The lake shone like melted sapphire. It mirrored the entire starry sky.
Fireflies traced pale green arcs along the shore. In the distance, the Scamander River murmured. Occasional frog croaks echoed.
The lakeside at Red Bean Forest was so beautiful it seemed unreal.
Mist hung in the air, thick with lake damp and woodsmoke.
Somewhere, meat roasted over a slow fire.
The seven of them set camp by the shore. No one wanted to sleep in the bandits' nest.
The deep-seated hatred made the three women prefer the open wilderness.
Earlier that afternoon, they had cleared the battlefield. Burned the bandit corpses. Then came down the mountain to rejoin the two Amazon warhorses: "Blood Moon" and "Wind Hoof."
They grazed peacefully nearby. Occasionally, one snorted.
The firelight danced. It flickered over Aeneas as he turned a wild rabbit on a spit.
Fat dripped into the flames. It sizzled. The smell was mouthwatering.
His black-and-gold curls stirred in the breeze. His deep eyes reflected the fire.
"Smells incredible," he muttered, expertly flipping the rabbit with his short sword. "Hey, by the way—do any of you know how to make a bow?"
Euryalus immediately straightened up. He puffed out his chest proudly. "Not to brag! But I made my first little bow when I was seven,"
He grinned, his eyes alight with a hunter's pride. "Back then, it was just a branch and some hemp cord. I could hit birds in flight with it. My dad said I was a born hunter!"
Nisus nodded vigorously. His deep green eyes gleamed in the firelight. "Yes. We grew up on Mount Ida. A bow is like a second life to us."
He gestured with his hands as he spoke. "From selecting the wood to shaping it. I could do it blindfolded."
Achates rubbed his hands by the fire. He gave a steady nod. "Haven't made one myself. But I've watched bowyers work. Doesn't look too hard…"
He shot a glance at Aeneas, a slight smile touching his lips. "You asking means you've got some scheme brewing, don't you?"
Aeneas's eyes lit up. Like a child who'd found treasure. He picked up a piece of yew branch—about an arm's length, bark rough but pliable. He split it neatly with his short sword, revealing the inner grain.
"Perfect! If you know the basics, this will be easy!" His voice was eager. "What everyone calls the Red Bean tree here… its real name is Yew. Look. This heartwood is hard as iron. The outer sapwood is soft as lamb's wool. It's a god-given perfect bow stave."
"If we make longbows from this, long enough and thick enough, they could double or triple an arrow's power and range!"
The legend of the English longbow was about to be reborn in Troy. A game-changer for this era. He could almost hear the arrows whistling. A grin spread across his face.
Achates, Nisus, and Euryalus crowded closer, stunned. Their eyes were wide.
Nisus reached out. His fingers trembled slightly as he traced the yew's grain. "Double or triple?!"
His voice shot up an octave. "If that's true… it'd be a miracle for any hunter! Hunting… fighting… It'd be like having Apollo's own blessing!"
Aeneas nodded seriously. "The bow needs to be over six feet—about a man's height.
You use the wood from where the heartwood and sapwood meet. Keep a 'D'-shaped cross-section. I mean… the back stays rounded. The belly stays flat.
But the user has to be chosen carefully. Strong enough. A decent archer already. Or they'll hurt themselves trying to draw it.
With some practice, learning to use the back and shoulder muscles to draw… the power is astonishing."
He gestured, tracing the bow's curve in the air. The fire cast his long shadow on the ground.
A gentle night breeze stirred. Fireflies drifted around them. The lap of the lake water and the crackle of the campfire made a soft symphony.
Aeneas brushed the wood shavings from his hands and began assigning tasks.
"Nisus, Euryalus—help me track down the best hunters in the territory. See if you can bring them in. Achates, gather the bowyers. We'll put together a batch of longbows for testing first.
The three men nodded gravely. Achates stroked his chin, his expression focused, mentally reviewing a list of bowyers. Nisus and Euryalus exchanged excited glances. Their hands sketched the size of the longbows in the air. They murmured about who to recruit.
"Now that's incredible!" Euryalus nudged Nisus with a grin, his voice low but bubbling with excitement. "Never heard of a bow this strong! If a whole band of us carried them… the enemy would be scared out of their wits!"
He winked, a mischievous grin spreading. "Did Lady Artemis or Lord Apollo tell the young master about this? He explains it so well… It's like he's had another divine revelation."
While the three men talked animatedly, Aeneas suddenly looked around. Only the men remained by the fire. Where were the women?
His gaze first found the two Amazon warhorses grazing peacefully near the distant warrior graves. Their tails occasionally swished at insects.
—Melanippe and Ainippe sat under the yew tree. Their heads leaned close, voices low as the light faded.
Then he saw Thaleia by the lake—alone on a flat rock, knees pulled to her chest.
She's blaming herself again… Aeneas's heart sank. He remembered her pale face during the prisoner interrogation earlier that afternoon.
The three dying bandits, eyes rolling back, blood foaming at their mouths, bodies convulsing. They hadn't revealed much. But they had all recognized Thaleia. That discovery was a thorn, lodged deep in the girl's heart.
Thaleia hugged her knees by the lake. She looked small.
The water lapped softly at the shore. The sound couldn't smooth the turmoil inside her.
To her sharp mind, the bandits' reaction was a clear message. She was the reason they had come here two years ago.
Helenus's desire for her hadn't faded with her escape. He had sent men after her. As for why this group turned to banditry…
She thought with a bitter smile, was it any surprise a greedy master bred greedy soldiers?
So… all the people killed by these bandits over two years… her brother Sergestus's grave injuries… the four Amazon warriors in the fresh graves nearby…
Was it all her fault? The guilt made her curl in on herself by the lake. No tears came. But she felt like she was breaking.
Aeneas walked over quietly. He sat down beside her. Kept a careful distance to avoid startling her.
He saw the vacant stare she fixed on the lake. His heart clenched.
Thaleia turned her head, startled. Her dazed eyes met his gentle gaze.
She instinctively moved to wipe tears away. Found there were none. Only the endless, crushing guilt.
"Don't punish yourself for other people's crimes," Aeneas said softly. His voice was as light as the night air. "A good person who's been hurt… shouldn't have to pay for a villain's greed."
He felt her thin shoulders tremble. Pity washed over him. He gently drew her into an embrace. Repeated the words. "A good person who's been hurt shouldn't have to carry the weight of a villain's greed."
Thaleia just stared at him, at a lost. Like she was hearing the truth for the first time.
Then something cracked inside her. Her body shook with sobs. She pressed her face against his chest and cried like a helpless child.
He'd never seen her this utterly vulnerable before. "It's all my fault… If it weren't for me, my brother wouldn't be so badly hurt… those Amazon women wouldn't be…"
Aeneas gently stroked her hair. His touch was soft, like soothing a frightened bird. "Sergestus fought to protect his sister. The Amazons died defending their honor. They were all heroes… A hero's sacrifice shouldn't become a chain."
By the Amazon warriors' graves, four fresh mounds stood quietly under the yew trees.
Fresh wildflowers lay before them. Beside them were the relics recovered from the battlefield that afternoon—the warriors' cherished personal effects:
A worn short sword. A few smooth stone talismans. A leather band, finely woven.
Moonlight slipped through the leaves, casting dappled silver.
The air smelled of yew. And something sad that stayed.
Melanippe gazed toward the lake. Her eyes caught the two figures, close together.
Something inside her flared, sharp and quick. Her fingers clenched. The twig snapped clean in her hand.
"Hmph!" she gritted her teeth, a low mutter. A confusing turmoil of emotion churned in her chest. "That Trojan… how can he just hug someone like that…"
The words slipped out before she realized. She blurted quickly, "As if it has anything to do with me!"
Ainippe fought back a smile, watching her princess's flustered state. Her light green eyes held a knowing glint in the moonlight.
She tilted her head deliberately. Adopted a perfectly innocent tone. "Your Highness, what's the matter?"
"Me? I don't care what they do!" Melanippe spun around sharply. Nearly bumped into the tree behind her. She adjusted her sitting position awkwardly. Her bronzed cheeks were visibly flushed even in the pale light.
Oh, my little princess! That reaction is so obvious… Just like a girl with her first crush…
Ainippe giggled inwardly. Oh… wait, she really is…
Ainippe tilted her head, thinking. A sly smile tugged at her lips.
She drew a silver amulet from her belt—the one the High Priest gave her. Moon lines etched across its face. It shimmered faintly under the night light.
She let it dangle before Melanippe, slow and teasing. Let the silver light trace a graceful arc in the night.
"Speaking of which," Ainippe began, feigning nonchalance, "High Priest Hipp tasked us with going to Maple Ridge on Mount Ida. To find a sister who left long ago—Arisbe. We might need Young Master Aeneas's help for that!"
Melanippe immediately frowned. Her tone held clear jealousy and confusion. "Why involve that Trojan? We can find her ourselves!" She deliberately raised her voice, making sure it would carry across the lake.
Ainippe chuckled quietly, continuing her probe. Her eyes curved into crescents. "And… Your Highness… don't you want to talk to him?"
She blinked on purpose, watching Melanippe's cheeks flush deeper. Like she was studying a painting she couldn't look away from.
"Who wants to talk to him? I can't be bothered…" Melanippe muttered through clenched teeth, her face burning red. She turned away, but her eyes kept sneaking back to the lake. Like a puppy that couldn't help peeking.
Ainippe bit her cheek to stop a laugh. She gave the amulet another shake. Then Melanippe's hand shot out—open, sudden, right in front of her. The movement was stiff but determined. She clearly wanted the amulet.
Damn it, why do I care who that Trojan hugs? Melanippe wrestled internally. But… without his help, it will be hard to find someone in unfamiliar territory…
"It's just for the mission! It's not that I want to talk to him!" Melanippe stammered out an explanation. She snatched the amulet. Clutched it tightly in her fist.
Ainippe finally couldn't hold it in. A laugh escaped before she covered her mouth.
She looked at Melanippe's flustered state. Her mind drifted back to all their years growing up together.
Her gaze in the moonlight was soft as water. "Oh, my Princess… When you see good prey, you should nock your arrow. Don't just hesitate in the tall grass…"
She winked playfully. "The prey might get hunted by someone else…"