HELEN: The Wine Dark Sea

"I welcome your return, Great Achilles!" Odysseus shouted. "We need to give our brave army food and drink and a night's rest so that they may return to the battle with renewed vigor tomorrow."

"Agreed," Achilles responded. Men clustered around him eager to see him again in their midst, but he brushed them aside and returned to his camp, finally ready to put Patroclus to rest.

Odysseus urged Agamemnon to send Achilles the promised treasures despite his lack of interest in receiving them. The king did so, but only Briseis was welcomed.

"Patroclus was kind to me," she offered with her condolences. "I'll sit here with you to mourn him if I may."

Achilles took her hand and brought it to his lips, but he tasted only sorrow.

* * *

Paris brought Helen their finest wine from Thrace. "Drink with me. Tomorrow may never come, so let's glory in tonight."

She held the gold kylix in both hands to take a sip. The wine was almost as delicious as the gift of the grapes at home, almost. She closed her eyes to savor the flavor of the memory. "Thank you, this has an exquisite taste. Are the men not feasting together tonight?"

"I've had my fill of their tedious retelling of the day's battle. Had Ajax not defended the Greek's ships with such remarkable strength, we would have driven the Greek demons into the sea, and the war would have ended today."

A second sip of wine tasted even better than the first, and she smiled and licked her lips. "Perhaps the gods have no desire to ever see this war end. Ares and Athena may convince the other gods on Mount Olympus to indulge their insatiable thirst for mortals' blood."

He set her kylix aside, kissed her fingertips and drew her out on their balcony. Thousands of enemy campfires burned along the shore but darkness hid the men clustered around them. "The war will end soon. Hektor will attack at dawn, and if the gods are with us, we'll sweep our enemies into the sea and finally be rid of them."

Believing the gods were impervious to their pleas and sacrifices, she rested in his arms and thought only of him. He was so young, and she forgave him all his faults. "War or not, you have been the best of husbands, both kind and affectionate."

"Your favorite?" he teased.

"I'm with you, so there's no comparison."

He nuzzled her throat with light kisses. "The first time I saw you, I understood why I'd been born."

She recalled the curse surrounding his birth even if he had forgotten. She led him to their beautiful carved bed where they could pass the night lost in each other with wine flavored kisses. Even if it were only Aphrodite's spell, the lingering pleasure made her ache for more. There were times the gods could be useful after all.

* * *

Zeus stroked his auburn beard as he spoke to the gods gathered in his golden throne room. "You have all chosen sides. Hera, Athena and brother Poseidon, lord of the Sea, have encouraged the Greeks at every turn. While god of War Ares, and Artemis, Apollo and Aphrodite favor the Trojans. I will withdraw to observe today, but you must take care with your actions, for Achilles must not take Troy too soon."

Inspired, Poseidon rose to respond. "When I cause the mountains to shake, both sides will feel my power. Waves will crest over the Greek ships, and Troy's walls will tremble."

"Yes, do your worst," Zeus encouraged. "Create the ultimate battleground and let the warriors of both sides slip and slide upon the earth, let them roll and tumble, but live to strike again with their gleaming bronze swords and spears."

Poseidon laughed, eager to flip the earth like a carpet and send everyone flying.

The gods laughed with him, and Athena shrieked a war cry and led them into battle.

* * *

Hektor stood with his brothers Helenus and Deiphobus. "If the day does not go well and I fall, promise you'll take care of Andromache and my son."

Deeply concerned, Deiphobus touched his arm. "Have you had a premonition?"

Hektor laughed. "I've escaped the chill of death so often, it's already in my bones."

"We'll defeat the Greeks today, and you'll be with us tonight for the celebratory feasting," Helenus swore.

"Neither of you promised to look after my wife and son," Hektor responded, his expression dark.

"Of course, we'll care for them," Helenus vowed. "It would be an honor, but one I hope we need not fulfill."

Deiphobus nodded. "You have my word, brave brother. I'll see they live well."