I Walked With Giants

I spent the majority of the afternoon in the sick bay. By my calculations, about sixty men were killed at the beach that morning while another hundred were injured. One of those injured was Aeneas, who stubbornly refused to lay down so I could sew the cut on his side more easily. The cut was long, but it wasn't deep. It started just under his arm before traveling down to the front of his stomach. I had finally managed to stop the bleeding, but Aeneas' constant movement threatened to reopen the wound.

"Are you done yet?" The man asked sarcastically.

"Nearly. Just don't move for another minute." Even as I said it, I made the last stitch and tied the wound off.

"Took you long enough." I heard Aeneas mutter under his breath. Our brief conversation was interrupted when Astynome, a servant in the palace, appeared.

"The King requires your presence." She said to me. The young girl was only about thirteen but she had been working in the palace along side her mother for a few years now. I looked at Aeneas hoping for an explanation but all he gave me was an odd look.



After the normal round of formalities, my father, King Priam, took my hand as he always did and lead me on a walk though one of the many palace gardens. The sun had yet to set but the sky was already a mixture of reds and yellows in the west. "My child, I have two things to discuss with today. Both of which I am certain you will not find pleasure in. The first is not my doing, but the second is. I have much faith and pride in you, even though I do not show it often."

"What is it you wish to tell me, father?" I asked with the respectful tone my father deserved.

"Unfortunately, another suitor has come forward. Young Aeneas, I believe you know him, has asked for your hand." Priam said it bluntly; as though he already knew my answer. But I didn't know my answer. All the other men I hadn’t known very well, so it was easy to deny them. But Aeneas? I had known Aeneas all my life. He was friend. Probably my only friend outside of the family.

But, thankfully, my father did not wait for an answer. "But that is the least of our problems at the moment. As you know, the Greeks have invaded our shores. There have already been causalities on both sides but we can still hope for a peaceful resolution to this conflict. This is why the Council and I, mainly me, have decided to name you as the Trojan emissary to the Greeks during this current discord.”

If I was shocked by Aeneas’ proposal, I was shaken by my father’s request. I couldn’t do that. I had no training in how to negotiate with people. And surely my father knew of my inability to keep my composure, especially when I was angry. Even though I was sure he had previously known of my shortcomings, I felt the need to remind my father of them.

“Alexus, even though our relationship is not the best, do you believe I would put you in any situation, especially one as serious as this, if I did not think you were capable?” The answer was no. Though I did believe my father did not particularly like me, I also believed that he never wished me ill. He had never put me in any position that I could not handle. But being an envoy to the Greeks? This was much larger than anything else he had asked of me. Larger than marriage. Nevertheless, I accept my father’s task with a heavy heart and mind.



Dusk had fallen when Asteropaios and I arrived at the Greeks’ camp on the beach. Asteropaios was a minor officer in Hector’s army and had been assigned as my guardian during my trips into the Greek camp. He was dressed in his usual combat attire. Only his spear and shield were absent. His sword was tied protectively to his side.

I was dressed modestly; with plain white robes and a black riding cloak. The only jewelry present was modest gold earrings. I unbraided my hair, so it fell down my back like a dark curtain. Hidden beneath my robes, on my hip, was a single straight knife, which Asteropaios had given me before we left the city. His insistence that I take it farther unnerved me. I wan’t sure what had me so upset. Priam had given me strict instructions and requests to relay to the Greeks. All I had to do was reiterate the King’s wishes, listen to theirs, and, after each group’s wishes had denied by the opposing team, go home.

We left our horses at the edge of the camp. The sizeable camp had taken up the entire width of the beach. Numerous huts were built, or still in the process of being completed, a short distance from the tide and beached ships. Many fires had been started. As I voluntarily walked though enemy territory, I refrained from looking around. To curb my curiosity, I kept my hood up. I didn’t want too much attention drawn to us.

I didn’t know what to expect as I followed the watchman onto the large ship, which I presumed was Agamemnon’s. Asteropaios was never more than a foot away from me. A large pergola had been erupted on the deck of the wooden ship. I didn’t have time to take a breath before we were lead directly into the tent.