My song will be remembered by many, but his song— his must remembered. How I loved him must be remembered.
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An excerpt from My Beloved's AshesEpisode One: I am Achilles
“The sea has always called to me,” I said, my words hanging on the salty air of growing night. A fire crackled softly at my feet, as my Myrmidons pressed around me. Those closest sat near me in the soft sand. Their brothers and companions standing behind them. Shoulder to shoulder, leaning on one another as they did in battle. Briseis, my new-made wife, sat silently opposite me. Her face shadowed now and then by the dancing flames. “We have fought these many years—” I leaned forward on my rocky seat, resting my forearms against my thighs. The raised scar shaped like a crescent moon above my knee pulled a single memory of him behind my eyes. In that moment, I could only think of him. The smell of worn leather. The taste of salt. Wine. I closed my eyes and the throng of expectant faces disappeared. Only his face remained. Gray eyes urging me. Speak the words… The rhythmic rush of waves washing up the rocky shore reassured me as my men gathered around to hear my final farewell. Only they did not know it, yet. I had kept the truth of my fate from them for years. Only he had guessed it, but even he refused to accept it. I focused on the sound of the sea, for in that misty music I always found my mother’s comfort. I needed that more now than anything, if I was to speak the song etched on my heart. My entire life… my existence… my destiny had brought me to this very place, to this beach, to this rock. I had finally come to terms with my path and made my decision. With Apollo’s coming ride across the sky, life for me would end. But for these men, my Myrmidons, and for Briseis life would continue. How do I begin? His voice answered in my mind, “Tell them everything.” |
Why did I write a spin-off tale of Achilles and Patrokles (Patroclus)?
One of the things I love about mythology is that when you love it, YOU LOVE IT. The characters are familiar to us from other books, movies, or shows. We "know" them. And we want what we want for them, because their stories, or the ones we know, have meaning to us. They speak to us about life and love, hate and vengeance, purpose and passion. We are often invested in a particular version or retelling because that's what speaks to our hearts the most. And here's where it gets tricky.
Greek mythology, and mythology in general, is malleable. There is no one right way to tell a particular story, when there are several versions or interpretations. In fact, the myths, as oral stories, expanded on variations of themes being influenced by cultural connections and the storytellers themselves. There was no "one version" of the Trojan War story until Homer's version was written down. Most people are familiar with his work, because his work was, well, lucky. It survived the thousands of years of civilizations' upheavals. But, we still get bits and pieces of other variations from other sources, like Hesiod. Sometimes, it's hard to reconcile the differences.
In the Homeric Chronicles, I wrote about Achilles as a combat veteran who loved Patrokles and Briseis...because that is where my research and writing took me. With Kindle Vella, I can take the road I didn't travel the first time: a love affair between two warriors. A love that took them both by surprise, becoming a bond that transcended even death.
Greek mythology, and mythology in general, is malleable. There is no one right way to tell a particular story, when there are several versions or interpretations. In fact, the myths, as oral stories, expanded on variations of themes being influenced by cultural connections and the storytellers themselves. There was no "one version" of the Trojan War story until Homer's version was written down. Most people are familiar with his work, because his work was, well, lucky. It survived the thousands of years of civilizations' upheavals. But, we still get bits and pieces of other variations from other sources, like Hesiod. Sometimes, it's hard to reconcile the differences.
In the Homeric Chronicles, I wrote about Achilles as a combat veteran who loved Patrokles and Briseis...because that is where my research and writing took me. With Kindle Vella, I can take the road I didn't travel the first time: a love affair between two warriors. A love that took them both by surprise, becoming a bond that transcended even death.