Page 49 of Odette's Vow

Οdysseus

Ten days later, many others arrived on Trojan shores from countries beyond the borders of Greece. They had heard of our victory and were coming to visit the fallen city for themselves, to see if the rumours were true. Well, that was what they said. The reality was they came to see if they could collect any Trojan treasure for themselves.

On the third day of visitors, King Polymestor of Thrace arrived with two of his sons in tow.

“Odysseus.” the king came towards me, his hand outstretched. His sons remained behind him, the family resemblance between the three uncanny, as they took resting soldier stances behind their father.

I shook his hand, and turned him towards the camp, the boys following behind us. “I hope your trip was pleasant, King of Thrace?”

“I cannot complain, but please, call me Polymestor. If I may call you Odysseus?”

“Of course,” I nodded. “What do you come for?”

“Well, I came to see if it was true. And then, if there was any treasure you could not take back on your own ships.” Polymestor gave me a politician’s smile.

I smiled back. “It is true. I can have a soldier take you to the ruined city, if you wish.”

Together we began walking towards said city, his sons falling into step behind us. We had not walked five hundred yards when Hecuba exited my tent and caught Polymestor’s eye. I felt him stop beside me and then change course.

“Why, Queen Hecuba. I had no idea you were here.” Polymestor bowed.

“I’m sure you didn’t,” she offered him a small smile. “Tell me, my lord, how fares my son?”

Resolve squirmed on Polymestor’s face until it settled into a grave expression. “I am afraid, great lady, that your young son did not live to see his twelfth year. Though, perhaps that is a blessing from the gods, that he did not see his family in ruin.”

There was a flash of anger in Hecuba’s eyes, so quick anyone not looking would have missed it, before her face contorted into utter grief and a sob broke free.

Myself, the king, and his sons, stood there gormless. There could be no comfort from us – had he been here, we would have killed her boy anyway. Agamemnon had been right: it was the way of things.

Hecuba took a few sips of air to steady her breath, her trembling fading with each one, until she regained her composure, again becoming the unyielding queen as she addressed Polymestor once more. “I have had many sons and daughters in my lifetime. Death in one so young is, unfortunately, more common than a mother would like. But I thank you for bringing the news to me in person, King Polymestor.”

“Of course.”

“My lord?” She bowed her head towards me.

I raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“May I have a moment alone with the King of Thrace, so that I might hear more of my son’s final months on this earth?”

I could have denied her the kindness, said no, but I saw no reason to. In the past, I would have probably listened in, taking what information I could glean to save as ammunition. That was before I had met a Trojan farmer’s housewife who had poisoned her own son to protect him. I could see her anguish on Hecuba’s face, remembering those early days of her grief all too well. I wouldn’t get anything out of Hecuba, and I already knew what I needed to know about Polymestor. To try and claim jewels from an old ally won in a war you did not fight … Well, the man had more greed than honour.

I nodded my consent and walked away, while Hecuba ushered Polymestor and his sons into the tent my men had been keeping her in.

The screams came a half hour later.

Sprinting towards the strangled sounds, I warned the other men to stay back until I knew what we were dealing with, only to stop in my tracks at the carnage.

There, in front of me inside the tent, stood Odette covered in blood, a jewelled dagger falling from her palm onto the ground where the two boys lay in pools of their own blood. Only later would I learn that Odette had gutted them like fish, slicing them from ankle to knee to have them fall, then the lengths of their femurs to ensure they bled out.

For now, all I could see was the chiton soaked in blood pooling around her ankles, the sight freezing me in place. My heart lurched thinking it was hers. The world around me slowed, desperate to buy me time to search for the solution that would stop Odette slipping away from me. But before I could find it, the sharp sound of screaming pierced the air. My eyes shifted, searching for the source.

There, rolling around on the floor, clutching at his brow, was King Polymestor.

It wasn’t Odette’s blood.

Relief flooded my system, and it took effort to strengthen my knees as my attention turned to the other person on the floor, Hecuba, who reached for the dagger Odette had just dropped. In a sweeping arch, the dagger now in hand, she delivered the steel directly into Polymestor’s crotch.

His scream buried sorrow in the hearts of all who heard it.

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