Beautiful War

Chapter 5 The Voyage

We have been sailing for three days now. And as each day passed, we put more miles between us and Sparta. I began to be less afraid that a Spartan ship would come over the horizon and over take us. No doubt Menelaus has already discovered that we are all gone. That the fire was nothing more than a distraction ,meant for us to escape. That his queen and his daughter were gone. Along with the Trojan envoy. He would no doubt fly into a rage, killing or maiming everything in sight. A rage which only his mistress could sooth. I had learned that over the last five years of marriage. I remained in the cabin for those three days. Still recovering from my daughter's delivery. I decided upon the name Hermoine. It was the name of my mother's mother. I heard that she was a great Spartan warrior, though she died before I was born. It was my mother who told me stories about her bravery and courage on the battlefield. Hermoine was a strong and healthy baby, something I was grateful for. Before we left Sparta for good, a small rowboat came into view of the ship. There the wet nurse was brought on board. I found out that it was Athena, my old handmaiden. She had returned to Sparta with her father not long before the Trojan princes arrived. Pollux found when he was in the market one day. He soon recruited her to be Hermione's wet nurse and guardian, if I did not wake from my coma. We both were overjoyed to be reunited after all these years. As I had missed her company and companionship for the last five years. She loved and adored Hermoine and was gladly willing to nurse her. She had lost both her child and husband shortly before returning to Sparta from a plague that was ravaging Athens. I wept for her own child that did not live to see his first year. Though Hermoine was only a few days old, I could not imagine losing her to something as horrible as plague. That was how much I loved her. During the course of those three days, Paris did not leave my side. He made sure that I was cared for, that both Athena and I were cared for. On the fourth day of the journey, I could no longer stand to be in the cabin any longer. I was strong enough to walk, and I wanted to stretch my legs. Pollux in his wisdom had a trunk of my clothes and jewels secretly brought to the ship. If I had not woken up, he would have brought me here anyway. He refused to leave me to the whims of my husband. He wanted me to have a chance at happiness. It was a stroke of luck that I did wake up. That I made the choice myself. Pollux always had a plan, he was always thinking three steps ahead of anyone else. I was grateful that I had brother like him.

She dressed me in a white linen dress that plunged deeply, revealing my breasts that were still large from my pregnancy. I had a sash of blue wrapped around my waist. She placed a white veil on my head, to hide my head from the cruel sun. The veil was pinned to the two silver bracelets on my wrists. My hair hung down in blonde curls to my waist. When she was done, I gave Hermione a kiss on her small head. Athena would stay behind in the cabin to feed her. I knew she would wake up any moment now. I left my feet bare and left the cabin and made my way up the flight of stairs. I held my hand up to hide the glare of the sun. My eyes adjusted and I saw the Trojan men busying themselves on the deck. It was a beautiful day, there were not many clouds in the sky. The sun is shining down on us. It felt good against my skin. I saw Hector and Pollux speaking with one another on the other side of the ship. They appeared to be having a serious conversation by the way both men were tense around their shoulders. I did not wish to disturb them or listen in on their conversation. I moved to the edge of the ship and placed my hands on the wooden railing. I stared out onto the Aegean. I remembered as a child hearing the great stories of Jason and the Argonauts. How they sailed to Colchis to retrieve the golden fleece. After hearing that, I always wanted to sail on a ship and sail around the known world like they did. I closed my eyes, enjoying the warm sea air on my face. The smell of the sea salt and the sound of the seagulls above us. I heard someone clear their throat. I looked over and saw Paris standing a few feet away. His hands behind his back. He had an amused look in his eyes.

"I am sorry to disturb you my lady. I noticed you, and had to see you. You looked so content just a moment ago," he said. I gave him a shy smile, realizing that he had been watching me. That he noticed how I was feeling. Menelaus never cared about how I felt. He always called me a weak woman, that Mycenaean women were better than Spartan women. He did not view me as human. So to hear those things from Paris' lips, it made me feel like I was being seen for the first time in years. I wondered if I would recapture what I was before Menalaus took that all away from me.