Beautiful War

Chapter 8 Choices and Sacrifice

I looked around and all I could see was darkness. Where was I? Was I dead... Again? As I thought this, a white light appeared in front of me and I turned away to shield my eyes. When I turned back I saw a woman, she had a glowing light around her. She was in a simple white tunic and had a bow and arrows on her back. She was absolutely beautiful, and I could have sworn I saw her before. But where?  Where I had seen her before.

"Who are you? Where are we? Why I am here," I asked. The woman just smiled and reached out her hand. Motioning for me to take it. I clasped my hands to my chest. Not wishing to take her hand. Afraid of what she would do.

"Our father wishes for you to see something. Something that is important," she said. I stepped forward and took her hand. Another flash of light blinded me. Taking me from the darkness.

"Agamemnon! Please do not do this, I beg of you! Please," my sister Clytemnestra screamed. She was struggling against Menelaus, who had his arms wrapped tightly around her. Holding her to him. He had a look of pity in his eyes. Where were we? I was no longer in my chambers in Troy. The woman was standing next to me, watching the scene play out. I looked around expecting for someone to notice us. But no one seemed even phased that we were here. Agamemnon was standing in front of a large stone altar, beside his high priest Calchas. On the horizon stood a fleet of at least a thousand ships. Their sails were stiff and unmoving, it was then I realized that there was no wind. I could see several prominent Greek kings around us. There was old Nestor and his son. The mighty warrior Ajax was leaning against his mighty war ax. There was even Odysseus, they had mentioned to pry him away from his beloved wife Penelope and son. And... Achilles, the great warrior. All had solemn expressions on their faces. What was going on?

"What is going on? Why have you brought me here," I demanded. Staring at the woman. She shrugged her shoulders and pointed to what was on the altar. I stepped forward, taking a closer look and gasped. It was Iphenigia, Agamemnon's first born daughter. From what my sister told me in her letters, Agamemnon doted on that little girl. Iphenigia had somehow managed to warm Agamemnon's frigid heart. She was standing on it, making her face to face with her father. I looked down and saw the sacred knife in his hand. No! She was only a child of five years. She was innocent in all of this.

"Great goddess Artemis. Hear me, your servant Agamemnon. I give you what I love the most in exchange for the wind on the sea," Agamemnon cried, his voice hoarse with unshed tears.

"No," I screamed, as he raised the dagger and brought it across the small girl's neck. I tried reaching out but the woman grabbed it. Holding me back. Her grip was like a vice around my arm. I winced in pain.

"This is the price they are willing to pay Helen," the woman said. I turned and realized that this woman was Artemis. The virgin huntress demanded my niece's death. Demanded the thing Agamemnon's loved the most for the wind against his sails.

"Why would you do that! Why would you demand the death of a little girl?  She was just a little girl, innocent in all of this," I cried. Watching my sister collapse in Menelaus' arms. Her wails filled my ears. Wails that would haunt me for the rest of my life.

"Agamemnon offended me, so I prevented the winds from filling their sails. The only way to appease me was to give me the thing he loved the most," she replied. Her voice never wavering. I felt a wave of emotion fill me. I could feel both anger and sadness well in my chest.

"Our father wanted you to know that they were coming. And to prepare you for the war that is to come. Take that kindness girl. For I would not that kind," Artemis said arrogantly. Before I could protest any further she snapped her fingers. And I was thrusted back into the darkness.