Aristoi Achaion [A the song of Achilles fanfiction] 2

Chapter 17

It has been six weeks since we arrived in Phthia. Six weeks that made me realize how great the thing we are getting ourselves into really is.
When we arrived the people were gathered in the harbour. There cheering and shouting for us. Prince Achilles, Princess Alcippe.Aristoi Achaion!
It was truly overwhelming, all the attention. It took some courage of me to get off the boat, Achilles felt the same.

Our prince and princess have returned!” My father's voice was deeper than I remembered, resonant and carrying far, over the noise of the crowd. They quieted, to hear the words of their king.

“Before you all I offer welcome to my most beloved children, the sole heir to my kingdom and my gifted daughter, They will lead you to Troy in glory; they will return home in triumph.”

Even there beneath the bright sun, I felt my skin go cold. My brother would never come back home and my father didn't know. He never will know, as we wouldn't tell him. We realized it would only being him grief. Achilles made our mother promise she wouldn't tell him either. Sometimes I wonder what would become of me, yes, I will return. But will I? The fates are known for their tricks. The prophecy said that my mother's son would be greater than his father. It did not mention me. And now another prophecy explains he will die young at war. But what about me? Does the the silence revolving around my name mean death or not? I guess I am yet to know;

“They are a man and woman grown, and god born. Aristoi Achaion!”

There was no time to think of it now. The soldiers were beating on their shields with their spears; the women screamed; the men howled. I somehow felt a pride and strength I hadn't felt before. I felt taller even.

We were led inside and had a moment to eat.
Then we went to the palace courtyard where twenty-five hundred men waited for us. At our approach they lifted their square shields, shining like carapace, in salute to me and their new general. I should indeed act like it doesn't bother me, because it shouldn't. But it does. That no matter what I do, no matter the fact that my fighting skills are as explicit as his, I will never be my brother. Yes, in this war I will be respected and I would be able to give them orders, to propose strategies, but Achilles will always have the last word. Because he is the sole heir and I am just the gifted daughter. I know I should be greatful, and I am to an extent, I know most girls are not even granted half the things I have. So I acted like the greatful girl I should be, I greeted the men and tried to strikes up conversations.
A/N: Real eyes realize that even though she loves her brother he will be her "Lacy" because he is a boy and because he has Patroclus. "Ohh I care, I care, I care, like ribbons in your hair, my stomach's all in knots, you got the one thing that I want"

Somewhere hidden in the crowd of them was a young boy. He seemed not older than fourteen, well I knew how old he was, thirteen. The memory of his mother telling me about him was still clear. Because of the obvious resemblance it was was very easy for him to recognize him, as Kleodore's son. He had the same brown hair and dark eyes.

"Erastus's son aren't you" I asked him with a soft smile. Even though he was holding his shield firmly he seemed really anxious.

"I am, you highness" he bowed and lowered his head.

"My condolences on your father's passing. I've heard he was a skilled warrior. You must miss him" even though he was old enough to join a war he was just a boy and it must have had a big impact on him, not to mention that he was only nine  when he lost his father.

"Thank you, your highness. His loss was indeed great for me. But on the other hand, he was not always the kindest to my mother, she is quite happier now without him" . But I promise I will serve you and prince Achilles in the war as faithfully and efficiently as he would" he said.
"I am sure you will, Ixion. But don't worry it's not like we'll place you in the front line" he was quite young and he had much more to learn, to put him in the front line would be like a death sentence.
*A/N: Tw: possibly triggering things ahead.

Friendly reminder that it was mentioned in some chapter in my other account that when Kleodore and Aclippe met, Kleo was 20 with a seven year old son. Which means she had him at thirteen. Alexa play labour by Paris Paloma or the fruits in the d*vil part.
Also no one can convince me that Ixion isn't a Mama's boy.

"Dying while fighting by your side, I would consider an honor, you highness" he was right, in our colure it was considered an honor to die fighting, the most heroic death. But it send shivers down my spine how a boy so young was so prepared to die.

                                      ______________________________________

We barely had any time for ourselves the last few days before we left. I barely saw my brother and Patroclus. Every day was filled preparations, I and Achilles were always wanted for something, people asked out opinions on certain matters such as food supplies and levy lists. Well my brother's opinion was needed more. Even thought I was very much involved in the whole situation I somehow, sometimes felt invisible. Achilles sometimes glanced at me with apologetic smiles to make me feel more involved, it didn't much help but I appreciated the gesture. Phoinix, my father's old councelor, who because both me and my brother were very tired of asking all these questions, left the rest of the matters to by settled by.

But even though we were free of the questions, our people were always there, to involve us in court chatter that we didn't not much care about but we took part in happily. The Myrmidons, they are called. As the story goes, my grandfather, king Aeacus of Aegina was a son of Zeus and one day he asked his father to turn a group of ants into people from him. His father agreed and thus the ancestors of our people were made. How did they end up in Phthia you might wonder? Well the more questions would be how did my father ended up in Phthia? That is a story he tries to hide, one very few people know. He was exiled both him and my uncle from their land for killing their younger brother. My father took the Myrmidons with him and then he made this kingdom he now ruled over .
Achilles did not know of this, of course he didn't. Imagine telling your son that you are a kinslayer who was exiled. How do I know? Well the mother of the boy who was killed was my mother's sister. I had my resources.

A/N: just a brief mention of what my other book is about lol.

                                                  ________________________________
It was the day before our departure and we were making some final adjustments.

Our father insisted that Achilles and I  take only the best. He paid for a small fortune in armor, more than six men would need. There were hammered-bronze breastplates, graven with lions and a rising phoenix, stiff leather greaves with gold bands, horsehair plumed helms, a silver-forged sword, dozens of spearheads, and four light-wheeled chariots. With this came a four-horse team, including the pair given to him by the gods at his wedding. Xanthos and Balios, they were called: Golden and Dapple, and their eyes rolled white with impatience whenever they were not free to run. He gave us also a charioteer, a boy younger than we were, but sturdily built and said to be skilled with headstrong horses. Automedon, his name was.

Finally, last of all: two long spears , ash sapling peeled of bark and polished until it glowed like gray flame. From Chiron, my father said, handing one to and the other to my brother. We bent over it, our fingers trailing its surface as if to catch the centaur’s lingering presence.Us and Patroclus stared at them in aw.  Such a fine gift would have taken weeks of Chiron’s deft shaping; he must have begun it almost the day that we left. Did he know, or only guess at Achilles’ destiny? As he lay alone in his rose-colored cave, had some glimmer of prophecy come to him? Maybe one of them was about my fate?

A/N: proofread!