HELEN: The Wine Dark Sea

Agamemnon gestured for Odysseus to leave at once. "Don't blame him for my lie," he chided. "I wanted Iphigenia's last day to be a happy one. Now she'll dwell on Mt. Olympus with the gods. We could not have wished a better fate for her."

As soon as Odysseus had left them, Clytemnestra struck her husband with a fierce backhanded blow. "Another preposterous lie! You killed my baby, and I'll despise you forever, even after your death! May everyone you've gathered for this insane venture drown on the way to Troy!"

Agamemnon tried to catch her, but she ran from the tent, called to a warrior to bring her chariot and left the camp with her team at a full gallop. In an afternoon he'd lost both his daughter and wife, but he suddenly saw a leaf blowing in the air and caught it. Elated that Artemis had released the wind, he threw out his arms to feel it rush against his bare chest, and set his mind to war.

Chapter 22

Mount Olympus

Artemis flew through billowing clouds astride a swift Pegasus with Iphigenia clutched tightly in her arms. The winged steed landed lightly on a marble terrace framed by majestic solid golden columns. The goddess dismounted and set her charge down gently. She knelt in front of Iphigenia, and wiped away the girl's tears on the hem of her short tunic.

A leather cord kept Artemis's tight, black curls out of her eyes, and they bounced upon her shoulders as she spoke. "What a terrible fright you've had, but you're safe here with me."

Aphrodite approached with a hesitant step. "Have you begun hunting for mortals, Artemis?"

Iphigenia responded with a long, pitiful wail. She clutched Artemis's hand and gasped between broken-hearted sobs.

"This is a truly a pathetic sight," Aphrodite mused as she circled them. "Perhaps you should send her back."

"Certainly not, fools wished to sacrifice her in my temple, but I've no thirst for an innocent's blood. She'll have a happy life here with the nymphs. Now please stop crying, dear child. Your day may have begun badly, but your life will be blissful ever after in this divine abode of the gods."

Iphigenia blinked away her tears and gazed up at Aphrodite. The beautiful goddess's long blonde curls were crowned with a wreath of roses and their heady perfume lightened her fears. "I have always loved you," Iphigenia whispered.

Aphrodite offered her hand to pull Iphigenia to her feet. "Of course you have, my child, and you must love Artemis even more. Now come with us, and we'll find the lovely nymphs and make a new home for you."

The goddesses had such a sweet smiles and light touches, Iphigenia danced away with them joyfully and never gave her Earthy home and family another thought.

* * *

Ares and Apollo blew away the clouds surrounding Mt. Olympus to observe the immense Greek fleet sail from Aulis on their voyage to Troy. "Have you ever seen so many ships united for a cause?" Apollo asked.

"Never, and it will make the coming war all the more exciting," Ares responded. He stood slightly taller than Apollo, with a lean, muscular build. His hair was a rich dark brown. He rubbed his hands together in glee, and his smoky gray eyes lit with a dangerous gleam. "I'll defend Troy so they won't be so painfully outnumbered. What's your choice?"

"I'm willing to take Troy's side as well," Apollo agreed with a jovial shrug. "Aphrodite and Artemis should be with us."

Athena overheard them plotting and laughed as she approached them. "Hera and I will stand with the Greeks, as will Poseidon, so you'll never save Troy, my handsome ones."

"Would you care to place a bet," Apollo asked, a wicked grin gracing his full lips.

"You own nothing I'd care to win," Athena mocked. She knelt beside them to observe the fleet sailing northeast on the Aegean Sea. "With Agamemnon's wealth of powerful allies, Troy will quickly fall, whether you two like it or not."

It was now Ares turn to laugh. "No, my dark-haired beauty, mark my words, this war will last for many a year. When I get through with them, what's left of the Greek army will sail home on rafts made of rough wooden planks, all that will be left of their once mighty fleet."

Athena shook her head, tossing her helmet's plume in the air. "Months, years, what does it matter to us?" she scoffed, and she left to tell Hera how foolish Ares and Apollo had again proven themselves to be.

* * *

Paris and Helen rode toward his childhood home with the warriors Kastros and Orthis trailing at a respectful distance. Although Paris doubted any danger would befall them along the familiar route, a prince and his bride were always accompanied. "My first parents were very good to me. Please don't judge them by how little they own."

Helen swept a stray curl from her eyes. "Do you think so little of me? I can see what wonderful paren

ts they are by how fine a young man you've become. I'll thank them for taking such good care of you. Or would it embarrass you?"

He nodded. "It will embarrass me terribly, but it will thrill them."

"Then I'll do so."

His mother heard them coming and peered out the door. Recognizing her son, she ran to greet him, but at the first sight of Helen, she halted and drew back. She brushed flour from her skirt and hid her work-worn hands behind her back.