Apollo slid out from behind his statue, a cool demeanor washing over him.
"I don't normally appear to servant girls, but you seem to have elevated yourself, haven't you?" he said, matter-of-factly.
Charis bowed low, not meeting the god's eyes. "Apollo, please, I have come to beg you not to take Liberty from us. She has meant the world to Hector, Paris, and myself. Even king Priam seems to have taken a liking to her. Troy needs her. Won't you let her stay?"
Apollo bent down and lifted the young girl's face until her eyes met his. "That is not my decision, child. It's Zeus' will that she go back to her own time so she may not do any damage to time itself."
"She's already changed the entire Trojan history!" Charis pleaded, almost forgetting herself. "Forgive me, Apollo, great god of the Sun, but I don't see how she could do any more harm than good. Without her, I fear Hector may never recover." She swallowed hard. "With her by his side, I think Hector will be the greatest king the world has ever known... but without her..." She trailed off.
"It is likely that Liberty knows more about the world's kings than you, dear Charis." Apollo studied the inside of his temple, looking bored. "Wouldn't you like it if Hector took his own life? Paris would be king and you would be his queen."
Charis reeled back in horror. "I would never dream of that!" Her eyes fell upon the base of the statue and never strayed. "Hector would make a far better king than Paris. I love Paris more than life, but he is not the kind of man who should be king. He's too... impulsive." She chuckled. "He would build a gold statue of Liberty and completely forget any other kingly duties."
"A statue of Liberty?" Apollo laughed. "What a ridiculous thought! I can see it now, with a crown on her head, holding high the torch that burned the Trojan Horse."
Charis sighed as she looked up at Apollo, the amusement of what was just said quickly faded as she rose to her feet, "I am going to take my leave and go back to the palace." Charis curtsied to the sun god.
He nodded as he watched her leave, "Hurry and get your goodbyes in, dear Charis."
Charis ran back towards the palace as fast as her legs would carry her. Her sandals filled with sand, every step she took only slowed her. She finally stopped and cast her sandals off before continuing. As he ran she saw the dark, large storm clouds that had rolled in and hovered over the proud Trojan city. Small flashes of lightning flickered in the sky.
"He is here." Charis muttered under her breath as she arrived at the gates of Troy and they were opened for her. Once the gates were opened enough for her to pass through, Charis continued her sprint through the city. She arrived in the vast courtyard at the foot of the stairs to the palace. Charis stopped to catch her breath on the steps as thunder clapped behind her. A pillar of lightning descended from the heavens and charred the dry baked earth on the opposite end of the courtyard. As the white light faded, there stood Apollo, next to the king of the gods, Zeus himself.
Charis felt the breath get caught in her throat as Zeus nodded towards her as if allowing her to go for the others as she dashed up the steps and into the palace.
Her cries echoed in the hallway frantic, "PARIS! HECTOR! LIBERTY!" Tears welled up in her eyes and her vision became blurred as she staggered around the corner and right into her brother-in-law.
"Charis what in the name of Zeus is going on?" Hector asked as he held her by the elbows gently. Words failed Charis as she dropped to her knees sobbing; Hector knelt on one knee in front of her. "He's come for her hasn't he?" Charis managed to nod as she heard Paris and Liberty as they ran down the hallway and joined them. Paris immediately dropped to his knees as Hector carefully placed Charis into his brother's arms and rose to his feet.
Paris rose slowly, "It's Zeus isn't it, brother?"
Hector nodded as the remaining color drained from his face and he took hold of Liberty's hands for some kind of support, "Come...we cannot keep the king of the gods waiting."
Liberty nodded and tightened her grip on Hector's hand as they walked out the front doors. Paris and Charis soon followed once she had calmed down and she was able to walk, although it was shaky.
As the four descended the steps Apollo spoke up, "Ah good to see the happy royal family again." He was almost amused with the irony of his words as a smirk spread across his face only to be met with a cold glare from Zeus.
"Watch your tongue Apollo. I do not take pleasure in such misery." Zeus looked up as Hector and Liberty stood mere feet away from him.
"Bull shit," Liberty muttered, looking pale. Hector swallowed hard and stared at her. He'd been shocked when she gave attitude to the god of the Sun, but to the King of the Gods? That was unheard of!
Zeus seemed unphased by it, stepping forward and taking Liberty's unwilling hand. "Child, you don't belong here."
Liberty struggled for a full breath. "I've never felt more at home here."
Zeus led her away from the others. "But you belong in your own time."
He waved a hand and the air seemed to ripple with electricity. It was almost as if a window had opened in front of her, showing her home and her parents, gaping through the hole at her.
"Liberty!" her mother called, looking shocked. "How...?"
Liberty sighed and looked back at her friends and lover. "I want to stay here, mom... dad... but it seems I have no choice." She waved sadly at them and trudged slowly forward, putting one foot through the vortex toward her parents, who were staring at the Trojans in disbelief.
As she moved through, Hector darted forward to grab her. Paris and Apollo moved to grab him, but before anyone could react, Hector grabbed Liberty by her left hand and pulled her two steps back away from the portal.
"I care not if this is so proclaimed by fate or the will of Zeus, I want her to stay and I shall do everything in my power to have it so!" Hector stood defiantly, a firm grip on Liberty's hand, looking towards Zeus.
Zeus chuckled, almost amused at the rashness of Hector, "Bold words for one so young, almost reminds me of myself when I was a youth." Apollo chuckled and nodded in agreement, as Charis and Paris stood in shock at the act of defiance they were witness to.
A heavy sigh passed Liberty's lips as she looked up and saw her new puppy Kody yelping to her from the other side of the portal. She bit her lower lip and yanked her hand free of Hector's grasp, stepping through the portal. She desperately wanted to stay but she knew that there was no way she could change her fate, if this was it, and go against someone as powerful as Zeus. Charis gasped softly as she buried her face into Paris's chest and began to sob. Paris squeezed his eyes shut as tears rolled down his cheeks in an attempt to block out the tragedy that had unfolded before him.
Shock washed over Hector as he cried out and dropped to his knees, burying his face in his hands.
"NO!!!!"
Hector's cry echoed through all of Troy, jolting the nearby Trojans, who were too shocked to move, seeing Zeus before them as the portal vanished.
For what seemed like an eternity, nothing moved. The air was so thick, it almost choked the life out of the people in the square.
Finally, Zeus' gaze dropped to the ground. He smiled appreciatively. "The decision has been made, and reversed. You win. It seems Fate is stronger than I." He and Apollo vanished from sight.
Hector blinked a few times, then looked at the ground. Liberty was on her back, with a golden-haired puppy perched on her chest, yipping happily.
"KODY!!" Liberty shrieked happily, patting the puppy's head. "He knocked me backwards through the vortex!"
Paris and Charis rushed forward and embraced Liberty and her furry friend. "You're staying! Fate has proclaimed it so! Liberty is staying in Troy!"
The cheers of the nearby Trojans jolted Hector out of his frozen stupor. He dropped to his knees and stared at the spectacle in front of him. Kody was licking Paris' face and Charis was stroking his soft fur. Liberty cuddled him close to her chest and beamed at Hector.
He stood up shakily and moved toward her. Liberty pushed Kody into Paris' arms and ran to her love.
"Is it done? You stay with me?" he asked, pressing his forehead to hers.
Liberty kissed Hector deeply, entangling her fingers in his hair. "Let me put it this way." She smiled and met his eyes. "... and they lived happily ever after, to the end of their days."
"Here! Here!" Paris and Charis cheered.
Hector laughed. "I like that ending."
THE END
"I don't normally appear to servant girls, but you seem to have elevated yourself, haven't you?" he said, matter-of-factly.
Charis bowed low, not meeting the god's eyes. "Apollo, please, I have come to beg you not to take Liberty from us. She has meant the world to Hector, Paris, and myself. Even king Priam seems to have taken a liking to her. Troy needs her. Won't you let her stay?"
Apollo bent down and lifted the young girl's face until her eyes met his. "That is not my decision, child. It's Zeus' will that she go back to her own time so she may not do any damage to time itself."
"She's already changed the entire Trojan history!" Charis pleaded, almost forgetting herself. "Forgive me, Apollo, great god of the Sun, but I don't see how she could do any more harm than good. Without her, I fear Hector may never recover." She swallowed hard. "With her by his side, I think Hector will be the greatest king the world has ever known... but without her..." She trailed off.
"It is likely that Liberty knows more about the world's kings than you, dear Charis." Apollo studied the inside of his temple, looking bored. "Wouldn't you like it if Hector took his own life? Paris would be king and you would be his queen."
Charis reeled back in horror. "I would never dream of that!" Her eyes fell upon the base of the statue and never strayed. "Hector would make a far better king than Paris. I love Paris more than life, but he is not the kind of man who should be king. He's too... impulsive." She chuckled. "He would build a gold statue of Liberty and completely forget any other kingly duties."
"A statue of Liberty?" Apollo laughed. "What a ridiculous thought! I can see it now, with a crown on her head, holding high the torch that burned the Trojan Horse."
Charis sighed as she looked up at Apollo, the amusement of what was just said quickly faded as she rose to her feet, "I am going to take my leave and go back to the palace." Charis curtsied to the sun god.
He nodded as he watched her leave, "Hurry and get your goodbyes in, dear Charis."
Charis ran back towards the palace as fast as her legs would carry her. Her sandals filled with sand, every step she took only slowed her. She finally stopped and cast her sandals off before continuing. As he ran she saw the dark, large storm clouds that had rolled in and hovered over the proud Trojan city. Small flashes of lightning flickered in the sky.
"He is here." Charis muttered under her breath as she arrived at the gates of Troy and they were opened for her. Once the gates were opened enough for her to pass through, Charis continued her sprint through the city. She arrived in the vast courtyard at the foot of the stairs to the palace. Charis stopped to catch her breath on the steps as thunder clapped behind her. A pillar of lightning descended from the heavens and charred the dry baked earth on the opposite end of the courtyard. As the white light faded, there stood Apollo, next to the king of the gods, Zeus himself.
Charis felt the breath get caught in her throat as Zeus nodded towards her as if allowing her to go for the others as she dashed up the steps and into the palace.
Her cries echoed in the hallway frantic, "PARIS! HECTOR! LIBERTY!" Tears welled up in her eyes and her vision became blurred as she staggered around the corner and right into her brother-in-law.
"Charis what in the name of Zeus is going on?" Hector asked as he held her by the elbows gently. Words failed Charis as she dropped to her knees sobbing; Hector knelt on one knee in front of her. "He's come for her hasn't he?" Charis managed to nod as she heard Paris and Liberty as they ran down the hallway and joined them. Paris immediately dropped to his knees as Hector carefully placed Charis into his brother's arms and rose to his feet.
Paris rose slowly, "It's Zeus isn't it, brother?"
Hector nodded as the remaining color drained from his face and he took hold of Liberty's hands for some kind of support, "Come...we cannot keep the king of the gods waiting."
Liberty nodded and tightened her grip on Hector's hand as they walked out the front doors. Paris and Charis soon followed once she had calmed down and she was able to walk, although it was shaky.
As the four descended the steps Apollo spoke up, "Ah good to see the happy royal family again." He was almost amused with the irony of his words as a smirk spread across his face only to be met with a cold glare from Zeus.
"Watch your tongue Apollo. I do not take pleasure in such misery." Zeus looked up as Hector and Liberty stood mere feet away from him.
"Bull shit," Liberty muttered, looking pale. Hector swallowed hard and stared at her. He'd been shocked when she gave attitude to the god of the Sun, but to the King of the Gods? That was unheard of!
Zeus seemed unphased by it, stepping forward and taking Liberty's unwilling hand. "Child, you don't belong here."
Liberty struggled for a full breath. "I've never felt more at home here."
Zeus led her away from the others. "But you belong in your own time."
He waved a hand and the air seemed to ripple with electricity. It was almost as if a window had opened in front of her, showing her home and her parents, gaping through the hole at her.
"Liberty!" her mother called, looking shocked. "How...?"
Liberty sighed and looked back at her friends and lover. "I want to stay here, mom... dad... but it seems I have no choice." She waved sadly at them and trudged slowly forward, putting one foot through the vortex toward her parents, who were staring at the Trojans in disbelief.
As she moved through, Hector darted forward to grab her. Paris and Apollo moved to grab him, but before anyone could react, Hector grabbed Liberty by her left hand and pulled her two steps back away from the portal.
"I care not if this is so proclaimed by fate or the will of Zeus, I want her to stay and I shall do everything in my power to have it so!" Hector stood defiantly, a firm grip on Liberty's hand, looking towards Zeus.
Zeus chuckled, almost amused at the rashness of Hector, "Bold words for one so young, almost reminds me of myself when I was a youth." Apollo chuckled and nodded in agreement, as Charis and Paris stood in shock at the act of defiance they were witness to.
A heavy sigh passed Liberty's lips as she looked up and saw her new puppy Kody yelping to her from the other side of the portal. She bit her lower lip and yanked her hand free of Hector's grasp, stepping through the portal. She desperately wanted to stay but she knew that there was no way she could change her fate, if this was it, and go against someone as powerful as Zeus. Charis gasped softly as she buried her face into Paris's chest and began to sob. Paris squeezed his eyes shut as tears rolled down his cheeks in an attempt to block out the tragedy that had unfolded before him.
Shock washed over Hector as he cried out and dropped to his knees, burying his face in his hands.
"NO!!!!"
Hector's cry echoed through all of Troy, jolting the nearby Trojans, who were too shocked to move, seeing Zeus before them as the portal vanished.
For what seemed like an eternity, nothing moved. The air was so thick, it almost choked the life out of the people in the square.
Finally, Zeus' gaze dropped to the ground. He smiled appreciatively. "The decision has been made, and reversed. You win. It seems Fate is stronger than I." He and Apollo vanished from sight.
Hector blinked a few times, then looked at the ground. Liberty was on her back, with a golden-haired puppy perched on her chest, yipping happily.
"KODY!!" Liberty shrieked happily, patting the puppy's head. "He knocked me backwards through the vortex!"
Paris and Charis rushed forward and embraced Liberty and her furry friend. "You're staying! Fate has proclaimed it so! Liberty is staying in Troy!"
The cheers of the nearby Trojans jolted Hector out of his frozen stupor. He dropped to his knees and stared at the spectacle in front of him. Kody was licking Paris' face and Charis was stroking his soft fur. Liberty cuddled him close to her chest and beamed at Hector.
He stood up shakily and moved toward her. Liberty pushed Kody into Paris' arms and ran to her love.
"Is it done? You stay with me?" he asked, pressing his forehead to hers.
Liberty kissed Hector deeply, entangling her fingers in his hair. "Let me put it this way." She smiled and met his eyes. "... and they lived happily ever after, to the end of their days."
"Here! Here!" Paris and Charis cheered.
Hector laughed. "I like that ending."
THE END