Below the heart

Chapter 2

By dusk there was a small town I came upon, as I walked upon the trail leading into shops I came across one of them that had an open display of apples.
"I'd like to have four apples." I told the merchant
"what do you have then?" the old merchant said to me "I don't have anything. I was newly exiled from my city last night." I explained to him "Poor thing, but I still can't help you out if you don't have anything in return." the merchant seemed to be set on his ways and I can tell there is no reasoning with this man.
However I wasn't about to die from a nine hour walk from dusk to dawn with no food in my stomach, so I took the merchants four apples that were on display and ran. He shouted to get back and called me a good-for-nothing looter, I don't care, a man has got to do what he needs to in order to survive. As I ran I found that I couldn't get too far, but neither could the old merchant who looked to be sixty or so. I managed to hide in an alleyway and ate an apple. The crunch was so freeing, the salivating flavor of sweetness, the first bite made me want to it eat more. I waited for the merchant to give up looking for me then emerged from the crevice of the alley.

* * *

"HEY- Get back here boy!" The shop merchant shouted, I steal frequently from town to town though. Mainly from old sellers, even though I can't run fast like some of Zeus's descendants. I can however get away with some climbing up buildings and sliding under cargo, tables and anything low to the ground. At least that's what's been working for me for the past four months, I've gotten into a couple of fights during that time, one was on my birthday, I'm now eight years old.

I sat with my back against the wall of stairs, the light grey marble cooling off my back felt freeing from the warmth of Helios. I was observing merchants and customers trading for their food for other desirables, boys chasing another, a mother with her daughter strolling. I took a bite of my apple while watching the sky, that's what I do when I don't people watch, watching the blue sky with a blazing sun makes you think about the grand-scheme of things.

A young boy around my age walks towards me, I thought he'd want to beat me up so I tensed and readied my fist "what do you want?" I stared at him, studying what he'll do. "Do you need a hand?" He asked with a smile on his face, it was oddly welcoming. I moved my apple away from him and towards me, he might just be batting you, don't fall for his antics. I kept staring at him, like a stray dog wary of  human encounter. He was still waiting, patiently.
I switched my apple to the other hand and grabbed his. "What's your name?" His question sounds so genuine, his diopside eyes glimmered against the sun, there's no way he can be real. I looked at him from head to toe and bit my inner lip to make sure I wasn't conforming to Hypnos' spells, "Patroclus..." I murmured, "Patroclus, that's an interesting name! I'm Achilles." Achilles... "Do you have anywhere to be?" He asked, I shook my head with a stern look upon my face, maybe if I looked at him that way he'd leave me alone.
"Come with me, I'm on my way back to my fathers place!" I reluctantly followed, I had nothing better to do, after all what's there to loose?

My apple that I stole maybe, but other than that there's nothing of value. Eyes glared at me and the long-haired blond boy who was a foot away from me. "My castle is a ways away in Thessaly" he had an odd pep to his step, walking around like he doesn't have a care in the world. What is with this boy?