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In the Time of Achilles
Love and honour
Chapter thirteen ~ In the time of Achilles
House of Achilles, Greece, September 1190BC
Just as she had promised, Aedia visited Patroclus the next day. She had left her father's house earlier that morning, her thoughts remaining on with her father who was trying to think of what he would say should he be summoned to court. No doubt the court would want him to show remorse for his crime, but how could he if he did not truly feel guilty for what he had done? In his heart, Helios knew he would have gone after Dymas even if he was told that this would be the outcome.
Aedia was currently with Patroclus, her head resting on his shoulder and her hand entwined with his. They were surrounded by the plush pillows and soft blankets on his bed. Sunlight entered the room from the window, warming Aedia's skin. Only moments before Aedia had told Patroclus everything that her father had told her when she had returned home the night before.
Despite the dark circles beneath his weary blue eyes, he had remained attentive throughout her visit. Aedia guessed that his injuries from the chariot accident had kept him awake, for they seemed to trouble him more than they had the day before.
"What will your father do?" Patroclus's eyes moved over to Aedia, whose attention remained fixed on their conjoined hands.
"What can he do? Dymas has wealth and power far beyond that of my father. I cannot see how this can end well for him" Having not slept well herself, Aedia nuzzled Patroclus's neck, taking in his scent; a perfect mixture of the sea and the birch trees which she had found him sat under when she had arrived.
For the second time, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, resting his chin atop her head. Fortunately for Aedia, his eyes were shut, so he was none the wiser to the rosy blush that burned fiercely on her freckled cheeks. Despite how much he claimed to love to see her blush, it made it no less embarrassing for her.
They remained that way for some time before the doctor arrived to check on Patroclus's injuries and clean the cuts and scrapes that he had attained from the accident. Many of the cuts were deep and would surely scar, though this was the least of Patroclus's worries. What he was dreading now was the pain that he would soon experience when the cuts were doused with alcohol. Bidding him and Thetis farewell, she quickly took her leave - not wanting to hear Patroclus's cries of pain for fear they would haunt her forever.
Climbing the steep winding path to the top of her father's house proved to be much easier now that the sun was not as powerful as it had been in the peak of the summer. The onshore breeze that blew through her hair and teal green gown caused the olive groves that lined the path to sway in the wind.
Aedia's father had recently bought more slaves to help with the Autumn harvest, though no slaves could be seen at work in any of his fields. When Aedia reached the whitewashed house the silence was what scared her the most. No slaves were anywhere to be seen and Aedia half wondered if this was the result of her father flying into one of his rages. But deep down Aedia knew that was not true. Lifting her gown, Aedia entered the house, making straight for her father's room. What Helios said to her upon her entry to the room should have shocked her more than it did.
"He took them, all of them Save for Ayo and Adonia" He gestured to the deeply tanned slave stood in the corner with his head bowed. Aedia recognized him as the slave she had sent after her father when Patroclus had been injured.
"We can get them back" Aedia had replied hopefully, but that was a child's answer she had known that the moment the words left her lips. In spite of this, Helios seemed to consider the possibility of it, as he unceremoniously sat down in his chair. An 'oomph' escaping his throat, his weather-beaten face creasing to form a pained expression. When he answered her he did so through gritted teeth.
"And give them what exactly? More money than what Dymas offered? We cannot give them anything, we need our money to get us through the winter"
"Freedom is priceless compared to any amount of money" Helios after all still owned the slaves, though Aedia suspected that did not matter to Dymas. After all, he had most likely taken the slaves of their own free will. Offering them even more money than they had ever laid eyes on in their life - all he asked for in return was for them to say what they had 'witnessed' in the forest.
"Even if they did come back who is to say that if I made them free they would still work for me? How am I to bring in the harvest if they decide to leave - which as free people they would be allowed to do?" Aedia felt a pang of guilt as Helios rubbed his face with his hands, pinching the bridge of his long, thin nose. For it had been her fault that Dymas had turned against him, no matter what Helios might say.
"I'm sorry" Aedia's voice was soft and gentle with a hint of a crack hidden within. With a flick of his hand, Helios signalled for Adonia and Ayo to leave the room. Only after the double doors had shut did he speak up.
"What for?" Helios sat up in his seat and leaned forward, albeit with a grimace of pain.
"If I had just married Dymas as you asked then none of this would have happened" Helio's normally stern face softened. His eyes glistening as in the warm sunlight that entered through the windows.
"I feel as though I have dishonoured you, as though I am a bad daughter" Aedia found that a few salty tears had managed to slip down her cheeks as she searched for any signs of agreement in Helios's face and eyes.
To her surprise, he outstretched his arms and nodded with his head for her to come to him. Aedia did so without hesitation, tears blurring her vision of the back of her fathers wood carved chair and bed that lay just a few feet from them.
"My dear girl, Dymas has always looked for a reason to ruin me, he just used you as an excuse"
Despite the gruffness of his voice, the words soothed her, though they were not able to soothe her fears about her father going to court and the possible punishment he could face. Whipping or exile were the most common punishments the court gave for such crimes.
Adonia entered the room just as Aedia had away from her fathers embrace. In her hand, she held a letter from Dymas, for it was the victim's duty to notify the attacker that they had been summoned to court. Helios would have very little time to prepare for he was to appear before the court the very next morning.
House of Achilles, Greece, September 1190BC
Just as she had promised, Aedia visited Patroclus the next day. She had left her father's house earlier that morning, her thoughts remaining on with her father who was trying to think of what he would say should he be summoned to court. No doubt the court would want him to show remorse for his crime, but how could he if he did not truly feel guilty for what he had done? In his heart, Helios knew he would have gone after Dymas even if he was told that this would be the outcome.
Aedia was currently with Patroclus, her head resting on his shoulder and her hand entwined with his. They were surrounded by the plush pillows and soft blankets on his bed. Sunlight entered the room from the window, warming Aedia's skin. Only moments before Aedia had told Patroclus everything that her father had told her when she had returned home the night before.
Despite the dark circles beneath his weary blue eyes, he had remained attentive throughout her visit. Aedia guessed that his injuries from the chariot accident had kept him awake, for they seemed to trouble him more than they had the day before.
"What will your father do?" Patroclus's eyes moved over to Aedia, whose attention remained fixed on their conjoined hands.
"What can he do? Dymas has wealth and power far beyond that of my father. I cannot see how this can end well for him" Having not slept well herself, Aedia nuzzled Patroclus's neck, taking in his scent; a perfect mixture of the sea and the birch trees which she had found him sat under when she had arrived.
For the second time, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, resting his chin atop her head. Fortunately for Aedia, his eyes were shut, so he was none the wiser to the rosy blush that burned fiercely on her freckled cheeks. Despite how much he claimed to love to see her blush, it made it no less embarrassing for her.
They remained that way for some time before the doctor arrived to check on Patroclus's injuries and clean the cuts and scrapes that he had attained from the accident. Many of the cuts were deep and would surely scar, though this was the least of Patroclus's worries. What he was dreading now was the pain that he would soon experience when the cuts were doused with alcohol. Bidding him and Thetis farewell, she quickly took her leave - not wanting to hear Patroclus's cries of pain for fear they would haunt her forever.
Climbing the steep winding path to the top of her father's house proved to be much easier now that the sun was not as powerful as it had been in the peak of the summer. The onshore breeze that blew through her hair and teal green gown caused the olive groves that lined the path to sway in the wind.
Aedia's father had recently bought more slaves to help with the Autumn harvest, though no slaves could be seen at work in any of his fields. When Aedia reached the whitewashed house the silence was what scared her the most. No slaves were anywhere to be seen and Aedia half wondered if this was the result of her father flying into one of his rages. But deep down Aedia knew that was not true. Lifting her gown, Aedia entered the house, making straight for her father's room. What Helios said to her upon her entry to the room should have shocked her more than it did.
"He took them, all of them Save for Ayo and Adonia" He gestured to the deeply tanned slave stood in the corner with his head bowed. Aedia recognized him as the slave she had sent after her father when Patroclus had been injured.
"We can get them back" Aedia had replied hopefully, but that was a child's answer she had known that the moment the words left her lips. In spite of this, Helios seemed to consider the possibility of it, as he unceremoniously sat down in his chair. An 'oomph' escaping his throat, his weather-beaten face creasing to form a pained expression. When he answered her he did so through gritted teeth.
"And give them what exactly? More money than what Dymas offered? We cannot give them anything, we need our money to get us through the winter"
"Freedom is priceless compared to any amount of money" Helios after all still owned the slaves, though Aedia suspected that did not matter to Dymas. After all, he had most likely taken the slaves of their own free will. Offering them even more money than they had ever laid eyes on in their life - all he asked for in return was for them to say what they had 'witnessed' in the forest.
"Even if they did come back who is to say that if I made them free they would still work for me? How am I to bring in the harvest if they decide to leave - which as free people they would be allowed to do?" Aedia felt a pang of guilt as Helios rubbed his face with his hands, pinching the bridge of his long, thin nose. For it had been her fault that Dymas had turned against him, no matter what Helios might say.
"I'm sorry" Aedia's voice was soft and gentle with a hint of a crack hidden within. With a flick of his hand, Helios signalled for Adonia and Ayo to leave the room. Only after the double doors had shut did he speak up.
"What for?" Helios sat up in his seat and leaned forward, albeit with a grimace of pain.
"If I had just married Dymas as you asked then none of this would have happened" Helio's normally stern face softened. His eyes glistening as in the warm sunlight that entered through the windows.
"I feel as though I have dishonoured you, as though I am a bad daughter" Aedia found that a few salty tears had managed to slip down her cheeks as she searched for any signs of agreement in Helios's face and eyes.
To her surprise, he outstretched his arms and nodded with his head for her to come to him. Aedia did so without hesitation, tears blurring her vision of the back of her fathers wood carved chair and bed that lay just a few feet from them.
"My dear girl, Dymas has always looked for a reason to ruin me, he just used you as an excuse"
Despite the gruffness of his voice, the words soothed her, though they were not able to soothe her fears about her father going to court and the possible punishment he could face. Whipping or exile were the most common punishments the court gave for such crimes.
Adonia entered the room just as Aedia had away from her fathers embrace. In her hand, she held a letter from Dymas, for it was the victim's duty to notify the attacker that they had been summoned to court. Helios would have very little time to prepare for he was to appear before the court the very next morning.