Chapter Text
This was..embarrassing.
Being tied up, gagged, and thrown into some confined room of a royal palace like a misbehaving madman was not the most ideal treatment of kings, especially Spartan kings like Menelaus.
But here he was, wasn’t he?
The worst part of it all was that he doesn’t even know how he ended up here, across the Aegean Sea, in the Trojan royal palace of all places!
One second, he was welcoming Prince Paris into his own palace with lovely Helen into their house - and the next second, he’s here! He is a king for the gods’ sake!
But perhaps, that was not the worst part. The worst part was..how Paris acts near him. When Paris had come to his house with Dardanian Prince Aeneas,
Paris kept looking at him..strangely.
During the feast, their hands would brush and Paris would smile, and Menelaus, thinking it only as a mere coincidence, laughed it off every time. But coincidences don’t occur several times - do they?
Oh, by Ares, this is all ridiculous! And why can’t he break himself open of these dumb ropes that bound his limbs so tightly? Has his great strength left his body? - No, no, that would be too silly. He is not a weakling, he is the king of Sparta! These ropes must be made by some trickster god’s hands!
There is only one thing Menelaus remembers, when he first woke up in these ropes in the morning, hazily so, and that wretched Paris had come to check up on him.
“Who are you-and what do you want?-why do you dishonor me by holding me captive?” Menelaus said with half-lidded eyes.
“Dishonor you? Oh no, dear, you don’t understand my intentions well,” Paris said, gently tucking a strand of Menelaus’ ginger hair behind his ear. Menelaus shivers at the unexpected contact.
“What are your intentions? I will have you know my brother is the King of Mycenae and-” Menelaus was cut off by Paris, who was..adoring him."
“Oh I don’t care about your relations, love.” Paris cooed. “I only care for you. You’re my rightful prize that Aphrodite had promised me.”
“I-you-what?” Menelaus said in horror; he had hardly processed those nonsensical words.
“Shh..sleep now, I will come again.” Paris said, gently kissing Menelaus’ forehead. He then gets up and walks away..leaving Menelaus stunned in his wake.
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Menelaus just wanted to meet with Helen; Oh he was already missing her and their sweet daughter so much.
He wanted to lean in and forget all his worries in Helen’s long, beautiful hair. He wanted to bury his face in her neck while she caressed his curls.
There was so much he wished to do, but Helen was nowhere.
He was worried for his dearest; how worried and miserable she would be without him!
And oh - His babe, his daughter and his world - Hermione, the little girl would be so angry at him for leaving her for days without telling him.
This was how Menelaus was spending his miserable and lonely time as a very confused captive.
And If anything could get worse…
-he heard footsteps and a mix of voices, all coming towards the door’s room.
And then, as Menelaus looked up..The door was opened.