Timeless Warrior

Zoë

Ch. 4

Perseus finally got a good look at her. She looked around sixteen years old. She had long silky black hair and dark eyes. Her face had an almost regal look to it. He couldn't deny she was beautiful.

"I promise I won't touch you but I need you to talk to me. What is your name?" Perseus asked softly.

The girl bit her lip nervously before looking up into his eyes, "M...My name Zoë."

Perseus nodded, "My name is Perseus and that fine gentleman who helped me grab you is my brother Achilles."

Zoë's eyes widened, "You're the sons of Thetis?"

Perseus looked at her a little shocked and slightly suspicious, "Yes... How did you know that? Are you a demigod? No mortals know our mother is goddess."

Zoë paled at his words and he could almost see her cursing herself in her head. She looked back up at him nervously making him narrow his eyes slightly. When he saw the fear in her eyes, he relaxed a bit.

"Calm down Zoë. As long as you are not here to try and harm my brother or me then I swear on the River Styx I will not hurt you." He said trying to ease her nerves.

Thunder rumbled overhead as some of the tension left the young woman's body but she still seemed nervous.

"Before you say anything else I have to ask, what in the name of the gods were you thinking coming this close to this camp? If my brother and I hadn't been sparing at the time, you would be in Agamemnon's tent having things done to you I would rather not think about." He asked seriously.

Zoë looked down nervously. Perseus saw a couple tears falling from her eyes again before he carefully put a hand on her shoulder only for her to flinch.

He sighed, "Please, just tell me your story. I promise I will not judge you but I need to know if I'm going to deal with the wrath of that worthless king soon."

Zoë was silent for a moment until she seemed to gather her courage and wiped away her tears, looking up into Perseus' eyes.

"I... I was banished from my home. I've been travelling for weeks but I do not know where to go." She said quietly.

Perseus raised an eyebrow, "From where exactly? And how did you get here? To Troy?"

Zoë looked up at him nervously again, "I hid below decks on one of the ships hoping it would take me to a city. It wasn't until I was on board that I realized it was a war ship. I snuck out last night and wandered around but I got lost until those men grabbed me." She explained as fresh tears welled up in her eyes.

Perseus felt a pang of guilt at treating her harshly when they first started talking. He could also tell she was still holding something back.

"What else? What aren't you telling me?" He asked gently.

Zoë's face lost its color as she looked up at him scared. Perseus just looked at her expectantly.

"M...My father...." She said trailing off until she clenched her hand tightly, "My father is Atlas... the Titan." She said so quietly he barely heard it.

Perseus' eyes widened a bit as Zoë flinched expecting him to try to kill her. She was shocked when he started laughing loudly. She looked at him like he had grown a second head until he finally calmed himself down and looked at her incredulously.

"That's what you were nervous about? You think I care who your father is?" He asked.

Zoë looked utterly confused. She opened her mouth but no words came out.