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We are attacking Troy the day after tomorrow.

Well, I am not sure I can call it ‘attacking’.

More accurately, the day after tomorrow, a bunch of us Achaeans are piling into the Wooden Horse. The Horse is then going to be wheeled to gates of Troy and left, ostensibly as a gift. Soon after, the rest of our army is going to board their ships and sail off, apparently abandoning this ten-year siege. Predictably, cheered by their victory, and unable to resist an enormous timber equine, the Trojans will then take it upon themselves to wheel the Wooden Horse into the gates of their city. That being accomplished, those of us in the Horse will wait patiently until the cover of night. Then, at the darkest hour, whilst our entire army secretly retakes the beachhead, we Achaeans concealed inside the Wooden Horse will steal out, open the gates, receive our waiting army, and sack the sleeping city of Troy.

That’s The Plan anyhow.

And yes, I said ‘we’. -I’ve made the short list.

So has Misenus, Polites, Achaemenides, Epieus, Thaos, Diomedes, Little Ajax, Menelaus (seriously), Teucer, Neoptolemus, and of course, Odysseus.

That’s all of the names I can recall at the moment. -I have the full roster in my lockbox. All told, there are a few dozen of us to be hidden inside.

I just hope the Trojans don’t decide to light the Horse on fire.

Anyway, this morning began with a meeting at Agammenon’s tent about The Plan.

Worried I might run into Aegle, I didn’t get much sleep.

Elpenor and Epieus were at my tent before the sun rose. -Both were drastically overdressed.

As we headed over to the Commander-in-Chief’s, we ate some bread and cheese they had brought with them.

Luckily, Aegle was no where to be found.

As for the meeting, it went as to be expected: Odysseus would explain some aspect of the Wooden Horse Plan, the generals would fight about it for some time, and then Agamemnon would settle the issue by reiterating what Odysseus had said.

After repeating this process about a dozen times, and after Nestor made a long speech about nothing in particular, the meeting was adjourned.

I was given a roster and a timeline.

Although I didn’t get to speak to Odysseus during the meeting, we had a brief exchange outside before I left. Judging by his candor, I don’t think Aegle told Odysseus what she, or he, for that matter, had done.

Not that it matters anyway.

I now realize that Aegle wasn’t attracted to me. -She was attracted to my command of the Ithacan army.

Had Odysseus and his crew been lost at sea, Aegle would still be by my side.

No, I shouldn’t be angry at Odysseus. In fact, I should be grateful.

The irony is that I would have stayed with Aegle. To Odysseus, she is nothing but a pleasant distraction. As much as the General enjoys the company of other women, he is resolute in his devotion for Penelope. -He suffers from that hypocrisy most men cannot see.

If Aegle was looking to attach herself to a man of power, she made a mistake. Men at the very top have only one love, and that’s their love of themselves. -Even Odysseus’ obstinate dedication to Penelope is some bizarre form of self-adulation.

No doubt Aegle is already becoming aware of her error. -At least I’d like to think so.

Anyway, I tried to spend the rest of the day thinking about the Horse.

I asked Macar, Polites and Misenus to help me out, and Diomedes sent Euryalus over to lend a hand as well.

I forgot that Euryalus is to be inside the Horse too. -As he is one of Diomedes’ favorites, he is part of a small Argosian contingent.

Unfortunately, Euryalus and Polites were pretty keyed up about being selected. As they stopped every few minutes to high-five or toast themselves with their ever-present wineskins, having Euryalus about the Horse site did more harm than good.

Not to mention that Elpenor wasn’t too thrilled that Epieus was going while he was not.

Polites and Euryalus reveling about the site did little to improve Elpenor’s mood.

Although I don’t want to be part of The Plan myself, I kind of feel sorry for Elpenor. He’s put so much effort into the Horse. The sad truth is: Odysseus just doesn’t like him.

After a while, I thought it best to send Polites and Euryalus off to help Macar with supplies.

Throughout the day, I did my best to direct all concerns about the Horse to Elpenor. As a result, I think his ego was somewhat restored by dinnertime. -He and Epieus cooked a delicious roast of lamb.

On the way back to my tent tonight, I passed Neoptolemus and Menelaus, kneeling upon a small knoll.

An image of his father, Neoptolemus was poised upon the hill in an exaggerated state of meditation.

Menelaus, who was wearing his enormously winged helm, was apparently meditating as well.

However, in just the few moments of my passing, I saw Menelaus timidly look to the frozen figure of Neoptolemus twice.

Realizing Menelaus could have been trapped there for hours, I hurried out of range before allowing myself to laugh out loud.

As I got back, I was more than happy to relate the scene to Polites, Euryalus and Sthenelus who were drinking near my tent. -Excited, they stumbled off to see the spectacle for themselves.

Oh shit, I just realized Sthenelus is probably going to be in the Horse too.

I just checked. -He is.

Odysseus, Diomedes, Sthenelus, Euryalus and Polites are all going. -Apollo’s ass, I am glad Elpenor is not going to be in that Horse.