Helen of Sparta (38 page)

CHAPTER FORTY

T
heseus.

At the call of his name, the desperate shout, he twitched against his restraints. Dark shadow burned against his skin, holding him in place, but his eyelids fluttered, fighting against the weight of his dreams. Over and over again, Aethra came to him, Menestheus at her side. Over and over again, he took his child, his daughter, from her bed, his heart shattering with the knowledge of what he must do. Over and over again, Athena took the baby from his arms, laying her upon the rock, and he stood vigil, each wail, each cry piercing him like an arrow, a spear, a sword through his soul. But the silence, the stillness that came after was even worse. And it always came. It always came, and he could do nothing but watch, but stand witness as her small, fragile life dra
ined away.

Theseus!

Helen. Helen called to him, but how? He had left her in Athens, safe and protected. He had left her safe, though he had dreamed of that, too. Of Helen, stolen from Athens, torn from her chambers by Menelaus, screaming and struggling and clawing against him until he held her down, reclaimed her as his. He had dreamed of it, knowing himself trapped by Hades, incapable of rea
ching her.

How long had he been bound this way? Dimly he remembered Persephone’s chiming voice, the smell of roasted meats and fresh breads that had drawn them. His eyes finally opened, and he saw the banquet, still, spread out before them, Pirithous still entrapped within the chair at his side. So much food, the aroma torture enough, even without the dreams and the shadow. Hades sat at the head of his table, dressed in blinding robes of silver and gold. A black beard covered his jaw, and his eyes flashed with the fire of diamonds. Beside him sat Persephone, her hair the deep brown of fertile earth, white flowers forming a royal circlet upon
her brow.

“Ah,” Hades said, his voice liquid and echoing in the vaulting cavern. “The hero wakes, Athena’s well-chosen champion. Even the powers of Lethe cannot match his strength of will. But tell me, Theseus. Do you remember the vow you made to Athena, in the temple? Do you remember swearing you would never turn from us, your family, y
our gods?”

Theseus.
Helen’s voice again, a whisper now, filled with such impotence, such despair. He had never known her to despair, not truly. Not so long as they were
together.

If you could onl
y hear me.

Persephone’s head tilted, her eyes narrowing as if she heard, too. “Not only his will,” the goddess said, her gaze warm when it settled upon him. “Poor Helen. She has waited ever so faithfully, all this time. I cannot help but feel for her, knowing what it is to be torn from that which has been chosen, nurtured into life and love, peace and beauty. Every spring, I suffer the same, forced to leave my husband for the sake of my family,
my duty.”

The goddess laid her hand upon her husband’s arm, lifting her face to his, so beautiful Theseus could not breathe, to look at her. But there was so much affection, so much intimacy even in so small a gesture. How could Pirithous have ever believed she would want to
be freed?

If you
only knew.

Theseus jerked against his bonds. Helen called to him, and he must answer. He must go to her, whether the gods willed it or not. But the shadow held, the black forms tightening around his chest
and legs.

You swore! On the Styx, you swore t
o find me!

He groaned, throwing himself against the bindings. Stone cracked, dust and dirt raining down, as the cavern shook. He had never realized the power, never known he might draw from his father’s strengths upon the land as well as the sea. He fought again, though the shadow had begun to sizzle against his skin, burning into his bare legs, his arms, cutting like ropes. The room shook again, rock crumbling, rubble cascading down the far wall, but still he could not tear himself free. And he must, by the Styx, he must, if Helen needed him, if Helen had been stolen. If only he had the stre
ngth . . .

“Peace, Theseus,” Hades said. “You will not hear her once she is dead. And then, once your vows are broken, you will belong to the Styx, for
evermore.”

“You will not keep me from my wife,” Theseus growled. “I will not let you
keep me!”

Persephone rose and came toward him. Tiered with cloth of gold and emerald silk, her flounced skirt flashed with gems and tinkled with silver. He clenched his jaw against the gentleness of her touch, the chill of her fingers upon his brow. Helen, he must remember Helen. He must remember her call, her cry. But with every beat of his heart, her voice grew more distant, her warmth farther away. But he would
find her.

“Go back to sleep, Theseus. You can do nothing more to help H
elen now.”

He must
find her.

He
must find.

He must.

Helen.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

I
slept fitfully on the cold ground, even wrapped in Theseus’s cloak with several furs beneath me. The nightmares almost felt like old friends, promising that whatever marriage I made to Menelaus, it would not last. Leda’s betrayal, Menelaus’s lies—none of it would matter for long. The war would come, washing it
all away.

The sun touched the scrub grasses with fire, and I turned my face toward it. Castor had already risen, and Pollux lay sleeping in his place, one hand clutching the hilt of a knife. He looked so much like Pirithous in that moment, the creases of worry and determination relaxed in rest. But if Leda had her way, even if Pirithous was successful, I would never meet with him agai
n, either.

I closed my eyes. True sons of Zeus, the both of them, set upon wiles and deceit to accomplish their goals. Always reaching to take that which was not theirs. To have their way at all costs, as if they ruled
as kings.

But I was Zeus’s daughter. They could not hold me if I did not wish to be held. The gods had already declared it so with these nightmares. And perhaps that was the truth of it all. Perhaps this war, this destruction, this death, was all mine. Because as much as I did not wish to see my people suffer, my brothers die, and the golden city turn to ash and smoke and blood, Menelaus would never have my lo
yalty now.

“Helen?” Castor’s voice was low, and I opened my eyes to find him crouched beside me, offering a strip of dried goat. Pollux had already risen. “We should not linger,” he said when he saw I
was awake.

Around us, the other men were stirring, shaking out their cloaks and cinching sword belts over leather armor. Sparta’s men, their lives in
my hands.

“Here,” Castor said, nudging me. A small white crocus, barely blooming, was pressed into my hand. I met my brother’s eyes, my mouth suddenly dry. Castor busied himself with my extra furs, dropping his gaze. “I found it when I was checking on the horses. I’m sorr
y, Helen.”

The first sign of spring. Nearer than I had realized. Nearer than it should have been. I stared into the soft white heart of the flower, turning it between my fingers. The seasons changed, I knew that. As constant as they were irregular. But I had been counting the days, anxious for Theseus, and even for an early spring, the crocus should not have budde
d so soon.

“Persephone is freed,” I heard myself say. “She hurries from the Un
derworld.”

My brother’s mouth firmed into a hard line. “Even so, it does not mean Theseus or Pirithous has survived the
journey.”

I caught him by the arm when he tried to turn away. “Castor, please. If there is any hope, any chance at all that he might yet return—it is not so great a delay.” He was shaking his head, but I dug my fingers into his forearm, forcing him to look at me. “A few weeks, Castor. If Tyndareus will only send word, keep his promise that I will not be married without the proper rites, Theseus will hear of it, and there will be time enough for him to reach me. And if he wins me fai
rly . . .”

“He won’t win, Helen. Even if he comes, he will not win you. Leda will s
ee to it.”

“And what power does Leda have that my brothers do not? Tyndareus will want your counsel. Yours and Pollux’s. If you speak against Menelaus, Father wil
l listen!”

Castor sighed, his hand covering mine. “You truly believe Theseus sti
ll lives?”

“It is not his fate to die this way,” I said, desperate to assure him. “Athena would not forsake him so easily. Not after—” I swallowed back the words, my throat too tight. What had happened to us, what had become of our daughter, I could not speak of it. “He has been her loyal servant, and she will not leave him to Hades
’s mercy.”

He searched my face, and I could only hope he saw my determination, and the confidence I could not wholly feel. Perhaps Menelaus had spoken truly in my dream. Perhaps Theseus might yet live, but nothing in my dreams had proven he would not still be l
ost to me.

“I cannot promise you it will work,” Castor said at last. “But you will have my help, all the same. If Theseus lives, if he escapes Hades even now, we will give him time enough to come for you, and if Tyndareus will not hear reason, your husband will have my help in stealing you away. I swear it
by Zeus.”

I threw myself into his arms, my brother, my sweetest, kindest brother, and in that moment, hope blossomed inside me like a sea of sprin
g flowers.

Because I was a daughter of Zeus, and I would not be held against my will. Not by Menelaus, or Leda. Not by Tyndareus or my brothers. Not by the gods or the fates, with their burning city and their strange Trojan prince, and their war. Not even by my o
wn father.

Perhaps Zeus was king, but I was Spartan, a princess twice over, and queen of Athens besides. I kne
w my duty.

And I would rule my
own fate.

And so Theseus rightly felt love’s flame, for he was acquaint with all your charms, and you seemed fit spoil for the great hero to steal away, [ . . . ]. His stealing you away, I commend; my marvel is that he ever gave you back.

—Ovid,
Heroides, 16

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

F
irst and foremost, thank you so much to Michelle Brower for believing in
Helen
, and never giving up on finding her a home, and to Jodi at Lake Union, for giving me the chance to share
Helen
with readers, at last! And thank you, also, to Stephanie Thornton and Gary Corby, who have been so supportive of my historical fiction writing endeavors, both as Ancient History blog friends and autho
r friends.

I absolutely owe a mountain of thanks to the usual suspects, including Diana Paz, Zak Tringali, Wendy Sparrow, L. T. Host, Natalie Murphy, Tina Lynn, Mia Hayson, Nick Mohoric, and Valerie Valdes, for reading (and in some cases rereading), and talking me down off those writing ledges along the way. Also to Hannah Wylie for a very complete and in-depth critique that helped me to make
Helen
so much stronger! Without your generosity, I am not sure this book would be where it is today. Thanks, too, to Katie M. Stout for being as passionate a beta as I could ever ask for, and tackling my grammar like a pro. I’m also grateful to Aven McMaster, for our countless chats and discussions regarding the academic interpretations of Class
ical myth.

And to my friends and family, for sticking with me on this roller-coaster ride of crazy-making, and/or providing fantastic critique and notes from the reader perspective: Karen, Dan, Tom, Denise, Aunt Rose, Aunt Tommi Lou, Uncle Joey, Emi, Mattias, Connor, Drew the Third, Kevin, and John. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate the time you’ve invested in me an
d my work!

Lastly, thanks to my brother Don, for bringing home his copy of
Bulfinch’s Mythology
from college and telling nine-year-old me that Hercules’s real name was Heracles. I don’t think either one of us expected that small moment to bring me here, to this book, and this authorial adventure, but it did, and I am forever
grateful!

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Acamas:
Youngest son of Theseus, by his second wife, Phaedra; prince
of Athens

Adrastus:
King of Argos; grandfather of Diomedes; guest of Tyndareus at Helen
’s banquet

Aegeus:
Previous king of Athens; one of Theseus’s fathers, by Aethra
; deceased

Aethra:
Mother of Theseus; high priestess of Athens; consort of Poseidon
and Aegeus

Agamemnon:
King of Mycenae; son of Atreus; older brother to Menelaus; close friend of Tyndareus and his family after spending several years in exile at Sparta as part of Tyndareus’s
household

Ajax
the Great:
Prince of Salamis; older half brother of Teucer; great-grandson of Zeus; friend and guest of Tyndareus at Helen
’s banquet

Ajax
the Lesser:
Prince of Locris; guest of Tyndareus at Helen
’s banquet

Alcyoneus:
Helen’s Egyp
tian tutor

Antiope:
Theseus’s first wife; former queen of the Amazons; devotee of Artemis; mother of Hippolytus, Theseus’s first son
; deceased

Aphrodite:
Goddess of love and beauty; daught
er of Zeus

Apollo:
God of music, poetry, oracles, plague, medicine, and the sun; twin brother of Artemis; s
on of Zeus

Ariadne:
Daughter of Minos of Crete; goddess of the labyrinth, freed by Theseus; wife and consort o
f Dionysus

Ariston:
Athenian physician and friend
of Theseus

Artemis:
Goddess of the hunt, virgins, and the Amazons; twin sister of Apollo; daught
er of Zeus

Athena:
Goddess of wisdom and war; daughter of Zeus; patron goddess of Athens; appointed Theseus as her hero and champion
in Attica

Castor:
Prince of Sparta; mortal twin brother of Pollux; son of Tyndareus by Leda; older brother to Helen and Cl
ytemnestra

Clymene:
Helen’s maid
in Sparta

Clytemnestra:
Princess of Sparta; mortal twin sister to Helen; daughter of Tyndareus by Leda; younger sister of Pollux
and Castor

Demophon:
Prince and heir of Athens; son of Theseus by his second wif
e, Phaedra

Diomedes:
Prince and heir of Argos; grandson of Adrastus, king of Argos; favored by Athena; guest of Tyndareus at Helen
’s banquet

Dionysus:
God of wine, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and epiphany; husband of Ariadne; s
on of Zeus

Hades:
God of the Underworld and the dead; brother of Zeus and Poseidon; husband of
Persephone

Helen:
Princess of Sparta; daughter of Zeus (in the form of a swan) by Leda; demigod twin sister of Clytemnestra; younger sister of Pollux
and Castor

Hera:
Queen of the gods; wife of Zeus; goddess of women an
d marriage

Heracles:
Son of Zeus by Alcmene; hero; blessed with tremendous strength and ability; friend of Tyndareus; helped Tyndareus to reclaim the throne
of Sparta

Hippolytus:
Theseus’s first son, by the Amazon queen Antiope; devotee of Artemis
; deceased

Leda:
Queen of Sparta; wife of Tyndareus; consort of Zeus (who came to her once in the form of her husband, and the second time in the form of a swan); mother of the twins Castor and Pollux, and Clytemnestra
and Helen

Menelaus:
Prince of Mycenae; younger brother of Agamemnon; son of Atreus; close friend of Tyndareus and his family after spending several years in exile at Sparta as part of Tyndareus’s
household

Menestheus:
Cousin of Theseus; steward of Athens; great-grandson of Erechtheus, founder
of Athens

Minos:
Former king of Crete; father of Ariadne a
nd Phaedra

Nestor:
Elderly king of Pylos; minor hero; guest of Tyndareus at Helen
’s banquet

Pallans:
Athenian; oarsman f
or Theseus

Paris:
Adopted son of Agelaus; shepherd boy living in the lands surrou
nding Troy

Patroclus:
Guest of Tyndareus at Helen’s banquet; Myrmidon and neighbor to King Pirithous and the Lapiths people, i
n Thessaly

Penelope:
Cousin of Clytemnestra and Castor; niece of
Tyndareus

Persephone:
Queen of the Underworld; wife of Hades; daughter of Zeus by Demeter; goddess of spr
ing growth

Phaedra:
Theseus’s second wife; mother of Demophon and Acamas; daughter of Minos; sister
of Ariadne

Pirithous:
King of the Lapiths, in Thessaly; son of Zeus by Dia; cousin and friend
to Theseus

Pollux:
Prince of Sparta; son of Zeus by Leda; demigod twin brother to Castor; older brother to Helen and Cl
ytemnestra

Poseidon:
God of earth and sea, earthquakes, and horses; brother of Zeus and Hades; father of Theseus
by Aethra

Teucer:
Younger brother of Ajax the Great; guest of Tyndareus at Helen
’s banquet

Theseus:
King of Athens; Hero of Attica; son of both the god Poseidon and Aegeus, previous king of Athens, by Aethra; father of Hippolytus by Antiope; father of Demophon and Acamas by Phaedra; cousin and friend to
Pirithous

Tyndareus:
King of Sparta; husband of Leda; father of Castor and Clytemnestra by Leda; adoptive father of Pollux and Helen; uncle of Penelope; friend of Agamemnon and Menelaus; friend o
f Heracles

Zeus:
King of the gods; husband of Hera; father of Helen and Pollux by Leda; father of Apollo and Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, and Dionysus; brother of Poseidon and Hades; god of the sky, thunder and lightning, order a
nd justice