Atlas Of Megaras

Hera gets her revenge

I slipped into camp without any problems. The guards that had been put under a spell by Hera were waking up as I walked by but they took no note of me. Yeah, I was calling her Hera. She was no lady. I could tell exactly why she was so angry when Paris gave the golden apple to Aphrodite. She had a vindictive streak running a mile wide.

If Aeneas had anything to say about my bandaged knees he didn't. "You're smiling?!"

"Hmmm..."

He shook his head, "You're not frowning for a change."

I looked at him," I don't frown so much."

"Yes, you do." Aeneas grinned, "It's nice to see you smile." He wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked across the camp.

"Let's get you into armour, the Greeks are already pulling up in their chariots."

I tugged on his shoulder, "I have to tell you something." I must tell him this time. We knew each other for long enough. And him not knowing any more won't be fair on him. It won't be fair on me. I don't want to keep secrets from my best friend.

I tugged on his chiton, "It's important. Like really important." Aeneas ignored me shoving my breastplate and helmet into my arms.

"Are you sick?"

"No?"

"Someone dead or dying?"

"Well...no."

"You killed someone?

"What in the name of hades!!! No."

"No time then. Tell me later." He put on his red horse hair plume helmet, running off to get the men to the frontlines.

"Oh, come on." I picked up the rest of the armour, shin guards and shoulder guards and my sword. This happened every time. Like how did everything erupt into chaos when I try to tell Aeneas. I shuddered at the thought of Aeneas finding it out himself. He might never talk to me again.

Other city states didn't have strict rules for women fighting battles in disguise. I mean if they managed to win a battle who are they to complain they just let her go. But in Megaras it's punishable by death. Not that Aeneas would tell on anyone but he had a complex for following rules.

I try not to think of it often, but I remember hearing a woman getting executed for disguising herself and going to war. Stupid Prince Palamedes came up with the rule 20 - 10 years ago and know I am suffering because of it.

Fully armed I strode to my chariot which was already ready. Today I also had a charioteer with me. His name was Paramus, he came from a tiny village some distance away from the Megaran city. Balius and Xanthos were already hitched to the chariot, neighing and shaking their heads.

Riding out we quickly made the lines. What I was more surprised about was that today even Aeneas's father and mine were on the battlefield. Looks like the Greeks were going to throw everything at us today. But we were ready. At least the other men had time to sleep off the alcohol otherwise I'm pretty sure they would have been useless today.

The other side were equally ready, their brightly polished Greeves and shields flashing in the sunlight. I looked at Aeneas nearly invisible behind the shield walls. I could tell where he was by the design on his bronze shield. His had night sky constellations inlaid in black ox bone from the day he was born.

The horns blew and we ran into battle. The first person to fall at my sword was a dark-haired Athenian. I slashed across his ribs He crashed down under the weight of his shield. Leaving him there to bleed out, I moved on.

Aeneas was a few paces ahead of me. Locked in a fierce battle with a tall man with a worn ox hide shield. He wasn't doing badly. Further off to my left Prince Pyros was fighting against three Greeks. Despite that he was holding his own ground. But he was soon going to get over whelmed.