HELEN: The Wine Dark Sea

Helenus responded with a hoarse snort. "Troy will never fall."

"I say it will."

"Troy is protected by the Palladium, a sacred statue of Athena, and the goddess guards the city well."

Odysseus had not heard of the Palladium, and he was immensely intrigued. "Who carved this sacred image of the goddess?"

With such a painful throbbing headache, Helenus could scarcely think. "No human. It fell from heaven, a gift from Athena, a promise of her devotion and protection of Troy."

"Is it made of stone or wood?"

"Olive wood, a tree sacred to Athena," Helenus mumbled.

"How have I never heard of this wonder?"

"The Greeks are known to be ignorant fools."

Odysseus laughed at the insult and jumped to his feet. He motioned for one of his warriors who came running, flashing spear in hand. "I'm taking Prince Helenus as a prisoner. He's very amusing, so you'll escort him to my lodge and see that he comes to no harm. Do you understand? He's not to suffer the slightest scratch or bruise while he's in your keeping."

"I'll treat him well," the man promised and saluted with his fist to his forehead.

Helenus squinted as he looked up at him. "We're on ground sacred to the gods. You dare not insult them by taking prisoners here. Go on your way and forget that we have met."

"You speak as though you were still a prince and expected to be obeyed," Odysseus replied. "That is no longer the case." He gestured for the warrior to pull Helenus to his feet and left them to continue his hunt.

* * *

Paris was mourned as a Trojan prince who had died in battle, and while the grief in Troy was not nearly so deep as it had been for Hektor, people wept for him too, and remembered their own loved ones lost in the long war. Deiphobus held Helen's hand tightly, as though he feared she might hurl herself upon the burning pyre, but the thought had not even occurred to her. She had cried for her lost love in private, and now stood dry-eyed beside her new husband surrounded by sobbing mourners.

In the coming days, she returned to the tents where the wounded lay. She remained late one afternoon with a young warrior with a bloody bandage over his eyes who kept calling for his mother. She had held his hand and whispered his name until he'd grown silent and slipped away. Now on her way to the palace, she heard a familiar voice and startled, turned back to gaze among those passing nearby.

A beggar in muddy rags and a stained pointed cap caught her attention, and when he spoke again, she recognized him by his deep voice. She hurried to hi

s side and turned him away from the path. "Odysseus, if they catch you spying here, you'll not live to see another day."

He raised his hand to his lips and whispered, "Helen, you're as lovely as ever."

Exasperated, she shook her head. "Have you snuck into Troy merely to pay me compliments?"

He huddled down into his filthy garb and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper, "No, I've come to pray at Athena's temple. Will you show me the way?"

With her hood pulled low to shield her identity, she could move as easily about the city as he could in his disguise. She demanded the truth first and gripped his arm. "You're adept at the clever lie. Tell me why you're really here."

"You needn't know what's brought me here, just take me to the temple and leave," he answered gruffly. "If you were going to betray me, you already would have, don't deny it."

Had she not been so wretchedly unhappy, she might have summoned guards to kill him on the spot, but she already bore the responsibility for too many deaths. She paused to consider how best to proceed. "Have you come alone?"

He nodded. "Our fight is with Trojan warriors, not innocent citizens, women and children. You needn't fear I mean to attack within the city walls."

Wanting simply to be rid of him, she guided him to the blue columned temple and led him in. When he fell to pray at the feet of the Palladium, she realized why he'd come and knelt beside him. "The image of the goddess will protect Troy for all time. You're known for your wily tricks, have you come to steal her?"

"I wished only to see it," he claimed. "There must be a secret passageway out of the city. Show me where it is, and I'll go and leave the Palladium untouched."

Had Paris still been alive, she would have left him to find his own way out of the city as he had found his way in. With a single chilling thought of Deiphobus, her decision was instantly made. She described where he'd find the hidden door cut low in the massive wall. Paris had bragged about it, or she'd not have known it was there.

"Stay here until dark and everyone will be inside having their evening meal."

"Are there many guards safeguarding the city?" he asked.