Chapter Five: Within the Tent

            I was all alone, and I definately felt alone. Even though my city of Troy never truly accepted me, I at least always had my brother there to look out for me. Now I was confused... Why this man cared so much about a promise he made to the enemy as he fell made no sense to me. I also had no idea what to think of this Diomedes... He killed my brother right before my eyes just to get his hands on something called a pallidium, which I still had no idea of the true importance of it, and then marked me by scarring my neck and telling me he'd one day be the death of me. Moments afterward he scooped me up in his arms so that I may live... What am I to this man? A toy? A trophy? A...a love?

            No, no. I'm not pretty. I'm a demon girl, on top of that, so I suppose even if I was pretty it wouldn't matter. Besides, I'm also cold, and I'm cruel, and I'm most certainly not loveable. Another thing... It wouldn't make sense if he had hurt me to have me. Perhaps it was something a bit more complex? Yes, yes... He's confused himself. I must remind him of someone he once knew, someone important. That must be it.

            "A girl?" I turned at the voice. It was that of more of a younger member of the army, closer to my age than any of the other men could be, but still older. "What are you doing in here?" He asked me, slightly surprised. He was light in his tone, however. He must have heavy morals about women...I hate that. Or maybe...maybe he just knew I was here from the beginning? Wait, so he was watching me?

            I glared at him a bit and looked him over. He was wearing a red cape over his whole body, which was nearly bare. He had on a very short robe under his belt that barely hit his knees and leather sandals. His belt held a short sword on his left and a dagger to his right. His hair was black, his eyes an emerald green, and his skin very fair...fairer than I'd ever seen in a man, let alone a young man working under war conditions.

            "I have a name, you know. I go by Ambrosia, or as I suppose you'd call me, 'demon' or 'scum'." I put down the robes that Diomedes had given me and crawled into the corner of the bed. I was very tired, but the boy took it differently.

            "Oooh, I see what you are...you're one of Diomedes' women." The boy seemed concerned for me. "Did you...choose this?"

            I gave him a look of disgust. "You think I'd stoop that low of my own accord!? I have self-respect, and I'll have you know that I belong to no one. I am my own, and I do not intend on staying here long..." I said then turned away. As I looked away and quietly said, more to promise myself than for him to understand, "...just long enough to get my thoughts together."

            He sighed in relief. "That's good, because not to bother you much or anything, but I find you much too beautiful and fair to be with a man so rough and frustrating. I have nothing against the man, I assure you, I just feel as though he'd break you if you truly found that you fancied him...or vice versa."

            "Ha, no! Not at all!" I said with a smile.

            He looked at some trinkets to the side of him, messing with one of them as if to pass time as he thought about what he'd next say. "So...what exactly did you mean by calling you demon or scum?"

            I rolled my eyes and stood again. "Nothing, it's just something I've sadly found habit in saying." I laid down, thinking that I'd just rest then soon after take a bath. The feeling of this man's eyes watching me, however, were annoying. He wouldn't stop staring, so I finally asked, "What do you want?"

            He smiled a little. "You're sure you're not at all interested in Diomedes?" He walked a little closer to me. I sat up.

            "Not really, no. I have no interest in love." I gave him a deep glare. I didn't want to just outright tell him not to get any closer to me, but if he didn't pay attention to my glare I'd start there.

            He stopped. "No love interest? Why? Are you more interested in fulfilling desires...?" His seductive look and voice were sickening.