we could concentrate on her return to Sparta.
“And did you not have a cloak of your own, to wear on this long journey to Troy?” Helen asked.
I blushed. Was Helen embarrassing me deliberately or was she incapable of talking about anything but clothes?
There was a loud scuffle in the assembly hall. Helen and I looked back through the doorway and saw Paris and Deiphobus drawing their swords.
“You Greeks, you ask for the return of something that’s no longer yours. Helen is mine. She is mine. She stays in Troy!” Paris shouted.
My brother ignored Paris and concentrated on Priam. “You’re an honourable and peace-loving king. I am sure you will make the correct choice for the sake of your people and your family.”
I whispered to Helen. “Come with me now, before it’s too late. I promise …”
Turning round, my heart fell. Helen had gone, leaving us to our fate. I caught a glimpse of her sweeping down the corridor, her servant girl running after her.
“Helen,” I called.
No response.
“Helen,” I shouted, louder this time, not caring who heard.
The servant girl spun round and shook her head. I started to follow, but she held up her hands and mouthed words so clearly, they seemed to ring in my head: “No. Go back. Go back, please!”
Then she hurried after her mistress. The corridor was empty and I sped after them, until two burly guards came striding towards me.
The fatter of the two men pointed to the assembly hall. “In. There.”
“No, I must see Helen.”
“In. There,” he repeated.
I glared at him. “My brother is the king of Ithaca and he …”
The fat guard caught me by the shoulders and pushed me to the door. “In. There.”
I looked at the second man, but he wore the same stern frown. There was nothing to do except return to the assembly. “Fools,” I hissed and quickly slipped through the doorway, to find Antenor finishing his speech.
“My king, if you value anything I’ve said or done for Troy these last thirty years, I beg you to send Helen with Menelaus,” the old advisor was saying, his eyes set on Priam.
“That’s the talk of a coward and a traitor,” Paris shouted. “Helen is my wife and a Trojan princess. We must protect her from the Greeks.”
Priam held up his hand and Paris fell silent.
Antenor kept his eyes on the king. “I appreciate it will be painful for Prince Paris to release the lady he regards as his wife. But for the good of Troy and its people, he must make this sacrifice.”
“And what think you, Hector? Should your brother return his wife to Sparta?” Priam asked, leaning back and examining his elder son.
Hector took the sceptre from Antenor and faced Paris. “I love you, my brother, but you were wrong to violate Menelaus’ hospitality. You were honour bound to respect his wife, no matter how beautiful or easy your conquest. You must let her go. Troy must let her go.”
I glanced at Priam again, hoping for a sign he agreed with Hector. But the old king looked at Deiphobus.
“It’s simple,” Deiphobus said, smiling for the first time. “Why are we wasting our time arguing about it? Helen is now a Trojan princess and we must defend her. If the Greek dogs want war, let them come. We will be ready.”
Priam sighed. “See how you have divided my counsel, King Menelaus. We have two for returning Helen and two who insist she must stay. However, there is one left to speak. Where do you stand, Antimachus?”
“I am a soldier and I know the Greeks,” Antimachus said. “If we give in to them, they will think us weak. They’ll be back for more and they’ll want our daughters and our gold next time.” He stabbed his finger at Menelaus and Odysseus. “We must send their troops scampering home to hide behind their mothers’ skirts. That is what we must do, Lord Priam, and our people will expect it.”
Odysseus, Hector and Antenor stepped forward, each one eager to take the sceptre again. Priam handed it to his son, saying Hector would
“And did you not have a cloak of your own, to wear on this long journey to Troy?” Helen asked.
I blushed. Was Helen embarrassing me deliberately or was she incapable of talking about anything but clothes?
There was a loud scuffle in the assembly hall. Helen and I looked back through the doorway and saw Paris and Deiphobus drawing their swords.
“You Greeks, you ask for the return of something that’s no longer yours. Helen is mine. She is mine. She stays in Troy!” Paris shouted.
My brother ignored Paris and concentrated on Priam. “You’re an honourable and peace-loving king. I am sure you will make the correct choice for the sake of your people and your family.”
I whispered to Helen. “Come with me now, before it’s too late. I promise …”
Turning round, my heart fell. Helen had gone, leaving us to our fate. I caught a glimpse of her sweeping down the corridor, her servant girl running after her.
“Helen,” I called.
No response.
“Helen,” I shouted, louder this time, not caring who heard.
The servant girl spun round and shook her head. I started to follow, but she held up her hands and mouthed words so clearly, they seemed to ring in my head: “No. Go back. Go back, please!”
Then she hurried after her mistress. The corridor was empty and I sped after them, until two burly guards came striding towards me.
The fatter of the two men pointed to the assembly hall. “In. There.”
“No, I must see Helen.”
“In. There,” he repeated.
I glared at him. “My brother is the king of Ithaca and he …”
The fat guard caught me by the shoulders and pushed me to the door. “In. There.”
I looked at the second man, but he wore the same stern frown. There was nothing to do except return to the assembly. “Fools,” I hissed and quickly slipped through the doorway, to find Antenor finishing his speech.
“My king, if you value anything I’ve said or done for Troy these last thirty years, I beg you to send Helen with Menelaus,” the old advisor was saying, his eyes set on Priam.
“That’s the talk of a coward and a traitor,” Paris shouted. “Helen is my wife and a Trojan princess. We must protect her from the Greeks.”
Priam held up his hand and Paris fell silent.
Antenor kept his eyes on the king. “I appreciate it will be painful for Prince Paris to release the lady he regards as his wife. But for the good of Troy and its people, he must make this sacrifice.”
“And what think you, Hector? Should your brother return his wife to Sparta?” Priam asked, leaning back and examining his elder son.
Hector took the sceptre from Antenor and faced Paris. “I love you, my brother, but you were wrong to violate Menelaus’ hospitality. You were honour bound to respect his wife, no matter how beautiful or easy your conquest. You must let her go. Troy must let her go.”
I glanced at Priam again, hoping for a sign he agreed with Hector. But the old king looked at Deiphobus.
“It’s simple,” Deiphobus said, smiling for the first time. “Why are we wasting our time arguing about it? Helen is now a Trojan princess and we must defend her. If the Greek dogs want war, let them come. We will be ready.”
Priam sighed. “See how you have divided my counsel, King Menelaus. We have two for returning Helen and two who insist she must stay. However, there is one left to speak. Where do you stand, Antimachus?”
“I am a soldier and I know the Greeks,” Antimachus said. “If we give in to them, they will think us weak. They’ll be back for more and they’ll want our daughters and our gold next time.” He stabbed his finger at Menelaus and Odysseus. “We must send their troops scampering home to hide behind their mothers’ skirts. That is what we must do, Lord Priam, and our people will expect it.”
Odysseus, Hector and Antenor stepped forward, each one eager to take the sceptre again. Priam handed it to his son, saying Hector would
Similar Books
