Between Lions and Men

39: so our city will be razed and overthrown

Ithaca

"We strike now, while they still mourn Hecktor. While they are weak. We must move, and swiftly. They are off guard, and they fear Achilles," I say, my back to my battle plans, facing our group of leaders. The funeral for Menoetius took entirely too long, but at least he walks with the shadows now. The hour is late and I have toiled all day and night for this. They must agree. It will work.

"They fear us all," Aias says.

"No, it's largely him, but we'll press on," I growl.

"They fear us, I am content with that. We all know my life is short now that Hecktor is dead, not that I wish it to be long," Peleus says. He is cleaned from the gore of Hecktor's murder, though his eyes flash dangerously. "So, if you will use me while you have me, I guarantee nothing including the sanctity of my own sword. I'd sooner fall in battle than by my own hand though that may be a mere whim."

"We can arrange for battle," I say, dryly.

"Your plan is insane," Mycenae says.

"The plan itself is suicide," Sparta says.

"In which case I am for it," Peleus says, dryly.

"It's the same as what you've presented before, and we didn't think it would work then," Aias sighs.

"You're not required to do the tricky bit, Aias. The person I most trust is," I say.

"He means himself," Peleus says, helpfully, "And what would you have me do? Come with you?"

"No. I have need of you elsewhere. My part requires caution and subtlety your strengths are neither," I say, "I will get the gates open. Yourself and Aias will keep them that way."

"This will never work," Sparta says.

"And if it does not, I will surely be dead and not here to listen to your views upon it," I say, "Any questions?"

"One, when we breach the city---"

"If," Aias grunts.

"If we breach the city, are we taking captives?" Peleus asks, shrugging.

"Not my concern, I was charged with getting us in," I say.

"We are not," Mynecea says.

"As you will. When I die you understand you are burn me and place me in this urn?" did I not mention yet that Peleus is holding the urn which holds the ashes of his dead lover? Well, he is. I should have thought of presenting it as making his lover's corpse more portable and he'd have done it sooner.

"Understood," Aias says.

"Rally your men, explain only their part, nothing more," I say.

"And where are you going?" Sparta asks me.

"To get my men," I say. I am not going to get men.

Helen

"They're loading up their ships. They're leaving."

"They can't be."

"Now I shall never have revenge for Hecktor's murder," Alexsander looks through a looking glass as we stand upon the ramparts watching the army pack up to leave.

"Suddenly it's murder when it's your brother, everything else is war," I say.

"He gutted him and cut up his flesh for dogs," Alexsander spits, glaring at me, "And I will have my revenge."

"Has it occurred to you at all that this endless cycle of revenge is what got us here to begin with? And that at some point you will need to cease killing the other for killing the other otherwise there will be nothing left of you."