It's been a while since I posted something, I suppose I've been pretty busy what with the war and all. I could go into detail explaining where we've been going and what we've been doing, but I'd personally rather not think about it. Too many good people have died. Although, I think we may finally be done. Done with the war, done with the running, done with it all. It seems like we've been running, ever since we left Troy. Trying to find a place that we can call home. When we left there were so many more of us. Now it's only a few battle hardened soldiers. Tired, and weary.

This war with the Rutulians was just as bad, if not worse than the war with the Danaans. At least there we were fighting for what was right. We were defending our country. Defending our home. Honestly, I'm not even sure who is the "good guy" in this war. There may not even be one. All I know is that there is no woman, whether god or human, that is worth the deaths of so many soldiers, of so many countrymen, of so many friends. Aeneas isn't the same anymore. When we first left Troy I followed Aeneas not because he's intelligent, that's a joke, or because he was a good fighter. I followed him because he is a natural born leader, and he was doing the best he could for all of us. Now, I'm not so sure. If he really wanted the best for all of us, why would he submit us to this war, where so many good people have died. Both sides have lost honorable men, wise leaders, beautiful youths.

And for what? A stupid girl! Honestly, I think Aeneas has gone a little crazy. First he loses his wife in Troy. Than he loses Dido, which hurt him even if he didn't really care about her all that much. Maybe he's gone a little off the deep end. I know I sure have. When we first left Troy, Aeneas wanted a new home. Now he's willing to sacrifice all this. Just for some king's daughter...

Aeneas absolutely hasn't been the same guy I used to know. Throughout the war, he's gotten more and more insane, and I was worried for him, but I knew he would pull out of it by the end of the war. Atleast that's what I thought.

Pallas. Pallas was so brave, so strong for his age. He was entrusted to Aeneas, and Aeneas took that very seriously. I'm not sure why he cared so much for Pallas, but he did. When Turnus killed him, Aeneas lost it. His eyes...his eyes. When he saw it, something changed in his eyes. He lost something inside of him, something crucial. Thank Jupiter I was there with him when it happened. He pulled out his sword, and just started running. I had to hold him back, otherwise he would've taken on the entire Rutulian army. Scary part is, I wasn't afraid for him. I was afraid for the Rutulians. He would've systematically slaughtered every last one of them, until Turnus reared his ugly head. I held him back until he calmed down, but even then he wasn't the same. I knew he would never be the same Aeneas from Troy. The imbecile I was honored to call my best friend.

I think it was for the best that Aeneas killed Turnus. It ended the war, and honestly, I think Turnus deserved it. Aeneas hasn't been the same since. He doesn't tell dumb jokes anymore, he doesn't hardly speak to Lavinia. I haven't spoken to him in weeks. I've tried, but he's just too distant. I don't think he could handle the stress of all of it anymore. He just snapped, he's a broken shell of a man now.

Still, after all this. I really think we're finally done. We've settled down. I've found a new wife. I'm happy. For once in years, I'm really happy. I'm nothing like I was before Troy...but I'm happy, and after all isn't that the most important thing? I can finally relax, no threat of war barging down my door. I can finally sleep.

The Feminine Perspective

I doubt I will ever understand the mind of men. How they can be perfectly civilized one moment, and ferocious animals the next. Never has there been a creature of greater stupidity than that of a man in love. Aeneas and Turnus are no exceptions to this point. In fact they're existence only helps prove my point.

Being the daughter of a king I knew I wouldn't have any say in who I marry. I'm a diplomatic trading point. My purpose in life is to be a diplomatic promise between my kingdom, and whichever kingdom my father wishes to marry me into. Some may think this to be a dreadful position to be in, but I accepted my lot at a young age. I even cherished the thought of becoming a sort of promise of peace between my country and whichever country I was married off to. I thought of it as serving my country, as my duty. There's something oddly reassuring to know the way my life will play out, or to at least understand my purpose. Knowing that my purpose is to protect my citizens. I couldn't ask for a better purpose.

When I was first introduced to Turnus I immediately recognized him as a blundering imbecile, but as long as I knew marrying him would be for the better of my country I was okay with it. However when Aeneas arrived and my father decided I would be better off marrying Aeneas things started going bad. I've never even spoken to Aeneas, and yet he's willing to fight a war for me. I suppose in some backwards way he think he is doing me a favor by slaughtering my kinsmen, by burning their homes, and by pillaging the countryside. The worst part is he does it under my name!

Even though I have lifted no weapons, decreed no orders, and have remained completely neutral in this war people blame me. All thanks to Aeneas. Yelling my name as he slaughters my brothers and sisters. As I walk around the war conference people look at me with disgust. As if I asked Turnus and Aeneas to duke this out over me. Already so many good men have been lost on both sides. The Arcadian prince Pallas, cut down in youth. Lausus and his father Mezentius. Thousands more I do not know by name, and no doubt thousands more than that will be slain before this ridiculous war will be ended.

Turnus promised to duel Aeneas in a one on one battle today. Whether he is actually brave enough to do that I do not know. However, maybe if they did duel it would bring an end to this war finally. The bloodshed could finally end, and I would marry the victor. I hate to see either man die, but one man's life is easily worth thousands of other's. I honestly do not care which one wins, as long as this violence ends, and as long as my people are safe. If that is satisfied I do not care who it is, I just want to protect my people. That is all.

Roses are red, and so is blood

Mortals come and Mortals go
While gods remain to be
Mortals battle to and fro
All for the gods to see

The Latins siege the Trojan fort
Finally Aeneas with new ships returns
When Aeneas arrives in port
Turnus charges while his battle spirit burns

Pallas and Aeneas are on a slaughter spree
The Trojan army is fearsome strong
Turnus engages Pallas, because he was so gutsy
Pallas is slain; the fight did not last long

Aeneas kills Lausus in battle rage
While Turnus chases a ghost
Mezentius charges Aeneas despite his old age
And Turnus sails off of the coast

Fresh off the Press

The Rutulian Offensive

   It's no secret that an army's weakest moment is when their leader is away, and if you don't believe me than listen to this. Yesterday afternoon while Aeneas, leader of the Trojan army, was away for diplomatic purposes the Rutulian army layed siege to the Trojan camp. When no immediate weakness was found in the encampment Turnus, leader of the Rutulian army, ordered his men to burn the ships of the Trojans. Effectively removing any chance of fleeing this war. But as if by magic the ships pulled loose and submerged themselves, only to reappear as nymphs! I was able to interview one of Turnus' men who had witnessed this extraordinary event.         

This is his recount of the situation. "Everything was going as you would expect it to go. The ships were burning, our men were cheering, it was a great victory against the Trojans to destroy their fleet. We saw the ropes pull loose, and thought they had burned off, and as the ships sank our men cheered even harder. However, soon after the ships reemerged as sea-nymphs! It was one of the oddest things I've ever seen! Naturally myself and fellow soldiers were perplexed and a little disturbed by these events, but Turnus was brave as always and remained confident that our victory would come swiftly over the Trojans." 

Now you may think that since the Trojans were surrounded, under siege, and without a commander that they would be unable to put up any sort of offensive, but you would be wrong. That night as the Rutulian army pondered it's next move and rested two Trojan warriors, Nisus and Euryalus, crept out of the encampment and slaughtered the sleeping Rutulians. As daybreak came they were found out by a returning squad of horsemen, and quickly dispatched off. The following is a direct quote taken from one of the returning horsemen. "As we arrived back to camp something seemed a little off, and I couldn't quite put my finger on what exactly was wrong. That is until I saw that flash out of the corner of my eye. The sun rose just in time and we were able to spot the retreating Trojan assassins by following the glare of one of their helmets. A helmet we later realized were stolen from one of our captains that had been murdered previously in the night." Although this was a good victory for the Trojans they would soon feel the repercussions of these actions.

The next morning as the devastation from the midnight attack sank in Turnus ordered his troops to make a full frontal assault onto the Trojan fortress. As the Rutulian front pushes against the gates trying to find a way in the Trojans suddenly open the gates and charge forth with a deadly charge. It appears as if the Trojans had pushed back the Rutulians until Turnus joined the fray turning back the Trojan assault. As the gates to the walls closed Turnus slipped in and proceeded to slaughter the surprised Trojans inside. Incredibly outnumbered he puts up a fight killing dozens before finally escaping by diving into the Tiber river at the last second! 

To get the updates on this bloody war in detail make sure to pick up tomorrow's copy!

War... War never changes.

The cold passed reluctantly from the earth, and the retiring fogs revealed an army stretched out on the hills, resting.

War is an odd thing, it can come so quickly, devastate entire countries, and be gone in just a matter of days. To think that I thought we were through with wars and fighting for once. It was foolish of me, no not foolish, but hopeful. At the end of the day I'm a warrior. I would do anything for a peaceful life. Anything at all. But that won't ever happen. War follows me. It walks beside me, it lays next to me while I sleep, and it watches and waits. Waits for an opportunity to rear its hideous face once more.

Waking up, and seeing thousands of men preparing for battle, preparing for war. It's the saddest thing I have ever seen in my life. Not because many of them won't be alive a week from now, and not because of the family they'll leave behind. But because they're happy. They cheer, and scream for battle. Their swords are hungry for blood. And for what? Honor... what a terrible word. More good men and women have died for that word than any other. What does it even mean?

They talk of previous battles, of great warriors who've killed hundreds. They talk of them like they're heroes. Those men aren't heroes. They're hot-headed fools who can't control their tempers. People speak of Achilles like he's some sort of god. Sure he may have been one of the greatest fighters of all time, but he fought for all the wrong reasons. I don't care what the Greeks said they attacked us for. The Greeks were just greedy, they wanted more. I fought in defense of my country, I fought for my king, I fought for my family. I fought to stay alive. If I had it my way, I would never fight. Unfortunately, I happen to be a decent fighter, or maybe I'm just lucky. I'm really not sure which of the two. Either way, I fight. I always fight. Not from choice, but still, I fight.

Aeneas left a while back. He went to go to the Arcadian king and ask for more troops. More men to die. More wives to leave without husbands. More children to leave without fathers. Of course, the Arcadians joined us. Just as hungry for war as my foolish companions.

Venus brought Aeneas some new armor and weapons today. As a reminder to why we're fighting today. Because mortals have no control over their own lives. Their lives are controlled by the gods, and that's how it always will be. If gods want battle than they'll have battle.

We march to battle today, and I'm not sure if I'll live. Honestly, I'm starting to think dying might not even be that bad. At least I would stop fighting, and I'd finally get to rest.

As we marched towards the enemy army I remembered a poem my dad once told me. I always run it through my head before a fight. It keeps me focused, and it gives me inspiration. Inspiration to keep fighting for the hope that some day, I may finally be through with it all.

"Once more into the fray
Into the last good fight I'll ever know
Live and die on this day
Live and die on this day"

First day in Italy

The Tiber river. A greater sight was never seen by man. After years of war, and years of trials and hardships we finally arrived in the land Apollo prophesied about.

First thing Aeneas thought we should do was eat. Granted, we were all pretty hungry and could use a bite to eat, but we were in a foreign country and had no idea if the natives were friendly. Luckily we weren't attacked, but still it was a pretty bonehead move by Aeneas. We could have offended or scared the natives by just coming in and eating. We didn't know how civil the natives were. Idk, maybe I was being overly cautious, but I was quite weary from travel and didn't want to start a new war after just arriving. I'm so sick of wars and sailing! I just want to settle down and live peacefully

After we ate Aeneas ordered us to rest. We still hadn't scouted....Aeneas didn't even bother assigning a sentry order, I had to do that myself.  Once again we were lucky enough not to be killed despite our lack of vigilance. Finally I was able to convince Aeneas to scout around, and after half an hour our scouts returned telling us of a great kingdom ruled by king Latinus. Immediately Aeneas sends our hundreds of unarmed envoys for diplomatic purposes into the city to meet with Latinus. Not thinking that he might be pretty mad if hundreds of soldiers landed on his land! If he had attacked we all surely would've died!  Still probably being a little overly cautious, but I was really REALLY tired

When our diplomats arrived back they told Aeneas that we could live here peacefully without fear of attack. So much weight left my shoulders right there, you don't even know!

Then they told Aeneas about Lavinia, the kings daughter. Here we go again...maybe it was the thousands of women raging about the countryside, or my past experiences with Aeneas and his lovers, but something very bad was about to happen, I could feel it.

That night, as I was tossing and turning in my attempts to get to sleep I heard men in the camp yelling and running back and forth. I hopped up and followed them to the action. Apparently some shepards had attacked Ascanius after he killed their prized stag. What could have been settled peacefully had now become a full on war between the natives and us.

Okay, come on now, I'm starting to think Jupiter hates us.We were really about to settle down, and be through with all of this. We were so close! Then we start a war over a pet deer?!?! Are you kidding me? Who even keeps a pet deer anyways! Maybe we ought to go to war with these people! If they're dumb enough to have a pet deer and get mad at us when we accidently kill it while we're hunting, then maybe they deserve to be slaughtered!

Shadows of the past

A quick sharp pain, a scream, then warmth.

Everything happened so quickly after Aeneas left. There was an argument, and then a fire....what had happened?

I felt as if I was floating through space, why couldn't I remember what happened....where was Anna?

I killed myself, after Aeneas left, stabbed myself.

Faces flashed by in a blur, of Anna, of Aeneas, and then of Sychaeus....his image lingered, and unlike the other it was steady, where as all the others were dull and wavy, unreal. His was very real. I didn't realize it was really him until he spoke....that's when I knew I was really dead. No one could have imitated his voice, his soft, steady voice. It donned on me that since it was undeniably him, and he was absolutely dead, for I buried him myself, that I must also be dead.

The funny thing about gods is that while your on earth they can make you do anything, absolutely anything. Even make you fall in love with a complete baboon, to the point that you killed yourself when he left. However, once your dead, they don't hold any power over you at all. I never loved Aeneas, the whole thing was merely a spell by the gods. To think I'd kill myself over such a tool. Honestly, it made me sick. But none of that mattered anymore, I was finally with Sychaeus again. My one true love. We spent what seemed like a an eternity together, every moment being even more blissful than the last. It was perfect, until he came back...

Aeneas was in the underworld. At first I thought he must have killed himself trying to do some stupid stunt, or because someone finally realized what an idiot he was and decided to do the world a favor and rid the earth of him. Unfortunately, as he got closer I realized that he wasn't actually dead. He didn't have the gracefulness of a shade. No, he was just as clumsy as ever.

He immediately approached me, and started yammering about how he's sorry he made me do this. How he didn't realize how much affect he had on me...as if. Either he's too stupid to realize that I was under a spell, or he's insanely conceited. Personally I think it's a little of both. Either way I was so sick of him I didn't even bother to tell him the truth. He's not worth my time, especially now that I have my Sychaeus back. He started yelling as I left telling me not to go, and not to be sad. Oh please....

He left after that, and I never heard from him again. Honestly I could care less about him. Everything's right now that Sychaeus is here. Everything's right...everything's right...everything's right.

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Water, I couldn't escape it in the real world, and it haunts me even now in the afterlife...

In life, water gave me a job, and it took everything else away.

You see I've always wanted to be a great politician. I had plans, ways to change not just a country, but the world. My name would've been in every history scroll there is. But no...my dad thought sending me to a naval academy would be more useful than letting me stay in Troy, and study under some of the greatest politicians in the world. Sailing was my dad's dream, but it wasn't mine. I never wanted to become a helmsmen, but when wartime came around they assigned me to a ship because of how good I was. Sailing is not that hard, there really isn't much too it, so I aced all my exams. Apparently other people were anywhere near as intelligent.

Ever since I was drafted I've never had the chance to do anything than sail. It ruined my dream, my ambition, my life. It was only fitting that I would end up drowning at sea...

Now, even in the afterlife water haunts me. This blasted Archeron is all that stands between me and the glorious fields of the afterlife. That is the fate of those who die at sea, with their remains unburied. Forever waiting for someone to find your body, and give it a proper burial.

The real reason I died, was no freak accident however. It was all Aeneas' fault. He's the one who made the promise with Apollo, knowing that someone would die. If it wasn't for him I could have become a great politician in Italy, but nooooo... Dying at sea is sooo much more fun. (If you couldn't tell, that was sarcasm) Normally I would assume that people are smart enough to catch my sarcasm, but if your anything like Aeneas than you probably don't know the meaning of the word.

When Aeneas asked me how I died, mustering up every ounce of sarcasm I had I told him it wasn't anyone's fault and it absolutely wasn't because of the deal with Apollo. Unfortunately as soon as I said that he walked away beaming, like he had just gotten rid of a guilty conscious. I'm fairly certain he took me seriously.

 *Sigh* That awkward moment when your sarcasm is so advanced that people take you seriously...

I hate the ocean...