This chapter will have a bunch of time skips, but that's because this is a shorter series, and I want to set up for the siege itself. Enjoy!

One Year Before the Siege of Troy

"I will not fight in this war," Percy said, and he didn't fail to notice the way that Apollo and Aphrodite sagged in relief. He looked at Zeus with a frown. "You involved a mortal in the matter of gods, uncle. You must deal with the consequences."

"What would you have had me do, Perseus?" Zeus sighed, "come to you?"

"I would have refused, we both know that," he shook his head. "but you let Eris manipulate you into a war. I would have thought you all to be wiser than this. I'll give you this warning, however, that the first god to intervene in the war in any way guarantees my joining for whichever side they don't support. Let the mortals settle this issue, as it should be."

"Troy is my holy city," Apollo declared, "I will not let it fall."

"Then perhaps a Trojan prince should not have stolen a Greek Queen, Apollo," Percy replied. "Do not interfere, Apollo, because then I will have no choice but to bring my fury down on the city."

His cousin clenched his jaw but remained quiet. Aphrodite too was being oddly silent. Percy had expected her to try and pull him to the Trojan's side, yet she hadn't attempted since the whole debacle began. Then again, it was Aphrodite. She was probably more concerned with Paris and Helen than the fact a war was breaking out. That didn't surprise him in the least.

"I'm returning to my farm," he said slowly, "but I'll be paying attention to the situation. I beg of you, don't give me cause to intervene. I'd hate to have to kill your champions."

He dismissed himself, walking out of the Hall of the Gods. Several immortals called out to him, but he didn't take the time to respond, instead nodding at them as he walked on. He just wanted to go home. His farm was going strong, and he had made a decent living out of it. Of course, a singular man owning a farm for decades did not go unnoticed, and Percy had been visited by many of the kings of Greece and Asia. He had found he disliked or disapproved of many of them, save for one. King Nestor of Pylos had not asked him for advice on how to defeat his enemies, or petitions to lead his armies, but stories from his youth. He had wanted to know about Percy himself. Where he had been in his life, what he had done, what he though of certain issues in the world. It was a refreshing change.

He had almost made it to the exit when he was intercepted by Artemis and Apollo. Both looked relatively shy as they approached him, which told him that the first pitch was coming. The twins were never so nervous around him. He stopped them before they could start.

"I've already declared my neutrality," he told them, "and I doubt Athena let anything stupid happen in less than an hour. I wish you luck, truly, I do, but I will not fight for you, or Troy, unless the Greeks do something positively abysmal. Do not press me."

In hindsight, allowing them to know of a catalyst probably wasn't the best idea. If Percy had known what it would lead to, he never would have told them.

Eight Months before the Siege of Troy

When he awoke that morning, he had a feeling that something was off. Percy's gut instincts were normally spot on, and the unease he felt made him nervous. His armour was resting on it's stand where he had left it, and his shield was still hanging on the hook, but it was his sword that drew his attention. It was on its stand, but it had been moved, rotated a turn so that the opposite side that he had placed it on was facing him. He sighed, knowing what was going to happen.

He opened the door and stepped out, and to his complete lack of surprise, Celyn and Naomi were seated on the floor, poking at the fire.

"You've always been fascinated by my blade, Naomi," Percy said, though neither of them flinched, "if you wanted to look at it, all you had to ask. There was no need to sneak into my room. Now, why did Artemis send you?"

"She didn't exactly send us here, per se," Celyn said slowly, "but this was where we chose to come. We had a… disagreement with Lady Artemis."

Percy frowned. As far as loyalty went, Celyn and Naomi were chief among Artemis supporters. That she would do something that they argued against enough for them to be sent away told him a lot.

"I need to check on my fields," he said, "walk with me."

He didn't wait for any reaction, instead turning and striding out the door. It closed after a moment, and soft footfalls told him that the two Hunters were following him. His crops were booming, which Percy suspected was the result of some magic from Demeter. She did love his gardens.

"Tell me what happened," he asked them after a while, while he was pushing a plough through the earth. He almost felt the glance they shared with each other.

"Lady Artemis managed to convince the wind gods to stop blowing any breeze towards Troy," Naomi explained, "the Achaean fleet is trapped in it's bay. They are pleading with Artemis for something they can do to have the winds blow. She demanded that King Agamemnon sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia."

Percy stopped pushing the plough and blinked, before turning to the two.

"She demanded the death of a maiden?"

"She did," Celyn confirmed, "that was what the argument was over."

"Gods be good, what inspired that?" He asked in a whisper.

"There has been some… whisperings, to say, among the gods who support Troy," Naomi said, "on how to convince you to join them. You told Lady Artemis and her brother that you would only support Troy if the Greeks did something abysmal. They seem to think a king sacrificing his daughter will be sufficient enough."

"Telling me this betrays the confidence of your mistress," Percy pointed out. The two exchanged another glance.

"It does," Celyn agreed, "but what Lady Artemis is doing is a betrayal to us, her maidens who serve her. If she does not care for other maidens, how can we be certain she cares for us?"

"You are also aware that by telling me this," he continued, "that you will drive me to join the Achaeans, not the Trojans, correct?"

"It has crossed our minds," Naomi admitted, "we are not against the idea. Troy has erred greatly and insulted all of Greece."

"And Aphrodite supports Troy," Percy said knowingly. Of all the Hunters, there was only one who hated the goddess of love more than Naomi and Celyn, and that was Zoe.

"So, she does," Naomi smirked.

"Artemis will not be pleased with us," Celyn spoke up, "and she will realise that we told you rather quickly."

"My farm is a place of peace, and all the gods swore never to harm another on it's land, mortal or otherwise," said Percy, "tend to my fields while I am at war, and make sure my herds don't die. You will be safe from Artemis' wrath here, at least until she calms and regains her senses."

"We are not farmers!" Naomi protested, but Celyn elbowed her in the ribs.

"Thank you, Percy," the shorter Hunter said, beaming at him, "we would be honoured to tend to your home. If I may ask, who will you fight for? Aggamemnon, or yourself?"

"Neither," Percy replied with a small smile, "there is only one King of Greece that I trust to command me, and that is Nestor, of Pylos."

"A wise man," Naomi noted, "even Lady Artemis speaks highly of him."

"There is a reason for that, young one," Percy told her, "perhaps one day, you will understand why."

"I am almost five centuries old!" she protested, causing Percy to laugh loudly. No more needed to be said.

Six Months Before the Siege of Troy

"I am honoured that you would request this of me, Perseus," Nestor told him when he asked to join his retinue. "Are you certain it is I you wish to follow? I am an old man now, not a warrior in my prime like you."

"There are enough warriors among the Achaeans," Percy replied, "but I would follow a king."

"There are quite a few of those as well, Perseus," Thrasymedes, Nestor's eldest, pointed out.

"Not so," Percy laughed, "there are generals, there are leaders, there is a trickster, but I would say that there are only two kings among the Achaeans. Your father is one, the second is Diomedes of Argos. A young king, but wise beyond his years. My cousin Athena favours him highly."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Why did you decide to join us now, Perseus?" Menelaus asked, leaning back in his seat, "I seem to recall you sending my brothers messengers away."

"Well that was because they were messengers," Percy replied, "if your brother had come himself, the answer would have been the same, though I would respect him more for it, same as I would've respected you for coming personally. None did."

"And why join us now, Ancient One?" Diomedes asked. The king of Argos was larger than Percy expected, but he also had a hint of wiliness in his eyes, so Percy rather assumed his assessment on the young man was correct."

"Iphigenia," Percy said simply, "what Artemis did was wrong, and I won't stand for it. Athena armoured me, and my father provided my horses. Together, they gave me my chariot. I come with the blessings of two gods. That is a good omen for you."

"Will you accompany me to Troy, Perseus?" Menelaus asked. "I wish to try and negotiate first but having you there would be a boon for negotiations as well. Your skill as a speaker is legendary."

"That is not for me to decide, Menelaus," Percy said. "I am sworn to Nestor of Pylos. If he gives me leave, I will follow you."

"And I give you such leave, Perseus," Nestor stated with a wry smile. "I would like to try for peace before war."

"Most here would," Percy replied with a frown, "save for the only king who didn't deign to greet me."

"My brother mourns for his daughter," Menelaus stated, "he did not wish to make this affair sombre."

Percy's features softened slightly, but the way that Menelaus' eyes flickered to his right slightly gave him pause. Still, he didn't press. Despite what he thought of Agamemnon, his brother was in the right. For that, at least, he would support him.

"Well then," he grinned, "we have a queen to rescue, don't we?"

Menelaus grinned back, and Percy remembered he was looking at a man less than three decades old.

"Indeed, we do."

Two Weeks before the Siege of Troy

Troy was a magnificent city, Percy would admit that much. Even preparing for a war, it was beautiful. Tall towers of painted stone and gilded bronze glimmered in the sun light, and even in the lower city, there were few beggars, and very little filth to be found. The guards wore sturdy armour and carried large tower shields in a figure eight pattern, painted with intricate details, and their spears were made of solid wood. Their swords were simple, but each soldier had one, a clear sign of the city's wealth They would be a difficult foe if it came to war, that much was certain.

"The guards are ceremonial," Odysseus muttered to him, but Percy shook his head.

"Just because they look nice doesn't mean that they are only for show," he replied, "the one leading us is missing part of his ear, and the one behind us has an arrow wound in his arm. These are soldiers, I have no doubt of that."

They were led through the city to the megaron, the most ornate building in the entire city, but even then, it was built with defence in mind. The walls were half a metre thick, and the doors were reinforced with bronze strips, even if they did have images from the past carved into them. Inside the main hall were many courtiers and allies of Troy. Seated in an ornate throne was a man that Percy hadn't seen in decades. Priam had been a young boy when his father made the journey to his farm, eager for advice on how to subdue his enemies in the east. He had left disappointed.

Priam, however, had asked better questions, questions on how to rule, how to make allies, how to win land without fighting. Percy had found the lad to be clever, so he told him what he wanted to know. It seems he had taken his advice. The old king blinked several times when he saw him standing next to Menelaus and Odysseus.

"Perseus?" He asked, clearly not believing his eyes. Percy bowed his head.

"You've grown much, young Priam," he said, "I remember a boy of barely ten years sitting by my fire pestering me for advice. You've come far from then."

"This is Perseus?" A man close to Menelaus age asked, sizing him up and down, "the Firstborn?"

"That would be correct Hektor," Priam said, "you fight for the Achaeans?"

"I would not be here otherwise," Percy sighed, "but I am only a soldier here, not a king. These two men, however, are. They wish to speak."

Percy spotted Helen without much trouble. Her father, Tyndareus, had pleaded for him to marry his daughter and defend Sparta from the Mycenaeans, but Percy had declined, choosing to remain at his farm. Perhaps if he had, this whole mess may never had happened. She met his eyes before looking away. A young man next to her glared at him harshly. Percy stared right back. The younger man blinked first.

"I've come for my wife, Priam," Menelaus stated. "She was taken from my home by your son. If she is returned to me, I will leave, and we shall have no issues."

"Helen left of her own will," Priam stated with a frown. "My son did not kidnap her."

Percy withheld a groan. This could go on for hours and nothing would be resolved. Thankfully, he did not have to step in. The young man, who Percy assumed was Paris, or Alexander, or whatever his name was, pushed his way to his father.

"Helen chose me, father," he exclaimed, "I will not give her back!"

"Gods be good," Odysseus muttered beside him.

"I don't think they have much care about this, my friend," Percy whispered back, before stepping forward, drawing all attention to himself.

"Priam, King of Troy, I wish to speak." He declared. Priam waved him on cautiously.

"I do not want to fight. It is the last thing I want. I have been fighting since I was born, and I am sick of it. But if I have to fight, I will." Said Percy. "Truthfully, it matters not why Helen left, whether she was taken, or if she went willingly. She is Menelaus' wife, and it is a grave insult for a man to steal another's wife, especially from his own home. There is a fleet of a thousand ships at Imbros, ready to fight for Helen. Many heroes are ready to fight. Ajax, son of Telamon and King of Salamis. Diomedes, King of Argos, Nestor of Pylos, Achilles and his Myrmidons, Agamemnon and his armies. Wily Odysseus, and frightful Menelaus. And I am with them. Let this not come to a war. Let us take Helen and return, so that peace may reign."

"Agamemnon has wanted a war with us for years," Hektor noted, "what is to stop you from simply sacking Troy once you have Helen?"

"If this is resolved peacefully, the suitors will return home. Do you truly think Agamemnon could take Troy alone?" Percy stared hard at the heir of Troy. Impressively, he stared right back, unblinking. Not like his brother at all then.

"He would still try," Hektor stated, "why would others not help him?"

"I cannot make promises for other kings," Percy said, "but know that war would not be immediate. Agamemnon would have to go home. Would you rather have a thousand ships descend on you now, or a hundred in several years?"

"Either way, war is guaranteed," Priam sighed. "I am sorry, but Helen can not return."

Menelaus shot to his feet, his face blank but his eyes raging. "Then it will be war. Let the gods know I tried to resolve this peacefully. Instead, I bring the fury of Greece down on your Asiatic heads." He turned and stalked out, two of his guards following him.

"I beg you, do not let this escalate," Odysseus said, before turning and following him. Percy remained.

"I want to speak with Helen," he said.

"Absolutely not!" Paris roared, trying to lunge at Percy. Hektor and another held him back. Percy watched it all out of the corner of his eye, looking straight at Priam.

"I was not asking, Priam," he said. "I respect you and yours immensely, for the most part, but I will speak with Helen. Or do you think your men can stop me?"

"I—not alone," Priam sighed, "here, and now. In front of my court"

Percy shrugged. What he was about to do wasn't who he was, but he needed to plant the seeds of doubt in the minds of all present. They called him the destroyer, but that did not mean that it was by might alone.

Helen was led to him by Hektor and Paris, who tried to look menacing, placing his hand on the hilt of his dagger. Hektor just sent him an apologetic look.

"Perseus," Helen tilted her head in greeting, "it has been some time."

"Fifteen years, actually," he said. "Helen, if you were unhappy in your marriage, you should have told me. I turned your hand and a kingdom down once. I doubt I would have done it a second time. Such a shame. And to think that Aphrodite made you fall in love with Paris, all so that she could earn an apple. We could have had something real. Instead, you get to watch this city burn, and your lover with it."

And then he turned and walked out. No guards followed him, and the court was silent. When he reached the gate, there was a cluster of men waiting for him. They were all armed and armoured. Percy sighed. He didn't want a fight.

"I truly hope none of you plan to stop me," he warned them, "I am truly not in the mood."

"Not at all, Wise Perseus," A man in the lead said. "I only wished to speak. Chiron spoke highly of you."

"One of his students, are you?" Percy asked, cocking his head to the side as he examined the man. He was tall and lithe, and dark of skin, like many natives of Troas. His hair and beard were kept short and neat, and he had torques of gold on his biceps, a mark of nobility.

"Former student," the man said, "I am Aeneas, King of Dardania. I am sorry that we are to be enemies."

"Foes," he corrected, "I have no issue with you. We may be fighting on opposite sides, but that does not mean we need be enemies."

"May we never meet on the field of battle, then," Aeneas said, holding his hand out.

"For your sake, let us hope it to be true," Percy said, gripping the proffered arm.

If only it had.

MMXVIII

So this is a prequel/miniseries for Eternal, because I'm really struggling to get the motivation to write that story at the moment, and I just watched Troy: Fall of a City, which was freaking amazing, as well as reading David Gemmell's Troy trilogy, so if you couldn't tell, the Trojan War has my attention right now. I know that in Eternal, I said that Poseidon and Athena convinced Percy to fight, but like anything that happened thousands of years ago, the truth got a bit muddled. Also, how I've envisioned this story is ten to twelve more chapters, each chapter taking place over the span of a year in the ten year siege.

Now, Percy is old and famous, and many people know his name at this point, as you can tell. He is often sought out by kings and warriors asking for advice on how to defeat their enemies, something he loathes, so when the rare king like Nestor, or a young Priam comes around asking for advice on other matters, Percy can't help but be impressed. He also has a particular dislike for Agamemnon, which is just kind of a fact of the ancient world. No one like Agamemnon, except maybe Menelaus, who despite being portrayed as an antagonist in 2004's Troy, I see as a more sympathetic character. I also really dislike Paris, so there's that. Finally, Percy knows a lot, about many, many things, from farming to fighting, from building to destroying, from ruling to following. He's millennia old at this point, at the pinnacle of his life. I hope you all enjoy this miniseries!

Cheers, CombatTombat