The cellar prison of the Dardan estate was chilly but reasonably clean. Torchlight cast dancing shadows on the stone walls. The air held a mix of damp and an inescapable stench of urine.
Helenus was locked in the largest single cell. Clean straw covered the floor. A far cry from the luxury the Trojan prince was accustomed to.
In the adjacent cells, the five captured Trojan soldiers huddled in a corner. They wore only thin tunics. Their fifty sets of fine hoplite armor were now Dardan spoils of war.
Aeneas's footsteps echoed on the stone stairs. Thaleia, Sergestus, Melanippe, and Ainippe followed him.
Achates, who should have been present, was managing the domain's aftermath. The two Amazon warriors, who shouldn't have been there at all, had insisted. Melanippe wanted to see Helenus's humiliation firsthand. Simply put... the princess wanted to watch the show.
"I expected a Trojan prince to have more dignity," Melanippe said the moment she entered the cellar. She wrinkled her nose. She, Ainippe, and Thaleia all took a simultaneous step back. Overwhelmed by the strong smell of urine clinging to Helenus.
Helenus had been sitting upright on the straw pallet. Trying to maintain princely dignity. The women's reaction shattered his composure.
His handsome, sullen face flashed with resentment. He didn't dare show it openly. Just straightened his back. Addressed Aeneas in a loud voice.
"I am a Trojan prince! The high priest of Apollo! I deserve treatment befitting my status!"
His voice echoed in the cellar, but held a tremor. "I demand a proper bed! Wine! And I will speak only with Lord Anchises himself!"
Aeneas stood quietly outside the cell. His bronze armor was still stained with blood. He heard Helenus's demands. A cold smile touched his lips.
"You need to understand your current position," Aeneas said, his voice calm. "You are a prisoner of war. An invader. The instigator who looted our town. And the holder of a... questionable noble title."
He took a step forward. His handsome face looked severe in the torchlight. "Let's discuss compensation first."
Helenus's face went pale. "You... you insult the Trojan royal house!"
"Insult?" Aeneas shook his head slightly. His tone was sarcastic. "When you burned my outpost, looted my town... did you consider what real insult is?"
He took a wax tablet from his belt. Achates had given it to him hastily—the loyal steward was busy with the cleanup outside.
"My steward has calculated the costs," Aeneas announced. "Repairing the town. Compensating the people. Healing and caring for my soldiers. Rebuilding the outpost and roads..."
He paused deliberately. Met Helenus's panicked eyes. "You will pay us ten Talents."
Helenus gasped. "Ten Talents? That's robbery!"
Aeneas's smile widened. He added softly, as if mentioning a trivial detail. "Oh. And that's... in gold."
(One or two Talents would actually cover it. The rest is for the domain's development fund. Perfectly normal to extort a war criminal.) Aeneas thought to himself.
"You're insane!" Helenus was nearly screaming. "I'll never pay this absurd ransom!" His eyes almost popped out of his head.
"Ten Talents? In gold?" His voice turned shrill with shock. "Sigeion's lands plus the Apollo Temple's entire yearly income barely match that! Is this a robbery?"
He drew a sharp breath. Tried to calm his racing pulse. Then straightened into haughty posture. "Enough... I won't deal with you! I'm Lord of Sigeion. Prince of Troy. High Priest of Sigeion's Apollo Temple. I demand to speak with your father Anchises."
(This scoundrel would skin me alive! No. Anchises is reasonable. Safer to negotiate with him.) Helenus's mind raced.
Aeneas shook his head with a dry laugh. "You still don't grasp the situation." His voice dripped sarcasm. "You claim to be a prince? I don't recognize you."
He paused deliberately. Let his gaze sweep over Helenus's disheveled state. "You say you're Apollo's High Priest? When this Amazon princess overturned your chariot, I didn't see Apollo shielding you."
Melanippe snorted openly behind him. Her deep brown eyes sparkled with grim satisfaction.
Aeneas stroked his chin. Put on a thoughtful act. "Since you insist you're a prince... Priam should pay your ransom, yes?" His tone was casual, like chatting about the weather. "Heard my grandmother ransomed him from Hercules for ten gold Talents too."
Helenus's face went deathly pale.
Aeneas feigned ignorance. Continued leisurely. "Wonder if he'd pay that for you now? If not..." He dragged out the words. His gaze sharpened. "Then you're an impostor. Chopping your head off and sending it to Sigeion might fetch a Talent reward. Better than nothing."
(Is he a demon? Claiming rewards with my own head? No! Can't let Troy hear of my defeat. My status would be ashes! And mentioning Hercules' ten gold Talents? That's father's deepest wound. If he learns of this, my lands and title are gone!)
Helenus nearly shattered. His body trembled violently. The princely facade crumbled completely.
He opened his mouth to protest. But no words came out.
The Aeneas before him seemed to morph into a true demon. Those laughing black-gold eyes held a terrifying gleam.
"You... you..." Helenus stammered. Finally collapsed back onto the hay pallet. Buried his face in his hands.
He curled there a moment. Then jerked his head up. A desperate resolve flashed in his eyes. To reduce the burden, he'd betray his brother Deiphobus.
"I'll pay!" He gritted out the words. "But ten gold Talents is too much... I'll give you crucial information. Worth five Talents at least. Then I pay only five. Agreed?"
Aeneas, Thaleia, Sergestus, Melanippe, Ainippe—all wore curious expressions. Aeneas leaned forward slightly. "Oh? Information worth five gold Talents? Let's hear it. If it's truly valuable, you'll only pay half. You have my word."
Helenus gripped the wooden bars of the cell, his knuckles white. "This raid wasn't my idea! It was Deiphobus. My brother. The Trojan prince, Deiphobus. He put me up to it!" His voice shook with emotion. "He even suggested I should kill you if I got the chance! Is that news worth five gold Talents?"
Aeneas snorted, shaking his head. "I'll admit, that's a surprise. Don't know this Deiphobus. Can't imagine why he'd want me dead..." He paused, then pointed at Helenus, grinning. "But even if he does, so what? You brought an army. And now you're squatting in here."
Helenus ground his teeth. A vicious look crossed his face.
He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Deiphobus is the High Priest of Athena in Troy. But it's not right! Athena is a goddess. Her High Priestess should be a virgin. That's the rule."
He glanced around, saw their rapt attention, and pressed on. "The current virgin priestess is my twin sister, Cassandra. But she has no ambition. Refuses the role. So Deiphobus acts as High Priest. But now Polyxena has begun serving as a virgin priestess too. She's willing to devote her life to Athena. This worries Deiphobus greatly..."
His tone turned ominous. "He wants Polyxena dead. His own little sister! Is that news worth five gold Talents?"
Aeneas, Thaleia, Sergestus, Melanippe, Ainippe—all looked shocked and disgusted. Aeneas clicked his tongue, shaking his head in disbelief. "Seems Priam's parenting leaves something to be desired... His sons are all turning out wonderfully."
Thaleia and Sergestus exchanged a complicated look. Melanippe and Ainippe also glanced at each other, their faces full of scorn—in their straightforward Amazon culture, such scheming was unheard of.
Aeneas spread his hands, still shaking his head. "A thrilling story, truly. But useless to me. Sorry. This tale isn't worth five gold Talents."
Helenus's eyes were now bloodshot. He decided to play his final card. He nearly roared the words. "He wants me dead, too! With me gone, he could take everything I have in Sigeion! And..." He drew a sharp breath. "He has a reason to want you dead as well!"
Aeneas, Thaleia, Sergestus, Melanippe, Ainippe—all looked intensely interested.
Aeneas tilted his chin. "Go on. Let's see if it's worth the price."
The air in the cellar seemed to freeze. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Helenus's next words.
Helenus lowered his voice ominously. "Do you remember your little date with Creusa a month ago? Those illegal slavers you dealt with... Their backers were me and Deiphobus!"
He watched the subtle shift in Aeneas's expression. Pressed his advantage. "It was our joint venture. I only handled the sales. The illegal slaves came from Deiphobus. He colluded with the Hittites. Captured free people."
He paused deliberately. Turned his gaze to Melanippe. "Oh, and that ambush on the Amazon trade convoy? The crucial intelligence came from him. He said wiping it out would get us beautiful, skilled warrior slaves. Rare Black Sea goods. And drive a wedge between you and the Amazons..."
His voice dripped with scorn. "This kind of backstabbing scheme? It's his favorite."
"What did you say?!" Melanippe exploded. She lunged forward. Ready to storm the cell and slaughter Helenus on the spot. Vengeance for her fallen Amazon sisters.
"Princess, no!" Ainippe wrapped her arms around her from behind. Held her tight. Her own eyes burned with fury. But she kept her head.
Aeneas simply nodded. Cool. "This information has value. Provide proof. Then it's worth five gold Talents."
Helenus nodded eagerly. "I kept the parchment letters Deiphobus sent me. Let my men return. Tell my steward. He'll bring the gold and the scrolls." He hesitated. Uncertainty crept into his voice. "But... will you honor the deal?"
Aeneas shrugged. A faint smirk on his lips. "My credit's better than yours, I'd wager. We can draw up a contract now. Your men can take it back. Your steward will have his guarantee. Agreed?"
Under the simmering gazes of Melanippe and Ainippe, the agreement was made. Two copies on parchment. Helenus pressed his bloody thumbprint. Surrendered his golden serpent staff as a token. Five Trojan soldiers were released. They carried the contract and the staff back to Sigeion.
Helenus also wrote a letter to Deiphobus. Filled with threats. Pay five gold Talents. Or his crimes would be revealed.
That evening, the loyal old steward of Sigeion arrived. With him was the elderly priest, Aktor. Their chariot was dust-covered. The two old men's faces were etched with worry and exhaustion. They brought a chest. Five gold Talents inside. And the evidence. Scrolls of damning parchment letters.
Aeneas looked at the gleaming wealth and the proof of guilt. A satisfied smile spread across his face.
He cordially invited Helenus to stay the night. As a guest in a comfortable room, not the damp cellar.
But Helenus, humiliated and still reeking of urine, refused. He was desperate to leave. He ignored his elderly retinue's need for rest. Boarded the chariot. Vanished into the night without a backward glance.
Aeneas stood at the manor gate. Watched the chariot disappear into the darkness.
He knew this was just a lull. The calm before the storm. He felt a quiet alertness. A resolve to strengthen his defenses. To build his military power. The real trouble was yet to come.