Aristoi Achaion [A the song of Achilles fanfiction] 2

Chapter 16

Everyone else had probably gone asleep but I was still wide awake. I didn't feel sleepy at all somehow. This feeling all too familiar, I guess you could consider this one of my quirks, whenever I feel anxious I have trouble sleeping. And our return to Phthia caused that feeling. Mostly because of what would follow, the war.
I still remember when I first felt like this, the night before my return to Phthia, it was four years ago and yet it feels like yesterday, how my life has changed since then.
I remember how much trouble I had packing my things - it was not the actual thing that was challenging but rather that I could not  decide what to take with me-. There was this certain doll of mine I adored. She was wooden and plain but very elegant, I had named her seafoam. I was really saddened when I had to leave her behind, but I knew I had to. I was going to train to be a warrior I didn't need a doll. It is probably embarrassing of mine to admit but I still miss that doll sometimes. I try to imagine her, seating on my childhood bed. But now I have a great future ahead of me, dolls are not what should intrigue me
A/N: girlhood <33.
All I could I hear was the sound of  ocean waves in the distance and the song of crickets from nearby trees. I tried to just let myself drift, I switched positions multiple times but it didn't help.
I finally gave up and decided to go for a short walk in the beach. Just a short one, in hope that I will get tired enough to be able to sleep.
The sky was a midnight black and as I thought and hoped everyone was indeed asleep.

Well as it turned out not everyone. As I walked past the tents and towards the end of the beach, I found my brother seating on the ground under a willow, staring at the sea.
He noticed me and smiled.
"Having trouble sleeping too?"
"Very much, yes" I said and sat next to him.
"I am just thinking about tomorrow and the days to come." I hugged my knees with my hands.
"Me too" he said sympathetically. "Well I am really glad we got this opportunity" he added.
"Of course, I truly greatful too, brother but.....So so much will happen and you..." I was trying really, really hard to get my mind off of it but it is truly not the easiest thing to do.
"You needn't worry about me. It will be fine i promise you" fine?
I rolled my eyes and he must have noticed.
"I am sure we have much time left before that" he said nervously trying to sound hopeful. He was quite fullish, he didn't even care his own death awaited him.
I was unsure of how to answer.
"Besides, you are going to be alright, and imagine all the songs they will write about us, Aristoi Achaion, they will still say. Probably even centuries from now." Achilles continued.
The fame, the songs, the thought of them did intrigue me but I knew the suffering that would come when I will return from the war alone.
"And I will be glad to have you by my side, sister" he smiled. And I shortly realized that I had been lost in thought.
"Me too, brother." I returned the smile.
We started at the stars for a while, the night sky was clear. No clouds whatsoever.
As if embroidered by constellations of people long gone, yet still remembered.
"We will be like them" he said pointing to one of them.
"You think they'll make constellations when we die?" I asked wondering if he really believed that.
"Most likely not. But even so they'll remember our names."
Achilles and Alcippe they'll say. Warriors who fought in Troy.
The unweary urge for me to abandon the prospect of the war still exists. But I will not.   I will not give men the satisfaction of their assumptions being true, thar any woman is weak and incapable of fighting, I will not be underestimated because of my gender and I shall prove them wrong.
A/N: Alexa play "As good as reason" by Paris Paloma.

"The truth is, my end doesn't frighten me." he admitted and I turned my gaze to him.
The gentle sounds of sea waves like a melody in the atmosphere.
"I could never imagine that stupid crown in my head anyway. From when I was young even if I tried I just couldn't. Deep down I knew I wasn't meant to be king."
"Would you have preferred a quieter life?"
"If not for the war, most likely yes. I mean, we were happy in Pelion"
"Yeah we were" a faint smile appearing on my lips at the mention of that mountain.
"Who will inherit the throne though?"I asked curiously.
"Mostly likely Ajax's younger brother" our younger cousin from our fathers side, Teucer.
Who we will most likely meet soon.
"Or your son" I said. It sounded way more logical for the boy to inherit the throne.
A/N: Alcippe 18 years from this chapter is laughing so hard at this lol.
"Yeah, probably". An awkward silence followed.
We talked a bit more about war strategies.
"Patroclus, went and spoke to our mother" he informed me.
"About what?" I asked rather surprised.
"He needed to learn more about well. How and why I will die"
"What did she say?"
"That my ending will be brought by me killing Hector"
"Priam's oldest son, why?" Hector was known for being one of the best warriors and his father's most skilful son.
"I wondered the same" he said almost carelessly.
"What has he ever done to me?" He shrugged.
"That is not if much importance. We will kill a great number of people. Just because it will be a war. To survive, to win. That wouldn't mean we would have any feud with them" I spoke.
"I believe you are quite right,sister"
We spoke for a little while. About was strategies and stuff alike. Until we both grew extremely tired and yet again said goodnight to each other. Just as I was about to leave. He said:
"Alcippe...I know you worry for me, about my end. But I don't want you to feel sorrow for me. It was a choice I made. You needn't feel the need to save me. " he smiled softly.
A/N: cuz they see right through me, THEY SEE RIGHT THROUGH ME. CAN YOU SEE RIGHT THROUGH ME?
"I promise you brother I'll try. But we can't stop worrying about the people we care about. Not truly"
And thus we parted ways and each returned to their tents.
Thankfully, I soon fell asleep.
                                           _____________________________________
I was awaken a while after by a terrible nightmare. I was carrying a sword, as silver and bright  as one can imagine. And there was blood on my hands. Everywhere. I grew scared and woke up, breathing heavily. My magic I thought, it had returned. That shallow, hidden part of myself was coming to the surface. It is important for me to hide it , considering where this power has led others. Circe, legend said turned a nymph into a monster and thus she was a exiled. I do not believe I have enough power to do such a thing but even if I did something much less sagnificantlly important....She is a goddess and they exiled her if I used my powers who knows? They might strike me down. The first time I used magic was in Pelion. There was this butterfly on a flower, I watched it long  enough to notice it had broken it's wing. I tried to hold it but without even intenting to, I healed it. I haven't used any magic since then. And when I suppress it, it comes back in terrible nightmares. But I still wonder? Could I heal something bigger? Could I maybe heal a person. Perhaps, with this dream. This hidden, suppressed version of myself was warning me. I will not let it keep me behind. That is not where my future lies. I am meant to be a warrior and I shall be one. I won't let  this pathetic version of myself scare me.

A/N: oh boy where do I start? So I am sure no one remembers this but in the first chapter it was mentioned that Alcippe is a witch sort of like Circe. But I have sort of forgot to bring it up ever since lol. I swear I am gonna bring this plot back lol and add some depth.
Anyway hope you enjoyed this.
Hey I think your name is Sham? I hope your exam went well :))