Read Online The Girl From Ithaca by Cherry Gregory - Free Book Online

really was happening. We were at the port of Aulis, where the Greek army lay in wait and Iphigenia would marry the great Achilles. I shook myself. It was a wedding. I was meant to feel happy. The ones in Ithaca were full of music and singing. Even the children stayed up late, enjoying the sight of the adults dancing and laughing and drinking too much wine. But there’d be no children and very few women at the wedding. There’d be no mothers or grandfathers or wives. Just soldiers and camp followers preparing for war.
    “Feeling nervous?” Io whispered.
    “Just, just a bit.” I said.
    “Me too.”
    Ahead of us, Phoebus reined in his horses as he reached the summit. Our cart trundled after him and then, moments later, the Greek army spread out below us, like a swarm of locusts. A thousand black-hulled ships filled the harbour and a mass of men and animals covered the beach. Dotted amongst the crowds were the bright standards and the colourful plumed helmets of the leaders.
    Theo whistled.
    “Well, lad, there’s a sight to tell your grandfather. He won’t have seen anything like this,” the driver said. Then he flicked the reins and urged the mules down the track.
    Iphigenia squeezed next to me and I felt her tense as she saw the camp.
    Cybele pushed in beside Io. “Look at all those men. The rest of Greece must be empty!”
    Iphigenia giggled and suddenly we were all laughing, the driver’s guffaws and nose blowing making Iphigenia giggle even more.
    Eventually Rhea clicked her tongue. “Concentrate now. King Agamemnon and Prince Achilles may be waiting for us.”
    I wiped my eyes with the edge of Penelope’s cloak and scanned the crowds for the red plume of my brother.
    “There’s my father!” Iphigenia shouted, pointing to a big man striding along the harbour wall. “And over there, see that giant of a man with the huge shield? He’s Big Ajax. He visited Mycenae last year and made me and Electra laugh so much with all his strong man tricks.”
    “I see my brother,” I said, recognising him in the distance by his red plume, “but who’s he talking to? Do you think it’s Prince Achilles?”
    We strained our eyes for a better view of the young, powerful man with a mane of black hair. As the sentry waved us into the camp, the black-haired man turned towards us, his breastplate glistening in the sunlight.
    “I hope it’s Achilles,” whispered Iphigenia.
    “He’s handsome,” Rhea and Cybele said.
    Io and I glanced at each other and nodded.
    The dark-haired man was also agile and swift. When Odysseus pointed us out, he ran towards us and there was no doubting that he was Achilles, the prince who was to marry Iphigenia. She reached out for him and he took her hand, helping her down from the cart.
    “Agamemnon says we’re to be married straight away,” Achilles said, his dark eyes shining.
    His voice was so gentle, that for a moment, a very brief moment, I wished he’d been waiting for me. Then he pointed to a stone altar in the middle of the beach and started to pull Iphigenia towards it.
    “Prince Achilles, Lady Iphigenia needs to be dressed in her bridal gown. You must be patient for a little while longer. We will bring her to the altar when she’s ready,” Rhea cried, climbing down from the cart and hurrying towards them.
    Achilles looked surprised at the large woman who was brave enough to give him orders, but he smiled and bowed his head. He released Iphigenia’s hand and stepped back. Immediately, Rhea, Io and Cybele fussed around her, though she managed to call to me. “Tell Mother, tell her he’s handsome and kind and I’ll try to please him.”
    Then she disappeared under a flurry of white linen. The mule driver and Theo were unhitching the mules and Phoebus was giving instructions to two stable boys, so I looked round for my brother again. I spotted him near the altar, talking with Agamemnon. I realised they were arguing. So I approached them slowly, giving them a chance to hide