Trojan War Chapter 9

 

9.

Agelaus took a respite from his climb up Mount Ida. It was the cold season there and despite his warm clothing, Agelaus step on the mountain was with great reluctance. He was given a task by his King, Priam of Troy.

“Destroy the child for me.” That was told to Agelaus.

“My King, I am a herdsman. I am not even a hunter or warrior. How could you ask me to kill a young child?” The herdsman had pleaded to the King.

“Agelaus, have we not been friends for years, lie not to me, my old friend. We had once wielded the swords and fought on the battlefields. How many have you killed and where are your wounds of then?”

“I was a warrior, King Priam but now I am a herdsman. I tend the herd and nurtured the young. I wield no sword anymore except to spare the cows of pain.” Agelaus displayed his hands covered with the bandages to protect it from the cold. “I could not swing the sword as of then.”

“I am a herdsman now, King Priam. Spare me…” Agelaus words were drowned by the King.

“Have I not deemed you fit to tend my herd? Did you not kill the wolves that prey on my herd? I hear you stood against the pack of wolves fearlessly.”

“Aye, I am obliged to protect what was yours. I cannot kill a child …. Not only of yours but of anyone else. Life is scared, my King.” Agelaus pleaded. “Heed its cries, my King.”

Priam stood there at the Great Hall of Troy ignoring the cries of the child in the cradle. He had barred his Queen, Hecuba to visit the child since birth.

“Why, my King? Has the child done you wrong? Or to whom that you follow their wishes?”

“The child is cursed. The child ….. it will soon bring the downfall of Troy.” Priam bellowed out with pain in the heart. “My child is cursed.”

“So, it’s true. The rumors spoke of the cursed child. How was it to be yours?” Agelaus fell to his knees and looked to the King. “To whom did you listen to?”

“Aesacus, the Soothsayer…” King Priam was cut off.

“And old fool I had met. He had asked me for milk from my herd and drank without a coin to reply to them. I will not serve that imbecile and believed him not anymore.” Agelaus spat the mucus from the throat to the flooring.

“Heed not him but me. I command thee. Kill the child.” King Priam gave the command. So, it was then that Agelaus had taken the task to kill the child but each time he raised the sword, he had felt the burden to do it. Finally, he relented and carried the child to the tip of the mountain.

“Gods and Goddess, I am too old to save myself most times but my life prevails stubbornly. Now my task had been burdened to bring forth the child that was foretold to destroy Troy. I cannot bring myself to kill the child. I have brought the child here and let the elements decide or the wild predators feast on it. Should it die here, then you will bear witness to it.” Agelaus sighed. “I can’t do that.”

With that Agelaus left the child at the snow-covered top and proceeded down the mountain path.

It was not known how the child survived but the tales spoke of a beat that came across the crying child. Instead of killing the child for food, the bear nurtured the child with its milk and warmth. It was said that the bear was dying then but it kept the child alive for some days. Meanwhile, the herdsman just as his steps up the mountain was heavy, his down step was heavier. He could not clear his conscience on the child and decided to return there. He reached the top once more and to his surprise he found the child still alive next to the dead bear.

“It’s truly a divine sign.” Agelaus retrieved the child but he removed the bear’s tongue to be sent to King Priam as proof of death. The herdsman then took on the child as his own and was named Paris.

Paris grew up under the care of Agelaus and turned out to be a fine man, who had learned the trade of herdsmen. He tended to the herds but his other ventures were to have prize bull competition. The prize bull is a huge bred bull twice the size of the bulls bred by the other herdsmen, and aggressive towards any other creatures. The bull was fitted with the armor over its frame and armed with the horns on its armor. It was a form of sports event that was created by the Gods of Olympia to compete in the arena as a form of replacing war killing but the sports event has become so brutal that the casualties of the bulls soon mount up.

The event called for the bulls to race around the arena and whichever reached the finishing line but due to the special breed of the bulls, the bulls tend to clash on the tracks hence the armors and horns. The bulls may challenge each other instead of racing and the carnage that soon followed suit was the highlight of the event. The prize bull event soon spread to the other worlds and major events were organized. It was from here that several bulls were maimed or killed or later sacrificed on winning rostrum to appease the viewers.

Paris was one of the successful breeders of the prize bulls. His fame soon reached the attention of the off worlds and then to Olympia.

“Paris of Troy, huh? I heard of that name.” It was Ares of Olympia who muttered the name. He was a prize bull breeder and with his reputation, he sent his bulls to such events, and rarely does he ever lose until he met Paris of Troy.

“And the bulls are lined up. We have twelve this round from different breeders from the Worlds. Wait, there is a new update. The latest info we have is bull from Olympia is on the track. It’s from the pens of Ares. Will the Olympian bull win this round? Paris of Troy holds his prized breed there.” The commentator roared on the communication links that were heard by many at the arena and also in the comforts of the video feeds viewers.

“I am told that even the Gods are watching today.” Indeed it was for Ares had taken an interest in the event. “Will the Gods be toppled?”

That comment spurred the betting to a high record with many punters from the worlds placing their faith into the champions.

“Troy will win.”

“Who could defy the Gods?”

“I think the Macedonian will win.”

“The bulls are off!” That was the last call by the commentator.

The silence in the arena was eerie then. The only sound heard was the pounding hoofs of the bulls. And then never in the event, the unforeseen had to happen.

“We lost video transmission, viewer. Give us time and it will be resolve. Meanwhile, we still have sounds.” That was transmitted across the world.