Their army burst into laughter as they started taking wagers on who'd be the first to screw their prince.
Galen started for the soldiers.
Styxx held him by his side. "We don't need to fight each other while we have enemies on our shores."
With a tic thumping furiously in his jaw, Galen saluted him and kneed his horse back.
Styxx looked at his men and started to speak then realized there was nothing he could say that they wouldn't twist into an insult or take offense to. They had set their minds to hating him, and as with his mother and sister, there was no way to win them over. The one thing he'd learned from his blessed family was when to let it go and not try for a lost cause.
Sighing, he clapped Galen on the shoulder then reined his horse about so that he could return to his tent.
"That's right ... go back to your cradle, boy, and let the men do their jobs!"
Holding his head high, Styxx ignored their laughter. At least it's not as bad as the strategi meeting.
While his soldiers were harsh, the noble-born commanders, who had been insulted by his mere presence and who had dared him to speak a single word, had flogged him harder with their tongues than all the scolds in his father's service. His hide was still raw and bleeding from their vicious insults yesterday. They'd all but run him out of the meeting on a rail.
So be it.
If he was lucky, they'd all be right and someone would cut his head off in battle tomorrow.
October 26, 9532 BC
"Look at the pathetic bastards," Misos, the Atlantean god of war, sneered to Bethany as they joined the Atlantean army that was preparing to attack the Greek colony of Halicarnassus, one of the richest Greek cities. The Atlanteans wanted to make a point and show their lesser human brethren why they needed to leave off Atlantean shores.
But more than that, they were here to slaughter every Greek prince dumb enough to fight.
Bethany reined her white winged horse beside her great-grandfather. Her mother, Symfora, the goddess of sorrow, was already walking the battlefield in expectation of the men who would die here today. "Have you chosen your champion, Tattas?" she asked Misos.
The god of war smiled down at her. "Zerilus." The leader of the Atlantean army. Almost eight feet tall, he was so massive that it was said one swing of his mighty axe could fell a stout tree. "What of you, precious? Who is your chosen?"
Hector. But she could never allow her family to know that her heart lay among the enemy camp and with a lowly foot soldier.
So she picked the Atlantean least likely to cause harm to him. "Xan."
"The Atlantean prince ... a fine choice, indeed."
"Now, if you'll excuse me, Tattas, I shall go through the Greek ranks and do my job."
He laughed. "Make sure you call out to us should one of the Greek gods see you. The sooner we start this fight, the better."
Saluting him with her sword, Bethany swung her winged horse, Herita, away from them and flew into the Greek camp. Not really to stir up her usual misery and discontent in their hearts, but rather to find a merchant's son who bore her medallion around his wrist.
Where are you, Hector?
Honestly, she was impressed by their numbers. The Greeks had amassed a large army in a very short amount of time. She pulled her gold helm off so that she could better see the faces of the men who were preparing for the coming fight.
To her right was the Didymos banner. She headed straight for their encampment. As she started to the back of it to look through their foot soldiers, a flash of bright red distracted her.
Athena ...
She could feel that bitch's presence here. Theirs was a grudge match that was legendary throughout the Mediterranean. One that had started centuries ago when Bethany had speared Athena's chosen through the heart, during battle.
So who is your favorite I will kill today?
Bethany set her horse on the ground then slid from the saddle. She touched random Greek soldiers as she passed them, making them immediately clench with painful fear and mental anguish. They were not her Hector. They weren't tall enough. So she didn't care if they fell or not.
She came around a tent and froze as she caught sight of the infamous Didymosian prince, Styxx. While she'd heard his name countless times, she'd never seen him before.