HELEN: The Wine Dark Sea

Highly amused, Tyndareus laughed and patted her hand. "It's too soon to have contests for the girls, but I'll think on whom to urge to enter. There are sure to be many who'll want Clytemnestra, but Helen is so beautiful, men may compete for her for years."

Leda rested her head on his shoulder. "Clytemnestra must be wed first."

"Of course, she's the eldest and nearly as beautiful as her mother. Now come to my bed and remind me why I fought so hard to win you."

She licked her lips and smiled. "We were both fortunate." He trusted her so completely he had never doubted Helen was his, but she would never forget how Zeus, clothed in glorious white feathers, had blessed her.

* * *

The following afternoon, Castor and Pollux found Helen and Omalu playing in the dirt at the edge of the vineyard. All they saw were short lengths of rope tied with rags, scattered sticks and smooth stones from the river. "What are you playing?" Castor asked.

Helen looked up at her brothers. "We've made people of rope, horses with sticks, and the stones are ships. Omalu and I are fighting a battle, and my side is winning."

Castor squatted down beside her. He lifted a frayed chunk of rope. "Is this a mighty warrior?"

"Yes, he is, see the horsehair crest on his bronze helmet?"

Pollux laughed. "All I see is a mess that should be swept away."

Castor regarded the scene more thoughtfully. "No, this is definitely the site of a battle, and we ought to make our own rope warriors and practice planning strategy. Sparta has many enemies, and we'll have need of such skills when we're grown."

"You want to play in the dirt?" Pollux scoffed.

Helen used a bit of fabric to tie stick legs on another little twig horse. "If you see only dirt rather than a battlefield, go away and leave us be."

Castor sat and reached into the pile of rope for a piece. "I'll stay."

Pollux walked away muttering unflattering things about his brother under his breath.

Helen laughed. "You are my favorite brother, Castor. You must have always known it."

He touched her cheek lightly. "You must keep it a secret or Pollux will be jealous and give me no peace."

She placed the new little horse with the others. "I'm very good at keeping secrets."

"I doubt you have any worth telling."

She smiled to herself. "You'll never know. Now we must begin again once you've made your soldiers."

He reached for a few of hers. "What if I just capture these fine warriors here?"

She swatted his hand. "You may not capture my men until you have some of your own. It's not fair."

"Do you think war is fair?" he asked.

"There must be rules," she argued. "Besides,

you have joined my game and must do as I say."

Amused, he glanced to the vast expanse of vivid blue sky overhead. "Mother has raised you to be a queen, but that day hasn't yet arrived." He worked on fraying and knotting his bits of rope as he talked, and they began the game anew as soon as he was ready.

* * *

By the next afternoon, Pollux became sufficiently intrigued to join in. He shoved dirt into bumpy hills, dug a hole and filled it with water for a sea. "This should look like a real battlefield," he announced. "We should have a pyre for the dead."

"Rope warriors can't die," Helen countered. "They get up to fight again and again, like the gods."

"Burning any would be a waste of good rope," Castor added.