I Walked With Giants

Another condition for me to shadow Hector and his men was that my armor, which had once belonged to Hector, and sword must be kept in the armory. This allowed Hector to have more control over my unusual hobby. The city was in a frenzy as the bells continued to sound. Shop keepers quickly closed their windows and took shelters inside their homes while mothers chased their children to safety.

I pulled my hood up as I jogged around to the side entrance of the large armory in order to avoid the large crowd of young men rushing to prepare for battle. The majority of soldiers have the same armor and weaponry. The same tiled awry of metal melted and hammered into a lightly weighted and flexible but strong chest plate. The greaves and gauntlets were made of the same material with weathered straps to fasten them to the limbs. The bottom held no metal, thus providing practically no protection. All it was just a piece of blue cloth sewn to size.

When Hector out grew his armor, I took it for my own even though it was still slightly too big for me. The armory was so chaotic no one noticed me change into my used armor. Next, I forced my hair up in low bun. When I was younger, it was easy for my thin body to pass as a boy’s, but as I grew it became increasingly difficult for me to pass as a soldier. Only my helmet and shine guards ceased any obvious signs of womanhood.

My sword had also once belonged to Hector. The leaf-shaped blade was two and half feet long and the hilt occupied another six inches. The bronze sword was lighter than it looked, but wielding it for two long became a laborious task. I sheathed my sword, grabbed a bow and a quarrel of arrows off the rack before exiting the armory. I pulled myself up on a saddled horse, intent on following the trail of Hector’s cavalry members out of the city.

“Did your brother give you permission to be out here?” A soldier asked me in a quaint tone. I immediately recognized the soldier who leading against the stone wall, adjusting his greaves. The man, who was same age as Hector, was stocky and strong with auburn hair, fair skinned and handsome.

“Aeneas, when do I ever ask permission?” I said with a smile as the old friend placed his helmet on his head and climbed onto his steed. Aeneas was Hector’s principal lieutenant and a good friend.

“Never. But maybe you should sit this one out. The Greeks aren’t like the barbaric tribes we usually encounter.” We started off towards the gate together.

“If I’m not mistaken, Aeneas, it sounds like you’re worried for me?” Aeneas was probably the only person who encouraged my hobby. Many of times it was Aeneas who talked Hector into allowing me to come along.

“Well, I would hate for you to die before you can deny my marriage proposal.” He said with a laugh. Aeneas had been joking about asking Priam for my hand for a few months now but he had yet to act on his words.



Twenty minutes later Hector and his cavalry arrived at the beach, where the war had already started. Only two Greeks ships had landed on the beach but the hundreds of others strayed just off shore. I strayed away from the battle, as Hector instructed. I watched as Aeneas and Hector slip up; Aeneas took a few men to aid those on the beach while Hector took the rest to Apollo’s temple, where a large number of Greeks had gathered.

My position was only visible to those in the temple, so I was relatively safe from un-seen attackers. Only a minute, maybe two passed since Hector and his men had disappeared inside the temple before I became uncomfortable and anxious. I could hear sounds of death and survival coming from the beach, but nothing from the temple. The horses, which I was put in charge of, moved nervously, obviously unsettled by the mixture of silence and excitement.

Four minutes passed and no one had yet to exit the temple. Determined not to disobey Hector’s orders to not enter the temple, I grabbed his horse by the reins and pulled him along as I moved around to the back of the temple, where the only other exit was. I removed my helmet, due to the heat, and wrapped the extra reins around my wrist. As the horse and I neared the final corner, I removed an arrow and set it in the bow but I did not draw back. No one was on the back platform, which was hidden from view from anyone on the beach.

But then I saw movement, movement which made me draw back and almost fire. Looking back, I wished I had let go and let the arrow fly. A soldier, clearly a Greek, walked casually out onto the platform. At first he didn’t notice me; he was looking over his shoulder. But when he did, he simply stared. He had long blonde hair and was surprisingly handsome. I was unsure of how to react to his lack of hostility. When he spoke, he took me completely off guard.

“So you must be Hector’s sister. I’m surprised you allowed her to be here.” The Greek spoke the second part to Hector, who had slowly appeared from inside the temple.

Hector gave me a quick look but ignored the man. "Why did you come here?" Hector asked with his sword still pointed at the Greek.

"They will be talking about this war for a thousand years." The man said causually.

"In a thousand years the dust from our bones will be gone." Both Hector and I we confused by the man's motives.

"Yes, Prince. But our names will remain." At that moment a large number of armed Greeks poured out of the temple. I pulled back on the string once more, prepared for any sign of an attack. "Go home, Prince. And take your sister with you. Drink some wine and make love to your wife. Tomorrow, we will have our war."