Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

Luckily, Homer is dead and cannot sue me for erm, lifting ideas from the Iliad and Odyssey. And books like ‘Inside the Walls of Troy’ are clearly fanfics, and yet they get published!

Chapter 5

 

            When Ashline first arrived in Hearthome, a woman with orange hair called him a slut and told the people to stone her, but… they didn’t.

            They were too smitten. Perhaps it was her beauty, or perhaps it was her rare ability – they wanted her to breed strong sons, with the blood of the deathless gods in them. But that didn’t matter.

            Sometimes, she wished they had.

 

            She had heard the rumors, when the black ships pulled up on the coast, seen the banners flying.

            Gary had sacrificed their daughter so that the gods would send wind…!

            She had been ready to die herself, then, but Paul had dosed her with poppy syrup. She had been comatose for weeks. Undoubtedly, the Prince had taken advantage of it.

 

            Perchance they had expected the battles to end quickly, but Hearthome was a well-built city. Its walls were broad and strong, so instead, the Kings turned their attention to the neighboring cities and islands.

            For nine years the war dragged on. Those in Hearthome heard little of it, but it was a long, bloody process indeed.

            Lance slit the man’s throat effortlessly, wondering when it had become so commonplace. All the blood and the toil, the sweat and the mud, a quick fumbling in the dark, mutual release, the dust dragging them down as they mounded grave after grave. He wondered how Red could still shine so bright.

            Red shot her lover a grin as she caught an arrow in mid-flight, before throwing it back at the man who had shot it, piercing his throat. The man gurgled and fell, coughing blood.

            Steam rose from the corpses that lay around them, the once pristine streets of Solacean now encrusted with grime.

            Blood dripped from his fingers, and Lance slid his sword back into his belt. He drew his bow and arrows, their hisses death-songs, picking off the few archers on the rooftops. Fools.

            By nightfall, the city had fallen. The men were dead, along with most of the women. A few of the younger ones were kept as slaves.

            The loot divided – Gary always took the lion’s share, his right as High King – they dispersed to their tents.

 

            “How long…” Lance wondered. He and Red had found a spring, not yet fouled, and taken the opportunity to cleanse the muck of the battlefield off.

            “The prophets say that it will take ten years before Hearthome falls. We’re almost there…” His wife smiled.

            “How can you be so optimistic?”

            “You overanalyze too much.” She grinned. “Charlotte’s gifts can be a curse too.”

            “I suppose…”

 

            “Cheer up! I’m not dead up and neither are you!”

            Lance had to admit that was the case. Indeed, throughout the years, he had been wounded little.

            “So,” Red purred, before leaning up and kissing Lance, “Why don’t we… enjoy this break we’ve been given.”

            “You are as insatiable as ever.” He said, but his actions belied his words as he slipped his hand between her legs and felt her damp sex.

            Red smirked, and said nothing.

 

            Back in Hearthome, Volkner’s eyes widened. Solacean had fallen…

            The last stronghold in Shinou… now the Kings would march on Hearthome…!

            What would he do?

 

            The next morning, they saw the men and their chariots marching over the plains. There were still many left…

            Ash sat on the edge of the wall, staring.

            She wondered if Gary was down there… he probably was. Soon, they were within view, and she stared at the many faces she recognized, though they were all older.

            Once suitors…

 

            Paul refused to give her back. He had adamantly refused. Ash remembered that Gary and Lance had come once, to try and discuss things, a few years back.

            Paul had agreed to return the treasure they had run off with, but not Ashline. After all, she had chosen him!

            Gary had nearly pitched his wine goblet at the arrogant Prince’s head. Only a glare from Lance had stayed him.

            “You may say what you wish about Queen Ashline’s motives. I should not presume to understand his heart, after all. However… running off with your host’s wife is a breach of hospitality – a violation of the rules The Thunderer himself laid down. And those rules are the only things that define civilized men from barbarians…”

            Volkner had turned rather pale at that. It was true. Lance’s words were all true.

            Paul shot a poisonous look at the man.

            “Nonetheless, we will not return her. She is my wife now.” Paul spat.

             This time, Gary leapt up, knocking his chair to the ground. Two men quickly grabbed him.

            Volkner sighed. His son was much too passionate. Perhaps Misty was right…

            Perhaps Paul would bring about their doom…

 

            “Then we will raze your city to the walls.” Gary spat, stalking out. Lance made a short, ironical bow and followed.

            It was only a statement of the truth.

 

            Of course, Ash had not attended the meeting, but she had heard about it, and oh…

            She should have begged Gary for forgiveness! She wasn’t worth all this death! The killings just mounted, one upon another.

            If only she wasn’t such a coward, she would kill herself…

Ash wasn’t sure she loved anyone, Gary or Paul, any more.

 

The next day, the war began. It was more of the same, really. Dying and death and stagnation, until finally, one morning, Paul got tired of it and challenged any of the Kanto and Johto group to single combat.

That was when Gary leapt down from his chariot in full armor. “Excellent! I’ve been waiting for this!”

He had not been expecting that, and hastily backed into the ranks while the opposition jeered.

Lance shook his head. * How pointless… *

 

“Paul, you coward!” His brother, Steven yelled. “Don’t you have any honor? You already stole Ashline away from him. The least you could do is fight him fairly.”

            Paul glared at Steven, stung, but walked back out.

            The Shinou people cheered.

            “Now then,” Steven said. “If my brother, Prince Paul loses, we will give Queen Ashline and all the treasure back. And if the High King Gareth loses, you will all sail back home and not trouble us again. How does that sound?”

            Both sides were quite amenable to this.

            They threw lots to determine who would get the first spear cast. Paul won, so he threw his spear at Gary, but Gary’s shield held firm and the shield simply bounced off.

            Gary threw his, but it missed. They both drew their swords and circled each other. For many long moments, they hacked at each other, until Paul dropped his, gasping. Gary had sliced three of his fingers off with that stroke, so he was unable to hold his sword any longer.

            “Now I’ve got you!” Gary crowed.

            He lunged towards Paul, but Paul brought up his shield in time and Gary’s sword shattered on it. Gary grabbed Paul by his helmet strap instead, and began strangling him.

            It was at this moment that Lorelei caused a mist to cover the area, and she spirited Paul away, not wanting him to die. After all, he was her favorite.

 

            When the fog cleared, High King Gareth was only holding the helmet.

            “Cheats!” He roared. “Which one of you is hiding him?”

            No one answered. None of them would have sheltered Paul, after all the troubles he had brought down upon their city.

           

            Back in their room, Ashline sobbed as Paul kissed her harshly, mounting her with a lustful look in his eyes. This was not making love! This was rape! Any attraction she might have felt for the handsome young man had died long ago.

            Without affection, there was no romance.  She hated it here…

Why…

 

End Chapter

Completed 9/16/07

Edited 5/27/09

Stupid bunny!

This is based on the Iliad. *Nods*

And I hate Paul. I very, very much hate Paul! I hope he gets pregnant with sextuplets and Giovanni’s the father! Or something…

No, I’m not an anatomy major. I am an integrative biology major with an emphasis in the health sciences so yeah, I have to take anatomy and physiology and a lot of human systems classes, AND human reproduction. I hate MPREG.

I pity Ash a little…