Stella looked quite annoyed that Althea stood up for her, “I can handle myself fine, thank you. You should pay attention to yourself.” She noted, stepping past Althea and stabbing the soldier with a leaf shaped knife in the arm.
The soldier hissed and fell to the floor again. Althea just gawked. Why was Stella pissed, she'd just been trying to help. "I was just trying to help, Stella! I mean, I didn't know you kept knives on you and all that shit!"
Stella nodded, understanding and slammed her hard covered book on the man's head, knocking him out and calmly left, "Take care, Althea."
"I will!" Althea replied, a little angry but mostly just confused about were Stella had learned how to take down a Greek soldier. She watched Stella leave the store, and decided not to follow. Stella was cool, but the situation happening with all the soldiers seemed cooler. She padded out into the square, eyes widening when she noticed the entire population of the town was crammed into the square.
Stella swiftly walked past the square, ignoring the soldiers yelling at her, “Halt, You right there Lady!” “Don’t think I will.” She replied.
Althea looked around for a minute or two, noticing that Stella seemed to be walking past the wall of soldiers encircling the town, but made no move to follow her as a man had begun to loudly proclaim something and she wanted to know what he was saying. It was a long speech, somethuin about destiny and the gods and people chosen to fight and to be honest Altea had begun to slip away until the man called 2 names in quick succession "Althea Higchurch and Stella-"
"-Calico…" Stella looked over at the crowd and frowned, "No way am I fighting in a war. Defending myself against a threat is one thing, but…" She continued on, mumbling to herself and shaking her head, making a crude attempt to reach her house.
A soldier noticed Stella attempting to leave the square and grabbed her by the shoulder. "Miss, you need to go back to the town square!"
Stella faced the man calmly, "Please release me, I shall do nothing of the sort!"
(My sisters are having a party and I gtg socialize. I'll probs be back around 2)
The soldier stood his ground, stepping in front of the road Stella was using to travel in an attempt to block off her route of escape. "I'm afraid I have to insist Miss. The General has asked that everyone be gathered in the square and you are in no position to challenge him."
Stella rolled her eyes but consented, "Fine." She walked to the crowd but stayed at the edge giving herself a bit of room from the others.
The people in the crowd gave no notice, hanging on the announcer's every word as he finished the list of names, over 50 in number. People were whispering between one another quietly until the announcer continues his speech "Silence! All those who have been named will, by order of the gods, sail to the frontline with the rest of our troops to aid in our glorious war against the Trojans!"
With that, he retreated to the ships, leaving those named to shuffle awkwardly out of the crowd and make their way to the ships of the Greek armada. Althea glared in the direction the announcer had gone, agitated by his high and mighty tone but intrigued by his words.
Stella headed in the opposite direction of the ship, heading to her house, "Theres no way I'm fighting in that stupid war…" she muttered to herself.
Althea stared over at the ships with pursed lips. She'd been praying for something- anything- to happen, and this would certainly be an adventure, but this was war. Something could happen. She could die. Still, it was better than languishing in this no-name town until she died. She began shoving her way towards the ships but paused when she saw Stella walking away.
Why would she do that? Althea jogged up to her, putting a hand on her shoulder to alert Stella to her presence. "No offense, but I think the ships are the other way."
"You have fun with that, I'm not fighting in this stupid war, it's not mine to fight." Stella said, taking Altheas hand off her shoulder.
Althea scoffed. "Of course it's yours to fight! You're a citizen aren't you?"
"Whatever, I don't care about this place though or any place in Greece. So I'd rather not fight for this stupid country!" Stella said harshly.
"And why not? It's your home Stella! Don't you want to protect it? Don't you see anything worth saving?" Althea demanded, pushing herself into Stella's space.
Stella stepped back surprised but shook her head angrily, "What's the point? Everything I've tried to protect has ended horribly." She turned away from the other and started walking again.
"So you just give up!?" Althea spat, jogged up to her and grabbing her wrist. "If you never try, you'll never be able to succeed! Turning away just guarantees that this will be another failure!"
Stella avoided eye contact and didn’t respond, instead she pulled her hand away and grabbed hold of her knife in a way to threaten Althea.
"Oh, real mature! Pulling a knife on me because you can't face your own problems!" Althea shouted, knowing full and well she was a hypocrite for saying it but not caring enough to stop. "Listen; I don't want to leave you behind, but I also can't abandon my country. So maybe I'll see you around, or maybe I won't. Just know that if you leave, you're leaving everyone in Greece a little more open to being slaughtered by the Trojans!"
With that, Althea turned on heel and stalked away, storming towards the ships in an angry haze.
Stella slipped the knife away once Althea left and sighed, staring after her with clenched fists as she stormed off. Stella shook her head and began walking again, “No one is going to tell me what to do…”
Althea boarded the boat, anger forgotten as she took in the warships for the first time. They were things of beauty, all polished wood and bronze and blindingly white sails. Sadly, she was ushered into the hull where the other villagers had been grouped, not left to stare out at the open sea.
Stella watched the people board the ship from inside her house, ducking down whenever a soldier passed for they had photo data of everyone who was supposed to be in the ship.
Soldiers were going from house to house, knocking on doors or forcing themselves inside to make sure every citizen of the town had been accounted for. A troop of soldiers had begun forcing their way into the house just across the street from Stella's, and hers would be the next one they checked.
Stella grabbed a few supplies and started towards the back door, hoping she could get out in time.
The soldiers were still fixated on her neighbor's house, not yet paying attention to what was going on across the street.
Stella exited her house before realizing she had nowhere to run to,”Shit…” she mumbled looking around.
