Timeless Ties || Volturi Kings

38. Have You Ever Seen the Rain?

'Til forever, on it goes
Through the circle, fast and slow
I know, it can't stop, I wonder

— Creedence Clearwater Revival

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Alessia gazed intently at her screen, deep in thought.

Ever since Alessia started her surveillance of the Tiryns' military command center, she embarked on a journey of uncovering numerous details about the Trojan War. Battling her own memory lapses, she diligently recorded every intriguing finding. Subsequently, she rigorously cross-referenced her notes with the content of the Iliad and the insights of scholars on the subject.

At that moment, she was engrossed in studying this very material on her laptop.

After several weeks of meticulous observation, Alessia had unearthed a wealth of captivating information that ignited an intense excitement within her.

First, Alessia gleaned that the Trojan War persisted into its fourth year, promising more to unravel before her eyes, if she considered what the Iliad had to say. Within the military command center, debates revolved around safeguarding Tiryns, strategizing for increased weaponry, and lamenting the stalemate where neither faction seemed to gain an upper hand. Accounts of prolonged sieges and skirmishes hinted at the war's stagnant state.

Additionally, Alessia uncovered other fascinating details. While the war seemingly began with the abduction of Helen by Paris, the Prince of Troy, from her husband Menelaus, King of Sparta, she found that this event was merely a pretext for the conflict.

Had Helen been abducted or had she willingly departed for Troy, it would not have been an anomaly. During that era, the kidnapping of princesses and other prominent figures was practically commonplace. Moreover, it was not uncommon for Greek queens, after years of marriage, to elope with a more appealing suitor.

Thus, after piecing together numerous conversations, including those between Aro and Clytemnestra, and Marcus and Caius, Alessia unearthed a myriad of new factors that undeniably comprised the genuine catalysts behind the Trojan War. To be more precise, she unraveled the intricate web of motivations that ignited and sustained the conflict.

Undeniably, mythological reasons played a role, as the beliefs of the era wielded substantial influence over people's decisions — a fact Alessia readily acknowledged. However, she recognized that the mythological dimension constituted just a fraction of the whole picture. The historical Trojan War was propelled by pragmatic and geopolitical motivations, far surpassing the realm of pure religious origins.

At the forefront, Troy's strategic location held immense importance. Situated near the Dardanelles, the ancient Hellespont, it commanded vital passage between the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea, a pivotal maritime route crucial for both trade and military maneuvers. Furthermore, this advantageous position empowered Troy to exploit and potentially regulate commerce between the Aegean region and the distant lands surrounding the Black Sea, including the fertile agricultural expanses of the Ukrainian steppe.

This last aspect was particularly significant due to the Mycenaean society's reliance on imported grain and other resources, given its limited arable land. These vital supplies had to pass through Troy to reach the mainland. Troy's strategic position enabled it to impose taxes or tolls on passing ships, often affecting vessels from the Mycenaean Civilization. Consequently, Troy wielded considerable control over trade routes, raising the possibility of disrupting or even depriving the Mycenaeans of essential resources if the Trojans chose to obstruct their passage for any reason.

The reliance of any community on another in such a crucial matter was deeply precarious. With a single decision, Troy wielded the power to devastate the Mycenaeans by withholding vital resources. This concentration of power, beyond the control of the Mycenaean people, lay firmly in the hands of the Hittite Empire. Intelligence from Tiryns revealed that Troy not only served as a political but also a military ally of the Hittites, underscoring the extent of its influence.