Part 17 (2/2)

'No, sir.'

'What about your father?' Odysseus asked, running his thick fingers through the boy's hair. He saw the eyes of the fair-headed maiden flash towards Deidameia, who quickly stepped forward and lifted Neoptolemus from Odysseus's arms.

'I told you, my lord, his father has gone away.'

'And is his father blond, also?' Odysseus asked. 'It's uncommon among Greeks.'

'He is, my lord, and a more handsome man you will never set eyes upon. Neoptolemus's father has immortal blood in his veins, though he himself is only a man, and as for all this talk of warriors if you were to ever see my husband's anger the blood would run from your face and leave you pale, though your skin is as brown as leather.'

'Ah!' Odysseus smiled back. 'He must be a great warrior indeed, then. What's his name, and where might we find him? He would be a welcome recruit to our cause.'

From the corner of his eye he saw a movement among Deidameia's sisters, and at the same time Lycomedes stepped forward.

'The whereabouts of my daughter's husband are unknown, King Odysseus,' he insisted, his brow furrowed with barely concealed anger. 'Now, I hope you've found my daughters pleasing, but as they usually bathe at this time of the day I don't think we should keep them from their normal pleasures.'

'Of course, King Lycomedes, though I would ask them to wait a short while longer. You forget the gifts I promised.'

'Gifts?' said one of the younger girls. 'Oh, father, can't we wait a little longer?'

'Yes, father!' came a chorus of voices.

'Here they are now,' Eperitus announced, seeing Antiphus and Eurybates struggle through the arched gateway with a casket between them.

They were followed by Polites, whose size and strength allowed him to carry another casket unaided. Two more Ithacan sailors appeared with the last casket, which was dumped without ceremony on the lawn next to the other two. All the trunks were open, their heaped contents plain to see, but sitting on top of the dresses and pretty ornaments in the third to the surprise of all but Odysseus and Eperitus were a long spear and an ox-hide s.h.i.+eld.

'Help yourselves to whatever you desire,' Odysseus announced as his men stepped back from the caskets.

Lycomedes's daughters surged forward to lay their hands on the ma.s.s of brightly coloured chitons and the sparkling collection of feminine baubles. As they squabbled with each other for this necklace or that sash, only Deidameia and the blonde maiden hung back. Eventually, Deidameia stepped forward and picked up an orange dress that had been tossed aside in the rush for gifts.

'Here, Pyrrha,' she said, handing it to her sister. 'We're the oldest and shouldn't be left without gifts, after all.'

Pyrrha s.n.a.t.c.hed the garment and reluctantly held it against herself, in the same manner that some of her younger sisters were doing with the other dresses. As she did so she caught Odysseus's eyes watching her. The Ithacan king smiled and nodded at the s.h.i.+eld and spear, which remained untouched. Pyrrha looked at the armaments, then stared back at Odysseus with disdain in her blue eyes. A moment later she tossed aside the orange dress and instead picked up a sky-blue chiton the same one Ajax had mockingly pulled from the caskets the day before and made a show of admiring its quality and beauty.

'Come here, Eurybates,' Odysseus ordered, then whispered something in his ear that even Eperitus could not hear over the clamour of Lycomedes's daughters. 'Now, take the men back to the s.h.i.+p and make ready to leave.'

Eurybates, with a bemused look on his face, led the sailors from the garden. Meanwhile, Neoptolemus had left his place by the pond and was attempting to pick up the spear, which was far too heavy for him. Odysseus laughed.

'Those are my gifts for you, lad. They may be big now, but you'll grow into them.'

Suddenly, a long horn-blast tore through the warm afternoon air, rising then falling away to silence. Another followed it, deep and lonely, causing everyone to look about themselves in surprise and shock. An instant later they heard the unmistakable clash of bronze against bronze and the shouts of men locked in combat. Antiphus came running in through the gateway, his sword drawn and his eyes wide with fear.

'We're being attacked!' he shouted, falling to his knees in front of Odysseus. 'Trojans have landed in the harbour they're killing everyone.'

Eperitus instinctively fumbled for his sword, before recalling he had left it in the guest quarters.

'Where's the guard house?' Ajax demanded, seizing Lycomedes by the shoulders and staring at him with fierce eyes. 'Where do you keep your arms, man?'

'd.a.m.n it all!'

They turned to see the blonde maiden, Pyrrha, throwing off her cloak and chiton to reveal a naked and splendidly muscled body the body of a man! He tore his veil aside and leapt to where Neoptolemus was still trying to lift the spear.

'Give me that, lad,' he ordered, gently easing the weapon out of the boy's hands. A moment later he had lifted the s.h.i.+eld onto his other arm and was das.h.i.+ng out to the courtyard.

'Follow him, quickly!' Odysseus shouted to Eperitus and Antiphus. 'Stop him before he kills somebody.'

They ran out of the garden, followed by Nestor, Ajax and Lycomedes. Achilles for there was no longer any doubt about Pyrrha's true ident.i.ty was running towards a knot of warriors by the gates. They were armed with swords and s.h.i.+elds and were methodically attacking each other with slow, deliberate moves. As they saw the naked warrior running swiftly towards them they cast down their weapons and backed away, their arms held over their heads in submission.

'Achilles!' Odysseus shouted, his great voice carrying across the courtyard.

The warrior skidded to a halt in a cloud of dust.

'Achilles! Throw down your armaments. There are no Trojans, and Scyros is not under attack.'

Achilles turned to face the Ithacan king. His golden hair flashed in the sunlight and his rage-filled eyes were terrible to look at, even for seasoned warriors.

'I'm sorry, my friend,' Odysseus continued, holding his arms wide to emphasize his apology. 'I suspected Lycomedes had hidden you among his daughters the last place anyone would look and I had to find a way to make you throw off your disguise. And what better way is there of discovering a warrior than a call to arms?'

Achilles tossed the s.h.i.+eld aside, but gripped the spear more fiercely as he walked towards Odysseus. Eperitus moved two paces forward, placing himself to the front of his king's right shoulder, ready to take any blow the warrior might deliver. Though Achilles did not have the bulk of Odysseus or Ajax, Eperitus had never seen such definition in a man's muscles. The skin was so tightly drawn over his limbs and chest that each small movement of the tissue beneath was visible. The heavy ash spear with its socketed bronze point, which Neoptolemus had struggled even to lift, was carried easily, as if its weight was trifling in the man's hand. And the intense look in his eyes as he approached was like a lightning bolt from Zeus, awe-inspiring and fearsome to look at. Nevertheless, Odysseus did not flinch as he waited for the younger warrior to come within a spear's length of him, where he stopped.

Achilles looked for a long moment at the king of Ithaca, and then at Eperitus who stood before him, unarmed but with his fists clenched. Then Achilles's severe expression was melted by a smile and his face became even more strikingly handsome. He offered Odysseus his hand.

'Your reputation for cunning is well deserved, Odysseus, son of Laertes,' he said. 'I am Achilles, prince of Phthia, son of Peleus, and perhaps you will oblige me with how you knew to find me here on Scyros. But first you can tell me the name of your friend, who thinks his fists can stop the point of my spear.'

'I can speak for myself. My name is Eperitus, captain of King Odysseus's guard.'

'It's strange that a man should name himself but not his father,' Achilles replied. 'But if it doesn't matter to you, then it doesn't matter to me either. I only hope Odysseus appreciates the loyalty of a man who is prepared to step between his king and the wrath of Achilles, which is to invite certain death.'

'Don't be so certain of that,' Eperitus said, offering his hand. Achilles took it with a smile.

'And by your grey hair and many scars of battle,' Achilles continued, looking at Odysseus's other companions, 'I guess you can only be King Nestor of Pylos, son of Neleus. I'd heard you had dusted off your armour one last time to help the expedition against Troy.'

'Then you must also know why we're here,' Nestor responded, accepting Achilles's hand.

'I'm not ignorant, old friend. Nor am I an idiot.'

'A coward then, perhaps?' said Ajax.

Achilles met the king of Salamis's angry gaze and held it.

'And this great brute must be my cousin Ajax. Even in sleepy Scyros they speak about you with fear in their voices. Some even say you're the greatest warrior in Greece, though not within my hearing.'

'Then I shall speak clearly, so that you can be sure to hear me: I am the greatest warrior in Greece.'

A sly smile crossed Achilles's lips as he locked eyes with Ajax, their gazes struggling against each other like equally matched wrestlers.

'I have my own claim to that t.i.tle,' he said. 'Perhaps, cousin, we should compare the number of Trojans we slay. That will tell us who is truly the greatest.'

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