Trojan Princess

Thea looked up as the warning bells began ringing she dashed into the stables grabbing her horse. She pulled herself up and kicked the horse in the flanks, she had to get to the temple her cousin Breseis was there and vulnerable Hector and Paris wouldn't remember until it was to late and she couldn't leave her cousin to those greek brutes.

"Hey wait!" A man yelled in protest as the horse galloped through the gates. Thea leaned down clinging to the horses mane, the temple wasn't far but it was on the beach right where the Greeks were landing. Hector would have her hide if he knew that she was risking herself like this cousin or not. The temple came into view and Thea hazarded a glance at the horizon only one ship was close to the beach and she could hear the soldiers getting ready in front of the gates.

"Breseis!" Thea yelled as she jumped from the horse, priests

hurried to the door.

"Cousin!" Breseis yelled in surprise.

"We have to go now!" Thea said as she grabbed Breseis's arm pulling her towards the horse.

"But cousin the Greeks-"

"Exactly they won't have mercy on you just because your a priestess of Apollo. On the horse cousin." Thea interrupted she locked her fingers to make a step for Breseis to step onto the horse. Breseis placed her foot gingerly in Thea's cupped hands and her hand on Thea's shoulder. Breseis situated herself on the horse and held a hand down to Thea, Thea reached up gasping at the Greek soldiers already running up the beach. "Breseis tell Hector where I am!" Thea said slapping the horse on the rump instead.

"Thea!" Breseis yelled knotting her fingers in the horses mane to keep her seat.

"This way Princess." A priest said at her elbow leading her into the temple with hurried steps. Thea glanced over her shoulder at the Greeks fighting their way through the few Trojan soldiers. "You'll be safe Princess Thea Apollo won't let you be harmed." Thea nodded as he hid her in a hidden room. She strained her ears for any sound any sound at all.

"Hector!" Breseis yelled as the horse galloped wildly towards Troy.

"Breseis how did you get here?" Hector asked as he halted the horse.

"Thea is at the temple she came to get me the Greeks were to close you have to get her cousin you have to." Breseis said in near hysterics.

"You escort my cousin to the palace." Hector said his voice dangerous as he helped Breseis off the horse. "Come we need to get the Princess quickly.

Thea pressed her ear against the wood door she could hear movement and the soft murmuring of the priests praying to Apollo. She gasped at the priests strangled cries pressing her hand to her mouth she turned her head away leaning away from the door no longer wishing to hear. She pulled her legs up and buried her face in her knees she didn't have a weapon not that she stood a chance against any of these brutes.

But...fighting and them killing her was a much more desirable fate. She'd overheard her father and Hector talking of what happened to women captured in a war she wouldn't let that happen to her. She stood looking for some kind of weapon anything she would not be one of those women she would fight and if she died so be it. She slid her hands up and down the walls nothing, sliding them across the shelf she grinned and pulled up a jeweled dagger. Used in sacrifices to Apollo.

"Forgive me Apollo for using your sacred blade. Please protect me in my hour of need." Thea whispered as she tested the blade with her thumb as she'd seen Paris and Hector do before they placed their swords in the sheaths. The thin slice oozed blood as her skin gave easily to the sharp blade.

"You must be very brave or very stupid, to come after me alone." He paused looking at Hector. "You must be Hector. A private audience with the Prince of Troy. I'm flattered. Do you know who I am?"

"These Priests weren't armed." Hector said as he closed the Priests eyes hoping he wouldn't be closing his little sisters before the sunset.

"I didn't kill them. Cutting old men's throats - there's no honor in that." He replied with a frown.

"Honor!" Hector spits the word out eyes darting around the temple for some sign Thea's been here of her fate. "Children and fools fight for honor. I fight for my country." He charged at the man sword ready, the man dodged easily almost playfully he isn't taking this serious. Isn't taking Hector serious. "Fight me!"

"Why kill you Prince of Troy with no one to watch you fall?" He asks as he backs out of an archway and into the sunshine Hector follows him immediately.

"Why did you come here?" Hector asked the man gestured to the invading Greek ships.

"They'll be talking about this for a thousand years."

"In a thousand years even the dust from our bones will be gone." Hector sneers.

"Yes, prince. But our names will remain." He replies as more men all Greeks and covered in Trojan blood surround them.

"The Trojans are dead." One man says.

"Go home, prince. Drink some wine. Make love to your wife.

Tomorrow we'll have our war."

"You speak of war as if it's a game. But how many wives wait

at Troy's gates for the husbands they'll never see again?"

"Perhaps your brother can comfort them. I hear he's good at charming other men's wives." Hector stared hard at them heart heavy as a boulder in his chest as he walked away. There is to many to fight they would kill him without much effort. His city would fall, his sister if she wasn't already dead would be subjected to the horrors of a fallen princess before death. His wife, his son, all the citizens of Troy no he would fight another day pray his sister managed to get away hide somewhere...or that she found a quick death and was waiting to cross the river with Apollo's priests. That was a much more desirable fight to the sister he loved.

Thea sat quietly in the dark storage closet. It was only a matter of time before the brutes found her hiding place. Then they would get a real surprise they would regret coming to Troy and desecrating the Temple of the Sun God. She would make sure of it even if they did kill her.

"Apollo god of the Sun send down your rays bake these fools for desecrating your temple and killing your priests." Thea murmured quietly as the sounds of men grew closer. She stood slowly deliberately standing against the wall she held the knife pointed down. She could hear shuffling someone was walking towards her probably one of the brutes trying to find more of Apollo's gold. They had no respect for the gods, the door was pulled open and Thea pressed tighter against the wall. The man walked in looking displeased at the lack of gold Thea gripped the knife tighter stabbing him in his neck left unprotected by armor and helm. He fell to the floor with a gasp and a gurgle as his sword clattered to the floor. Thea looked at it she picked it up it was much heavier then she thought it would be and she needed to hands to hold it. She stepped over the mans body peeking out the doorway no Greeks around. By the gods...was Apollo protecting her giving her save passage to the beach she knew like the back of her hand.

"Hey!" Apparently not, Thea spun around to face the Greeks sword held tightly in her hands. She tried to remember what Glacus had drilled into Hector and Paris's heads on those hot days as she watched them train. Don't let yourself get backed into a corner that just gives your enemy the advantage to kill you easier. Don't hold your sword to tight but don't hold it loose enough for your opponent to knock it out of your hand. Balance was everything the right OR wrong balance could mean your life.

"Put the sword down and you won't get hurt." One of the men said Thea snorted as she glowered at them.

"You invade my home and kill Apollo's priests who were unarmed and desecrate Apollo's temple and you expect me to believe that. I may be a girl but I'm not stupid." Thea sneered very unprincess-like but she doubted even the most strict counsel man or woman of Troy would fault her for it. Thea gasped as pain exploded in the back of her head. Never get caught up talking, just gives someone the opportunity to sneak up behind you and stab you in the back.