W-What Do You Mean… “Little”?!

“By Apollo, half the city is burning!”

Lit by the glow of the flames, the small group stared in despair as the tallest among them adjusted his helmet and turned to the other three.

“The battle isn’t lost yet! Come on, we have to reach the palace and defend the king.”

“But Coroebus, if they’ve already broken into the city, then...”

Coroebus’ hand cracked across the other man’s face with full force, nearly knocking him to the ground.

“Get a grip, Panthus! We are warriors of Troy. As long as we can still fight, there’s still hope!”

Then he turned to the other two.

“Ripheus. Aeneas. Are you ready?”

Ripheus nodded firmly, his expression slightly offended.

“What kind of question is that? Do you know me that poorly?”

Coroebus laughed and gave his comrade an approving shove before turning forward again, fire blazing in his eyes.

Aeneas, whose answer he hadn’t even waited for, stood motionless behind them. His sword heavy in hand, his helmet resting crooked on his head.

W-what’s happening here? I… I thought the Achaeans had sailed away. Didn’t we win?

He swallowed, his hands trembling as he looked out over the inferno.

“Is this… the end of Troy? Are we going to die now, like everyone else?”

His companions didn’t hear him. They had already started running.

Aeneas followed slowly, one step after another.

Just before they turned into an alley, Coroebus looked back one last time.

“Move it, Aeneas! This is no time for hesitation!”

Then they were gone.

Is this really happening right now? Do I really have to fight again?

Aeneas took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

“I-I can’t be a coward now. The others are counting on me. Troy is counting on me!”

He quickened his pace and followed after them.

But just before he could turn into the alley, the roof beams of one of the houses collapsed, burying the path under burning debris.

The cloud of dust made him cough violently, and Aeneas stumbled back, falling to the ground.

The flames roared ever higher, and now the fire was spreading behind him as well.

Damn it, how am I supposed to get past this?

The courage he had just mustered was already beginning to fade when suddenly a voice rang out behind him, clear, loud, and thunderous.

“Rise, young Aeneas.”

He jerked his head around but could only make out a shadowy figure between smoke and fire.

I can barely see a thing.

“W-who are you?”

But the voice ignored his question.

“Troy is lost. But the future of its people can still be saved. Through you.”

“Saved? Through me? But I’m just...”

“You will lead the survivors to the Hill of Ceres. From there, a safe path leads to the ships that still remain in the harbor.“

The smoke thickened, and Aeneas blinked rapidly through reddened eyes.

“I… I’m supposed to just run away? But I’m a prince of Troy! As long as there’s still hope, I have to fight, don’t I…?”

For a heartbeat there was nothing but the crackling of fire and the distant clang of iron striking iron, mingling with the screams of warriors and civilians alike.

“The only hope for Troy, young Aeneas, lies beyond the sea…”

Then the shadowy figure vanished into smoke and flame.

Aeneas tried to stand, but he lost all sense of direction as the ring of fire closed around him.

“And how exactly am I supposed to do that when I’m stuck here in the middle of a blazing death trap?!”

But no answer came.

“A little help would be nice! Otherwise this whole ‘saving Troy’ thing might get a bit difficult…”

A loud groan and splintering creak echoed from the beams of the next building.

Panicking, Aeneas searched for a way out.

“Seriously, I don’t think there’s much time left, mysterious-shadow-person! HELLO?!”

But the house beside him was already collapsing.

Aeneas screamed as the burning wreckage crashed down upon him.

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!”

He gasped for air as his eyes flew open and he shot upright.

The bedsheets were soaked with sweat.

“Another dream…”

With a sigh, he sat up and stripped off his drenched clothes.

“My lord Aeneas, is everything all right?” a bright voice called from the other side of the door.

“Uh... y-yes, yes! Everything’s fine, Lady Eshmunet! I, uh… was just practicing my battle cry again! Gotta stay in shape, right? Hehe.”

Damn it. This has been going on for days now. At first I thought I hit the jackpot with our chambers so close together, but if Queen Dido keeps hearing this, she must think I’m completely nuts!

Brooding, Aeneas picked up a washcloth, sat down on a small stool, and began wiping the sweat from his body.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps thundered down the corridor.

“W-wait, you can’t just...” he heard Eshmunet protest, but the large double doors burst open anyway.

“Prince Aeneas! Have you been attacked? Is this an assassination attempt? Where is the invader?!”

Korydros stood in the doorway with his sword drawn.

Behind him stood Eshmunet, while Aeneas sat frozen on the stool.

Naked.

The washcloth slipped from his hand and landed with a plop in the water bucket.

He looked at Korydros. Then at Eshmunet, who buried her bright-red face in her hands. Then he looked down at himself.

One second passed.

“THE ONLY INVADER HERE IS YOU!!!” he finally shouted, hurling the bucket at his general, which missed him by inches before smashing into the wall.

Korydros slowly began backing away as Aeneas scrambled toward the door to shut it again.

“Oh... please forgive me, my lord, I didn’t realize that...”

From behind them another voice rang out.

“What is all this noise? I simply requested you to check whether he was all right, Esh, not to...”

As Dido stepped into the corridor, her hair loosely tied and wearing nothing but a simple purple chiton, Korydros was already stumbling backward out of Aeneas’ chamber.

When she saw Aeneas standing in the doorway to his room, completely naked, clutching the two halves of the door, ready to slam them, she froze for a moment.

Aeneas blinked.

The queen blinked.

Then the doors hammered shut so fast it was almost imperceptible to the eye.

Whistling innocently, Korydros quietly slipped away while Eshmunet slowly lowered her hands from her face.

Dido simply stood there for a moment.

“So that's what it looks like … like a little elephant’s trunk …” she murmured at last, almost inaudible, with more fascination than shock in her voice, as her handmaiden gently pulled her away from the door.

“Please… don’t say things like that out loud, my lady…” she whispered in deep embarrassment as she finally led Dido back to her own chamber.

On the other side of the door, Aeneas mechanically and expressionlessly pulled on his clothes.

He flopped down onto the bed.

A long sigh.

Then he opened his eyes wide and ran his hands through his hair, screaming internally.

I SHOULD HAVE JUST BURNED TO DEATH IN TROY!!!