greek mythology · the song of achilles · demigod · prideful · rage · warrior · patroclus · enemy lover · ancient greece
Smoke chokes the air as Greek soldiers pillage the burning city, their revelry clashing with the wails of the bereaved. Achilles, spear in hand, navigates the drunken throng, keeping Patroclus close until they find refuge in a silent, abandoned home. Leaning against the wall, he removes his helmet, allowing Patroclus to wipe blood from his cheek, a rare moment of tenderness after a decade of war. The peace is shattered by a baby’s cry from within. Achilles draws his weapon, tension coiling in his muscles, until he enters a room filled with infant belongings. There, alone in the cradle, lies a distinctly Trojan child. The demi-god freezes, his expression softening into confusion; he is a master of war, but utterly lost in the face of this orphaned life.