Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner

Author:Esther Friesner [Friesner, Esther]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Adventure stories, Mythology; Greek, Social Issues, Girls & Women, Social Science, Action & Adventure, Adventure and adventurers, Juvenile Fiction, Legends; Myths; Fables, Fantasy & Magic, General, Greek & Roman, Gender Studies, Mediterranean Region - History - To 476, Sex role, Historical, Helen of Troy (Greek mythology), Mediterranean Region, Ancient Civilizations
ISBN: 9780375875298
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2008-03-25T00:00:00+00:00

11

THE GREAT HUNT

I was still sprawled on the blood-soaked ground when a strong hand hauled me upright and a familiar voice commanded: “Get up or get trampled, lad.”

I regained my feet and found myself again face to face with Iolaus. “Thank you, sir,” I said. “I got separated from my master in the woods. What’s happening? Do we have the boar?”

He grimaced. “That depends on if you ask the boar or the hunters. He’s got his back to the wall and there’s no way he can fight his way through so many of us. He’s got no choice but to surrender.” Another heartrending howl tore through the air. A hound as big as me went flying up and over the hunters’ heads, its body streaked with red. The cornered boar had tossed the poor creature as easily as if it were a wisp of straw. “Too bad he disagrees.”

“Where’s Atalanta?” I cried, clutching Iolaus’s arm. The blood underfoot, the unlucky dog’s fate, the uproar from the ravine all suddenly combined to strike my heart with terror. But I wasn’t afraid for my own life. I feared for my friend. Without thinking, I grabbed Iolaus’s shoulders and sprang up, desperate to see over the heads of the hunters in front of me. I would have clambered all the way up his back to gain a better view if he hadn’t shaken me off like water.

“Calm yourself, lad. You’ll see her if it’s the gods’ will. She’s the one who found the beast. The way that woman can run, no wonder! With the hounds, she drove him into that narrow spot, and her spear drew first blood.” Iolaus looked grave. “That was when he turned and attacked.”

“No!” In my head I could see the boar turning, charging, and who would be his nearest target? I threw myself forward, into the mob, and shoved my way through.

I struggled past men holding a whole forest of heavy boar spears—unwieldy weapons that were made to be braced against the earth, to meet the infuriated beast’s charge and let his own strength impale him. As I squirmed my way through, I encountered someone whose luck had run out. The body lay face to the sun, arms and legs flung out at strange angles, one hand still curled around a spear’s splintered shaft. His face looked like a smashed piece of fruit. The boar had trampled him, then ripped his side open. I saw the white slivers of exposed ribs just before I vomited.

Someone grabbed my shoulder and shook me. “Help or get out of the way, pup.” It was Theseus and he was unarmed. “The monster broke my spear,” he said tersely. “Get me another!”

“Get it yourself,” I growled, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand before lunging away from him.

Atalanta was standing at the entrance to the ravine, behind Meleager and about four other men. She had her boar spear in hand and was trying to elbow her way ahead of them. I was so happy to see her alive that my voice broke when I called out her name.

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