—a big frame that should be filled out, but miserable, ascetic living has stooped his shoulders and hollowed his gut, making him look older than he is.

velanna is an inverted triangle, a corn chip, a captain america. big shoulders, trim waist, tight butt. very disciplined. when she slouches in annoyance it’s artful, poised, and a little hard to believe.

nathaniel looks like a line cook. clammy, jittery, skinny, ugly defined abs, diet of mostly smoke. much much too tall. too tall by far. hunched, self-conscious body language. has erratic bursts of strength in which he can toss oghren like a sack of flour.

sigrun is a full and sexy hourglass!! but she’s all the way down there and wearing legion armor, so you don’t even know. you don’t even get to know how perfect she is.

justice is dead, and squishes like rotten fruit if you touch him. very big, looks as tall as nathaniel but that’s because nate has bad posture. actually slightly shorter. twice as wide.

anders is spare and kind of attenuated, like he’s been spread thin by stress, with an unusually long, slender torso, long arms, and short legs. his hands & feet are a little too big for his limbs, like a stray cat used to fighting, but his touch—whether healing, hurting, or grasping in passion—is gentle, firm, and clinical.

shale is shale.

and most of them are trans.

…………… TO ME❗️

[hawkepockets]

more melas

[hawkepockets]

shes cute

[hawkepockets]

i’m replaying the series with GIRLS‼️ this is melantho, about-to-be-vanished sister of the dalish inquisitor i designed last year

[hawkepockets]

the selfie heard around ferelden 😝🫶🫶😝

[hawkepockets]

Melantho questions! Was Melantho interested in/involved with Tamlen pre-mirror? What's Melatho's opinions on humans vs elves (and dwarves if applicable). Opinions on magic/mages/spirits/demons? I'm interested in learning these things as the story goes on but I'm wondering if you know anything upfront/that you want to share upfront.

ahh you read my mind, the first two were exactly what i was thinking about for her!! & #3 is a great question 🫶

☝️ yes, mela & tamlen were involved! they were each other’s best friends, worst puppy crushes, and first time. it was a match the clan really approved of too, and although their elders never deliberately put pressure on them to wed, mel & tamlen still felt it.

but as a couple, they didn’t quite work. tamlen would do anything for melantho. he was too pliable & sweet to keep a pilot flame of attraction lit between them. add in merrill, and now you’re cooking.

having her girl rival on one arm and her boy protector on the other kept mela challenged and interested. it wasn’t a mature, sexual poly relationship yet—they were all too young, and mostly just teased each other with kisses and fell asleep in a pile like kittens, but they might have been if not for the mirror.

marethari did not encourage all three of them bonding. merrill was her First, tamlen was paivel’s favorite student of lore, and melantho was ilen’s apprentice. if the trio were to follow in their mentors’ footsteps as adults, clan sabrae would have a keeper, hahren, and master craftsman that were romantically & sexually bonded, taking each others’ sides against the rest of the clan or turning on each other in the case of marriage troubles… an unpleasant & unstable concentration of power. no, far better to keep ambitious, magical merrill out of it. a future hahren & apprentice craftsman being sweet on each other was not much threat to anybody.

but if merrill had been there when the eluvian was found, maybe the girls could have held tamlen back from touching it—or maybe there just would have been that much more hunger and curiosity in the room, and one more body tainted by the mirror.

✌️ melantho HATES humans. i’ve seen some criticism of clan sabrae, and marethari & ashalle in particular (bc of their close involvement with mahariel but also, if we’re tbh, their being women) for withholding the truth about what happened to mahariel’s parents until they were grown, and i agree that was hurtful & contrived for shock value… but it did make me ask myself what if they’d been right to keep it secret?

so melantho was told, very young, that her parents had run afoul of the shemlen & been killed in a random, common act of human violence, and that wrenched, tore, and twisted at her from when she was a child. it changed the shape of her heart. and while everyone in sabrae has a healthy wariness/resentment of humans, mela’s intensity about it is alarming and out of line. it comes over her like a fever sometimes, killing her lively personality, lighting up her eyes, and making her hiss and spit at anyone who so much as sighs out loud about the clan needing to relocate so much. even her little sister leidy avoids her when she’s in that temper.

tamlen & melantho killed all three men who found the eluvian ruins, and duncan really did need to drag her kicking and screaming to ostagar. she’s mean and impertinent, assuming the worst of every shem she meets there right up to their king. and the night of her joining, before the battle, alistair caught her in the act of poisoning the soldiers’ cookpot with what was left of the darkspawn blood, and had to restrain her from setting loghain’s tent on fire… which he might soon come to regret.

she hasn’t met a dwarf yet, but all she’s heard about them, as inventors of enchanted items & berserker rage, makes them sound very impressive and strange.

✌️☝️ melantho knows magic is dangerous, but had never heard about the chantry’s dogma about it before meeting alistair & the tranquil at ostagar, and it completely takes her aback. she thinks of demons and possessed people like rabid animals—sick predators, something you come across on rare, unlucky occasions in the wilds, something to be mercy killed from a distance if possible but not approached. sure they’re frightening. no need to get idealogical about it. and she associates them with locations haunted by elven tragedies, not with mages.

merrill, leidy, and marethari are mages, and they’re precious to the clan, and to her. even fearmongering about blood magic and darkspawn magisters makes little impression on mel. her mages know what they’re doing, and it’s not the business of an ordinary hunter/crafter to judge their choice of spells. as for blackening the seat of the maker, creating darkspawn, locking each other up in towers and branding each other’s foreheads… well that all just seems like shemlen acting badly.

she may get more invested later ;-)

[hawkepockets]

Please don’t cast me away!

[streets-in-paradise]

The Games

Troy (2004) Reader Insert Fanfiction -  Part 20

Masterlist

Word Count  + 12 K

Characters: Hector, Paris , Mycenaean Princess!Reader, Ereny (OC), Melantho, Penelope, Telemachus, Odysseus. 

Warnings: Heavy flirting ( aka, Paris being slutty.). My usual twists on mythology references in Troy style. 

Pairings: Achilles x Mycenaean Princess! Reader (mentioned), Eudorus x Ereny (OC) (mentioned), Hector x Andromache (mentioned),Odysseus x Penelope.

Summary: The welcoming celebrations begin and Odysseus has decided to shift the protocols starting with an athletic competition preceding the party, a situation that ends up confronting Hector with the inusitated impact of his legend among greeks. While Paris gets ready to give a performance worthy of remembrance in order to get what he was induced to think it takes to impress the mycenaean lady, his brother gets into an advice exchange with her. In the spirit of that personal interaction, they get to share some of their viewpoints and experiences about politics, heroism and their lives as members of drastically opposite royal families. 

Notes:  I am aware of how long I have made you wait for this update and I am very sorry. In compensation, as I said in one of my writing update posts, the original draft for this one ended up becoming an over 30 K chapter that I saw myself in need of splitting in two. For this reason, part 21 will be uploaded very soon because I have most of it done.

Tags:@yerevasunclair @mysticaldeanvoidhorse​ @spideyanakin @spideyanakin-interacts @awakenedevildays @alaysha-of-middleearth @zoegarfield​

A secret meeting took place in the bedroom occupied by the princess; it was a viable option that no one would have found odd at that hour. She headed there with the little girl after searching for Ereny, since the lady wasn't going to take any choices or receive any important information without her. She was found in a late night talk with some other maids of the palace, young women closer to her age, and they seemed to be chatting about the newcomers. It was nice to have her friend back after the unusual silence during most of the time they were near Hector. 

When the group saw her coming the ithacans hushed out of a sudden, making her wonder if they did it to avoid an expected nagging or if it was because the talk wasn't meant for her ears. Ereny was in an excellent mood, the anger that her little altercation with the eldest trojan prince caused seemed forgotten. She knew her far well to not suspect that she must have found some interesting information to share. 

They were capable of reading it on each other, both had stuff to share but they had to be very careful around Melantho. 

Once they were on the bedchambers, the lady picked a different route from the expected in the interrogation of a snitch with blackmailing intentions. She wasn't going to follow the guidelines of her game. It was one that she knew too well to fall for,since even at her age she used to play it. 

" How was your research?" The princess asked Ereny, purposely ignoring the matter that dragged Melantho there. " We haven't talked about investigating the trojans, but I got the feeling that you did it anyways. You are unstoppable, my dear. "

" My curiosity is personal this time. I have spied on uninteresting people when it was necessary, this work is for myself. " 

She gave her a smile of approval. 

" And I celebrate your individual initiative... Anything interesting?"

" I helped the local girls in some of their serving tasks for the crew, let me tell you that the trojans are delightfully polite. " Ereny began telling. " I spoke with soldiers, a few manservants and there is even a young aspirant to priest that they consult on religious issues. Paris specially requested to bring men who could play music for him because he claims that he can't survive without it. From all the trojan soldiers, servants and sailors, at least one third of them possess some sort of musical skill. It's insane. What kind of prince, for as spoiled and rich as he could be, can afford such specifical whims? I hate to show understanding of Agamemnon's fixation with them, but now I think I see the point. Our king is greedy beyond measure, he has looted populations for smaller treasures." 

" Well done, excellent observations!! They are not here to brag, it's not that kind of visit. If that crew brings everything and everyone they judge as indispensable, then they must be incredibly rich or they have serious troubles controlling the expendings of Paris. " 

 It could be both, that was what they were thinking, but Melantho interrupted them to defend the prince. 

" Who would say no to him? He is so handsome, his voice is soft and he has a way with words making everything sound sweet. If I was you, I would feel like the luckiest girl on the island." 

" Did Paris hire you to convince me of giving him a chance tomorrow? I thought Odysseus must have instructed you to cheer for Hector. " 

" I do what I want. " The kid mischievously replied. " Take my advice. Hector is a bit lame, he bores me everytime he opens his mouth. Paris is prettier and seems far more fun. He has this thing called charisma that his brother may have lost on the ground of some battle. "

The mycenaeans bursted into laughter. It was more about the shock that her irreverence caused than out of some absolute agreement with the implications of the joke. 

" Warriors can be charismatic. " The lady pointed out, not thinking precisely on Hector while saying it. 

" True." Melantho prepared another strike. "  That's all what stops people from seeing that Diomedes is as crazy as Achilles, only smarter. " 

Ereny laughed alone that time, harder than before because she was waiting to see how her friend was going to cope with being unable to openly defend her lover.  

" They are intimate friends of your king. Isn't that a bit insulting?" 

" Achilles frightens me and Diomedes knows how to be nicer but always ends up looking like he has something to hide. They are treated as family here, but I don't see why I should do so." 

" Achilles has recently stayed in my palace. " The princess commented, pretending to be casual about it. " He hasn't scared me yet. I don't find him that frightening. " 

" He is a freak!" Melantho replicated. " Unpredictable but impossible to surprise, I never could figure out anything useful about him. "  

" You don't know that much about us either. " 

" That's because the last time you were here I was too little to care and you ware all about your dumb obsession with dogs.” 

Her bravery managed to amuse the princess, who was unused to get that kind of unfiltered commentary from an Ithacan servant. 

" You seem to have strong opinions on everyone,for someone so young. " 

" I'm just saying that Achilles could use smiling from time to time. Showing some emotions, at least resembling humanity. When he is with Odysseus things seem to change, but later you see him and he is ríght back at those menacing ways. He cares too much for looking rough and nothing for being likable."

Ereny offered Melantho some advice that came from her experience as servant in the mycenaean palace, an attempt to encourage her while buying her friend some time to recover from what she heard 

" I don't like most of the friends of my royal family, King Agamemnon doesn't pick the nicest men to befriend. He is gross, his brother is gross and when both are together they influence the environment. Any nice person would feel uncomfortable close to them. " She confessed herself to the ithacan girl. " King Odysseus is one of my favorites not only because my lady loves him, but also because I gave myself the chance to bond with him and found out that he is great. " 

" That's easy to say, he is not that bad. '' Melantho concluded in a tone that showed how she was hiding the impulse of saying good things about  him. " My family comes from the queen's side, the small share of the servants who followed her here. I love her the most, but Odysseus is not bad. He is fun, although he could be making more efforts to win more of my love but he can't care less now that he has a son. "

They discovered the roots of her jealousy; Melantho wished that she could bond more with Odysseus, but couldn't get to him because of settled limitations regarding the differences that would always exist between her and Telemachus. Ereny couldn’t relate completely with that feeling, because she never felt any wishes to get closer with her king, but her friend felt that ‘ He can’t care less now that he has a son.’ hitting close to her experience with her father. Agamemnon didn’t show much care for her, but he would have completely forgotten about her if she had a brother. Remaining silent because she had no wish to open that gate, she encouraged her handmaid to deliver the positivity advice alone. 

" Open up, be honest with yourself and stop acting like a bitch to deal with everything. It's true, Odysseus and Penelope have a son and the love they feel for him will never be the same compared with what they can feel for you. It’s also fine to sometimes feel odd around Odysseus and Telemachus because their bond of father and son is very special,but guess what? You are lucky, because I have already seen your master emotionally adopting other men's daughters. Bonding with him is easier than what you think." 

Melantho found some comfort in her words, even when she wasn't going to admit it. The mycenaean lady smiled at her friend, pleased with the effect of her speech and a bit flustered by her implied description of her friendship with Odysseus as emotional adoption. 

" I still refuse to bond with his freak friends. I can try with Diomedes, at least he is a king so we have something to respect, but Achilles is still a no.” The youngest slave concluded. “He is crazy, the sort of man that you feel like he doesn't rest even when he sleeps. I can't see why there are so many girls at his feet... Who knows what he enjoys in the bedroom? If i was them, I would fear to wake up in the Underworld after a night with him. " 

The princess restrained herself to avoid murdering her with words. 

" Wait, wait, wait... Isn't that too advanced for you to think? You are still a kid,only a few years older than your prince." 

" I'm a slave, we get to learn all of that faster." Melantho explained. " And you can learn a lot of weird things just listening around you."

" Achilles may not be most known for his good manners, but those insulting assumptions are a product of your imagination. You have made yourself a bad impression of him because you are terrified by all those tales about his brutal charges into battle, but he is not like that outside of combat. When he was in my palace, we found him pretty nice to be around despite his arrogance. Most of the time he was doing cocky jokes to insult my father, it was very funny. Ask Telemachus and Penelope what they think of him, I'm sure he must not have acted in a scary way with them. " 

While speaking, the mycenaean princess had to dissimulate how sweetly sensitive she got while thinking about Achilles and the softness he displayed with her in the domestic setting of her palace.  It was a side of him that the little favorite of Penelope didn't get to see because fear would impede her from getting close to him. The claims about the perceived emotionlessness in him were particularly funny, the man that he allowed himself to be with her wasn't like that. She started wondering if it could be considered a proof of how happy he was when they were together. Was she worthy of thinking that, of attributing herself a tiny bit of responsibility for that remarkable difference? Thinking about that almost brought a blushy smile out of her, but she repressed the warm feelings that such thought caused her to avoid looking suspicious.  

Melantho had no idea of how much happiness her horrendous observations brought to the guest. 

" I wish he would be here now." The princess confessed, quickly correcting herself. "...  Because he would be making fun of everyone and you would get a cocky partner to be mean with. You two wouldn't let Hector be, I would feel so sorry for him... but I still would like to see that happening. There is something childishly happy about Achilles when he perceives a challenge, it's the same motivation for his fights with my father. I think it would be funnier to witness when involving someone he doesn't hate, seeing him driving Hector insane with arrogance driven mocks just because he knows that he is the best. " 

" Achilles, come here to defend your title !!!" Ereny joked with an analogy of doble meaning. " You are ríght, it would be fun to see. You know, I have discovered quite a few interesting things about Hector in this short time we shared... I would say that the competition can be very tight, he has no reasons to envy him in any way. " 

The mysteriously suggerent tone she used alarmed her friend.

" Eny... What did you do??" 

The two servant girls stared at each other and giggled over a shared secret. 

" ... I was helping the girls who were serving the trojans, stopping this little spy from messing anything up because of her crush on Paris... Turns out that, in a series of events that had nothing to do with any of us, I paid a visit to Hector in his room while he was still getting fixed after bathing.” 

The princess wanted to be angry, but the shock was stronger.

" YOU DID WHAT??" 

" I excused my presence there saying that I wanted to apologize for almost yelling at him to the mere mention of Hesione and he was so kind that I ended up feeling it. Staying mad at that man is impossible. He is so sweet! "

" I know, I couldn't either, he is just that nice. The problem for me now is that he might think that I sent you there, but I don't know if he really thinks that. At least he didn't mention anything to me about this in the short meeting we just had." 

" I knew it!!!" Ereny cheered, sharing the excitement of not being alone in the feeling. " See? You don't have to be into him to feel curious." 

" It wasn't personal." She clarified, with frustration. 

" ... And he is handsome enough to make me nervous despite not having a crush on him. I legitimately don't, but his good looks are intimidating. You have to see him when his hair is loose and wet, it changes the deal..”

" You may not be dating anyone yet, but that's not an excuse. " The princess mocked her friend. " You can't be checking out any of the trojans... What if the captain gets jealous?" 

Ereny took the claim with skepticism. 

" Do you think they don't check on other women when we aren't looking? Don't be so naive, of course they do!! " She replicated. " It doesn't really matter because it was an accident, I'm not being serious about it and describing Hector’s appearance in fair terms is just stating the obvious.. The man has beauty! If he fights as well as he looks, all greek heroes must beware. " 

" Eny, control yourself! Did Odysseus buy you too? You can't cheer for him. " 

" I'm not cheering for him, but Odysseus knew what he was doing when he chose him to be the man that he would try to push on you. In his objective viewpoint as someone who doesn't know for sure you are truly in love with someone else:getting you that man and the throne of Troy, all in one single act? It's a pretty good deal." Ereny clarified. " How was your meeting? Did you get anything interesting out of him?" 

" It was a serious thing, I did it so there will be peace between his men and ours. I really wanted to keep it political, but Hector had this great gesture with me and I let it get a bit personal. Now I can't be mean to him, even if i could try it. " The lady explained with some frustration. " Damn it, why is he so nice? He has no business being that sweet with me. " 

Melantho interrupted them, excited because she thought she had the piece of information they lacked to understand the situation. 

" Maybe Odysseus isn't the only one pulling the tricks. " She added with a bit of malice. " Maybe the trojans wanted all of this to happen, they could be part of a plot with my king. Can't you see that, if Hector marries you, he controls Greece? You would be the woman of the marriage, Mycenae becomes Troy's bitch. " 

The assumption was quite funny for both listeners. The princess realized that the stupid claim didn't come from her, it sounded like she was repeating the words of someone else. 

" Was that what you wanted to tell me? You just gave it away for free." She mocked her. " Let me give you some expert advice: control the nerves and never think yourself smarter than everyone else when you are trying to blackmail someone. Information is your currency and if you don't control your tongue, you are screwed. Also, never forget to check your sources. You sold me the deal as if you knew something about his plans coming from Odysseus himself, but I know that isn't him. Only someone who doesn't know Agamemnon can come up with something so stupid. " 

The girl seemed disencouraged because she didn't impress her as she thought she would. 

" ... I heard it from Eupeithes. The way in which he spoke made it sound legit, he is very worried. " Melantho confessed. " He was here today trying to see the king for whatever reason but obviously couldn't because he was too occupied with the trojans. " 

The selection criteria of her still too young mind to figure out which pieces of information were valuable didn't allow her to realize that she was about to make a great contribution. 

Her late confession, given away information that she considered not important, was a potential lead in the case of the trojans. A trail to follow ahead of them. 

" I heard him ranting at our own table. My queen offered him and the men accompanying him some space to have a drink before leaving, as any good host would. Everyone there was too upset to keep it quiet. It was like they were as low as they could when angry, but it wasn't much. They were discussing the news, Eupeithes' thoughts guiding all the rest. He was talking of how easy it would be for Hector to just get with you and get to control the country. He made it sound like he was a menace to us all, but i don't feel scared by Hector so i really don't get his point. " 

" Did he use those exact words, Melantho? Did he say that Mycenae was going to become the bitch of Troy?" 

" Well, yes. " The little girl admitted. " and he was very worried about it, indignated. Like it wasn't a fair thing to happen." 

" ' How hard to get that bitch can be? I don't think she has seen a real man in her whole life... Shall we show her one?' " The princess parodied what she imagined was Eupeithes' thinking process about her and the trojan prince. " ' It's not fair. If someone is going to take that prize, it should be a greek like us. Odysseus is going to screw us over for peace because he doesn't have the balls to handle the trojans.' " 

Melantho laughed to her completely guessed impersonation, indicating for them that they were on the ríght direction. 

" Was he like that?" Ereny asked her, also recovering from laughing. 

She nodded affirmatively. 

" Very close to that." 

The princess bursted into laughter and then added her commentaries. 

" ... Fucking prick, he has no idea of who he is messing with. " She added, controlling more laughs. " If he prefers to keep being Agamemnon's bitch, it must be because he takes some profit out of it. "

" Don't jump into conclusions. " Her friend stopped her. " He may sound like your greedy stupid arse suitors in Mycenae, but that doesn't make him a suspect. " 

" We are looking for greedy stupid arses and this one seems to feel threatened with the presence of the trojans. I would give it a shot, check him just to be sure. " 

In those words, it sounded fair. 

" Melantho, what can you tell us about this Eupeithes? " 

The ask was amusing to the little one for some reason. 

 " It surprises me that you don't remember him, he is the father of Antinous. " 

The clue didn't solve their disconcert. 

" Why should I know Antinous? " The princess asked. " Sorry, I don't remember neither him or his father. There are so many people coming and going here. Some of your nobles come from other islands on your limits, that's not a thing where I live." 

" Did Telemachus never tell you about Antinous? You must not be as close as he makes it look like.“ Melantho replicated, her jealousy was fading a bit to the assumed realization. 

" Telemachus may not have many friends, but he already introduced me to every single one of them. " The princess pointed out, fearing to have came out as careless because she may have forgotten of a kid. " Most live here, so it was easier. " 

The guess was even funnier, Melantho couldn't even imagine it without laughing. 

" He is an older boy, his father is a local noble. They are not friends,but you will get to see it for yourself. "

The little girl refused to comment on anything else about it once she realized that the prince didn’t discuss it with them by himself. The lady was satisfied with the new findings, pointing a direction to investigate and she didn’t try to get more out of her. Ereny could be right, not every dumb greedy man without self awareness could be necesarily involved with the pirates attacking the trojans, but the paranoid fear of Eupeithes about the chances of an alliance between Odysseus and Hector rubbed her the wrong way. Her friend would call it a reflection of her hate towards her average mycenaean suitor, a projection of what she felt for men like Adrastus,but it was about intuition. It didn’t feel right, something was odd and that exaggerated reaction didn’t fit the context. Even if he wasn't stealing from the trojans, Eupeithes had to be involved in something shady that was worth digging.  

Before going to sleep, the princess asked them to stay up for a bit longer with her because she wanted to end the day in a more relaxing tone. Since she was curious about Melantho’s unusual talent for roasting people, she decided to ask for her opinions about every single hero she had met as a visitor in the palace. The little slave was mordaciously funny and her incisive claims weren’t always fair, but it was a comedic spectacle in which no one was safe. Hector, judged as boring, and Ajax, assumed dumb and mocked for his impressive height, were the ones with the less offensive attributions. For all the atrocious things she spoke of everyone, Achilles remained as the most insulted name on the list. This didn’t bother the lady as much as it initially seemed to, but it was because she guessed a satisfactory explanation. 

It wasn’t out of hate, but a consequence of his peculiarity. Achilles wasn’t like any other, even in bashing he was meant to highlight. If Melantho was going to say awful things about all the heroes, the best had to stand the worst take. He was someone often hard to understand for the standards of adults, a child who barely knew him because she refused to out of fear would have it even harder. Butchering him with words was her way to rationalize that there was something different about him, but it escaped her perception. 

Many thoughts wandered the lady’s mind once she got to be laying alone in bed to rest. Some were about him and he managed to sneak into the ones that weren’t. The problem of Paris and his attitude of seductor, the mystery of Hector’s surprisingly welcoming ways with her. She would stay focused in one thought at the time, but her mind would eventually deviate into imagining hypothetical situations that, while loosely connected,had nothing to do with the pivotal aspects of her concerns. 

‘ What if she would have allowed Achilles to follow her to Ithaca as he initially intended to?’ She was toying with the idea because thinking of him was comforting. 

Despite the chances for mess, it could have been fun at least for both of them. Odysseus would have got to talk with him and, to the actual proof of his love for her, Achilles would have dissipated his misconceptions about their relationship. The presentation of marriage candidates would have been suspended and things could have taken a more relaxed course, since she wouldn’t have to worry about the consequences of her every move fearing to provide a base for the encouragement of misunderstandings. Politics would have been her only occupation and he would have found the way to bring chaos to the situation anyways, that time just having fun bothering everyone while being her supporter. 

The most amusing part, she had to admit, was imaging his reaction to her encounters with Paris. There was no way for him to be taken seriously then, Achilles would have mostly mocked him through very particular teases falling over her. She was able to imagine him making fun of Paris through her in ironic comments that only they would fully understand. Things like “ Don’t waste your time with her, trojan, she is as cold as her father.” or “ What a heartless woman you are! Why wouldn’t you give him a chance? You are so cruel for such a pretty princess.”. She was getting flustered only with the ideas of the things he would say and that made her realize that Paris would have figured them out with ease. He showed to be astonishingly clever for the most frivolous purposes, getting to see another man obtaining from her the reaction that he wanted for himself would have been an easy trigger of his sharp perception on that sort of thing. His interest was a more superficial one, but the youngest trojan prince would discover her romance with the myrmidon warrior through it. Only for the sake of that she felt relieved for Achilles’ absence. Even when he appeared harmless, she wasn’t going to underestimate Paris. Behind her facade of niceness she kept hidden a very mistrusting person who wouldn’t be fooled by an act of fool. She would often self-perceive as a snake hiding in the appearances imposed on her by her father, that she only sharpened to her own benefit.

Used to deceive everyone, she wouldn’t let anyone do it to her and despite the naive foolishness of Paris was convincing, she wouldn’t commit the mistake of assuming it true in the same way people would do with her.She wasn’t regretting having pointed it out to Achilles and Patroclus: even when Paris would sometimes act like a fool, it could be an excellent cover just to keep the pursuit of his selfish purposes without being questioned. Nobody was expecting much of him and no pressures coming from higher expectancies meant more freedom of action. He was probably still seen as the family failure but, unlike in her case, it didn’t seem to translate into any recriminations behind closed gates. She would always feel like failing, but because the expectatives would still apply to her. Even when Agamemnon would consider her a dissapointment, that wouldn’t mean he or the country would let her be. She was still supposed to incarnate perfection, submitted to all kinds of ridiculous standards while waiting for a breaking point. For the trojan,this only seemed to resemble a similar issue not through pressure or direct mistreatments, but through the condescending attitude that everyone else had towards him. 

Only Hector wouldn’t fall for that and she liked that of him, knowing that he wasn’t proclive to condescension was a nice detail of his personality. It implied that what he felt for her wasn’t pitty after all. Despite being a man made him superior to her from birth, he wasn’t talking to her as a woman. It meant she wasn’t a weak, helpless thing to feel sorry for in his eyes. Whatever it was, their open exchange felt like an approach of equals. Perhaps, his comfort to her didn’t come from pity, but from an actual acknowledgement of that feeling. It was her impression that Agammenon would be disappointed if he would get the chance to know him for real. It was possible that the flawless idealization of a perfect son and obedient army commander that he had made of the enemy's heir didn’t match reality. Hector wouldn’t believe her if she would tell him how often her father reflected his frustrations into his legend. Positive comparisons on his favor to bash Achilles were always at the tip of his tongue and even when he wouldn’t contrast them, the same criteria would indirectly apply to her. When it was about ranting as a troubled leader or a disconformed parent, he would defend Hector as fiercely as any trojan would. 

The thought of telling him about that unbelievable paradox was amusingly tempting, even if he wouldn’t trust in her word. She wanted to see Hector react to it, only lacking ideas on when it would be a good time to share it with him. 

It didn't take long for them to stumble across each other again. On the next day she found him being chased by Telemachus, who was rambling to him with excitement. Hector didn't seem bothered with his company and there were no signs of Paris near them. 

It encouraged her to approach, the princess made herself be noticed with a joke. 

" Hey, little traitor! Are you going to abandon me for him now? I guess it is clear as water that you don't want me here anymore. " 

The boy giggled while staring back at her. 

" It's so good to see you. I need you to help me convince Hector of joining the games. " 

The request seemed to surprise her. Not because it would be strange, but due to the news about the fast moves of Odysseus. 

" Is your father organizing games already? Isn't it a bit too early for that?" 

The kid was unamused by the claim. 

" We can skip some formalities, people are excited." 

" And by 'people' you mean ' you' ... ríght?" She mocked him and the child answered with some faked cluelessness that would only confirm the point. 

" You really want to see the prince fight, don't you? Why would you think I can convince him otherwise, if he doesn't want to? What a weird attitude on his part, by the way." 

" Paris is going to prove himself to you in the archery competition and I wouldn't want to outshine him. My dear brother wouldn't wish to see your attention being stolen from him. "Hector teased her in reply. " Besides, I have nothing to prove and I know how violent some of the other competitions can get. "  

" Is it true that you still have bull jumpers in your feast of Poseidon? " 

Her clever way to make things harder for him through increasing the excitement of the little prince was the perfect comeback. 

It was so smooth that he almost regretted the mock, but it was too late. Telemachus' curiosity was effectively awakened. 

" WHAT 'S THAT?? "  

" It's a sport, acrobatics involving bulls. " She began to carefully explain." It was popular back when Crete used to rule the world and it is a game even older than Minos. Troy is one of the very few places where you can still see bull jumpers, but even there Is not as common as it used to be. It stayed in their traditions as a footprint of their relationships with Crete before the decline. The thing is about men literally jumping over bulls, the descriptions I heard sound super risky." 

" AWESOME!!!" Telemachus exclaimed. " Have you ever done that, Hector?"

The trojan glanced at her before answering. 

" No, but I have seen many getting wounded while trying. I have enough with the efforts of combat and, like I said, I have nothing to prove." 

" I wouldn't be so sure of that. " She stopped him. " That may work with your own people but here that attitude is useless. In his innocence, my friend is giving you the best political advice he can. Greece is a land of heroes: on occasions, here the spear matters more than the scepter. " 

Since Hector was nice to her the night before and she was too prideful to accept owing him anything, she was going to gift him one single piece of advice in return. 

" Telemachus, dear. Why don't you go to check on Melantho as I handle this?" She suggested to the ithacan boy in order to get a while alone with the trojan. " I got the feeling that she misses playing with you and she would be a bit more happy and less mean if you spend some time with her. " 

He was about to present some minor protest, but he guessed that she needed to speak of adult things in order to achieve their purpose and agreed to leave her the space for that.

The lady opted for convincing the trojan prince with the truth, but presenting it in a convenient way to interpelle a politician. 

“ He may look like he is all about looking up to you, but there is no one he admires more than his father. I love what Penelope has built for herself here, they are certainly my dearest royal family in the country. You are going to have a great time with them, if you accept to play by our cultural rules. “ 

He looked slightly skeptical of the meaning implied in her last words. 

“ What a curious commentary, coming from someone who doesn’t seem to have much respect for her own cultural rules. I heard you trying to bargain your way into a council meeting.” 

“ I’m pragmatic. I take whatever I find useful and pretend to go with the rest. “ She simply stated, not caring to defend herself in long explanations because she knew he wasn’t saying it in a critical way. “ To be honest, I think it’s precisely what you should do if you want to navigate greek politics. I may not be allowed in the agora where the men exhort each other, but I have learnt enough in their shadow when they think I am not listening. I don’t think you are the kind of man that would underestimate a woman. If so, I wouldn’t be wasting my time with you. “ 

He answered with a well intentioned mock. 

“ Aren’t you doing it because your little friend commands you to? “ 

“ I wasn’t exaggerating when I said Telemachus gave you excellent advice, even if he is too young to see the true reach of his pretentions. If you truly want these people to listen to you, you have to give them a show. That must be the reason why Odysseus chose to begin celebrations with games: he knows it and he is trying to help you out because he wants your political mission to succeed for the wellbeing of everyone involved.” 

For then at least, she tried to obviate the issue regarding the king’s will to play matchmaker with them. It would only make things awkward and confusing, she needed to wait until the set up would be obvious in order to discuss a common strategy to get out of that situation. Stating that Odysseus wanted him to succeed was enough, there was no need for clarifications. 

Hector didn’t inmute, choosing to remain optimistic in his own way to approach things. 

“ Thank you, but the worth of my words is going to be measured in the council.”

The princess felt there was no option but to get rid of any sutility in the political implications of her speech. That man had no idea of how to build a consensus among people he only knew as militar adversaries. It wasn’t the particular case of Ithaca, but Hector’s main contact with Greece was most likely to have happened only around times of war. 

For that reason, she proudly enlightened him with the best example she knew for the point she was trying to make. . 

“ What I’m going to say comes in no spirit of comparison, but it needs to be explained to you if we want to solve this mess as soon as possible. “ The attenuation was the softest way that occurred to her before proceeding. “ Achilles is capable of building outstanding agreements without attending one damn assembly. He listens to no King, he does what he knows best and at the end not even my father has the chance for a say on that. He can do absolutely whatever he wants and he is loved for it, there are tons of stories out there I could tell you about how sudden switches of plans got him no consequences. My father and all the other kings he befriends or forcefully restrains to appear as so can spend lots of time gathered in a discussion for a plan that Achilles would screw over in an instant, if he feels like doing it. You may wonder right now why I am bringing this up to you, why must you hear an enemy princess pitching the victories of a man you don’t know and you certainly don’t care about? You are doing that, Hector, because she is referencing to you the most effective way to penetrate politics among greeks. “ 

“ If you think this is helping, I sincerely thank you, but I don’t think that your admirative rambles will change my strategy. “ 

Fearing to be crossing a dangerous territory, she tried to reformulate her sayings. 

“ Whether you like it or not, the way of Achilles has proven to be fast and effective in terms of constructing legitimacy. I am not offering singular valorations about him, I can’t give a fuck of what he does with the power he builds. The important thing here is that people love him and the consensus created around him is powerful because it comes out as movilizating. How has he accomplished that? Why has a myrmidon mercenary become one of the greatest political fears for the interests of my father? Because he knows how to give a good show, one that leaves everyone speechless before he would even get to speak. Achilles knows how to amaze an audience and keep it on his side better than any well experienced politician and, in the end, that always shifts the discussions in his favor.” 

“ Good if it works for him, but what you are suggesting is for me to become an entertainer in order to be persuasive. That doesn’t fit with me, I will not make a spectacle out of my fighting skills.” 

“ … Too late, Agamemnon took that choice away from you.” She informed him, trying to hide her excitement about the news she was bringing. “ You are part of the show, he sucked you into it when he decided you had to be the contrasting figure. You are said to be the only mortal man that can be compared to him and my father is among the ones to blame for the spreading of that reputation. That legend grows all over Greece at the heat of his hate for Achilles, processed into some intense admiration for you I’m still trying to understand.” 

“ You just said… Admiration? Did I hear it well?” The confused prince asked. “ I think you may have misphrased your thoughts.” 

“ I know what I said and it stays.” The mycenaean insisted. “ You, prince of modesty, are the only thing I hear Agamemnon and Hesione agree on back at home. It is incredible to see them sharing almost the same shade of excitement anytime we get news of you. Even back when we got to hear about how you kicked his brother’s ass he was so pissed off, he hated you for it … but he was marveled. His rambling sounded like hate, but there were glimpses of admiration deep enough to allow her self expression without being punished for it. I feel I need to tell you this because you need to see that you can’t ‘ I’m just a normal man’ out of this one, Hector. The fact a kid pointed it out for you first shows how strongly these expectations operate.” 

His disbelief was too great to take everything in consideration. 

“ You mean that I have no choice because my worst enemy has mystificated me more than my own people? You don’t sincerely expect me to believe that, you can’t be hoping so.” 

Despite the fact that she was, without doubts, having fun with his reaction, helping him for real was the best way to get him away fast for his own good. 

“ More or less, I do. There is a very specific mythical figure built around you and the people of Ithaca are expecting you to perform according to it. Join the games, kick someone’s ass but finish the act with a nice display of your classical mercy showing your opponent that you are supposed to be the better man. After that, political reach is not going to be a problem for you.” 

For some reason that she didn’t catch immediately, her conclusion was amusing to him.

“ How is it that you have such specifical idea about how this performance is supposed to go? Must I assume you are part of the crowd who wants to see it? If what you said about my image in Mycenae is true, I would understand it. Yet with you, good lady, I never find myself sure of anything. “ 

She was about to chuckle, the mere thought was too funny. 

“ Assume I’m part of the crowd that thinks Achilles would end you and wouldn’t be excited to see you fall. It’s common sense, not personal predilection. I have seen him and I don’t need to see you fight in order to know at which spot of the controversy it is wise to stand.“ 

The declaration didn’t bother him in the slightest. 

“ Don’t you hold a single sparkle of faith in me?” He joked, showing to have found some friendly relief in the rather bashing statement. “ No that it should surprise me.” 

“ Show us what you are made of, you need to prove yourself to be at least a worthy opponent for Achilles if you want to make an impact here. Your father's scepter is not enough. “  

By that point, he was perhaps having more fun than her. 

“ Insulting my pride is not going to take you anywhere.” 

“  I want to believe you are smart enough to take my advice even if it goes against your style because I know this country better than you and I have a more approximated idea of what its people want.” 

“ In that case.. I  know my brother better than you and, because I have an approximate idea of what he wants with you, I advise you to not play this game with him. “ He replicated through imitation of her phrase. “ Try more unamusement and less sarcasm. “

“ You try less humility and more action. Some of my men have recently returned from fighting in Argos, where Achilles gave Diomedes another chance to see the sunlight, and they have already shared their stories with the ithacans.. Tamer some fucking horses before they will all fall asleep.” 

Hector laughed, not because the callout was inherently funny to him, but due to how direct and so not lady-like she sounded. 

The epithet-based joke brought her an important reminder. 

“ I have a friend who wants to know why you are called ‘ the tamer of horses’, he wonders if there is a story behind that epithet and you have no idea of how much he loves those sorts of tales. I promised myself that I was going to ask you about it in his name if we would ever come across each other. “ 

“ Let me guess.. Is he Achilles?” 

“ No, he is a lad who is younger than your brother. Do you think I am allowed to befriend many adult men?“ She joked back, referencing her glimpses of fondness with Telemachus. “  He has an intense admiration for heroes and wants to be one someday, I honestly think he is going to be better than Achilles and you combined. “ 

The claim was a tender expression that seemed to be of his liking for the affection implied. 

“ High expectations, you are excited about someone after all.” 

“ House of Atreus, we are all about greatness. If we love you, we are going to make you the best and Patroclus is already the most kind spirited person I know. I would give him the world if I could, but atta wants to own it for himself and that brings me some limitations.” 

He could have answered with a mere anecdotic reference, but he felt like doing something more. 

“ Tell your dear Patroclus that the best he can do is not let poets sweet talk him on the way because the reality of the men you call heroes isn’t as inherently poetic, and that in other regions I am also referenced as a ‘ breaker of horses.´ That one is disturbing, I love horses as much as most trojans. “

She smiled and kept listening, no clever sounding replies interrupting him that time. 

“ I did have an experience around tamers, but it’s not the actual reason I’m being called like that. If you still would like to know.. It happened a long time ago, when some mischievous adventure of Paris got us both in trouble and our father sent us to work with common people as a lesson. He worked as a shepherd and I was with the horse raisers. “ 

She was clearly surprised and amused to hear that. 

“ Paris,a shepherd? I would have paid to see that, even when it doesn’t seem to have changed much. He still acts like a spoiled prince used to having anything he wants being handled to him.” 

“ In fact, he learned a lot from that experience.” Hector corrected her. “ You have no idea of how more whimsical he used to be before that. As for me, I can't complain.  I loved to raise horses. I actually wouldn’t mind a peaceful season where I could do that again.`` 

The playful wishfulness in his voice near the end was a bit heartbreaking. 

“ It feels to me that you are very tired of fighting, don’t you?”  She teased him kindly. “ Feed the poets only once, give me a nice tale I can tell to my friend along with those words of wisdom and then you are done for the rest of the stay. One fight with the overconfident dumbass that you would get as an opponent and that’s all. “ 

“ … What if said man is the King?”

“ Odysseus? I don’t think so, it’s most likely that he would want to brag with the bow of his grandfather. It’s the only weapon that never leaves this palace when he goes for war, a true symbol of his kingly right to rule among the ithacans. Legend says that no one can wield it, not out of a prohibition, but because he is the only man who can actually make it work.” 

Hector’s expression spoke for him, he was thinking about Paris and worrying about what he could do when presented with that information.  

“ Do you think your brother is overconfident enough to try it?” 

“ Absolutely.” He pointed out. “ It’s the kind of thing he would try in hopes of impressing you, he is a wonderful archer.” 

Her face turned bright of happiness and he would have liked to guess why. 

“ Hector, you just improved my day!” She exclaimed in an attempt to explain herself. “ Not that I want to be mean to him, but that is a perfect way to beat him in his own game. He will not tense that string, not even if Apollo would come down to help him.” 

Her precipitated thinking process was weird to witness, her mind would jump too quickly from one thought to another without any clarifications to the witness. Hector wasn’t able to guess that she figured the situation out as a clever idea the Ithacan king found to subtly encourage him over his brother for his personal motives with them. 

“ Is there anything else i can help you with, your majesty?” 

In the relaxed spirit of the interaction, she felt encouraged to ask something that only she wanted to know. 

“ How were you going to be named if you were born a girl?” 

The question seemed so out of place that he was sincerely wondered by it. 

“ I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t seeing that coming. “ He joked. “ Why would you want to know that? “ 

“ All parents eventually tell their children the baby name plans, how they expected them to be like while they were waiting for their birth… Did Priam ever imagine you could be a girl?” 

“.. What a weird thing to wonder, sure he did. “ Hector clarified. “ My name would have been Cassandra.” 

“ Orestes.” She playfully shared hers. “ The girl name was thought of by my mother and our trojan friend.He only approved the one he liked the most from a list they came up with.” 

He remembered that the mentioned name was the same she used for the character of the ithacan prince during their tricky meeting at the beach. 

“ You have a wicked sense of humor, it will take me time to get used to it.” 

When the pointed time presented itself and the games were about to begin there was a certain feeling of silent complicity between them and it got some attention. The princess knew that Odysseus was catching It and she was having fun with that, internally laughing at his hopes while engaging in a silly competition of guesses with the trojan. They were trying to see whose advice would work the better and her competitive spirit against Hector, although harmless, was something that would have made Achilles very proud if he could have seen it. 

Despite having abandoned the initial harshness, she kept challenging Hector in what was almost like a remote team work between them. Ríght there, sitting next to the queen while remaining in the company of her loyal servant friend, she was making them witnesses of a wordless conversation she was having with the prince purely based on interpretation of expressions. Judging him more stubborn than what she could have imagined before, she couldn't wait until the moment he would eventually realize that he had no choice but to take her advice and make it work. 

In a relatively short amount of time some of the best men on the island gathered to the call of the king. A vague ask to her cousin let the princess know that neither Eupeithes or his son were at sight siding with the ithacans. Along with the reunited locals there were only the mycenaean and trojan visitors. Hector was ríght next to his brother and, for once, Paris seemed more excited than him about taking a challenge. The aesthetical spectacle he was making had a clear purpose: all in his appearance screamed how badly he wanted to look brave for her.

Instead of the blue cape that was part of the trojan uniform, Paris was wearing one made of leopard's fur that he would only get rid of later when picking up his bow would be necessary. She wanted to laugh,but it was less funny than what it should have been because he was somehow managing the goal. To the eyes of someone who wouldn't have seen him before, he would have looked like a brave champion about to get glory. Seeing some of his interactions with her men gave her a clue of where he got that idea. While she was talking with his brother he must have been with them, gathering whatever information they thought they knew about her through informal conversation. Someone must have told him about the reward Achilles got from her after his victory in Argos. 

Guessing how much he was about to annoy her for the sake of that, she tried to focus on listening to the introductory speech of Odysseus to pretend to be busy with something else and avoid his furtive glances.

" My intention isn't to feed the flames of hate between us, but to get rid of any aggressiveness before our minds would get to work on rational solutions for our problems. " He was saying while the young prince was exhibiting himself in what looked like a fighter-like stance, hoping that would get the attention of the princess on him. " Our differences shouldn't be hidden or ignored in order for us to reach understandment. Let's celebrate our rivalries, shall these games make our battle ground so we can all reconcile around my table!! " 

Everyone showed enthusiastic approval to his words and Paris used the disruption in his favor. As soon as the situation made her stop avoiding looking at him, he winked at her. Less subtle than before, loaded with meaning, the shameless gesture surprised her in a way that left her unable to show the complete unamusement she was supposed to. 

Even Penelope had some degree of amazement over it. 

" I start to think my husband may have betted on the wrong horse. " She whispered to her. " That one is all over you, I don't remember when was the last time I was wanted like that as an unmarried woman." 

" Horses can go back to the stables, the one that owns me is a lion. " Was the reply she obtained from the girl, what made her chuckle in approval. 

" Good to see you at ease about this. " Ereny added. " It seems like Paris no longer cares for dissimulating his particular desires. I may be wrong, but that felt to me like an invitation to his bedchamber."  

" You are not wrong, dear. It was. " The Queen confirmed for her. " I never saw a man so eager to bed his possible cause of death."

The three women shared a few careless laughs, not having to worry about being heard by the kids. Telemachus and Melantho were at sight, but at a certain distance from them, since both wanted to see the event from a closer viewpoint.

To a gestural sign of Odysseus, Penelope abandoned her seat. There were glimpses of excitement being shared by both and the mycenaean girls suspected that it should be about something they were preparing together. 

" The first trial I have for you is an archery challenge. " The king informed and Paris was unable to hide how pleased he was with that. " I choose to start with this because it is a personal favorite for a series of reasons. As you must know, I am famous for my tendency of turning things weirdly and unnecessarily complicated. " 

The joke gained a good flow of chuckles, mostly from the ithacans. 

" I have participated in games in Mycenae, I know how you like to make things. I can't say the same about Troy, but I am sure that this is nothing like everything you have seen before." 

Hector glanced at the mycenaean lady and she gifted him with a silent chuckle. Even if Odysseus' words weren't explicit bait for Paris, those were working as such. 

" What a coincidence! Archery is my favorite event as well." The youngest trojan prince commented. " Let me warn you that in Troy nobody can beat the precision of my shots." 

" But none of those competitions were designed by me. " Penelope interrupted, making Odysseus smile with pride. " I have come up with this idea all by myself and, since then, we haven't tested it many times with guests. It is one we save for very special occasions. My husband has attempted it on his shot practices and accomplished it in front of me, the reason why I will be the judge, hoping that wouldn't be a matter of objection for the contestants." 

The power that woman emanated through her attitude and phrasing was of everyone's admiration. Even if someone wanted to object, they wouldn't dare to do it. Penelope was that much mighty, despite being the queen of a small insular kingdom. 

The young princess witnessing such a display was in awe, remembering once more why she was an inspiration for her.

For once, Hector abandoned his polite silence and replied ahead of Paris. 

" None of my men would have a problem with that. " 

" I mean ... are we all doing this only to impress each other? " He followed him. " Being judged by a lady feels more honest to me, measuring ourselves isn't fun if there aren't women watching. We may keep pretending this is all about us, but we all have been there. You should have seen Hector the last time Princess Andromache came to visit us." 

The mere mention of that episode seemed to bring a bit of shame to the eldest brother. It was a tease, a blatant mock about a woman. 

The two mycenaean girls stared at each other and laughed. Louder than before, chuckles that weren't enough to be a distraction but could be heard as a shy echo. They discovered that the woman of the rumors had a name, those laughs were mocks born out of the freeing feeling of being about to debunk the mad plan of Odysseus. 

" Paris, you managed to miss the point once more. " Hector corrected him as an attempt to deviate from the topic. " The Queen created the challenge and that is enough for her to claim the place of judge. "

" Our princess brought us here, it would be dumb to refuse the judgement of her cousin. " A mycenaean commented, attempting to close the issue. " We are already contesting for her. " 

She smiled at the comment of that soldier, gesturally thanking all the participants of her crew. 

 Penelope proceeded to show them the setup of the game before Paris could get to answer with any flirty commentary for the girl. In front of them was a line of twelve axes forming a circuit. 

" As you can appreciate by yourselves, this test doesn't involve a traditional target. '' She explained them. " The goal is shooting an arrow that could pass through the holes of this twelve axeheads, a number I didn't pick out of casuality. Twelve: one for each olympian god."

Getting the perfect shot was even more complicated than what it looked like, but that didn’t seem to worry the young trojan. He trusted in his skills, thinking too highly of himself as an archer to even consider the possibility of messing his shot. The symbolic goal attached to it had him more preoccupied than the trial itself; his chances of getting some interested attention from the mycenaean through that little feat was what he cared the most about. If that was what she liked, he was more than happy to indulge her with a display of his courage. He wouldn’t be fighting mighty warriors or taking over cities, but there were other ways to generate a similar impression. 

After Odysseus commented to have chosen saving his turn for last, he manifested a preference for going right before him. In the meantime, he would constantly try to capture his intended audience through gestural communication meant to build expectancy. She would sometimes answer him, merely acknowledging his presence with that, but he began to notice certain glances of Hector interrupting the comebacks. Only then he began to see a bit of coming and going between them. He immediately associated it with a certain controlling will of his brother, guessing his intentions and intending to prevent him from acting over those. In the simplistic interpretation of the situation, he was guessed an idiot about to ruin an already tense political situation out of his erotical desire. 

He wouldn’t deny it: he wanted to sleep with that beautiful greek girl. However, in his mindset, that wasn’t necessarily endangering Troy. What he wanted and what could be good for his city were two things that could coexist. Sex, like any other bonding activity, could be a route to create allies. The princess of Mycenae wasn’t only a ravishing maiden, she proved to be a quite clever strategist versed in the informal mechanisms of greek politics. Spending a season as her lover, enjoying the pleasures of her nocturnal company as he very much wanted to, could be beneficial in the long term. The future queen of the mycenaeans, possibly of all the greeks if the military power of her father would keep growing over time, would find herself bonded to Troy through something more than the origins of her favorite slave. Even if it would be only through the reminder of how well he made her feel in bed, she would be willing to help him in case of need. It wasn’t some sort of manipulation tactic, but a possible side perk in the already exciting opportunity to seduce her. 

One by one, all the other men contesting did their attempts with a wide variety of results, but not a single perfect success. Paris initiated his well calculated acting by taking off his cape to later pace in the direction of the girl in order to place it over her lap. 

“ Would you hold this for me, princess?”  He seductively asked her. “ It would be just an instant, I need to get comfortable if I want to do this.” 

With the advice of Hector in mind, she fought the urge of replying something over the lines of ‘ Don’t you have servants for that?’ and throw it in the ground. 

“ I don’t mind, at all.. I really don’t care.” 

“ I want you to see this, I will get that shot done for you and bring you the glory that your soldiers couldn’t.” 

Every fiber of her being wanted to answer ‘ Nevermind about the glory, they have conquered Argos for me.’ and make fun of his militar incapacity, but she restrained herself once more. 

“ Who says I want that?” 

“ I heard that your touch is a prized reward for brave actions and I don't want to be less than the heroes that you pamper.” 

Although he intended it to be a tease referencing the story of Achilles’s anointment ceremony, something he surely got to hear from the very prideful mycenaeans who would share it with anyone asking things about her, the mere mention of it coming from the trojan upsetted her. 

“ That is not of your business… I didn’t want to be part of that, I did it because I had to.” She lied, disguising the truth with a facade of hurted honor.  ``It's called a sense of duty.” 

“ You don’t need to justify yourself to me. I’m trying to show you that I can be anything you want, if you let me.” 

His attitude was unbelievable, not in a positively remarkable way, yet Paris seemed to catch the core of her advice about appearances given to Hector without having listened to it and while using it for drastically different motives. From the information he got he concluded that, in order to seduce her, he needed to at least appear as a worthy rival for the kind of men considered admirable in Greece. Appeal to societal values, play by her cultural rules in the measure of his possibilities. He knew himself in possession of certain characteristics that could resemble the preferred ideal and he was making a show out of that, intending to impress her through that performance. 

To the shock of many greeks, he achieved the goal of the challenge in just one try. Enthusiastical cheering fell upon him and he was about to self declare the best archer, but things didn't end there. Odysseus still had his available turn in the contest and his magnificent bow was about to steal any credibility on the trojan's feat. As soon as both saw the bow, the mycenaean lady directed a furtive glance towards Hector. It was a silent ' I told you so' that he catched immediately. 

Her cockiness only grew as every detail on her estimated prediction came to happen. The king's shot outshined Paris' and the quick success of the first try made him be overconfident enough to challenge him directly. Despite Penelope herself advising him against it, the arrogant prince asked her husband for a chance to do one last try with his bow and arrows and the expected outcome presented itself.

 He struggled with all his strengths, but couldn't even tense the string. He began to seriously wonder if the rebel weapon was hexed out of pure desperation to make it work, a comment that brought genuine chuckles out of the Ithacan king. Eventually, the failure of his muscular resistance forced Paris to give up, which seemed to truly impress the trojan crew. Clearly the amazement didn't come from a sincere belief in the image of himself he was trying to project, but because his skill in archery was remarkable despite the fact that he wasn't a warrior. The trojans wouldn't have imagined their bowman prince literally being defeated by a bow, what actually worked as a clever way for Odysseus to show his mightiness without having to fight Hector to prove himself exceptional. 

In his humiliated retree, after the royal couple still congratulated him for the attempt, Paris ended up being reached by Melantho and Telemachus. 

" Your performance was amazing, sir. I was cheering for you the whole time. " The little girl comforted him while offering him a piece of cloth to clean his sweat. " Your arms are a gift of Apollo and you remain as the best trojan archer. " 

" You are an idiot." The boy added, in blatant contrast. " That first shot was awesome and you ruined everything for nothing. My father is the only man whose strength that bow obbeys. Was it worthy to get your arms sore for a pretty girl?" 

The trojan prince smiled as if the best idea would have come to him through the nagging. 

" It was... Indeed! "

He would have gone right afterwards to put his new thing on practice, renewed excitement as he realized that the game wasn't fully lost. However, Ereny ran out his direct excuse of approach by handing him the fur cape in her princess' place and that forced him to remain for some more time aligned close to his people to witness the other events. 

Taking the choice with the past events in consideration, Hector ended up engaging in a  combat of deportive characteristics against an Ithacan challenger. Paris couldn't imagine any reason making him change his mind after emphatically refusing to make a performance out of himself, but his act drove the audience wild. He intended to keep an eye on the princess' reactions to the fighting of his brother out of curiosity and then he found something even more intriguing about her. 

She seemed amused and not in a sense of entertained admiration. The daughter of the eldest Atreide was holding her chuckles, as if something would be hilarious to her, but he couldn't understand what was that. 

He couldn't wait to get to talk to her, but he held his excitement until a proper moment where the two of them could be relatively alone. There were certain things he needed to say to her, but those shouldn't be heard by anyone else. 

" Your men have been trying to comfort me out of my longing for you. " He straightfully confessed to her. " They say that your heart is an impenetrable fortress and your desire is unreachable, since not even the provocations of Achilles were enough to beat your resistance. From what i understood, he is considered as the most desired man in Greece and he got quite disappointed with your rejection." 

" It was a bathing ceremony and he asked for it to anger my father because they hate each other. " She simply replied, trying to take away any valorative implications. " I'm actually growing tired of hearing it being referenced as if it was my greatest feat. " 

"... What I would give to be in your hands like he was! You have no idea. " The prince continued in an infatuated sounding tone. " If i would have been in his place, you could have done with me whatever you would have wanted. " 

" Bold of you to assume you wouldn't have found the same fate he did "

"Do i have to believe you are the femenine version of Hector? For as much I heard men describing you in similar terms, I don't buy it. '' Was his rather fun comeback. " You don't seem like that to me, In the slightest. You like risk... fun."  

" That depends on your way to define fun. " She corrected him. " Fun like jokes and interesting conversation? I am great at that, I am a fun girl.. Fun like, sneaking in the dark with a man to let him explore the forbidden límits of my beauty? Not at all, I am very boring. I barely date when my father arranges it for me, but that doesn't happen often and those tend to be terrible." 

" I am nothing like those men, you know that. Although archery is a great strength of mine, the amatory arts are my true talent. I'm not a warrior, i'm a lover. Bed is the ground where I achieve glory and my honor is in my partner's pleasure. " 

" Is that supposed to impress me?" 

" I would be happy if it tempts you. " He tried to tease her again. " Aren't you curious over what the hands of a bowman can do for you? Wielding a spear or a sword is about grip, but to be good with the bow you need to know how to use your fingers well. " 

His flirty claim was followed by a smirk that he intended to be perceived as tempting and mischievous in equal amounts. 

" You may think you are being ultimately provocative, but all that tells me is that through my skill as a seamstress I could be trying archery." Was her unamused conclusion. " I have quick and precise fingers too, got that skill through another activity. " 

" May you lay those on me and use them to help me relieve the pain I have acquired in your name?" He sweetly begged. " My shoulders and back are in need of good hands." 

" Sure, I will fix that for you. " She assured him without specifying how and proceeding to send a subtle sign to Hector so he would approach them. 

His amused expression almost replied for him.

" Your brother needs someone to help him out with muscle soreness and he made the mistake of coming to me. “ She informed him. “ You must deal with that sort of thing from time to time, right?” 

“ Unfortunately, I do. Most fighters do.” 

She seemed careless about the acotation, exaggerating just to look extremely unamused by both of them. Hector felt himself about to laugh in front of her because of how she was obviously making fun of his advice. 

“Handle that yourself, you would do it better than me and I really need to go if I want to get ready for the banquet party on time. "

With that, leaving both brothers behind, she headed to get herself into the announced task. It was a perceived requirement she needed to accomplish for the upcoming part of the celebrations, particularly because of a very important detail. Odysseus didn’t have to explicitly solicitate her to wear the blue dress for her to know that was what he wanted her to do. That party was most likely to be the motive he had in mind when he specifically requested her to pack it with her things, besides from the fact that his palace was the very same place where years before she intended to show her once brand new creation. That was the aspect that made her excited about it, but she was also afraid of sending the wrong message with that, specially under the consideration of how Paris’ flirtatious attitude was reaching sexual territory. 

Her pride defeated her fears, since her wish to finally show off her looks in those garments was stronger than her care for his opinions. The idea of going back home to tell Hesione what her own people commented about her looks in that dress was making her very happy regardless of Paris. Ereny shared that feeling, since she was part of the making process of a thing that never got them their deserved glory. After all, that was the only form of it they were able to obtain as women; recognition about beauty and the skillfulness of their laborious hands.Everyone involved was prideful of the result, but they were all stripped from any glory on the silence enforced in the punishment of the mycenaean king. It was a chance for vindication that they weren’t going to let pass. The glorious praise for the well done work they did together had to come, they waited years for it. 

To fit along with the beautiful dress, the sweet handmaid had a special surprise for her friend that she prepared in secret on the rush of her whiles away from her. She awaited until the very exact moment where she knew she would be asked to help with the fitting of that dress in order to show it to her, excitement taking over her because of how she simply knew that the lady was going to love it. 

A new belt, a simple but wonderful piece made of seashells. 

“ I took the liberty of using our share of the treasure we gathered with the prince to make this. '' She explained to her while allowing her to admire it in amazed silence. “ I am the only one here who knows what seashells mean for you, so it is safe.  I like to see it as a symbolic hug, a reminder of Achilles that will be embracing your waist.” 

“ You are the sweetest woman in the country.” Her princess began to thank her. “ I don’t have words.. You are such a wonderful friend, my beloved... and to think that I thought you were about to start cheering for Hector! You tricky deceiver, this is awesome! “ 

She hugged her tightly while repeating once more how much she loved her. 

“ It’s not like I didn't have the right inspiration to think on doing this. “ The servant girl attenuated her accomplishment. “ I saw your man clinging to your waist enough times back in Mycenae.” 

The loveful tease made her feel a bit ashamed. 

“ A downside of being my personal servant, because he can’t do it in public. “ As she was speaking, the last sentence brought another idea into her consideration. “ … but this will be in public display. This may be not only a personal sentimental token for me, a sweet reminder of our love. it is also a mark. One that no one else understands, I am telling everyone else that I belong to him in a message they can’t decipher. “ 

Ereny was surprised to have missed that point before. 

“ … I guess you are about to tease yourself in his name too. Wouldn't it be nice to not become a mess in public because of him just for once?” 

“ You brought this to me, my friend. Maybe Aphrodite put that idea in your mind. “ The princess answered to her mockery. “ Think about it. The functionality of the belt is to keep the dress in place and I am going to be wearing mine as a secret symbol only I associate with Achilles.. In a party where it will be on display for the fool who will be trying to seduce me, who keeps hopes of undressing me tonight. Can you sense how deliciously ironic this is? “ 

Their mischievousness grew with the shared realization.

“ Whatever he thinks he is doing, I only hope Paris would give us a good fashion show for our little contest. Not that the leopard fur wasn’t an over the top thing worthy of accounting on the verdict even if it wasn’t part of the main outfit we were analyzing.” 

The reminder brought a chuckle out of the young noble girl. 

“ … All the men are going to be reunited… maybe even Eupeithes will show up. It would be such a waste if only both of us would be making judgements. “ 

Ereny’s eyes went wide out of pure excitement, guessing exactly what she was talking about. 

“ Please, tell me that you are going to do it.” 

“ I owe it to Helen, she would have loved to see them all losing their minds with our fabricated dilemma.“ The princess explained right before dropping a playful conclusion. “We designed it together under the specific purpose of serving as a test of character for men on the basis of their greatest ambitions. That is precisely what I need right now: to spot the greedier men of this kingdom and eliminate suspects in the case of the trojans while exposing Paris as the horny danger he is.” 

[streets-in-paradise]

No Space for Loneliness

Troy (2004) Reader Insert Fanfiction - Part 19 

 Masterlist 

Word Count  +17 K

Characters (Most Mentioned): Hector, Paris, Mycenaean Princess!Reader, Odysseus, Penelope, Ereny (OC),Telemachus, Melantho. 

Relationships: Platonical -  Hector and Paris being siblings, various kinds of friendships among different characters.

                         Romantical - Odysseus x Penelope, Achilles x Mycenaean Princess!Reader ( mentioned or implied.)

Warnings: None. (this is one is pretty chill.)

Summary: As the formal welcome of the trojans takes place on the ithacan palace, the clueless mycenaeans seem themselves forced to develop a processing strategy. While their princess tries to figure them out, Hector and Paris intend to do the same with her for completely opposite reasons. The eldest prince wants to decipher the contradictory messages that her attitude towards him implies, but his brother seems completely fixated on the task of getting her attention. On the context of their first day together, surprises began to emerge on both sides. 

Notes:  In this i included a story inspired in a headcanon I have explaining the blue outfits seen in the film. I get the impression that the style in those costumes fits much better as something Paris would wear, and this was the startpoint for those headcanons. 

Tags: @yerevasunclair @mysticaldeanvoidhorse​ @spideyanakin-interacts @spideyanakin @awakenedevildays​ @alaysha-of-middleearth​

The walk to the palace was quite tense and the mycenaeans tried to be less talkative, but it was impossible because Paris was walking in the middle of them and constantly bringing up things for conversation. The princess wanted to hear what Odysseus and Hector were saying but she only managed to catch fragments of their conversation because the younger trojan was being a very tenacious and effective distraction. 

For the little she heard, she guessed that they were already discussing politics. Hector was quite angry and his way of showing it was going ríght to the point he cared the most. However, he wasn't accomplishing much because Telemachus impeded him for quite a while. His interventions worked as a softening agent because watching him trying to keep up with the grown ups was distractive for his mood. The little boy was trying to get a “prince to prince talk” with him and it was hard to keep a serious stance near him, which worked indirectly for the benefit of Odysseus. She heard him laugh once at his infantile occurrences while trying to avoid deviants in the topic. 

She wanted so badly to make her contribution on it, especially after catching Hector mentioning something about attacks on ships of the trojans and allied kingdoms. What at first seemed like a taxing issue could be potentially more complex and she wanted to get involved, but Paris wouldn't let her simply because he wouldn't stop creating a separated conversation among the three of them. 

She guessed that he was trying to entertain them, but it didn't make it less annoying. Only when he asked about Odysseus and his uses with the arrival of foreigners as an attempt to understand the mock he pulled on him did the talk make any sense to her at least. 

" Being the smartest person in the room sometimes can become his favorite game, but I can't complain because it is a flaw we share. " She briefly explained to him.

Ereny was providing the most compelling replies because she didn't mind being truly involved in a casual interaction with him. She didn't have any immediate need to worry about politics. 

" It was a nice revival of our childhood games. We grew up together and back then we used to pretend to be sisters to confuse visitors who never saw us before. You wouldn't believe how many people we have fooled with that." 

" It still works, I'm very impressed." He easily admitted. " For two girls who aren't sisters, you pretty much feel as such in every act, I wouldn't have suspected otherwise.”. 

" I'm her handmaid. My name is Ereny." 

He looked adorably surprised. 

" Thanks for revealing yourself to me, I wouldn't have guessed it so easily even when you have already affirmed to be a servant. " 

" I don't see why not." She hesitantly replicated. 

" Look at yourself, Ereny. We are in Ithaca... Who can afford you here??" 

He made her laugh and he had to insist.

" Seriously, you are splendid and whoever decided to give you responsibility over your lady's beauty took an excellent choice. " 

She didn't mind the relatively innocent flattery, but her friend wasn't going to tolerate it easily. 

" Don't mess with Eny. " She cutted him in a menacing tone. " You can't do it, never. She is completely off limits for you. "

Paris noticed how quickly he got her full attention back and couldn't resist pointing it out. 

" Don't worry, princess. I just want to be my nicest with your friend. "

" Is that your answer? Are you going to assume that I'm a princess now?" 

" It's my nickname for you until I can figure out how to call you. " Paris clarified, unaware of how close he was to the truth. " Your game is exciting. My brother isn't interested, but i want to play with you. " 

She didn’t want it to sound as such, but his tone made the last sentence feel like a tease. The spice in his attempts of teasing was starting to escalate and she had no idea of how to properly react to that. Normally, no man other than Achilles would dare to be so shameless with her. When being in public with him she would limitate to silently enjoy it and pretend otherwise, but that wasn't the case then because she wasn't looking for the attention of Paris. She tried to rush her mind into remembering any of the evasive strategies she saw Helen using for unwanted interactions with men, but in the hurry she couldn't think of anything useful. 

She opted for being herself and hushing him in her way, acting like the protective friend she has always been.

" Keep bothering me, I don't care, but stay away from her. As soon as you make her uncomfortable, we are done. " 

" Don't worry, Paris. I will let you know if you cross the line." Ereny warned him kindly. " I'm not afraid of doing it, you seem very easy to talk to. " 

" I see, talking is no problem with him. " Her friend added in a subtle mock, directing her words back at him later. " Let's keep with the game. Do you have any more questions for me?"

The prince chose his words carefully. 

" What does a man have to do if he wants to be interesting to you?" 

She should have seen it coming, but didn't. 

" Really?? Everything you asked before, i could answer. I'm not going to tell you that. " 

" The rules don't specify any limits on the asking. " 

" How is that going to tell you anything about who i am?" 

" You have me so confused, I want to figure out which one of the two girls we knew today is the real you: the one who gave that anti heroism speech to Hector or the protagonist of that tavern tale about a hero, that I sincerely hope to be a lie. " 

Her priority was protecting herself from the consequences of the verbal accidents that Telemachus caused. She couldn't prevent him from making that comment, but now she had to make sure to leave no suspects. 

" I'm both of those girls and also neither of them. " 

Answering in a riddle was  vague enough, a way to be honest without exposure.

" Please, no more riddles! " He playfully complained. " You know exactly what I meant. " 

His disconcert was quite cute and she decided to give him a bit more information in order to calm him. 

" He is a friend of Odysseus who barely acknowledges my existence. " A blatant lie of reply. " His name is intimidating and part of the scheme was intimidating you, that's why Telemachus included that reference. He must have thought that it was a good idea because Achilles is the last person you want to know about when you are getting threatened. Any greek knows that. " 

It was enough, a satisfying half lie for him.

" Of course, he is the attack beast of the mycenaeans. The country's worst fear, I guess. "

Instead of making her angrily defensive, the offensive take provided her with an excellent motivation. In a completely accidental way, Paris inspired her into a change of focus. A great idea crossed her mind, making her see that her initial inability to think coldly made her face the issue from the wrong perspective. 

Instead of worrying about Hector's fame among the greeks as the most qualified hero in the competition for the spot of Achilles, she was going to work on the myrmidon warrior's fame among the trojans. The excitement about all the possibilities changed her attitude as she started thinking about all the tasks she had ahead, the first one being getting to know and analyze the trojan perspective on him. 

The goal wouldn't be that time about getting people to like him, it was about making him be better known by the foreigners. His name getting more mentions, the tales of his feats being shared overseas once the crew would take her tellings with them to Troy. They would be talking about him. It wouldn't matter if they would do it out of fear, disbelief or real curiosity. 

" Is that a personal opinion or is that how you all see him in Troy? Achilles can be accused of many things, being mindlessly loyal to Agamemnon isn't one of those. " She pointed out to the prince, keeping the needed distance in the affirmation. " I will have so much fun fixing all your misconceptions about Greece." 

Paris kept deviating the point of the talk, making it about her taste as he was trying to figure out his chances with her. 

" You are a smart woman, I guessed that your taste would be more refined. I don't see you seeking the company of brute soldiers and, apparently, I was ríght." 

" I do like men who are willing to stick to their words and defend what they say with actions. "

It was the most polite way that occurred to her to explain that she wasn't into him. 

" That was hurtful, but fair. '' Paris quickly striked back. " What you saw wasn't me at my best... I still have time to surprise you.`` 

She didn't bother trying to not seem careless about the warning, proceeding to ignore him in favor of making her desired entrance on the improvised political talk.

" Greeks shouldn't be a problem to you after what you did to the spartans. " She casually commented to Hector, a controversial stance giving some push to the discussion. 

" I'm trying to explain to him that, if my father were a pirate king, my mother would have already noticed it and she wouldn't be happy about it. " Telemachus replied instead. " My parents never argue, so he must be wrong. " 

His simplistic interpretation was quite cute. Still, he managed to understand that Odysseus wanted to incentivize the conversation between the mycenaean and the trojan. 

Following his father's directives, he stopped distracting them and allowed the adult talk to flow better. 

" Go ahead, dear. Don't be shy. " The Ithacan king encouraged the young princess. " Speak your mind, delight us with your guesses. " 

With the given permission to speak freely, the girl let herself go. 

" You trojans may be insanely rich, but it doesn't justify it. Those men have to be blinded by greed or just extremely stupid to actively come for you. Let me remind you, Hector, that you accomplished what was once impossible: expelling the spartans and breaking their king's will to keep trying more incursions. " She calmly explained. " In these conditions, the only greeks fearless enough to consider looking for troubles with you are the myrmidons, but I wouldn't bother in making them suspects. The kind of attack you described isn't their style. They are brave to a point that looks crazy and their strikes are always frontal. Who you are looking for are greedy cowards taking it on the little cities in the shadow of your greatness. " 

The precise amount of detail in her advice was astonishing. 

" How can you assure all of this?" Hector asked, slightly surprised. 

" Femenine intuition... and an accurate knowledge of how things work around here. " She joked, keeping the mystery just to mess with him. 

" I want to make it stop without having to result in the loss of lifes. " 

" In that we agree, but I have to say that your conclusions are a bit insulting. Are you here looking for answers because you think the Ithacans are the thieves? Under which proofs? Don't bother using old times reputation as evidence, i want facts. " 

" Ithaca is involved in clandestine commerce and I wouldn't be surprised if they found a way to avoid us and Agamemnon with the same efficiency. I'm not blaming them for those particular crimes, but this is a great place to start asking the ríght questions. " 

Against any predictions on his behavior, Paris intervened to strengthen the point of his brother. 

" We aren't here to blame anyone, but because we know of Odysseus's consulting role in greek politics. Since he took the lead on inviting us first, asking for some wise advice and information can't do any harm.”

The two circumstantial sides of the argument, the lady and his brother, found themselves surprised at the same time. In her case it was with the warning still fresh in her mind while in his,it was because he started wondering if they may have found a way to make him focus on what needed to be done. 

On his part, Odysseus was sure of having everyone exactly where he wanted them to be. 

" If I accept this proposal, would you be willing to discuss your tax policy? The honest merchants of my island are struggling because of your taxes. You count Greece as one single homogeneous territory while the truth of living here is drastically different. " 

With the talk deviated to the main point they wanted to make, the princess made her part and collaborated with further argumentation. 

" Stop punishing them and everyone else for Mycenae and Sparta.The situation in insular Greece ain't like theirs. " She simplified. " By taxing every greek ship with your enemies as reference all you accomplish is winning more enemies. Keep ruining places like this and the moment Agamemnon decides that he has had enough with Troy, he will find supporters. " 

The king couldn't help smiling to himself, satisfied with her words. 

Hector was starting to get suspicious in the ríght direction. In the heat of the discussion, her way of speaking about Ithaca changed. As if she was trying to defend the point of a king who wasn't hers, talking of the ithacans with certain distance. 

Still, what truly triggered it for him was her last sentence. 

" Do I have to take that as a threat?"

" No, it's some of the advice your brother says you are asking for. It didn't come from Odysseus, but I would use it if I were you." 

" This is wonderful, dear. I love to see you so committed. Are you willing to help me out with this? " The king asked, playing the fool like it wasn't his plan all along " You don't have to if you don't want to. After all, you are here just to see family." 

It was her time to pretend a shocked agreement of his proposal, but she decided to take advantage of the situation. 

" Allow me to attend one council meeting and I'm in. "

It was too much, but she had the guts of asking it anyways. 

" You know I can't do that." 

" If he finds out, I will be the one who would have to stand his anger for the longest time. Even if you have the courage to face him with me, you will go and I will have to stay and deal with him. Make the punishments that he will surely apply on me feel worthy by giving me a chance to be part of something I would love to do." 

Once more, they ended up in a short altercation. 

" It's against the law either with him or here." Odysseus was trying to explain to her. " Even if I could, he would kill me for doing It. " 

" If you can evade taxes, you can also make this for me. You broke the law once. What's wrong with breaking it twice?" 

" It's tradition.I can't fight it." 

" If you want my help, risk something. "

Listening carefully to them, Paris thought that it was his time to shine. It occurred to him that he could indulge the request to impress her. 

" Give it for granted, princess. If he doesn't, we will take you. " 

The little ray of hope Hector thought he had was extinguished and he had to stop him before he could do something extremely foolish.

" Paris, even in Troy it would be forbidden. " He added. " Getting in serious trouble for supporting her will accomplish nothing. Either for her or us, it's pointless. " 

The mere idea of how much he almost risked without noticing it was surreal to her. 

" I have to say I'm impressed. " She commented ríght back at the young trojan. " Risking breaking the organizational core of law for a woman you don't know at all just because you are attracted to her? I know you have spent some time on the sea, but i didn't imagine you were that desperate. " 

The clever joke almost managed to make Hector laugh, but he restrained himself for the sake of Paris and his honor. 

" I want to do something nice for the real you. " The lad excused himself. 

" And I could be manipulating you into making me get what I want, but I choose not to. Instead i'm showing you how dumb you would be if you do that while representing your country. " She líed, knowing well that on another occasion she would have done it. Paris seemed to be so politically naive that she simply couldn't do that to him. 

Of course, he insisted. 

" I can take the personal blame because it was my idea. Whoever wants to complain can do it individually." 

Odysseus intervened again to avoid bursting into laughter after imagining how that could possibly go. 

" Are you serious,lad? " He asked in a mischievous tone, making the girls feel that he was close to hinting at the last reveal. 

" Of course I am!" Was the prince's determining reply. 

"... Would you personally and individually present yourself in front of the mycenaean king to tell him that you encouraged his daughter to break a fundamental law in a country you don't rule? How do you think that he would react while witnessing a son of Priam disrespecting his authority as greek King of Kings and father of this girl?" 

Paris was shocked and disconcerted, but in awe of the surprise while Hector was horrified. Not by her, because he only saw his worst suspects confirmed with the clarification. He was thinking back on his brother's reactions during their encounters and the danger within his every action. 

" Don't say a word." He ordered him

The princess smiled innocently at both, who wouldn't stop staring at her. 

" Welcome to Greece, your majesties!" She improvised as an entrance speech. " I'm a bit shier than what i look like when i'm playing to be someone else, but i'm pleased to meet you as this sort of unofficial mycenaean representative i think I have become. Until today I had no idea that you were on your way here and Agamemnon isn't here to ruin it. Fortunately for you, it's only me. " 

" She is my wife's second cousin, we haven't seen her in a long time. " Odysseus commented. " You don't know how hard it was to bring her here. He only trusts her to his brother in Sparta. My Penelope asked me to plead to Agamemnon for her and get a visit, I couldn't say no to her. 

" Everyone loves her, not even him could say no. " She completed his tale, knowing that it was most likely for Penelope to have been on board with her husband's plan the whole time. " The arrangements for your invitations and mine were handled separately at different times, he forgot to tell me because i'm not a political visit... and because father wouldn't have allowed me to travel alone if he knew of two foreign princes wandering around at the same time. " 

Paris couldn't resist the temptation of doing his kind of commentary, even knowing it would piss off Hector. 

"... Are we being spoiled with a free glimpse of the most precious jewel in Agamemnon's treasure? Odysseus, what a welcome! Your hospitality is the weirdest, but it rewards you for it. "

" In fact, Paris, your affirmation is correct in at least one aspect. '' She replied, looking for words that could neutralize the tone. " Despite that I don't like it, seeing me alone is a privilege because i'm not usually allowed to travel without him or my uncle." 

" This has been a very strange day... '' Hector limited himself to comment. " Everything was unexpected, but this goes beyond any possible or imaginable expectation." 

" I can't agree more and I'm glad to be myself again. " 

" ... At least I can see now the reasons for that disdain... Understandable. " 

She owed him an explanation for her horrible behavior and the specific targeting she made of him. Since she couldn't tell him the truth, she faced it from a different angle. 

" Do you think that I hate you because the men in my family told me to? The Atreides only nurture their hatred into masculine descendants who can keep the circle with actions of impact. They don't bother with doing it to me because I'm useless. " 

" You spoke of my leading in the last battles against the spartans. " Hector reminded her. " As the niece of their king, I can expect some hate coming from you. "  

" Please don't! I can't let you assume that. " She felt obliged to correct. " Your role there doesn't bother me in the slightest. Menelaus got what he deserved with you beating his men so easily. Sure, it cost spartan lifes... but think how many could have been lost if he wouldn't feel reluctant to come back for more like he did before? He will think twice before making another try and let me tell you that this is a great achievement. My uncle is stupidly stubborn, he never thinks anything twice." 

Her words got the approval of the prince, who wasn't expecting a reasonable answer. 

Odysseus chose to see it as a small sign of success.

They reached their destination and found Penelope already waiting for them at the entrance of the palace for the receival. A slave girl slightly older than Telemachus was acting as her company, since the queen intended to use the oportunity to train her in the discretional management of special ocassions like that one. The kid was fascinated and excited in equal amounts, but they were supposed to work on how to control those emotions for an appropriate formal receivement of the special guests. 

A quick glance from afar as they were reaching them was enough to put Penelope’s remarkable capacity for discretion at risk because of the amusement that she got from that very first sight. In awareness of her husband’s intentions and some manifested preferences of her young cousin, that first look was hilariously ironic to her. Both mycenaean girls saw it in her eyes right away; she noticed the same detail they did before in the dressing style of the trojans. They were wearing matching blue outfits that looked like the princess herself could have picked for them, as if they would have accidentally dressed up for her. A subtle sharing of glances between the three women made her participate in the joke that Ereny came up with earlier that day and, probably later, of her challenge. 

That was the sign for their game to begin. Taking the needed distance that the new introductions required, Ereny and her lady used that space to observe and make their preliminary judgments. 

Neither of the Ithacan royals behaved with the extreme protocol caution that could have been expected of them. Telemachus abandoned all pretensions of demureness as soon as he saw his mother, running towards her with a happy face. This caused the unfortunate unleashing of the little slave’s regular ways and she started chuckling,what made him stop inmediately and right he could give the yearned salute. 

“ Why are you laughing now?” He complained directly to the amused slave. 

“ You look like a baby. Can’t you wait until you are out of sight to look for the love of mommy?”  She mocked him. “ The princes of Troy aren’t going to pay their respects to you if you keep embarrassing yourself like that. “ 

“ I’m braver than Paris.” Telemachus announced with full pride. “  Atta says I’m doing great and the girls think I’m too smart for my age.” 

“ Of course they will say all of that! People are always nice to babies.” 

Seeing the frustration in her boy’s semblance, Penelope procured to fix the issue intervening directly in it. 

“ Melantho, that is enough! “ She reprimanded her. “ There is a line between friendly mockery and harsh insults. Right now, you are at the edge of it.” 

“ She always is.” Her son observed, intending to mock her as well. “ We should tell the trojans to beware of her snake tongue.” 

Telemachus was speaking from his anger. The right thing to do in order to calm down both was to go in the opposite direction. 

“ It stops being a joke when the people you are joking with don't find it funny anymore.”  Penelope patiently concluded in her explanation to Melantho. Softly but severely, a consistent way to make her see the mistake. . “ You must apologize right now. “ 

Telemachus smiled at his mother, wishing to show himself stronger in her eyes. 

“ Don’t worry, I don’t need it.”  He calmed her. “ I know that Melantho is jealous because I didn’t invite her to my beach walk today. She wants to get to know the girls, but you always send her away when they stay with you. “ 

Her talks with her second cousin weren’t meant for the ears of any servant, not even her most beloved. Penelope wasn’t able to properly explain to Melantho why she saw herself forced to exclude her, so she tried to comfort her. 

“ Our guest prefers privacy, that’s why I do it. She is not used to living among strangers on foreign courts, we are the first kingdom that she is touring alone. “ She excused herself.” … She likes your father’s work in the gardens, perhaps we can invite her to spend an afternoon there with us, like Telemachus did when he took her with Eumaeus. “ 

The proposal satisfied her and she was all smiles again, but Odysseus didn’t need to hear what happened to make a correct approximation and comment about it. 

“ You are the land’s peacemaker, my love.” He told Penelope. “ I don’t know what would be of us without you.” 

The queen was bright with joy, but would still want to play with him. 

“ What took you so long? Did you have to mess around with those poor young men? Playing tricks on everyone is not a good way to make friends.” 

He gifted her a little cackle and followed her lead. 

“ It works for me, we just had a very interesting talk. They wouldn’t have opened to me so easily if i wouldn’t have tested the limits of Hector’s legendary patience.”

She couldn’t help laughing while picturing in her mind what he could have possibly done to them. 

“ Well, boys. I ran out of tricks for now. “ He told the princes as he headed in the direction of her, setting the space for the introductions. “ This beautiful smiling woman is the one who stole my heart.” 

The mycenaeans observed them in great amazement. They looked more in love than any other married couple they could remember. Odysseus took both of Penelope’s hands, tangling them lovefully with his to resist the indecorous impulse of kissing her right there.  

Paris made a silly joke that could have ruined the ambience, but fortunately didn’t. 

“ It’s nice to meet her. What do we tell your wife?” He inopportunely commented, knowing the obvious answer but still choosing to mock them just because they looked cute. “ It’s her, I know it and that kind of attitude doesn’t represent me in the slightest.” 

The princess was imagining the opposite. 

“ He is trying to emulate your clever takes, that’s all.” Hector clarified. “... Everytime you notice this, assume that he wants to be nice.” 

“ I’m taking the mental note on that, thank you. “ Penelope replied, showing to not be disturbed. 

Odysseus concluded the presentation without wasting time in further teasing; the lad had enough with the prank he pulled on him and was probably nervous. 

“ It’s fine, París.. and you are right. She is Penelope. My wife, the mother of my son, queen of this land and the love of my life.” He pridefully explained. “ A very busy woman, there are many roles for her to fill.” 

The young prince felt teased by the fact that the king’s joke was actually funny. To some extent, his quick mind started to impress him. 

It was very hard to tell, but the detailed observation that was meant to make the game help the princess to notice something odd about Hector's reactions to the royal couple. Unlike Paris, who was all about bad joking and cute cheering, there were glimpses of deep introspectiveness in him. His mood improved and there was a warm sparkle in his intensely brown eyes. She thought that it had to be a feeling on the long scale from situational admiration to wishfulness. Odysseus' advice on not hearing rumors was backlashing on her. She started wondering if the prince felt nostalgic over a woman he left at home or if his expression showed his craving for someone he didn't have then.

His rather severe expression seemed slightly dulcified, probably while unaware of being catched in those sweet thoughts.That Hector, she thought, was a bit more interesting that the struggling leader that she met at the port. Ereny was spying on her examination, waiting for her to admit that the eldest son of Priam was better looking than what they expected him to be. It was true, but it wasn't saying much. Hector was handsome in the way of a royal, better looking than many greek princes she had met. His kind of beauty was slightly more appealing to her taste than his brother's and he was closer to what greeks would imagine a prince should look like. Quite nice compared with her suitors, not the worst choice for an awkward enforced date. Besides,the blue clothes were giving him a plus of attractiveness.   

To make things fair, she tried to base her judgment thinking on the first sight of Achilles that she got during their meeting in Sparta, trying to evoke some preliminary judgments on both. The trojan prince was fine, but just by looking at him he wasn’t making her feel the same weakness that she felt ríght away with the myrmidon warrior. 

Her opening verdict on Hector was merely daring to admit that he had his own amount of attractiveness. He was more objectively handsome than what she imagined him to be, but that was all. 

The princes were introducing themselves to Penelope, Hector taking the lead to stop Paris from messing it up. Things were going good, but his brother could not be stopped from being himself. 

" You are extremely lucky, she is a beauty." He commented to Odysseus. " What kind of low trickery did you pull off to marry this woman?" 

" I can give political advice, but I don't share my seduction secrets. " He mocked back. " ... The truth is that I don't even know what I did. She fell for me and it all happened so fast that i can't think of what i did ríght." 

" At least he is aware that you are too cute for him. '' Paris joked with Penelope, his careless freedom for it making her laugh more than the joke. " I'm honored to be your guest, Penelope... and to meet you and your splendid cousin. You two are the living proof that beauty can run in the blood of a family indefinitely."

" Thank you, Paris. I'm glad to see that your meeting turned out fine. I was worried because i know it is not easy, but my husband handled it appropriately for what I understand from you." 

" His methods are not conventional, but I see the point now. " Hector added. " A good warning scare to get him ready for what was coming...  Not enough, unfortunately." 

" Neither King Odysseus or Agamemnon are being disrespected by my comments. They are related by a nearly invisible string of beautiful women, that is a surprising fact that i can't ignore because i'm an admirer of femenine beauty. "

Penelope tried to stop a possible altercate derivative of Hector' attempts to control the tongue of Paris. 

" The end of the string is in Sparta, Helen is my youngest first cousin. Not many people think about it, but we are family and most would agree in considering her the most excellent exponent of your theory." She added, closing Paris' conclusion." She is not with us today, I plan to visit her by myself soon. Convincing Agamemnon to let this girl come to see me was very hard already, asking Menelaus to let me see his wife at the same time is nearly impossible." 

" It's a distant bond, we are only related through the girls. '' Odysseus helped her conclusions. " I agreed with the choice. One at the time is good, the two of them would be chaos. They are well behaved ladies until one crosses the path of the other. "

The mycenaean lady answered the claim with a shy smile, playing the fool and refusing to directly confirm or deny anything. 

Paris knew the intentionality of that gesture, he would often use it when he wanted to hide something. He answered with a very dissimulated smirk that would let her know of his awareness. 

" I'm familiar with that feeling. " Hector answered for him to Odysseus. " I would never want to make anyone else deal on purpose with the mess that Paris and Briseis can create"  

The young prince admitted his guilt and provided context for the small teasing. 

" She is our cousin. We are very different but we get along amazingly. " 

" Everytime the stars align and they agree on something they teamwork into whatever they would be up to." Hector followed his trail of tellings. 

" She is the mind, I'm the instigator. '' Paris pridefully added, apparently confirming a long date suspect of his brother. 

" I would never bring them anywhere together, one at the time is good. " 

The joke was a clever way to express the emulation of feeling, managing to make the king and queen laugh spontaneously. 

Penelope spoke first after ending the chuckles. 

" Please, come in. All your well needed comforts are being prepared. " 

" We can't accept your excellent offerings yet, kind queen. '' Hector politely declined, which didn't seem to be in the taste of Paris. " We can't allow ourselves to rest while our men are still waiting at the beach. Your husband caught us while doing the primary exploration of the territory. " 

" Safety reasons, my brother is insanely cautious. " Paris pointed out. " We also have to get back for the sacrifices. I hate having to leave, but our father would be very upset if he finds out that we neglected the honors of the gods who brought us here in safety." 

" Those are being performed by our priests as we speak." Penelope informed, which was a nice surprise for both. " I was told of the particularly dedicated importance that religious rituals have in your culture. Those are very important to us as well, of course, but someone once told me that the strength of trojan religiousness makes the greek look like superstition. That's why I thought on making it part of the hospitality arrangements. Apollo and Poseidon, right? Your patron gods, for what I heard. "

" If it is all wrong, you can correct my source, she is ríght there. " The king clarified, speaking of the mycenaean princess. 

The stares of the princes were back on her again and she wished that her friend would stop including her. 

" No need to do it, you can consider that correct.” Hector stated. " Although that is a very specific comparative observation for what I can't object yet. I don't know the characteristics of greek religiousness. " 

" It's a literal claim I heard her saying, perhaps she can explain it to you later. " Odysseus insisted. " She speaks about you all the time, you wouldn't imagine how. Don't let that sudden shyness deceive you. From all of us, she must be the most excited with your visit. It was an accidental coincidence, but it became a bit of a special surprise for her. " 

Hector wasn't sure of how to correctly interpret his words. Odysseus was being purposely ambiguous and the persistent staring that he noticed on her part was starting to confuse him. Despite a while after she seemed to hate him, he was fearing that the hostile attitude could have been a hiding tactic for something worse. It wouldn't be the first time that would happen to him, but it wasn't a good occasion for that sort of problem. He knew how to kindly reject the interest of ladies enraptured by the image of him they would get to know, but having to disappoint the daughter of Agamemnon was too much of a dangerous task. 

The worries over the possibility, wondering how he was supposed to handle the heartbreak of a mycenaean princess, inspired him to be more open in his answers. 

He replied with a critical said. Something that he would have saved for later if he would have had intentions of being liked, but that he had no need to shut.

" She ownes a trojan woman, i'm aware of that. I wouldn't be proud of the source for knowledge in that condition." 

Even when that comment  was meant for the lady, Ereny felt personally attacked by the implications.  

" Hesione is our mother." She claimed in a challenging tone, not realizing immediately of the full meaning of the phrase due to the anger. " ... Well, not literally speaking because we weren't born from her " 

The princess wouldn't have wished to keep talking, but he forced her to. 

" She raised us, we love her in the way daughters are supposed to love a mother." She corrected him, following the rude explanation of her friend. " The excitement is not about you, prince. It's about her and everything she has taught to us, how happy we are for getting more contact with the culture that she clandestinely inculcated in us all our lives. Hiding her cultural legacy would be like denying the spot she has in my life, i will not do that just to make you feel better with the choices that your father took before you. I have to live with the blame that Agamemnon will never take. I think you must accept the convenient political abandonment that Priam had to do of her cause and let us be. " 

" Darling, that is no way to speak to my guest.'' Odysseus sweetly corrected her. " Leave the controversies for later." 

" His father will never risk going to war for the fate of one woman and that is understandable, but in that palace we have to live with the consequences everyday. I don't want to be judged for something I can't truly be blamed for, her captivity was a reality since before my birth."

Her responses were tranquilizing and polemical for drastically different reasons. Hector found relief in having no reasons to fear about being a secret crush of hers or anything close to that, but his rush of open honesty cleared the way for an uncomfortable discussion.

" It's good to hear that, at least by you, she is treated fairly. "  

A relatively innocent thing to say in such a context, but it anyways contributed to her exasperation. 

" Queen Clytemnestra, my own birth mother, fought alongside Hesione to her last breath. You must know that she was your father's main supporter when he went to Mycenae intending to rescue her, but that's nothing. You know nothing. " She grimly replicated. " It's not simply ' fair treatment', I love that woman. If I would have found a way to send her home where she could have a full life, I would have done it years ago." 

She was angry and it made her ignore that it was impossible for Hector to have the complete dimension of her reasons. Her love for Hesione was part of who she was and she hated to hear him questioning it. 

Feeling guilty for such alteration in her state, he tried to help her calm. 

" I would like to keep this conversation in a more propitious moment, if that doesn't bother you. The subject deserves the best of us and I think we are not at our best ríght now. It has been a strange day, we were all affected by that. " 

Paris was absolutely amazed to witness the short argument. 

" My brother is the best spokesman I know and he is retiring from a verbal altercation because of your answer ... You have to teach me how to do that. " 

" I did nothing more than stand up for my truth." 

" Excuse me for being fascinated by the way in which you did it. " 

Knowing of Hector and his rational worries, Odysseus opted for joking with him. 

" He will be well surveilled, my men will do the job for you. There are also some mycenaeans doing nothing around the palace, that has to be enough. "

" Clearly, you don't know my brother. " 

Melantho laughed in strong chuckles that brought the attention to her. Self identification, she had heard many times similar comments about her. 

Telemachus copied the same strategy of Hector and rushed to the presentations. 

" She is the daughter of Dolios, our gardener. Her name is Melantho. Sometimes she can be mean, but we are used because that's who she is and we appreciate her despite that. " 

The kindness in the choice of ignoring the pettiness of their fight to say something nice was the pride of his parents. They were both very happy at everytime they would get to see signs showing that they were managing to raise a compassive boy. 

Paris noticed that Melantho wasn't laughing particularly at him. 

" Let's hope that she will be less mean to me than you were. " He joked with Telemachus before switching the direction of his speech to her. " What do you say, Melantho? Do I have better chances to get along with you? He is completely on Hector's side, but that is normal. I bond better with girls, it happened to me all my life. 

The slave girl answered with a shy giggle and everyone, Odysseus included, were shocked by it. Paris, of all people, saved himself from her mordacious tongue. 

The perks of being a pretty boy, Telemachus thought. 

" We love her, but Melantho is one of the reasons why I'm relieved of never getting visits of Agamemnon. " The king began to explain the collective mood of the family. " She mocks everyone, no one escapes her... Not even myself. You have no idea of how lucky you are, Paris. “

The young prince seemed pleased to hear that and he thanked her for her kindness with a friendly smile. 

Penelope intervened before she could make a mess out of herself. 

" Let's not demorate them any longer, my love. We would be terrible hosts. " She advised her husband. " Why don't you take a chariot and accompany them? Hector uses the same method you do when you are the strange man in distant lands. It's a good way for them to meet you and by your return everything would be ready."

" Don't you love her already? She is in every detail. " Her husband praised her in front of the guests and later approached his son for a question about the last thing he had to do. 

" Would you mind staying with the girls for a while? We will be back quick." 

The mischievous little kid had an outstanding replication ready. 

" Let Paris stay behind, if he wants it so badly. " Was his comeback. " I will go with you, mom can handle him alone. " 

" Are you offering to do the work for me? That would be amazing, I'm exhausted. " Paris shamelessly claimed, joking with him. " After all,is the least you can do to compensate me for that trick you pulled on me. Very thoughtful solution, Telemachus. I forgive you. " 

The little prince was up to take it as a truce. 

" Try not to get punched until we get back, the mycenaeans look very strong. They must punch hard."

Paris was warned, it was up to him to decide if he was going to take the risk.

The princes took the proposed paths, one with the king and the other following the queen. Paris was comfortable as a fish under water among the femenine group, what was a bit atypical for them in the context of the interactions. Penelope, Melantho and the mycenaeans were more or less wondering the same thing. How could he be so relaxed about staying with them while the men were gathering somewhere else?  Wouldn't he be shamed for it later? Did he care for shame... at all? A prince who preferred to observe and engage with the simple mundanity of femenine domesticity before joining the actions of the men was a rarity. It wasn't only about winning more time to spend with the princess, he was feeling genuinely good with all of them. Paris seemed absolutely careless for his masculine honor and that was hard to understand at times. 

The truth was that, despite his quirks, he was a likable man who would take personal pride on being a pleasing company. Penelope found it surprising while Melantho was completely charmed by him. She was acting as a girl would do when crushing on some famous person and it was probably the case, an innocent childhood crush in development. 

The mycenaean girls examined him with the strange reminder in mind about how he was once considered by the princess as a marriage choice to escape her father. Thinking that the man in front of her could have been her husband was odd, particularly because she didn't have a clear mental image of him being made before. All she knew was about his physical beauty and the charming sweetness and frivolous irresponsibility that characterized his behavior. She never thought about him for real, he was part of a bargain plan and the strategies imagined were more contextual. Getting to meet him was a strange experience and his ways with her weren't helping to change that. Her imagined scenario of how the political marriage could have been pacted between them was completely different from how their actual meeting ended up developing. Paris wasn't supposed to find her attractive, she never expected him to flirt with her like he was. 

His interest wasn't serious and it was easy for her to see that. Knowing that there would be no hurted feelings was the only bright side of the situation, but she still would have prefered to go unnoticed. The irony was killing her: a man she once selected as her safe candidate for a cold wedding transaction turned out to be wanting her for his commitment-free entertainment. In the polar opposite of her imagined use for him, what Paris wanted was a warm spot on her bed. 

She sensed it in the undertones of some of his comments; there was something else beneath the praise. It made her think of the mockfull warnings that Achilles made her... Maybe he wasn't the only one who noticed her and saw beauty. Perhaps, despite all the efforts, she wasn't absolutely invisible to the unwanted eyes of other men. The personal disgrace of Helen came to her mind. Through his playful flirting, Paris was making her experience a more innocent glimpse of her everyday struggle and it didn't feel as good as people would like it to be. She was flattered, maybe, but not pleased. Thinking about how her aunt had to stand thousands of similar situations, sometimes with very despicable men like the very same she was forced to marry, helped to put things in perspective. 

At least the trojan prince was likable, funny and handsome, probably not the worst option for a man giving her the Helen treatment. In honor of her disgraced aunt, she had to stand him with dignity. If Helen was able to do it all the time with worse men than Paris, she had to be able to deal with him. Eventually, she would find the way to make him stop. Until then, all she had to do was come up with ingeniously sarcastic comebacks for his comments.

Even when receiving him was an obligation of her cousin, she agreed to make her company on the task and so did Ereny. After his first tour around the palace, Paris chose to start with the most elemental requests in order to wait for the arrival of his companions: a comfortable place to sit, a fresh drink and some more time with all of them to have entertaining conversations. 

Her two confidants found a way to make the asks that they all wanted to be solved. Penelope praised Paris's clothes in what looked like a way to make small talk. It was a deliberate attempt of making him talk, knowing that her young cousin would never ask about it herself. Ereny joined forces with her to start a conversation about fashion that could explain the incredible coincidence between his dressing and the princess' taste. 

They gave him the craved chance to talk about himself beyond the implications of being a trojan prince. He told them that the indiscrete blue outfit was a dressing choice that he imposed on Hector. His brother would have prefered to be seen for the first time wearing his armor, but it wasn't the first impression that Paris wanted to give. One of his conditions to join the crew was that they both would be wearing clothes of his own design. He shamelessly confessed to enjoying being the model of his own creations, enlightening his servants with the vision of the exact sort of garment that he wanted to be made for him in each occasion. That odd fact brought him some positive attention from the princess, who was more than willing to understand the use of fashion as self expression. 

Hector was the main víctim of his creative impulse. Paris tended to order new clothes to be made for him very often, but he sometimes gifted him matching versions of his clothing. The designs were a delight for the sight of the women in Troy, but tended to not fit with his preferred style. After a few failed tries of encouraging him to wear his gifts, Paris realized that the only way would be making small modifications. The result had to feel more like him, reinterpretations of his concepts could be made to fit better with his brother.

He got carried away with his explanations as he pointed out multiple small differences in those very same matching outfits they saw them wearing that day. Ereny ended up encouraging her friend into talking about their experiences going through the full process of clothing creation. The princess tried to avoid entering into great descriptions of her own self made items, but Paris would keep insisting on his wish to hear more. He showed admiration for her craft because he never learned to sew. His clothes were made for him with precise indications but he wasn't part of the confection process. Her tellings made him curious and he couldn't wait to see if there would be any chances for him to watch her wearing at least one garment of her finest wearing. 

Fearing that the very pleasant talk could be deviated into flirtatious territory, she continued telling him about things that wouldn't be made for herself. Ereny mentioned her strong belief about how one of Agamemnon's favorite clothes was something they made for him. He would never admit it, doing it would be encouraging his daughter in a way that wasn't part of his parenting style, but the slave girl affirmed to be almost sure that the king actually appreciated this quality of her. 

She never thought about it, but it would make sense. The few artworks made by her that were officially gifted were some tapestries destined to Menelaus and Nestor, only the two persons whose opinions he cared about the most. Perhaps, Agamemnon considered that only his closest relatives and friends were worthy of a gift made with the skill of her hands. 

Thinking about that made her feel even better about her impulsive choice of gifting Achilles the tapestry that she made using him as inspiration. . 

At his return, Hector had to hear some unexpected and inconvenient news. The fashion talk concluded with a deal being made between his brother and the queen. He promised her design assistance on her work for a new garment meant for Odysseus and he wasn't going to leave until she would have finished it.

 It happened too fast. The loose boundaries of the ambient that the prince created around him impulsed Penelope to talk about her most recent work in progress, an attitude that she would have never imagined to have adopted in front of a man. Paris was commenting on his bravely seductive sense of style and she couldn't help to admit that it was the precise kind of masculine perspective that she wanted for that work. He understood immediately the intentions behind her concept, but didn't make it a big deal so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable. Instead, he offered himself as a consultant designer, claiming it as a fair pay for the political consulting of Odysseus. A trade offer, his husband's help to Hector in exchange for the help he could be giving to her. Paris was so excited while doing the proposition that he made it sound reasonable and Penelope agreed, in disbelief with herself for doing it.

In a matter of moments during their interaction, the charming young trojan managed to make a hidden side of her come out so subtly that she didn't realize her mistake until it was too late. He spoke to her as a woman, not as the queen of the land he was visiting. Instead of talking trivialities about life in the island, Paris incentivated her into telling him about her self indulgent work inspired by the desire for her husband. Even more unbelievable than that was his avid interest in helping her despite understanding the subtle implications. It was evident that the concept of femenine desire was no mystery to him, but Paris seemed to be oddly celebrative of it even when he wasn't involved in the results. It was an attitude that made the three women listening to him weirdly curious, enough for the two mycenaeans to forget presenting objections to her agreement of the deal. They were too busy to complain with logic, trying to understand the prince and his incredible affinity with femenine sensibilities.

The trojans were disappointingly shocked because their prince's recklessness would force them into what could become an indefinite stay. Hector was inclined to think that it was a trick of Paris to buy himself more time with the mycenaean, an absurd delay created to serve his selfish interest of seducing her. In any case, the damage was done. Breaking a promise made to Penelope was not an option, it would be rude and a great mistake because she had a good amount of influence on Odysseus. They had no choice but to follow his brother's whim, something that was very disappointing for someone who intended to get out fast from the assumed compromise with the king of Ithaca. With the whole crew gathered in the palace, at least he could find comfort in the relaxing receivement that was prepared for them. Warm baths, great food and the arrangements for their good rest were the beginning of itacan hospitality. 

The host king had a drastically different opinion on the weird news. Things were going even better than what his plans established; the unexpected delay would buy him time. Enough to deal with his primary objectives without having to simultaneously worry about the secondaries. Thanks to it, he would be able to be a politician first and a friend later. He won more time to dedícate into solving the political issues, but it will also be more time that mycenaeans and trojans would spend together among his people. 

The great coincidence playing on his favor made him suspicious of his wife, guessing it to be a strategy developed by her to help him out. Imagining that it would be easy for a clever woman like her to come up with a way of manipulating Paris, he was up to praise her for the move. 

" What a strange lad is that Paris, don't you think?" He casually commented to her once the foreigners wouldn't be able to hear them. " Offering help in domestic labor? Nice, but not quite proper for a prince. What or who may have inspired him the deal? I know that he has no shame and would do anything for time with the girls, but I doubt that he came up with that idea on his own. " 

Penelope smirked, amused by the unusual innocence in her husband's assumptions. The communicative aspects of the deal didn't include any descriptions of what was being made. Until then, she didn't find a calm moment to share with him her full first impression of the visitor. 

" Don't underestimate him, he may not be the idiot you believe him to be. There has to be something lying beneath the cowardice and vanity, i wouldn't judge him harmless so quickly. " 

He started wondering what made her change an assumption that they initially seemed to share. What happened during the short time the prince was left alone in the palace? 

" What did I miss? Is he bothering you as well? Do I have to protect all my dearest women from his unstoppable flirtatious spirit? " He lovefully teased her. 

The guess seemed to amuse her even more. 

" He has one clear target and it isn't me, but we all felt safe in his company despite that. What we discovered, I mean us because I think the girls catched it with me, is that Paris can be very ingenious for absolutely hedonistic reasons." 

He understood the direction that her advice was taking. 

" Hidden resources that he could be keeping for his own means. " He summarized. " He acts like a fool in front of me, but he would use his whole arsenal for a determined hedonistic emprise crossing his mind... Let's say, sleeping with a beautiful princess. "

" Precisely. It is an unexpected complication that your strategy has to consider. Your target may get eclipsed by his brother, he will not let them time to be alone. Paris wants her to get closer, i don't think he cares for who she is. On the other side, Hector does and that is a double obstacle for you. " 

“ Repel one and attract the other towards her. “ He concluded with her. “ I can work on two fronts, something will occur to me. "

" I was going to suggest that you could for once make use of those protectiveness inducing feelings. Instead of thinking about the ranting speech that you are going to give to Achilles the next time you will see him, focus on keeping an eye on Paris. " 

The recommendation was alarming, but he tried to take it lightly. 

" He may not be trustable, but I trust her. She would not allow a man like Paris inside her bedroom. " 

The amount of tenderness that his way of speaking caused her was unbelievable. 

" In that you are ríght. He is not her type. '' Penelope joked, keeping the route of the chat while sweetly messing with him. " But Paris doesn't know that yet and perhaps knowing it wouldn't make any difference. High difficulties could be his stimulation, finding out who she is didn’t stop him. The invocations to Agamemnon’s name don’t mean much to him, but he may get a vague sense of danger that could be exciting. After all, she has a reputation as an unattainable woman given her highest royalty origins and assumed virtuous behavior.” 

There was some truth in her advice, but she was also trying to see how far he was willing to let the worries escalate. 

The fast mind of Odysseus was fabricating a detailed scene for the situation.

" ... Why didn't I think of this before?? That bastard wants to bed her for bragging!! His brother is a war hero, he has nothing to bring any positive attention to himself.  " He exclaimed, acting as if he would have received a crucial revelation from the insight of his wife.

Penelope limited herself to listening to his assumptions. 

“  He thinks that he will come back to Troy victorious to tell his friends about her ruined virtue and claim the authorship for this criminal feat. He would not get glory for it, but the closest equivalent feeling without having to step on a battlefield while believing himself to have accomplished something impossible. ´Hector may have expelled the spartans with the strength of his arms, but with his charm he deflowered the princess of the mycenaeans ' That’s what he is up to.... How could I have almost let this pass?"

Penelope couldn't hold her chuckles anymore. 

" He doesn't know who he is messing with! I will accomplish my purpose and he will be in the front líne witnessing his brother's wedding. " 

" Whatever you say, my love. " 

Her reaction made him realize the main point in her playing: taking things to an extreme so he could gain awareness. 

" I'm worrying again, the controlled environment that I hoped for my intervention isn't what we got and the political tensions are worse than what I expected."

She knew him well, losing the sense of control over the multiple situations was the aspect affecting him. 

" How much worse?" 

" It's not only about angered merchants, the consequences of their heavy taxing are escalating. For now, it started to manifest into deliberate pirate attacks on their trade ships, but who knows when they could start landing to attack towns. Hector answered my call for him so diligently because of this, they suspect  greek islanders. It is unclear if they think I know something or if they just came for advice, but they want me to solve this with them." 

She was always up to show him a bright side. 

" It's the perfect opportunity to elevate complaints to their king with a justified cause. " She reminded him. " They are bringing it on themselves, they must be aware that any applied policy brings unwanted downsides." 

" They want me to find the guilty ones, or at least give them any clues of where to head in order to find them." 

" A punctual punishment wouldn't be enough, more will keep coming." 

" I know, but they may be hoping to turn this into an example for all the rest." He shared his guesses with her. " I wanted to discuss policies, not to solve some mystery that they can't on their own."

" We can do both, nothing stops us from serving our interests while they expose theirs." The queen contributed. " This is good.The trojans could have seeked for the help of Crete, the biggest islander realm in Greece, but they came to us: to you. The fame of your resourcefulness will slowly reach the asians." 

" I'm Odysseus, not Achilles." He mocked her despite knowing that the intention of the comment wasn't to insufflate pride. 

" It's not about winning glory and gratitude among the trojans. If we do good diplomatic work, it would set a good precedent for future interactions into the eradication of tensions. Isn't that the final goal of your crazy plan to bond their crown with the mycenaean?"

" It's one implied goal among many driving my will. " He clarified. " Peace is my goal as king. My goal as a friend is finding a good, caring and responsible husband for that girl that would count with her father's approval. " 

" Things will follow the intended course of fate. Nothing will stop you if your goddess inspired you,in some alliance with the son of Aphrodite, to intervene in the setting of an union that is meant to be. If she didn't put that in your mind and it's just your will to manipulate destiny into what you consider as the best outcome, you are settled for failure and there isn't much you can do about it. " 

" Wait until you witness more of their talks and tell me later if i'm settled for failure. "  He insisted, with visible excitement. " It wasn't needed, but she jumped into our defense as soon as Hector mentioned the remote possibility of attributing any blame to this kingdom. In less than what I expected they were building theories together, she was helping him to eliminate suspects and sharing her insights with him." 

" ... Like she would do with anyone willing to listen to her. " Penelope cutted him off. " She craves to be heard and Hector respected her opinions. As a singular episode, it means nothing. " 

" She has shaken his expectations, I can feel it. At some point I heard them talk of the spartan wars, a tense topic to bring up so early. Hector thought that she was going to defend her uncle's point but, Instead, she praised his role in the last one. We got him when she rambled about the preservation of lifes that his conclusion of the war cycles brought. He liked that, I bet he didn't see it coming. " 

" You would need more than a good impression if you think you can make them fall in love. You can't do the work of the winged bowman, or undo his preexistent labor." 

" I have to push them in the ríght direction, help to awake the interest of Hector and let him find his way to her on his own. "

She began to play with his hair, a loveful and relaxing gesture as she tried to realistically shake his worries away. 

" Love isn't predictable and counting with his interest is not enough. " She remarked before bringing on her own experience. " I remember to have recognized genuine interest in a few of my suitors back in the day, but that didn't stop me from picking you in what I consider the best choice of my life. " 

He couldn't help smiling. 

" I waited, I left myself to be chosen by you, but I always knew that you were the one for me. " 

" We didn't know ríght away that things were going to end well. We had obstacles, doubts and fears, but we overcame all of that together. " 

He understood the path that her thoughts were taking and intended to object.

" It's not the same, you can't compare us with them. I may not be the man that your parents wanted, but i knew from the start that I wanted to make you my wife " Odysseus began his not so objective rambling. " She would be ruining her life or risking to get killed for a man who doesn't dream with a home and a loving wife. There is nothing indicating that he would be willing to do the right thing for her. Take, for example, the fact that Achilles is a kingdomless prince with a mercenary lifestyle, affording the modest comforts that what he obtains from war spoilings allows him to. It's a good life for a single man, but not comfortable for a marriage. He is not planning to get married any soon and I can't encourage her romantical illusions." 

" Be honest with yourself... Would you have given up just because my father used to say that you were going to ruin my life? Were you ready to let me go?" 

He hushed, silence speaking for him. 

" What makes you think then that Achilles will do it?" She wisely remarked. " He may not have been looking for love, but he could have found it accidentally. What stops you from believing that he could be in love with her? If you think that Hector, who is a total stranger to us, can be driven into developing feelings for her…  Why not your friend?” 

" I'm committed to protect her. Who else is going to do it? We know that it will not be Agamemnon.  Should I trust then in Menelaus's judgment, after what he did to Helen? I don't care if he is her direct family, I can't! " His ranting showed more of his caring love than worry. " Hector has the pragmatic potential to be a good husband and Troy is far away. She would be safe and time would help her to forget. " 

Penelope stopped what she was doing to grab his face with both hands, cupping his cheeks and forcing him to look at her in the eye. 

" No amount of time would make me forget you. Never, regardless of the circumstances. " She stated, her stare loaded with love as she spoke from the bottom of her heart. " I wouldn't have been able to stand the pain if my father had given me away to someone else." 

The issue wasn't closed, but he couldn't think of one single clever argument to replicate.

In the meantime, the mycenaeans were collectively processing the changes that happened during the course of one single day. The men in the crew accompanying the princess were deliberating over how to proceed with their own cluelessness. They guessed that their king wasn't warned of the scheduled trojan visit or otherwise, they would have been instructed about it. The mere thought of operating against Agamemnon's wishes terrified them and they were considering returning to Mycenae on the next morning.  The lady was moderating the discussion, a role that she claimed for herself under the excuse of being the cause of the issue. 

The state of alarm incentivized a strengthening of the security near her, a spontaneous measure that they took to face a situation that they weren't prepared for. With the full arrival of the trojans to the palace the sense of threat intensified among them and she was escorted away after a brief formal introduction between crews. 

Then, they were trying to decide what to do about it. 

At first, the most accepted option was the return, but it wasn't a viable option of her liking. She disencourage it by claiming that it would make them all look like cowards, not regarding the disobeyance to their king, but in front of the trojans themselves. In what was half an attempt to read ahead the mind of her father and partially a manipulation tactic, she convinced them of thinking that Agamemnon would prefer to risk her before giving Hector the impression of being afraid of him. They had to stay to prove that Mycenae wasn't afraid of Troy. 

Leaving Odysseus with an empty setting for his trick would have been fun, but she didn't want to leave. There was nothing that she wouldn't stand to be away from her father and she was loving her time in Ithaca. She loved to be living among the royal family In such a beautiful place as that quiet island was. To make her wish to leave it would require something worse than Paris and his flirty approaches, an inconvenience that she was feeling capable of dealing with. Besides, knowing of Odysseus' intentions didn't extinguish her respectful curiosity about the trojans. She craved for years for a chance like that one, literally impossible to have in her palace. She would be living among a big group of Trojan people in an ambiance that assured her freedom to ask anything she would wish to. 

It was obvious that the Itacan king wouldn't be accomplishing his plan for her. Before the visit would be over, Hector would be sick of her constant questioning.

Escaping the situation would leave an open space for speculation that her friend could use indefinitely; she had to stay and prove him wrong. Her approach shouldn't be about avoiding the prince. Instead, she had to bond with Hector and show Odysseus that they were able to get along in a meaningless way. No more hatefulness, she was going to be the nicer version of herself with him and show that, despite that, nothing would be going on between them. 

The shifting of meaning on the new thought strategy was about bonding from the side of her who was somewhat amazed to be meeting him, his little brother and their men. Being with them and for them the sweet girl that Hesione raised, not the daughter of Agamemnon. With that attitude as core, she could still find ways to be the secret helper of Achilles subtly working for his interests and his enamored woman secretly proving her feelings against the disbelief of the Itacan king. 

Before they would all go to sleep without arriving at one clear path of solution, the princess made them accompany her to present herself in the section of the palace destined for the trojans. 

The goal was reducing the threatening feelings of her men while putting the best of her into a relatively integral understanding. She showed up to wish them good night and apologize for the odd circumstances of their initial meeting, setting a space for a different encounter where she would put some effort into making everyone else feel comfortable with her presence. 

Paris, as expected, made it harder than what it needed to be.

" My lovely, you came back to me once more!" He cheered to the mere sight of her, confusing the mycenaean guard. " I missed you, I almost got to think that you would be forced to hide from us by some command of your tyrannical father. " 

The princess had to put in a big effort to stop herself from giving a mean reply.

" Paris, I was away for a few hours allowing all of you to settle comfortably. " She replicated. " My men are doing their duty, it's understandable that they will not trust more alone interactions between us untill comproving that it's safe for me. We were unprepared, atta sent me under a request of Penelope... Remember?" 

" I believe you. '' Hector concluded for his brother. '' Agamemnon wouldn't lose an opportunity to brag and threaten us. Now that I'm sure that he isn't with you, I know that you were saying the truth. " 

" You forgot to say that he wouldn't send a woman to do his work, he only humiliates himself when he is not aware of doing it. " She playfully completed his guess. " Getting to see those shame shows are the best part of being his subject... The worst is actually being ruled by him. " 

They witnessed how her men laughed at the joke in relaxed freedom, as if it was born from some common sense shared by everyone. Hector was disconcerted by that. Paris, amazed at how similar her humor was to Odysseus'.

" Did you come to wish me goodnight?" He sweetly asked her. " That is so sweet of you, darling. Would you stay up late to sing me some lullabies?"

Confusion reigned among the mycenaeans. Was the youngest prince making jokes or was he really trying to flirt with their princess in their presence? 

It had to be a cultural thing or he was mocking them for being worried, no one would be that foolish. 

" I want us all to meet without making Ithaca pay the price. If we are going to argue, it will not be on Odysseus' table. " She simply explained, ignoring his teasing. " Tomorrow it's most likely that there will be a welcome party in your honor, let's try not to ruin it. Our issues as confronted nations don't have to impact our hosts. " 

Once more, Hector was surprised to be agreeing with her. 

" It's an excellent idea, your highness. What do you propose?"

" Mutual accountability, spot the sources of conflict before they could explode unexpectedly. We can later choose which ones to avoid and which ones could be approached maturely. " 

Paris rushed into making the opening asks.

" I will go first, I don't want to disappoint the greek expert in conflict management. " He mocked her with certain praise. " My doubt is very simple... Is this how it is going to be between us for now on? I had so much fun talking to you before those gentlemen arrived to pull you out. " 

" Don't blame them for doing their work. '' Hector replicated. " The lady is here to see her family, not us. We just have to find a way to coexist peacefully and you are also part of that. Facilitate their work and they will not be hostile towards you. " 

Paris didn't answer him, he went straight to her. 

" Am I doomed to see you only through a wall of vigilant men who hide you from me like if you were a treasure I could steal? " He complained. " I can't shake myself out of the pure amazement that causes meeting you, princess. Does that make me a criminal?"

" Give yourself some time to adjust and you will make it. " She kindly advised him. " Don't beg me to convince them for you, they are ríght there. Prove them that you aren't an obstacle for their labor." 

As they all awaited expectantly to see how it would turn out, she directed a mischievous glance towards Hector. Both were equally interested in examining his reaction. 

Paris tried to get some sense of complicity out of them.

" I know how this works, my cousin is one of the prettiest girls in Troy and I have seen men humiliating themselves for her in this position. " He commented to them. " You are no different from the palace guards who custody her whenever it's necessary and I'm aware that your job is to crush the hopes of men like me, but let me ask you something. Don't you get entranced by the beauty of your own princess? Who among you wouldn’t like to get the attention of a woman like her?” 

The questions made everyone uncomfortable. The mycenaean men were equally amused and doubtful, not wanting to risk giving any answer. 

" We can't answer that." One was brave enough to excuse all of them. " It would be very improper. " 

" Ignore your duty for once, we are all men. " The young prince insisted. " I bet many of you would melt to a sweet smile of hers, or a warm furtive glance.  She is gorgeous... Are you going to tell me that she isn't the city's crush?" 

She answered to avoid laughing. . 

" I'm nobody's crush. In normal circumstances wise men are afraid of talking to me. Any interest shown to me coming from a man that my father has no regards for is considered an insolence. Even the manservant who pours wine for him gets nervous if i simply smile at him and i can feel that he is fearing of losing his head. " 

The grim, comedic tale wasn't scaring him. 

" You are exaggerating, like with all those lies you said before to help the king pull a trick on us. " 

" I'm not, Agamemnon is crazy." She simply stated with no one daring to contradict her. " You seem like a sweet man, Paris. For your own good, stay away. It's what most men do and it works well for me and them." 

It was a useful warning, but Hector couldn't help to find it a bit sad. 

" I think you will not find space for loneliness here, there are just too many of us. " He joked, slipping a subtle hint of comfort in the mock. " You may start craving for it later, when our presence would tire you and overwhelm you. " 

He had no obligations to do it, but he still chose to be sweetly welcoming with her. The gesture impressed her and she started to feel very bad with herself for being so awfully mean with him on their first meeting. 

" I can get used to it. '' She said as a way to show how much she enjoyed that sign of acceptance. " I can't wait to properly meet everyone. I'm good at remembering names, but not so much with faces. However, I would like to be able to personally address every single one of you at least once during our time here. It's my way to go with everyone I know, regardless of rank. "

" I guess I can allow it as long as it wouldn't bother anyone. " He agreed. " Are there any reasons behind such specifical task that you are setting on yourself?" 

" Everyone likes to be treated as people: being called by their names, told to have a nice day, asked about themselves and allowed to ramble about whatever they feel passionate about. They notice,even when it looks like they don't. " 

Her kindness was unusual. The collective mood of the crew was to feel, at best, disconcerted and, at worst, impressed. Of all of them, Lysander was the one who kept the longest talking with her. The girl was easy to talk to and her demeanor was inviting, words flowed without worries because she allowed it. Paris watched the interactions happen and knew that he wouldn't be supported by his companions, but he was one step closer into being understood. 

There was something adorably charming in her and most would have agreed to blame it on the contrast created between her kind ways and the horrible reputation of her family. No one there was fully capable of understanding how that sweet girl could be the daughter and niece of the Atreides, Troy's cruelest adversaries. The respect, her willingness to listen and to be questioned was the opposite of mycenaean policy. 

Feeling stimulated by the open communication that she initiated, Hector saved for himself a very special question to ask her. It was on the mind of most of his men, but none dared to do it directly. 

" I have only one doubt about you that I would want to ask without compromising Odysseus. It's a matter that has the potential to make us argue, so I prefer to deal with it now. " He politely introduced it to her. " ... What does Troy mean to you, princess?"

She knew precisely what he meant and was very excited to answer. 

" I was wondering how long it was going to take for any of you to ask that. It doesn't offend me, it's a fair thing to question me about. I know where i come from: my father has seeked to destroy you for decades, my uncle has been his main helper.  " She introduced her reply. 

At that moment, it was hard to tell for the listeners if her words started to flow under self thought inspiration or if there was something or someone else driving her into a wonderful speech. 

 " If you are asking me and not them, Troy is an ancient living emblem of resistance that doesn't cease to amaze me. Enemies come and go, but your walls always stand strong as the last hope for everyone who dreams with a different world than the one my family wants to build. A leading power accomplished in the peace of trade by a nation that has the military power to crush anyone on it's way, but still chooses to use it only to protect what it has built. Do you have any idea of how unique that sounds for a greek woman, a mycenaean like me? The countless years of my life that I have spent under the care of my beloved Hesione may have induced me to idealize Troy, but I think that what you have is worth keeping. I'm not your enemy.. Or you can think I am and, from all your enemies, i'm the only one who wishes you well because i choose to remain in awe with the culture of your country. I love my city and respect the legacy of its history as any other mycenaean would, but I'm convinced that ours doesn't have to be the only way. As a nation that believes itself in ríght to rule the world because it's king convinced it of that, we could be doing so much better and there you are...May your walls stand high forever, keep challenging us to do better! Mycenae needs an opposed power for the sake of it's own improvement, a contrary force pushing our development and pointing at our flaws. For the wellbeing of Greece, my father needs to be reminded of his own mortality. "

Even her own men were amazed as if they would be hearing her speak for the first time. They weren't used to seeing that side of her. Despite the many glimpses of her hidden self that they got to discover during the journey, she never got political on their talkings or announced any speeches for them. It was a privilege, the mycenaeans realized what the trojans wouldn't. 

Hector felt obliged to reply, but it was hard given the flawlessness of her words. He opted to speak frankly and give her his sincere impression. 

" I never would have expected for a greek to speak in those terms about my country, even less that those praiseful words would come from a mycenaean. The image of us that you have pictured isn't faithful to our entire history, but it describes incredibly well the goals of my father's rulership. "

The route of the talk incentivised her curiosity and she found herself asking him her first question. 

"  Well, there are a ton of things that I always wanted to know about you... Historically speaking, was Laomedon that greedy or is that a greek invention? Hesione says that everyone was after his magical horses, but Agamemnon claims that he refused to pay the builders for their work. We all argued about that once, it was fun to see him losing his mind over the narration of a trojan tale. " 

Lysander answered for the prince, being a bit amused himself while imagining the described situation. 

" Both claims are true, but not mutually exclusive. " He kindly explained to her. " The builders wanted to be paid with his most beloved possession and King Laomedon refused. " 

" Would you give to anyone a gift that you got from the Gods?'' Paris interrupted him and decided to follow the narration into his favorite part. " His family, our family, got those horses from Zeus thanks to my favorite ancestor: Ganymede. Have you heard about him?" 

"  The trojan equivalent of Europa. He had a better fate, being the replacement of Hebe on Olympus when she got married. " 

" A young man of irresistible beauty, Zeus  made him his only male consort. Ganymede reached immortality and left for us the gift of those magnificent horses. He was the prettiest man of his time and my inspiration in life. I like to think that I inherited the power of his beauty."

" Be careful. I have seen beauty appearing to be a blessing while hiding a terrible curse." The mycenaean girl warned him, thinking of Helen because he happened to remind her of her in a very strange way. He seemed to be unapologetically admitting that he dreamed of being her male counterpart. 

Her words didn't affect him.

" Not to me, I'm a worshiper of Aphrodite." 

His answer indicated how convinced he was of embracing his beauty as an identity that he built for himself following the tracks of his ancestry. She found it creative, but disconcerting.  Paris was capable of finding freedom in the very same cause of Helen's imprisonment. 

For as weird as it sounded, the fact intrigued her. She would have liked to keep a meaningful conversation with him about it where he could explain her the roots of his philosophy, but that wasn't the time for that. 

" I don't want to brag, but It's most likely that I will be the prettiest man you will ever see. My ancestry and divine affinities confirm it. " 

She rolled her eyes and the men bursted into laughter. 

Since he was putting them in a good mood with his strange attitude, they decided to mix their mockery with some well intentioned words for him.  

" Give up, trojan. Even if we would leave you all alone, you will never make it. '' Aphareus honestly advised him. 

" Do you really know who you are talking with?" One of his companions followed him. " From all the greek ladies you could bother, you picked the only one who would never care to pay you any attention." 

Eurybates provided the last punch. 

" Not even Achilles got anything from her... What makes you think that you will?" 

To his shocked face, she gave a briefly invented explanation. 

" Knowing that I rejected a man who is your complete opposite shouldn't encourage you, that's why I didn't want you to find out about that story. "

" if there was a tale about him after all and it ended in his disappointment, I have to hear it." Paris requested and she knew that he was thinking it as a confirmation for all his wrong assumptions about her and his chances of success.'' Dealing with that barbarian must have been exhausting, give yourself the merit. "

" It would be rude to be pushing the telling of my insignificant acts before you two could get any chances to tell me of your remarkable feats. " She pointed out, wishing to deviate from the point quickly. " When we will have time and a comfortable setting to talk for hours , after Hector and your mutual friends would have started to narrate to me anecdotes of the war against the spartans, I may share with you the details of that single act everyone keeps praising me for. " 

" But I'm intrigued now. " Paris childishly complained. " Can you do it for me??" 

He was making that adorable expression again, his soft features looking even softer as he tried to convince her of staying and telling him the omitted story. 

She smiled at him, but remained inflexible.

" Goodnight, Paris. See you tomorrow. " 

His exaggerated sad frustration inspired him to make a middle ground offer. 

" Can I at least get a kiss on the forehead to bless my rest ?" 

Hector was the one rolling eyes then, pretending to not be hearing the nonsense of his brother because trying to stop him had proven to be pointless. 

The princess turned back at her men, who were still evidently amused. 

" What do you say? Can I do it or is it against the rules?" She joked with them. " We have to improvise some choices.  It's not like Atta has an instituted code to deal with this. " 

Some of the trojans also laughed with her then. Guessing that all the ideas on the greek side would be mocks to the prince, she continued.

" It's fine, I will solve it myself. " 

Gesturally asking for space to head ríght at the expectant man, she seemed in willingness to fulfill the request. 

" May Morpheus concede you a good night of sleep, young trojan lord. '' She said kindly and formally, but didn’t immediately pose her lips over the top of his forehead. " Sweet dreams. " 

The look of frustrated child that he had inspired her to salute him as such, her kiss resembled the ones given to children at bedtime. 

He was so dramatic that she couldn't help feeling a bit flattered. Having that effect on a man, with it being unwanted and not expected, was too strange for her. Still, unlike in their other flirtatious interactions, she felt something powerful in the way things played out. The room was full of men, but she was the one who took control of the situation and her farewell to the prince wasn't different from the one she gave to Telemachus before he went to bed. It felt like a powerful move, the main difference making her feel great afterwards. 

The strong rush of confidence was nice, but she still had to think of a way to put a stop on the situation because she didn't want his attention. Joking a bit was alright, but Paris had to learn to stay away from her. 

" Of course, I also wish to all of you a satisfactory rest to heal the marks that the exhausting journey left on your strengths.  To get here I had to make my first sea voyage in a really long time and I arrived very tired. I had not boarded a ship in years and I never do long trips, so I can’t imagine how tired you must be now. " She said her general goodbyes to the crew and smiled afterwards. Most of the men in front smiled back at her. 

Before doing her reverence for the exit, she made one last simple petition to the trojan leader. 

“ Would you mind going outside with me? I will make it quick. There is something else we need to talk about and I fear it can’t wait, but it has to be in private.” 

Hector guessed the topic and agreed anyway, following her out on the walk with her escorts until she gave them orders to give them space for their talking.  A few of her men stayed in close proximity so that they could not hear them, but still keep an eye on her. 

The lady spoke first, since both remained silent until she felt safe to do it. 

“ Should I be worried about this? I want your personal opinion. Tell me your truth as the brother of Paris, I don’t want to hear the Prince of Troy.” 

He tried to be honest and sound tranquilizing, but both goals were hard to handle on the same level.

“ He claims to have fallen in love with a different woman every week, what he calls love is definitely something else. He doesn’t mean bad, but hasn’t learned yet to differentiate love from passion. “ 

“ I don’t want to get involved with him in anything passionate. He has no idea of the implications in his attitude, the blissful ignorance warms my heart.” She confessed to him before proceeding to do a sad warning.” You know as well as me that Agamemnon wouldn’t tolerate it. It really doesn't matter if he is here or not, if he would see it with his own eyes or if it would be told to him … He would go crazy anyways, he has killed for less. I need to know that Paris will stop acting like this, for the sake of all of us. Please, you are the only one who can help me.” 

Her good sense was good news for him. She seemed to be a wise woman, aware of the dangers that his brother wouldn’t care to spot. Even if he wouldn’t succeed in exhorting him to give up, she was willing to resist him as long as it would take. 

“ Paris is persistent, but he accepts negatives. His problem is that he is pretty unused to getting one, so you will have to be consistent and patient until he will realize that you truly mean that. It’s most likely that he will wait until running out of seduction tactics.” 

“ He must be used to getting anything he wants, I may have shaken him with the surprise of finding out that he can’t ask for the same treatment everywhere.” 

The comment brought a short chuckle out of him, subtly letting her know of how right she was. 

“ I need to be efficient at repelling him while watching over my manners. Do you know how hard is that to sustain? It’s too much pressure and you don’t deserve to stand my rudeness only because I don’t want your brother to think I’m into him. It’s just who I am! I like to be nice whenever I can, the world is already full of rudeness.” 

" You can also be very rude at times. " The prince teased her, referring to her immediate reaction to him and waiting to see if she was going to finally give him a straight answer. 

" Only when I'm mad... and I was mad with Odysseus because he didn't tell me that you were coming. " She confessed, opening a bit of her reasoning with him. Not much, but enough to be understood in at least one aspect. " He didn't have to tell Agamemnon, he just had to tell me!!" 

The comment weirded him, it didn’t seem reasonable. Why would the king of Ithaca obviate Agamemnon and reveal crucial information directly to her ? 

" Do you have that kind of relationship? Would he tell you things that he wouldn't tell him?" 

" He knows plenty of things about me that I wouldn't tell him. " She gave a short explanation. " But he wouldn't risk his anger just so I could send Hesione back to her home. He knew that I would have tried it and he didn't wish to take chances. "

" A very noble feeling... but how is that less reckless than what Paris intends to do?" 

" Because I know the consequences and I have guts to face them. " She replicated. " We have a very special bond that is hard to understand, I would do anything for her happiness. " 

" Were you thinking about her during your speech? I couldn't help noticing that there was something very heartfelt in your way to speak about Troy. It's hard to understand how someone who has never visited my country can speak like that. " 

" Nobody understands it. They have spent my whole life trying to get it and failed. " She playfully admitted. "  Agamemnon thinks that it is a rebellious whim and Menelaus only understands the surface of it. He curses himself for being the one who brought her to Greece, you can think that she found her vengeance in the woman that I grew up to become. " 

" The rumors that reach my gates don't mention anything of this." He confirmed it for her. " My father says that she was made your nurse, but I never believed it. To be honest, I thought that it was a tranquilizing lie that he told everyone when he came back from that failed rescue because he could do nothing more about it." 

" I know what you are thinking, it wouldn't offend me to hear it because it is true. That version didn't fit for you because it doesn't fit their style. " She cut him off. " Menelaus wanted her to be a plaything for his brother, but I got in the way of their wishes. My mother chose her for me and it is the only of her orders that remained respected because we fought to not be separated." 

" You must have fought too hard, because that sounds unbelievable. How could the mycenaean king have been convinced of letting his daughter be raised by a trojan slave? " 

" He wasn't convinced, he never wanted that for me but when he had the opportunity to change that, it was too late. He tried to separate us, but i resisted and he didn't have the patience or interest to deal with me so he resigned to let us be. It's true that everything I love about Troy comes from her, but keeping her in any way was more important to him than the risk of my cultural corruption. She is everything he accomplished to steal from you. " 

" This means that in your opinion, he only keeps her as a political message. " He summarized, gathering his conclusions with hers. 

" ... It's also the personal punishment that he chose to inflict on her because he never got to touch her when she was young and desirable for him. " 

He sensed the shame she was feeling while saying the last sentence. She couldn't even look his way, repulsed with herself for having to admit in front of him that her father was a rapist.

Hector showed once more his great capacity for empathy. 

" If you helped in any way to stop that from happening, you don't have reasons for sorrow."

" She leads the domestic slaves now, its the best i could do for her once i became old enough to stop needing nursing.  I couldn't give her freedom because that's not a choice he would let me take, but i make sure that she gets the respect that she deserves. My uncle is terrified of her. I think that she creeps him out and I love her for it, but he pretends to be fine because it doesn't look good." 

"... Like when he pretended that i really didn't win the last of the spartan wars and he just retired because he was tired of fighting and wanted a break to get married? " 

His joke relieved a bit of the inner tension that she was feeling. It was a non invasive way of showing kindness. 

" Exactly like that. " She confirmed, feeling a bit at ease and reflecting it on her tone. " You know, I have a few ideas learnt from her that may work with your brother. Do I have your permission to give him a good scare?" 

It was a surprising proposal. He would have never imagined himself joining forces with a mycenaean princess on the task of instructing Paris into less destructive choices. 

" Do you think that you can make it better than Odysseus?"

 " Nobody ever sees it coming. They see me choosing niceness and they think I can't be rude. " She snarked back. " You have seen me at both, so i guess i don't have to hide from you. " 

Hector gave her a smile of approval. 

" There is one last thing I need to get clear. It must be obvious to you by now that Paris doesn't have the same limits for fear of Menelaus. If you get an idea for a trick that could be potentially scary for your uncle, don't try it on him. Measure yourself, please. He is still my little brother. "

She nodded in agreement, giving him a sweet smile that was nothing more than her spontaneous reaction to his caring commentary. Shortly afterwards she saluted him with a respectful bow of the head and wished him goodnight, the act that closed the conversation and made both part ways. 

The balance of the interaction was positive, it was good to know that he would be helping her to keep things in order during their stays. She also got the impression of reaching a basic point of mutual understanding with him. 

The good feeling ran out to the sound of intruder chuckles. Melantho was the source, she was still awake and spying on her but didn't mind coming out from her hiding to take the credit for her mischief. 

" Odysseus thinks that he is going to be your husband." She playfully commented about Hector. " He doesn't know what I know, but I hear many things here and there. " 

The princess was horrified and fascinated in equal amounts. 

" What are you doing here?" 

" Eny asked me to be part of her explorative research on the new ones. " The slave girl claimed innocently. " ... Well, we stumbled across each other in our own separated ones." 

" Let me guess, you were investigating Paris. " 

" More or less. " She vaguely admitted before stepping into completely improper territory. "  Are you excited for the party? Who are you looking forward to dancing with tomorrow: Hector or Paris?" 

" Neither of them. I may be a grown up, but i'm too busy for boys."

" Bussy with what? It's not like they let you do much back in Mycenae. " Melantho teased her carelessly. " Too bad that you wouldn't answer, I know things you may find interesting. Stuff that Telemachus would never find out for you and, even if he would, you would never get to hear from him." 

She smiled out of pure joy while hearing the news, despite that it came from a certain attempt of blackmail from Penelope’s favorite that also implied some degree of jealousy that said girl felt regarding her son. 

That girl wasn’t a completely trustable source, but she was desperate for information that could help her to be one step ahead of her friend for once. It was clear to her that Melantho wanted her attention and found on that a way of getting it. 

" Do you have any insight on Odysseus' plans? I could use some clues. " 

Melantho bited her lips to hide the excitement and restrained herself to turn the gesture into a devilish smirk. 

" Make me a good offer and we can start a negotiation."

[hawkepockets]

melantho isn’t really trying to be heinous to him like. she has his back in combat, and she lets him talk about his grief for duncan, the fereldan wardens, and the imagined future of cameraderie & belonging that he lost with their deaths. which is more grace than she’d give most humans. and she doesn’t resent him or rag on him about his chantry upbringing or templar training, because it doesn’t concern her. it’s just that she has nothing kind to say to him about any of it. duncan is the bastard shem who left tamlen for dead & dragged her literally kicking and screaming from her clan. the wardens are nothing to her. the chantry is nothing. ferelden is worse than nothing—borders drawn and policed by human violence in defiance of the region’s nomadic peoples. like your honor she doesn’t caaaaare omfg who caaaaaaaaares. alistair cares. he wants somebody to touch him kindly & say he’s right, it’s all worth mourning.

and melantho could remonstrate with him, because she just lost tamlen & her future with clan sabrae (and any dream of belonging, settling, or growing old, anywhere), so she feels much the same as him. but she’s not going to dirty tamlen or sabrae’s names by speaking them to a shem. so. that kindly touch won’t come from mela. best thing she can do is listen, then hurt his feelings by asking if he’s done and ready to move camp yet.

i have tbh i always thought u guys were pussies for not being able to lose npc approval & make dodgy choices in rpgs but now that that npc is alistair theirin im. ah