Prologue
Centuries Ago
Alana
This can’t be! They can’t do this to him. He deserves to live.
I sprinted through the forest searching for him. I moved as fast as my little feet would permit, even though my chest and lungs were burning. My tears trailed down my face as I continued to run. This wasn’t true. I passed the forest and ran as everything in sight became blurry. I would be in trouble, but I didn’t care as I continued the journey.
Memories flooded my mind as I ran. I thought of when he came back from training while I was cleaning up the big hall where there a feast was going to be hosted in a couple of days. Helena and I were the last ones left in there as we made sure the tables were all wiped down. She hummed a tune, and I joined in. I swayed my hips to the rhythm as we were finishing up. I heard footsteps approaching closer and closer. I turned my head to the right of me, and there Achilles was, dirty as ever and messing up the floors we had just cleaned. My eyes widened at the floor, and I inwardly cringed over the hours spent cleaning the floors and how I would probably be the one cleaning the floors again. I glared at him that day, then looked at Helena who smirked while shaking her head. She waved as she tiptoed out of the hall.
I remembered thinking, Gods! I knew I was going to have to scrub the floors again.
“Achilles!” I shrieked.
My anger getting the best of me. I walked out of the room not noticing his hands were hidden behind him. After getting the bucket and brush from the corner, I carried them back to where he was.
“Move, move… go back the same way you came. I need to clean this now,” I said.
He grunted, but I didn’t bother looking up at him. I was annoyed with him for not considering what I had to do.
“Leave it, Lana,” Achilles demanded.
I shooed him away and got on my knees, beginning to re-scrub the area slowly.
“Do you know why I’m here right now?” Achilles questioned. “I came to give you this!” He yelled at me as he lowered to his knees.
I stopped what I was doing to sit back on my heels and look at him. I noticed what he had as he shoved the wild flowers in my hand. I sat there shocked. He got me flowers. No one had ever gotten me flowers before. He stared at me. Then, I took in his appearance. He looked so worn out. As I truly looked at him, my anger dissipated. I’d missed him so. He noticed the change in my demeanor, and wrinkles formed on his forehead.
“What? What did I do this time?”
“Nothing,” I quickly replied.
Before I could say or do anything, he yanked the brush out of my hand, dipping it back in the bucket. Then, he began to clean the dirt he brought in.
“Wha— What are you doing? Stop,” I said as I tried to grab the brush.
“No. I made this mess. Let me assist you. Let me do this much for you, Alana.”
“I could get into trouble, Achilles! Just let me do it. I’ll come draw you a bath when I’m done.”
“No!” He gruffly responded. “Admire the flowers I’ve given you while I finish this up. Go sit on my chair.”
My eyes widened as I turned looking at the large chair that was his throne in this hall. Then, I turned back to look at him. “No, I can never.”
He stopped what he was doing and looked up at me smiling. He leaned into me and kissed me. My lips immediately responded to his kiss, then he broke the kiss. I opened my eyes to look at him.
“Everything that is mine will always be yours, Alana. Now, go sit in that chair knowing you are much worthy of that chair.”
I bit my bottom lip slowly standing up. I turned, walking towards the chair, and, when I got there, I sat in it. I watched him as he got back to scrubbing the floor. That day, I whispered…I will always love you, Achilles.
That lovely memory faded. I had finally arrived at his home and stared at the pillars. The smoke indicated he, my heart, was gone from me. Someone I saw as immortal had died. How could this happen to us?
He was the great hero. The one with no weakness, but one only few knew about.
It took me some time to know his weakness, and I swore with my life I would never tell a soul, even on my death bed. We didn’t deserve this. I dropped to my knees as I gripped my robe so tight, I could rip it. My other hand dropped to the ground, to my source of life, earth. I sunk my fingers deep into the earth, praying to the gods for his survival. But, this was the answer they gave me. This was what they promised their daughter. We were meant to be happy, even if I didn’t have a right to be his. I let out a sob so deep my core shook.
His mother heard my sob and stepped out with her mourning clothes on. The reality hadn’t set in for me yet, and I refused to let it. I would wait for him until he came out to greet me from inside. I watched her with tears in my eyes as she glared back with hate, sorrow, grief and something I learned later to be regret. I didn’t flinch when she yelled for the guards.
“Guards! Guards! Get her and lock her up, now!”
I could’ve ran and hidden, but for what? My only reason for being was gone and now I was alone in this world. He’d made me complete, and now… Now… I’m completely empty.
The guards came out, and I knew they would treat me like the dirt I resembled. One yanked me by my hair while the other one grabbed my shoulder. The pain they caused me didn’t equate to the pain in my heart.
When we neared his mother, I begged her, “Please. Please, let me see him. Just this once. Please!” Everything in me shook as I pleaded, but they dragged me away.
I just needed to see him. He would be disappointed I showed up here, knowing I could die, but I didn’t care. I was already dead without him.
When we reached the dungeon, they threw me in. My knees scraped along the cold, wet cement. I wasn’t sure if it was pee or water. I crawled into a small space far away from the other prisoners. There was a small fire outside the dungeon making it hard to see anyone in the dark. I rested my back on the frigid, stone wall pulling my knees up to rest my forehead. Tears fell as I heard the laughter of the guards leaving the dungeon area.