A/N: And here we have a classic example of a complete lie. I'm apologise completely to Antigone and Eponine42 for saying I'd change my story when obviously I have not done so. The facts of the matter are that I want to make Clytemnestra the victim of this story and it doesn't work out as well if she married first so the Agamemnon before Menelaus which makes a lot of sense on retrospect will not happen. * blushes * The thing about the slaves I could change to all her slaves looked the same but I'm too lazy. On one point at least I must be allowed to defend myself, Helen's two sisters. Due to my lack of anything even resembling knowledge I researched vaguely and found this: In Greek mythology, Tyndareus was a Spartan king, son of Oebalus and Gorgophone, husband of Leda and father of Castor, Polydeuces (Pollux), Philonoe, Clytemnestra and Helen. Seems like 5 kids to me. Sorry if you don't agree and I'm sorry once more for not changing anything. Will try better next time.

Chapter 2: Gemini

She didn't need to speak; the same scene had played so many times before. She merely allowed herself to enjoy the comfort Castor's arms offered, sobbing gratefully into his tunic. Pollux had disappeared after her initial outburst but returned now carrying a package wrapped in leather. Gently Castor untangled himself from her embrace and stood up next to his twin, helping her to her feet. They stood just looking at her for a while.

"What?" she demanded angrily as they beamed at her.

"We got you a present," Castor informed her.

"Then why don't you give it to Helen, it's her wedding. I don't want it."

Their smiles widened infuriatingly. "I think you may when you see it." The leather bound thing, whatever it was, was thrust into her protesting hands. "Open it," Pollux urged his eyes bright. One of her delicately plucked eyebrows rose, "you know I don't think I will. I think I'll just keep it like this," the corner of her mouth twitched, "keep you in suspense."

Castor laughed and Pollux smiled indulgently. "You know you want to Nessy, just open it!"

She pretended to be offended. "You know I hate that name. Now I will leave it as it is forever in the back of my wardrobe."

A mischievous look passed between the two brothers and she moved backward knowing what was to coming. "One of my less used wardrobes," she managed before they pounced on her, tickling mercilessly.

"Do you surrender?"

"Never!" she giggled and retaliated. Pollux rolled away from this new onslaught and starting picking grass out of his hair watching in amusement as she tackled Castor eventually pinning him to the ground.

"Pol… help," he gasped, tears of mirth rolling down his face.

"Not likely," his twin grinned. "It'd take a braver man than I am to risk open war with our Nessy." Clytemnestra stuck her tongue out at him and Pollux returned it, she turned back to her other brother. "Now do you surrender?" She wiggled her fingers at him playfully.

Castor managed to raise his hands. "I surrender but only on the condition you open our thoughtful gift with all haste."

"Done."

She crawled over to the previously forgotten parcel, her gown picking up fresh grass stains, large green wounds across the delicate fabric. It was large and heavy in her hands as she pulled the cover off it and saw what lay beneath. She gasped and almost dropped it. The sword gleamed warmly in the sunshine as she reverently traced the line of its blade with one elegantly filed fingernail.

"Do you like it?" Castor asked softly.

"I think she does," Pollux answered when she did not.

"I don't know what to say. Thank you so much."

"That's good enough."

"Do you want to try it out?"

"Now?"

"Are you doing anything?"

* * *

The song of their swords rose and fell filling the deserted practice grounds. This was not the first time she had duelled with one or other of her brothers and every time she felt her spirit soar as that deadly song began and dwindle again as it faded from her world once more.

"Do you want to talk about it," Pollux asked as he brought his sword forward to crash against hers.

"No."

"It was Helen again wasn't it?"

"I said I didn't want to talk about it?" She parried another of his slashes and attacked viciously. "Why do we always have to talk while we fence?"

"I don't know." A blistering combination unleashed itself from his blade forcing her back. "Perhaps it's just my inquisitive nature."

"Castor doesn't force conversation when we duel."

"That's a lie and you know it. Nothing and nobody can get Cas to shut up if he's begun. What did she do this time?"

"Nothing," her sword swung into a crescent almost connecting with his unprotected left side. But Pollux jumped sideways just in time. "That was too close. Stop trying to kill me and tell me what's going on."

"It's not Helen." Clash. "I love her, I do."

"So do I. What's the problem then?" Clash. Duck. Clash. Block.

"That is the problem. Everybody loves Helen." She lowered her sword and relieved, her brother lowered his. "Even those who've never met her." She looked pleadingly at him; somehow he must have the answer. "What is it she has that I don't? Whenever I'm around her I can't help feeling I'm inadequate, that I'm less than her. Everyone around me is already thinking it that is if they even notice I'm there at all." The tears were falling thick and fast again and Pollux dropped his blade into the dust of the floor and enveloped her into a hug. "It's about time I started to think it too."

"Never let anybody tell you that Nessy," he whispered into her curls. "And never let yourself think it because it simply isn't true. I love you, Castor loves you and Helen however dense she may be at times adores you. Nobody thinks you're any less than perfect the way you are."

"Then why does it seem that way?"

"I don't know." He stroked her hair occasionally pulling out wisps of grass that still clung to it from their fight earlier. "Because life isn't fair."

"You don't need to tell me. Why is it you and Cas have the perfect relationship and Helen and I can barely say two civil words to each other?"

"I don't know but I know what I told you earlier was the truth. Don't ever give up Nessy."

She pulled back from him and smiled wetly, trying to put anger into her voice and failing completely. "You know I hate that."

"You have my apologies Clytemnestra," he bowed deeply, retrieved his sword from the ground and offered his arm to her. "Are you ready to face the world once more?"

She took his arm. "Thank you," she said simply.

"You're welcome. I'll always be there for you, as will Castor. If you need to talk or if you want to beat someone to a bloody pulp," she almost smiled through her tears, "we're here."

"Polydeuces! Are you two finally ready to go back?" Castor hollered from his place on the spectator's bench. "The fight got quite boring after the bit where Nessy almost killed you."

Clytemnestra snorted and Pollux pulled his arm away from her and moved away, walking with dignity swiftly away from them towards the palace until Castor caught up with him and jumped on him, arms encircling him in a bear hug. "Get of me you great brute!" she heard Pollux retort with mock anger. "Never! Nessy are you coming?" Castor yelled back towards her his arm around his brother's shoulder.

She looked down at the sword still clasped in her hand; there would always be two people in this world who loved her. Even if not as much as they loved each other, it was enough. She nodded and ran towards them ducking under their looped arms so she could walk back towards the palace between the two people in the world that meant more to her than the sunlight.