Chapter Four: Burned and Broken Hero

            Behind us I could hear the temple collapse. I couldn't focus on the pain knowing that Alexander's body was burning and without proper burial. I cried and pushed Diomedes off of me, but he just grabbed my arm. "Come girl. I know of a pathway closer than the way your brother mentioned. Let us go, for if I am to keep this promise I need your cooperation."

            I stared at the flames as they grew all the more. The only thing that stood was the statue of Athena. I couldn't argue with him...it was Alexander's dying wish that I be kept safe. "I suppose I should go..." I muttered, and then I was pulled away. I kept turning around and looking at the statue of Athena as it burned more and more, falling apart and melting at the same time.

            My entire life flashed before my eyes. When it was over, all I could think of was What's the point? The only thing I had to live for at this point was to kill the man who was saving my life... what else could I do?

            "This way," He dragged me down a tunnel. I ran behind him, then let go of his hand and put my hands to my knees, bending over and coughing. "Ugh..." He groaned and scowled, more at himself in frustration than me. I looked up at him with a look of innocence and dispair. I didn't intend on giving him such a child-like look, just the fact that I did look at him like this was enough to make him consider something. He thought for but a moment, then bend down in a half-crouch. "Get on my back." I smiled a light smile and did as he asked. I put my arms around his neck and clung to him with my life, for my life quite literally was at stake.

            As he ran, I looked at Diomedes's face. He was a completely different person than he was not too long ago. He seemed so...heroic. I can't think of words to describe my thoughts. I hated him moments before, but now I was almost grateful to him. I wanted to say thank you, but I didn't feel that it was appropriate at this point.

            He kept pressing on, determined to get me out of there safe and sound. It was something heroic that I hadn’t seen in anyone else besides my brother before. I was a little surprised at it, actually.

            After a while he noticed that I was just staring at him blankly and asked, “Something wrong?”

            I shook my head, despite that he couldn’t see it, and said “No, no, nothing. Press on.”

            He gave me one nod and kept running. We finally hit the end of the tunnel and I noticed the light in the roof of the dead end. I heard man outside mumbling to themselves, saying things like, “Did he make it?” and “Is he coming?” They all sounded very masculine, and of the little group of people I could see on our way to the end, they looked very strong and buff.

            We hit the end and a man smiled and looked down the hole. “Guys! He made it! He’s here, he’s�"” The man stopped. “Who is that with him?”

            Diomedes put me down for a few moment and took a few breaths, then lifted me up suddenly. “Take her, fellows. And none of you lay an angry finger on her or I swear I’ll have your head.”

            Most of the men backed up, but a couple took me as they were ordered to do. They put me down quickly, though, and moved aside to help Diomedes out as well.

            I heard them all whisper to themselves and bowed my head. I knew they were talking about me. My few moments with my savior were over, and we were to go back to our old ways. Maybe his men would kill me. I didn’t want to die, though. I still felt that I had something to do here, some purpose to serve for something great, and part of that was killing the man who killed my brother, yet spared my life.

            “Diomedes left his mark…better not touch that one,” Said one of the men, and my head shot up again. I put a hand to my neck and when I removed it to see what they were talking about all I saw was blood. “Oh no,” I said. He wasn’t a savior at all…he just made it seem as though he was. He had hurt me. He killed my brother. He was a terrible person who was probably only taking me out here to be his toy.

            When he got out of the hole, he put a hand to my shoulder, but I backed away and shoved him off. “No, don’t touch me you killer.” I said to him, and then realized the harshness in my tone and who I was speaking that way towards. He lifted his hand again, above my head, and I winced thinking he was about to strike me. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m�"wait…” He had put his hand to my head, as if in protection, and looked seriously at all his men.

            “Now before you maggots even think of looking at her as just another woman, or just one of our Troy enemies, or anything else particularly negative and discriminatory, I want you all to realize she’s here with good cause. She’s here because I chose to let her be here…as a promise to a comrade on his death bed.”

            All of them stopped whispering and suddenly realized exactly what I was. They all gasped. “Who is our fallen man?”

            Diomedes shook his head. “He has asked not to be named. He wants not be be remembered for his name, but to be remember for nothing but his heroic act of getting the pallidium to safety." He said, “...and keeping the one he loved safe with his life. So men, do you understand: Nobody dares to touch her," Everyone was in an agreeing silence, but that wasn't enough for Diomedes. "Do you all hear me?"

            Everyone yelled a “Yes!” or an “Of course sir!”

            I looked up at Diomedes in surprise. Was he truly this keen on protecting me? Why?

            “She’ll be staying in my quarters.” He added after they’d all finished yelling.

            My lower eyelid twitched in distraught realization. …I get it… I’m such a fool to think he actually had some mysterious reason for keeping me safe.

            We walked to his tent, which two men guarded the outside of, and he pointed at a very nice bed. “On my bed on some clothes that aren’t nearly as filthy. Change. I hope you don’t mind, but I need to hurry and change myself so I can help build the boats again.”

            I walked over to the bed and took the robes, then looked down at mine. They were singed on the bottom, covered in Ash and dirt and wet from running in puddles left behind from overturned water buckets and such. I reeked of all these things as once, but I loved these robes more than anything. They were the only clothes I’d had that survived the fire, and I didn’t care how ruined they were �" I was reluctant to get rid of them that easily for a savage’s clothes.

            He took off his upper robes, but his lower armor and belt and things were still on him. He turned to me, noticed that all I was doing was staring at his clothes, and he sighed. “Tear off a piece of the cloth and burn the rest in memorial of your fallen twin brother. You need to change soon though. I won’t have a smell like that in here, and unless you sleep in here my men will definitely try something with you. Let me tell you, they’re not gentle �" they’re too slobbish for this gentleman sort.

            I nodded and looked up at him. I couldn’t stop staring at his chest…so many scars. “Where can I bathe in peace…?”

            “Diomedes!” Someone yelled from outside the tent.

            “I’ll have to show you later.” He said and, putting his shirt on, left.