Ajax - The Tale Begins

This is the first chapter of the story of Ajax, one of the Greek heroes.

Ajax glowered at his opponent on the far side of the sandy arena. The other boy was bigger and older than he, and had bested Ajax twice already. Ajax was determined he would not allow his shoulders to be pinned to the sand again, for one more fall would mean he had lost the encounter.

The trainer raised his hand. He looked at either child, who each nodded in turn. They were ready. He dropped his hand, and the two boys began to furtively approach each other. Ajax reached for the other boy, but the boy swatted his hand away. Ajax stepped closer, and reached again. Again, the boy swatted his hand away. Then, in a heartbeat, the other lad dove at Ajax’s legs, wrapping his arms behind both of Ajax’s knees. He lifted Ajax off his feet and drove forward with his shoulder, sending Ajax crashing to the sand.

The air was expelled from Ajax’s lungs as he landed hard on his back. He gasped for air, his hands desperately clawing the sand as he attempted to roll onto his front. As he rolled, he felt his opponent’s arm snake around his throat. Instinctively, he ducked his chin to avoid getting choked. Mustering all his energy, he forced himself to his knees, with the other lad still clutching about his neck. Taking hold of the boy’s arm, Ajax attempted to throw his opponent over his shoulder, but the boy was too heavy. Worse, Ajax had lifted his chin, and the boy had tightened his grip, cutting off Ajax’s wind. Ajax desperately tore at the arm around his throat, but the boy had his hold locked. Ajax heard the trainer asking if he wished to yield, but he refused to raise his hand. He valiantly shook his head this way and that, trying to dislodge his opponent. A wave of panic swept through his body, and his vision began to swim.

Ajax was lying on his back on the warm sand. The trainer was kneeling over him. It slowly dawned on Ajax that he had passed out. He had lost. In his mind’s eye, he could already see his father’s look of disapproval.

Ajax blinked as he sat up. It seemed the sun was unusually bright, and his head pounded. He stumbled as he stood, and would have fallen if the trainer had not reached out to steady him. He stood for a minute, waiting for the fog to lift from his head. He still felt groggy as he slipped back into his tunic.

Ajax needed to be alone. There was only one place a prince could hide on the palace grounds, and that was amongst the trees and shrubs that grew behind the palace. It was the one place Ajax felt comfortable. One day, he told himself, he would live in the forest. He would not be king. Kings had no time for anything, and were never alone.

The few remaining hours of the afternoon passed quickly as Ajax whittled away at a piece of wood with his blade. As usual, he was shaping a boar, but as usual, it fell short of the image he held in his mind. He had a vision of handing his father a fine carving of the legendary Calydonian Boar, for his father had been in the hunting party that finally slew the vile beast. Ajax was sure his father would be pleased with such a carving.

Ajax stowed his blade in its usual place under a knotted tree root when he heard one of the house servants calling for him. The air was cooling, and evening was approaching. It must be time to eat.

In the great dining hall, Ajax hastily washed his hands in the bronze basin held for him by a servant. He took his place at the table opposite his father, alongside his younger brother, Teucer. He avoided his father’s direct gaze, for he surely must have been told of Ajax’s defeat in the training arena.

“How was your day, Ajax?” His father looked at him rather sternly, but not unkindly. Perhaps he had not heard, after all.

“I lost my match today,” Ajax said, preparing himself for the worst.

“You lost your match today…?”

“Yes, I lost.”

Disapproval flashed across his father’s face. “Yes, you lost…?”

Ajax flushed. He had forgotten one of his father’s rigidly enforced rules.

“Yes, I lost today, Sire.” His father demanded respect from everyone in the palace. That included Ajax. Especially Ajax, it seemed at times.

The expected respect was not unjustified. Ajax’s father was the great Telamon, brother of Peleus and friend of Heracles. He had sailed with Jason in search of the Golden Fleece, and had fought alongside Heracles against the Amazons and the Trojans. Now he presided as king over the island of Salamis.

“Losing is part of learning, Ajax. You will only learn to have shoulders that are unable to be pinned when you learn how they are able to be pinned. One day no man will be able to pin your shoulders.”

“Why do I always have to wrestle boys bigger and older than I, Sire?”

“What can you learn from boys smaller and weaker than you, Ajax? You are tall for your age, are you not?”

Ajax nodded. It was true. He stood nearly a head taller than some of the other boys his age.

“Not very smart for your age, though,” Teucer added, too softly for his father to hear. Nevertheless, the stinging words found their mark, for Ajax knew it to be true. He was not good at lessons, and struggled to keep pace with Teucer, despite being nearly two years older. 

Teucer was Ajax’s half-brother by Telamon’s second wife. He was of average height and build, but had already made a name for himself as a gifted athlete. In the training arena, he was quick and light on his feet, and few were able to best him on his worst day. He was a swift runner, and could swim further and faster than Ajax.

Ajax thought furiously for a smart reply, but none was forthcoming; there was simply nothing truthful he could say against Teucer. Teucer had it all. There was little wonder that Teucer was Telamon’s favourite son, and he the dunce of the family.

“You will be a great man one day, Ajax.” The manner in which his father spoke made his words sound like an order. Ajax flushed a little. How was he to carry out such an imperative with his limited abilities?

Telamon was not finished. “The day you were born, Heracles prayed to Zeus that you would be blessed with greatness, and so it shall be. You will be delivered to Chiron for training. No finer education is to be found than at his feet.”

Ajax felt a knot form in his belly. He was to leave the palace? Did his father truly wish him gone from his sight?

“Can I not stay here with you, Sire?” It occurred to Ajax even as he spoke that he must sound pathetic, like a whining puppy begging to sit by the master’s chair.

Teucer sat eagerly forward in his chair. “Sire, I will go in his place, if you will allow it.” It seemed Teucer knew exactly how to rub salt into Ajax’s wounded pride, for now he looked even more the fool. Yet, there was a part of Ajax that hoped the king would grant Teucer his wish.

Telamon answered gravely, “When Heracles asked Zeus to bless Ajax with greatness, he burdened me with a great responsibility. It is not enough to wait for the gods’ blessings.  The gods will not bless those who will not help themselves.” He took a swallow of his spiced wine, leaned forward, and continued sagely, “Hear this tale: an old man takes refuge in a tree from flood waters that threaten to drown him. A small boat drifts by with a young boy in it. The boy asks the old man if he wishes to get in the boat. The old man replies that he is waiting on Zeus to save him, so the boy allows his boat to drift on. As the rain beats down, the old man is forced to climb higher up the tree. A second boat passes by. The slave in the boat asks the old man if he wishes to get in the boat, but the old man shakes his head, replying that he is waiting on Zeus to save him. The rain continues to fall, and the old man is forced to climb to the top of the tree. A third boat passes by. The owner of the boat insists that the old man should get in the boat, but the old man steadfastly refuses. The owner of the boat rows away, and the old man drowns. In the afterlife, he asks Hades why Zeus refused to save him from the flood waters. Hades sneers, and replies, ‘Zeus sent three boats. Why did you not accept his help?’” Telamon paused long enough to drain his cup. “Do you understand, Ajax?”

It seemed to Ajax that if the tale had any moral, it was surely that the old man should have learned to swim, but he nodded obediently.

Ajax impatiently waited for Telamon to finish eating, for it was an offense for anyone to leave the table before the king. As soon as he was able, he retreated to his bed chamber to reflect on what he had been told.

Ajax paced the length of his bed chamber, thinking. It was obvious to him that the king would have him achieve greatness, one way or another, yet Ajax had never felt more ordinary. He was not particularly skilled at anything. Perhaps he was yet to find something he did well, but the chances were he would never be what his father wished him to be. Ajax could only imagine the disappointment that that would bring to Telamon. He thought of running away, of living a life free of expectations, but where would he go? How would he survive? He resolved instead to bend himself to the king’s will, and to Chiron’s instruction. Come what may, he was sure to learn something.

 

Three weeks of preparations passed more quickly than Ajax would have liked. Day by day, he felt the tension mount within his body. His sleep was troubled by dreams born of doubt and fear. Soon, however, the time came for Ajax to say farewell to the palace grounds that had been his home since birth.

The sun was just peering over the ocean as his father strode beside him down the broad steps leading to the dock. Ajax had with him a small bag of provisions and some coin. He had to walk quickly to keep pace with Telamon. Was the king that eager to see him leave?

Telamon stopped before a modest ship. If Ajax had had visions of setting off for mainland Greece in a magnificent royal vessel, he would surely have been disappointed. As it was, Ajax had had no such expectations. All he noticed was the manner in which the boat swayed from side to side in the water. It was far removed from the places he felt safe.

The king ushered Ajax aboard the ship. There seemed to be more men aboard the ship than the ship could safely carry. All were industriously preparing the ship for her voyage, except for four men standing apart from the others. From their stance and livery, these four appeared to be soldiers.

Telamon placed his cold hands on Ajax’s shoulders. “You will not be sailing on your own, my son. Four of my Companions will see you to your destination.”

That was a surprise, and a great honour. The Companions were elite warriors, responsible for personally guarding King Telamon in battle. Telamon stopped before one of the men. He extended his left hand in greeting, and Ajax noticed that the man was absent most of his fingers on his right hand.

“This is Epizelos,” the king said. “He was beside me at Troy.”

Epizelos turned, and gave Ajax a curt nod. Ajax was not sure if he had ever seen colder eyes. Epizelos turned back to the king. “Sire, I believe we are ready to sail. Any last minute instructions?”

“You have your instructions, but I would have a minute alone with my son.”

“Certainly, Sire.” He turned on his heel, indicating with his chin that the other Companions should follow him.

Telamon turned solemnly to Ajax. “There is something that the women of Salamis like to say to their men when they depart for war. Have you heard it said?”

Ajax shook his head. “No, Sire.”

“Each man is told this: return with honour, or do not return at all.” He looked directly into Ajax’s eyes. Gripping his shoulders firmly, he stated grimly, “Soldier of Salamis, return with honour, or do not return at all.”

Telamon abruptly turned and made his way down the gangplank. He did not look back. Ajax was suddenly seized by the immensity of the moment. Would he ever see his father again? Would he ever see his home again?

 

Ajax did not like the sea, he decided. The motion of the ship on the waves had found an echo in his belly. He had tried eating food, but had lost it overboard. He was not alone. One of the Companions also clung to the railing of the ship.

“What is your name, Companion?” Ajax asked.

The man looked at Ajax, shook his head and walked away.

“He is under orders not to talk to you.” Ajax jumped. He had not heard Epizelos walking up from behind him.

“My father ordered him not to talk to me?”

Epizelos smiled, but the smile held no humour. “No. I did.”

Ajax was confounded. “Why?”

“If you knew our purpose, you would not need to ask that.” Epizelos leaned over the railing and spat into the wind. His cold smile made Ajax uncomfortable. “Do you not find it odd that four Companions accompany you on a short gallivant around the seas of Greece?”

“Yes, I am surprised my father ordered it.”

“He didn’t. The Companions volunteered their services.”

Ajax felt a coldness not explained by the crisp morning air. He shivered. Epizelos gave a short, harsh laugh. “You do not see it, do you, boy? You are precious cargo, worth gold to the right person. Do you know who that person is?”

Ajax shook his head.

“Your father will pay handsomely for your return once he gets word that pirates killed four Companions and are holding you to ransom.”

“My father favours Teucer. He will not pay the ransom.”

Epizelos sneered. “He may favour Teucer, but he believes the gods favour you. He will pay.”

“When he learns it was not pirates, he will kill you all.”

“He must never learn of it, then. Once the ransom is paid, we will have no further use for you.” Epizelos rested his elbows on the railing and looked to the sky. In a conversational tone, he continued, “It looks like the weather will hold until we get to Aeolia.”

In one desperate move, Ajax leapt aboard the railing of the ship, with the intent of plunging into the cold sea. With the speed of a coiled snake, Epizelos snatched the back of Ajax’s tunic. For a second, Ajax was perched precariously on top of the railing. Then he was jerked backwards onto the deck of the ship. He landed hard on his back. Epizelos brought his foot down hard on his chest.

“You are braver than you look, pup, but jumping into the sea is a sure way to die, and I have a use for you yet.” He wrenched Ajax to his feet. “You can cool your heels below deck until we reach Aeolia.”

    

Author's Note

Please review.

Reviews

[Blazing_Heart]

I don't think that I am in any way deserving to give you a review.
I really liked your way of describing the surroundings. Its in the right amount. Its enough to enable the reader to paint a picture in their head but not too much that it makes the story boring.
You have explained the insecurities of Ajax really well. Hope to seeing his character develope as the story goes on.

[Jason van Dongen]

Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I appreciate the positive feedback.

[Valerie Rian]

Great start! I was sucked into the story from the first couple sentences. Ajax seems like a well rounded character with the potential for a lot of growth. Your writing is believable and you set the stage very well with the internal father and brother troubles and self image issues and the external fight scenes and plot driven conflict. Well done! Excited to see what's next for Ajax.

[KAin]

In medias res is a great way to start. I'm a sucker for this kind of work, so I can see I will enjoy this a great deal. Ajax is an interesting choice for a character!
He serves as a convenient audience surrogate as well, and I'm very interested to see his (hinted at) rivalry with Teucer later on in the story.
Your descriptions are measured and they don't spend too much time in one place, lending to a nice pacing of the story. A good start to the story!

[Jason van Dongen]

Thank you, Landred. Your comments are very much appreciated, and yes, I intend to make the rivalry with Teucer a feature of my story. Ultimately, I will have them fight alongside each other as brothers, as we find them in the Illiad, but I intend to take the reader on a tour of jealousy and resentment until that point.

[SweetNutmeg]

Your writing is like a ninja... you cannot see it until the deed is done. Your style is transparent. I am never pulled away from the story by hitches or unnecessary embellishments. The story seems to tell itself. I wish I could give you more constructive criticism, but I see nothing worthy of criticism. I look forward to reading more. :)

[Jason van Dongen]

Thank you for your kind and insightful comment. I hope to post more soon.

[bekahf2014]

I love how you jumped right into the story! I usually try to do that in my writing and I think that gets the reader so much more interested. You are a really good writer, I feel like we have somewhat of the same writing style. The story was easy to get into and had my interest from the beginning, and I've been told that's one of the hardest things to do as a writer. It was clear and easy to follow. I also really like the diverse vocab you've got going on here. "Glowered" has got to be my favorite words ever. I can't wait to see what's next!

[Jason van Dongen]

Thanks, Rebekah. I appreciate that you took the time to read this, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.