Chapter Text
Red. His clothes, his hands, the sand underneath the boy’s head – everything was red. “W-what...?” His words were barely a whisper as his green eyes flickered over the body in front of him and his brain tried to understand what had just happened. “W-wake up”, he wanted to say, but again the words were hardly audible. “Please, wake up”, he repeated and buried his hands in the boy’s chiton leaving red marks as he did so. “Why won’t you wake up?” By now, he was gently shaking the other by his shoulders, but the dull eyes kept staring towards the sky. “No, please. I didn’t want to push you...”, he pleaded but deep inside he knew, that that had been what he had wanted to do when the boy had made fun of him – had mocked him because he had refused to give him the dices his foster parents had gifted him just this morning.
“They will punish me, if you do not wake up!” His desperation had turned into anger, and he shook the body in front of his knees harder, making the head shake from side to side. “Why do you do this to me?” He let go of the cloth, that was now stained red, to wipe away the tears that had started to flow down his cheeks. As he did, he left red stains on his face and his blonde hair. “What am I going to do now?” With wide green eyes, the boy looked around and searched his surroundings, but he saw no one. “I cannot leave him here... But I cannot call his parents either... Maybe...” He turned around, his eyes falling on the shimmering surface which was only a few meters away from him. If he managed to drag him into the water, he could tell everyone that it was an accident. That the other boy, whose name he didn’t even know, was hit by a strong wave and hit his head underwater and he had been there by mere chance and tried to rescue him. “Yes. Sounds like a good plan”, the young boy mumbled to himself as he slung his arms underneath the lifeless body. At the same time, he straightened himself and stood up. “After all, it was only an–”, he said to himself, but his next words died in his mouth when he saw someone running towards him.
Frozen in shock, he could only watch with wide eyes as a second boy appeared in front of him. “What has happened?”, the other asked in between deep breaths. His face was flushed from running and his brown curly hair was tousled from the sea wind. “Did he hit his head?”, the boy continued, pushing a few strands of his hair out of his face while he bent forwards to examine the body in his arms. “Y-yes…” “Oh, that looks really bad”, the other boy said with a stern look, while two fingers pressed against the cold neck. “You know that he is…dead?” Although the last word was spoken very carefully, the boy felt like the other had punched him in the stomach. “I… I do not know… I did not want… It was an accident”, he stuttered, clutching the body harder against his own. “It is alright. I saw what happened.” “You did?!” His voice came out too high, startling a few gulls that were sitting on rocks near the shore. “Yes, but from a distance. I saw that he took something from you and pushed you”, the brown-haired boy explained, gently loosening the grip the other had on the body and taking it in his own arms. “We will figure something out”, he then added as he carefully laid the dead boy down onto the sand again. “Really?” “Promise”, the other said and gave him a warm smile that made his cheeks warm, “but you should get rid of the blood...”
“Oh, yes!” Without waiting another second, he ran into the water, the gentle lapping of the waves calming him down immediately as he started to scrub at the stains on his chiton. “I am Patroklos, by the way. And who are you?”, the other boy had to raise his voice as he knelt on the ground, shovelling white sand above the red one until it disappeared. He had dressed the dead boy’s wound in a sort of makeshift bandage he had ripped from his longer chiton. “I am Achilleus”, the other said, glancing over his shoulder for a second to reassure himself, that they were still alone. “Nice to meet you!”, Patroklos said, his voice now even as he had waded into the water and was standing next to him. “That will not wash out easily”, the brown-haired boy mused as he mustered the simple cloth. “But it has to. These are my only clothes”, Achilleus answered, his voice rising again, “how am I going to explain this to my foster parents?” “It would be better to not go to them”, Patroklos said making the other look at him surprised. “But... why?” “You would have to explain what happened...” “Oh, yes. Right… But what am I going to do?”
Desperately, he looked at the other boy, who stood next to him in the water, tapping his lips with his finger. “Maybe if we make it look like an accident…” “Yes, just what I wanted to do!”, Achilleus exclaimed and waded out of the water. “W-wait! We need to come up with a plan first.” “Alright…”, the blonde boy mumbled and turned around once more. “First, we will drag him to the water, so it looks like he was washed ashore. Then we will go to the castle and inform the guards.” “W-what?!” “Trust me! We will tell them, that we saw him being crashed by a wave, but when we arrived, it was too late to save him.” “But the guards, they will not believe us!” “Trust me!” “But why? Why do you do this?” “Because I have the feeling you would do the same for me, if I was in your position.”
Half an hour later, the two boys were on their way to the main city. Patroklos was leading the way as Achilleus had never been to Opus during the year he had lived with his foster parents. “Your foster parents, where do they live?”, the dark-haired boy broke the silence as the city wall came into view. “By the sea, not far from the spot where… I…” “Ah, I see. I think I know the place. And you have been staying with them for long?” He turned around slightly as he walked, mustering Achilleus with his brown eyes. “N-no…” “So where are you from?” “I cannot remember…” “You cannot remember?”, Patroklos asked surprised and stopped walking. “I only know that I have a mother. I remember her black hair and she always smelled like the sea wind. But that is all…” The blonde boy looked at the ground, starting to feel anxious. “And she simply left you? Why?” “I do not know… All I remember is, that one early morning, she came into my room and took me with her. She said we were going to play a game. That I need to hide and make sure that no one was able to find me. And then she left.”
“I am sorry. That sounds horrible…”, Patroklos whispered and grabbed Achilleus’ hand. For a few seconds, he studied the bronzed skin that felt pleasantly warm, before he gently squeezed his fingers. “My parents will give you a warm welcome. My father sometimes seems a little but grumpy, but as soon as you get to know him, you will like him. And my mother tells the best stories.” “Are you sure?” “Yes! They will understand your situation. Come on, we need to get going or we will be late for dinner!” When Patroklos turned around, Achilleus' eyes fell on his torn chiton. “Oh no, your chiton! What will your parents say?” “Nothing, trust me. I will tell them the truth. That I bandaged the wound, but it was too late.” Seeing the other boy’s sceptical stare, Patroklos grabbed his hand once more, pulling him along.
They followed the road leading up to the main gate, passing merchants and workers on their way back to their homes. When they finally arrived at the entrance to the city, Achilleus was surprised that Patroklos immediately went to one of the guards. Uneasiness grew inside him, as he could only stumble after him with his hand still held tied by the other’s fingers. “What are you doing?!”, the blonde boy hissed in fear, scared that the other would break his promise and call him out in front of the guards. “I told you, just trust me!” “I am trying to but –”, Achilleus wanted to say but he was interrupted by one of the guards. “Get back in line!” Stopping before the man, the soldier looked intimidating with his painted armour. His bronze helmet and the bronze blade of his spear sparkled in the setting sun.
“Let us through!” Achilleus was surprised but also shocked to hear Patroklos’ loud voice. In disbelieve, he stared at the boy, who faced the guard with a stern look on his face. “And who do you think you are?”, the man asked, and Achilleus could see a grin on his face although his helmet covered most of it. “Since when have you been a guard?”, the dark-haired boy asked instead of answering the question. “I do not see, why this is your business, you little –” But before the man could say another word, a second guard stepped up to him, shoving him to the side. “Forgive me. He joined only today, so he did not know you.” “Really? Well, next time remember my face”, Patroklos said, and Achilleus saw that he had trouble hiding his smile. “He will…” “Perfect. Now, would you let me and my friend through the gate? Father wants us back for dinner and we do not want to be late.” Stepping aside, the guard bowed, while a third guard made sure that the two boys could pass the crowd. “Of course, my prince”, the man answered as Patroklos and Achilleus walked past. “P-prince?!”