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Shocked by the thought, Helen shut her eyes tightly and began soaping her hair. "He only raped me once, not again and again."
"A woman needs to be with a man only a single time to conceive, but perhaps your youth will protect you. If not, there are herbs to..."
"Surely they don't grow with the herbs used to flavor our meals."
"No, but they can be found in our apothecary garden. Please don't fret you'll be forced to bear a child. I promise you it won't happen." She moved closer to help Helen shampoo her hair, and Omalu brought fresh towels.
Omalu wept as she knelt beside the tub. "Can you ever forgive me for not being with you? Together we could have fought him off, and you'd not have been taken so far from home."
Helen stood and wrapped herself in a lavender towel before stepping out of the tub. "He had a sharp dagger, Omalu, and he might have killed you. I'm grateful we both survived."
Omalu brushed her tears from her cheeks, and Leda dried hers before Helen noticed.
* * *
Helen rose early to go riding with her brothers. Still elated by their successful adventure, they teased and prodded each other, but after the initial joy of returning home, her spirits were noticeably dimmed. She'd hoped to lose herself in her former routine, but riding with Castor and Pollux no longer amused her. She looked toward the mountains, the clouds veiling the sky, and down at the well-worn path. Even with the brightness of the day, the familiar sights gave her no peace and her heart ached. Her ordeal at Theseus's hands would become widely known, and the story embellished by tales of her brothers' heroic rescue. People would stare at her, perhaps attempting to hide their curiosity, but they would regard her openly if they thought her unaware. She'd know though, and every glance would sting.
Castor pulled his mount to a halt. "It's not like you to be so quiet, Helen. Are you bored with our company?"
"No, merely sad. Continue your ride, I'll return home."
"Not alone," Pollux avowed. He and Castor turned their white mounts to remain with her. "Do you want to race?"
She shook her head. "No, I just want to be outdoors and feel the sun's warmth on my skin." She looked over her shoulder, but they weren't being followed.
The brothers followed her glance. "We're alone. Tomorrow we'll bring food and stop along the way to rest and eat," Castor offered.
Helen nodded, but she doubted she'd want anything more than a berry or two. A wildness twisted inside her, a churning that made the thought of food obscene. She had eaten in the fortress to remain alive, but now, there seemed to be little point.
She recognized Menelaus's glowing red hair as he rode toward them. He was grinning as though he could barely contain himself, but she had to force a slight smile.
He flung back his cape as he greeted Castor and Pollux and then took up a place beside her and allowed them to lead. "I'm overjoyed to see you looking so well. I'd have gone with your brothers had I known you'd been taken. I wish I could have been the one to set you free."
Clearly he regretted missing an adventure, while she'd rather forget it all. "Could we talk of something else?"
"Whatever you wish. The wildflowers on the hillsides are especially lovely this year."
She couldn't help but smile at how quickly he'd granted her request. "Yes, they are, indeed. I wonder if we'll be able to create especially fragrant perfumes."
"You're far too beautiful to have any ne
ed for perfume, Helen."
She'd never thought him a fool, but his compliment rang false. Perhaps he wished to believe nothing about her had changed, but sadly she knew better.
* * *
Aethra walked with Leda through the herb garden, and paused frequently to suggest a better assortment or planting arrangement. "Herbs must be enticed from the ground," she directed, "not left to sprout wherever they wish."
Leda nodded thoughtfully. "I see what you mean. We've been rather careless it seems. Thank you for your suggestions."
Aethra stopped abruptly and regarded Leda with a narrowed gaze. "Is everyone here always so pleasant?"
She'd made it sound like a fault, and Leda couldn't help but smile. "Of course not. We have an occasional disagreement, but I prefer to keep our house as free of discord as possible."
"Hmm," the little queen dismissed the possibility and continued surveying the garden with a critical eye. "I suppose I should see the olive grove."
"If it's not too much for you today."
