Hi everyone and thanks for taking the time to read this fanfic. I'm so excited to be posting this fanfiction and hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it! I will post a warning with each chapter as I do with all my other stories. Hope you have a nice day/night wherever you are! So I'm basing this on the story of Troy, though I'm making Nico- Paris and Percy a male version of Helen. Again, really hope you enjoy! Warning: story contains BoyxBoy (don't like, then don't read), swearing, scenes of extreme violence and ratings may be turned up at a later time.

You think life for a prince would be amazing wouldn't you? You'd think that you would have everything you have ever wanted served to you on a plate. But that's not the truth. At least as far as Nico would see it.

His whole life he had sat behind the giant glowing walls of his city, staring from the highest points of the walls to see the expanse of beautiful oceans and beaches which surrounded his home; mother troy. He was a fair prince, or at least, he hoped that he was in the eye of the people. He never went against his people for wealth. He was never prejudice in his approach to them... sure he wasn't the most social of all Prince's with them. He wasn't as good or as great as his famous sister: Bianca. No. Everyone looked towards her, thinking she was the mightiest. She was the strongest warrior, general and hunter that the city have ever been offered from their mother; Maria Di Angelo. Queen of Troy. She was a fair but just ruler. Always faithful and praying towards the gods. Yes. Even Lord Hades who she, ( even though it shocked her kingdom), had created a garden shrine for him among the kingdom's walls. A garden which she kept in the best conditions, herself. Allowing no gardener to touch it, but care for it's grown trees by her own accord.

Deep down, Nico thought that this must have had some accord with the lord of the dead, because in the cities walls, the elderly lived longer. People rarely got sick let alone claimed to death by sickness.

It was a good life. Caring people around him. A loving family. A loyal kingdom. His own private force in the military army.

But still as Nico would always know deep in his heart. No amount of the beautiful city around him. No amount of the wealth, knowledge, or experience fighting among the city in it's defence, would ever be able to fill the gap in his heart which came from the sorrow and pain of feeling alone and empty.

But now they were fighting and coming to the end of a long time war. Finally, being able to strike negotiations with the Queen of Sparta after so many long years of weary and exhausting battle. Finally after the previous king had died, the new Queen was finally ready to begin talks over peace arrangements. Finally soldiers would stop needlessly dying far from home. Children would stop becoming orphans and lovers would no longer bear the sorrows of

How would have known that his actions would create the bloodiest and longest war that would last in history for over two thousand years.

It all began one morning when he had been out hunting with Bianca and their youngest adopted sister.

He could hear his sister calling out to him teasingly as his large black steed pounded along the beach. It's hooves smashing into the ground as it neighed out, taking strong rugged breaths. Nico held softly onto the reins, making sure that he wasn't pushing the horse too hard... though there was no fear of that. Shadow Warning never really did what he never wanted to do. Nico knew how much his horse could be competitive about, when he was around the other two steeds.

Bianca was pounding ahead of them on the large silver coated steed horse. "Come on Zoe." She whispered excitedly as the horse reared back with her as Bianca rose her arm high the air like some beautiful goddess as her flowing robes trailed behind her in the air. Her dark brown silky hair rose in a curtain as those who would have been watching would have seen it move like soft tendrils through the air at her lift. Her silhouette blocked across the ground as the sun stood directly behind her. It was almost like she was under water. The jewellery her moth insisted that she wore as a sign of her royalty sparkled on her skin. A light spray of freckles were decorated across her olive, porcelain cheeks. "We can't let some boys win this!" She laughed and the silver horse snorted in agreement as it set the pace for the other two to follow.

Nico shook his head laughing at his older sister. "Naming a horse Zoe?" He questioned, but had to call above the roar of the wind. His black hood cloak was trailing onto his horse's hide and it's gold trimming edge sparkled in the sun rise light. He was desperate to beat his older sister to prove a point that girl's weren't the best as so she had always reminded him... but sometimes, he had to question just how much she really loved that horse! The way Bianca spent every spare moment with it, Nico couldn't help but think that maybe she was having some love affair with it!

"Oh Nico, stop teasing her!" Hazel called from not far behind them. Her golden eyes bore the same warmth as the golden necklace she wore ever so proudly.

Her own steed had far more than the capability to win the unofficial race that the siblings had started, but still she hung back. Her horse's coat was uncommonly dark. He had intelligent dark eyes and it seemed as though Hazel was the only thing right now that was stopping him from lunging past both her siblings and across the beach, back to the city.

"Stop teasing her? You're one to talk!" Nico laughed, smiling gently. His olive toned skin shined freshly in the morning light. His black tunic went down barely past his thighs as a circlet sat on his head proudly. His eyes were darker than the pit of night and had often been compared to the blackest shadows cast by the sun's setting. He was slightly muscled in his arms from training so much with his older sister and their army. It was uncommon among other lands that their cities general was Bianca. But not only was she the oldest but also the most graceful and efficient of fighters. But Nico was also an aspiring fighter. Fighting himself handy with not only a sword but bow. Though of course he would always prefer to use his favourite blade. It was the first and only sword he would ever use.

But as he turned back to look at his youngest sister, he laughed even louder. "I saw the way you was teasing Leo! He's a priest of Apollo Hazel! You know what that means!" Nico watched a red blaze move onto the girl's coco coloured cheeks as she blushed brightly. Hazel's skin was as rich as chocolate and her hair softer than hazelnut. But no one had eyes to match hers. No one in the kingdom had eyes which resembled gold to such a colour as hers did.

She just returned a smile as her horse set pace with Nico's easily. "Yeah, it just means that it's harder to get into his tunic." She laughed and rocketed off forward, setting pace and leadership with Bianca as both smiled, finding their competitive edge with each other taking dominant control.

"Oh. I'll show them." Nico whispered and lent forward to whisper to his horse. "Come on Shadow Warning. We'll show those two why you're the best horse in all of Troy." He grinned as the horse snorted loudly. "That's it boy!" The horse reared back and lunged forward into the nearby tree cover as Nico searched for an old off path route through the dense tree cover.

It felt as though he rode for at least a good ten minutes before Shadow Warning came into a slow trot and gave a sharp and angry snort as he waded between the bushes, panting slightly. "I get it boy. You're thirsty... but we're lost aren't we."

Shadow snorted and Nico rolled his eyes.

"I never said I was blaming you! Come on. I think there's a clearing up ahead. We'll get you some fresh water and then afterwards, we can head back towards the beach and get going towards the palace. I'm sure that Arion is looking forward for you to get back. Hazel can only keep him so distracted with a gallop along the beach for so long." He grinned and ignored the way his horse neighed at him.

But what he didn't realise was that he was inadvertently about to start a chain reaction of events which would lead towards the greatest war he or his kingdom would ever know.

-Break-

He hadn't expected to come across such a beautiful place inside the long grown forest. He had spent so many times travelling among here with Bianca that he thought he had known every part of his kingdom. From the city walls to the beaches, the over grown sand dunes which could have made the perfect barricades. Through the forests to the shrines of Persephone and Demeter where his mother insisted that he and her children all go every day to pray and give tribute to the goddesses.

But never in all his time of living had he ever come across a place or clearing like this.

He smiled as he turned around the clearing, looking at the large crashing waterfall which crashed down into a small and open oasis rock bordered pool. Shadow Warning happily lapped up a drink from the sparkling turquoise water which hosted an arrangement of lilies and various flowers which made the water taste sweet and all the more cooler. Crystals sprouted from the rocks both underneath the expanse of water and along the border, sending various shines of light around the clearing. This place looked completely blessed by the gods. No tree seemed to have been touched. No part of the ground held any signs of tracks except of the light foot steps and hoof marks of Nico and his horse. The opening was collared with deep emerald canvases. Rose bushes lining every area with flashes of white and red while pollen floated and danced among the breeze. It was almost impossible for such a beautiful area to exist like this.

For a while, even he discarded his tunic and cloak, taking a long bathe in the waters, finding his own personal piece of Elysium seemed to be filling him. This must be graced by the gods... but still it made him think about back to the city. About the feelings that he tried to hide. The sadness in his heart of being alone... it wasn't as though there had been no suitors for him over the years. On the contrary, there had been many! But now he was sixteen and well past the expectation time of finding a suitor to share his kingdom with! He was supposed to be married and as quick as possible. But still, there had been those who had come and gone. The head of his personal guard, Jason. He had been the first expectation but Nico had seen love blossoming between him and another soldier, Reyna. He wouldn't force Jason into any kind of marriage.

Then there had been Will Sollace. A devout priest of Apollo who was the same age as him. Both had been friends from the earliest of ages and for a time, Nico thought that there had also been a spark from in that he may have loved the other boy. But as both had got closer, Nico realised that all he had wanted was a friendship from Will and nothing else.

And now here he was. Sixteen, without a fiancée and his mother reminding him that he would have to marry, and marry soon.

"Aw, that's so adorable."

"Is that what you'd call it?"

"He's lonely is all."

Nico turned looking around the clearing, trying to find some distinguish between the three voices which had just flew around him. All whispering like soft mist, rolling in from the valleys. "What the Hades is going on." He whispered softly. Pulling himself out of the water and pulling on his tunic as quickly as possible, before he came eye to eye with a brown eyed boy.

His hair was weird... if Nico had to describe it, it was a soft mix of both light and brown. The boy's nose was slightly wonky and he had one of the most strong perfect builds he had rested his eyes on... though his hair was all blown back as though he had been hit from a gale force wind or jumped high from the edge of a cliff and dived down, but never made it to the ground. He spun a strange and short staff of gold in his hand. "N-No way." Nico whispered as he realised why the boy looked as though he had been drowned in oil of liquid sunlight. "Th-this is sacrilege." He whispered.
"Not if it's the real thing." The boy lauged, adjusting the white wrapping of cloth which loosely revealed his mid section and kept his manhood hidden. A faint hissing came from the staff in his hands as the two serpents of gold bean to writhe and move around it. "I'm sorry boy, but I guess Nemesis isn't looking too kindly on you today. May her kinder sides be with you and your choice."
"What choice!" But by the time Nico had already called out, the boy had risen into the air by his sandals which flapped with the intensity of a hummingbirds wings.

"He still doesn't know." A voice sternly stated. "Child, please do pay attention."

He turned quickly and came to sight with a girl sat against the tree. Her posture was perfect and her hair fell in a straight and impeccable standard down her back. Her dress was a curve of white silk which moved down her thin figure which looked as delicate as the dark mood in her cold eyes. She kept a hand resting on her side as her arms and coco tanned skin was adorned with bright bands of gold and rows of jewels. Emeralds, rubies, diamonds. She was the picture of wealth! Like one of the spoiled princesses Nico's mother had introduced him too, till she had figured out Nico had more of an interest for Princes.

"Interesting." She said, turning those stern eyes on him as she stood and let the trail of her dress stand up behind her like the tails of a peacock... for a second it almost seemed as though they were real giant feathers... but no peacocks feathers could ever be that big...right? "He still has no idea, yet his nature pushes him towards the solitude of himself." She noted. "Having seen it with his own eyes, he still refuses to fully believe it as of yet." Her motherly look turned harder as she tilted her head and read into the boy's face more. "Rather sad. But still boy, chose me."

"Oh, such a brave approach, that is the wise decision isn't it? Charm him by insulting him? That is the highlight of your intelligence Hera." A voice laughed behind them.

"As though you can really make him choose something better Athena!" The girl said back, as though she was talking to a small child.

The girl who must have been Athena, walked into the arena slowly and carefully. Unlike the other woman, she wore a marble grey silk gown while letting shoulder plates of armour stand sign to her strength. Her thick inky dark hair was a fall of curls which moved over one side of her face and across her shoulders. Her eyes were like two violent grey storm clouds which looked at Nico as though she was figuring out how to destroy him while what almost seemed like a hundred other different calculations! She was smart this one. There was no mistake. "Come, chose me, would you let yourself be insulted by her? Make the smart choice."

"You two, really do you not understand how to approach people. You do not see what is so plain upon his face."

The other two girls turned towards the edge of a clearing as the last voice which had spoken first began to come towards me. Her blond hair was a movement which highlighted her blood red lips and perfectly made up face. A matching red dress cut back from her warm toned legs and trailed out behind her and her pointed heels. She was really beautiful. One of the most beautiful women Nico had ever seen. Her eyes never seemed to set on one colour. Fresh roses and petals were in the beautiful curls which moved down to her waist. Her teeth were pearly and bright. "Hello Nico." She sad softly. "Chose me. Just like you try to whenever you try to sneak to my temple and pray more my guidance." She said softly, giving Nico a smile that would bewitch most boys into falling for her...
"Barking up the wrong tree love." He frowned, crossing his arms over my chest.
"I know. But I wasn't smiling at you for that reason." Her eyes flashed knowingly as she looked him over like some character in her favourite book come true.
"Enough of this." The first woman stated. "Let us all explain to him, why he should chose us. Then let him decide."
"That seems wise."
"And fair."
"What would be right would to be to explain to 'the boy' what the Tartarus is going on!" Nico explained as he targeted each of the three girls with a glare.

The last girl looked at him with a fondness and another bright smile. "History is merely taking a chance for itself to prove something about power. You will chose, which of us is the best and fairest." She reached out her hand and took something from the curtain of her hair.

A golden apple which shined brightly like liquid gold and sunlight.

Nico noticed how the other two girls looked at it longingly before fixing each other with a glare. "You will chose between the three of us, and decide who of your choice is the best and fairest." She said softly. Fixing Nico with an amused knowing look before holding out her hand in greeting as a courtesy. "Aphrodite." She nodded her own head slightly.
"Athena." The grey eyed woman said, straightening her powerful pose, still looking him over with those calculating eyes.
"Hera." The first woman stated, flourishing her peacock tail dress, letting her jewels catch Nico's eyes.

Hera was the first to come up to Nico while his jaw was still somewhat halfway off the ground as he stared between the three of them. Hera... Aphrodite... Athena... no. Who the Hades is messing with me right now? He kept glancing around the clearing, trying to figure out what the underworld was really going on. Was this some trickery? Or were these really the goddesses of worship. Asking him of all people who be the fairest!?

But the first woman curled her finger under his chin, turning his head back to him demandingly. "Chose Hera." She said softly, putting a motherly arm around him. "I can give you power. Money is power." She whispered softly. Her words echoing around his head. Filling him from head to toe as she lazily lifted one arm to show the emerald studded sleeve which rested above her graceful skin. "Chose me and I will make you the wealthiest person alive, you will own lands. The most powerful of all kings commanding every piece of gold from across the realm of Poseidon and beyond! Imagine that! For the rest of your mortal life bathe in riches." She gave her startling smile. "Think about it boy."

As she took a step back, Athena slowly curled a arm around Nico's shoulder, giving Hera a foul glare and turning him so his back was too them, not allowing the young prince to be tainted by the faces that Hera pulled as Athena grinned. "Chose me. Chose Athena as the fairest and I will give you wisdom. Wisdom to fight of your family, I will give you true knowledge over your father." Athena's words hit his core. Nico's eyes widened drastically as the girl seemed to be offering him a secret he had only found in one of younger years of age. "Chose Athena, and I promise, I will show you how to be the wisest and mightiest of warriors to ever live. Stronger than your sister. Wiser than your mother and any of those in your kingdom. And I will answer those questions which have made you feel darkness inside your self for so many years." Her fingers trailed along his shoulder till both her hands gripped them sharply. "Be wise young one... but I know you will."

As she took a step back, Aphrodite took casual soft steps forward. Ignoring the barge of Athena who elbowed her, but still Aphrodite kept perfect balance, maintaining perfect elegance as she gently kissed the golden apple in her palm, smiling admiringly at her own reflection before taking the deciding idea and knelt down to Nico's height, looking into his eyes and tilting her head so the curtain of her brown hair swept the scent of flowers over him, helping clear his vision momentarily of any mist which may have otherwise clouded it. "My young champion." Her hand reached out and cupped my cheek. "My poor, poor champion who would seek my help in the saddest of nights and come pleading to me for answers." She whispered softly and suddenly both the eyes of the other two ladies' blazed... and when Nico said that they blazed?

He meant, blazed.

They glowed viciously and with rage. Up until that point in his life, he had somewhat gone along with the teachings that both Athena and Hera were two of the most clear headed goddesses on Olympus, as his mother told him. Though he had always doubted that when he had heard the tales of Hercules and Medusa. He now made a note to himself that he quickly had a growing dislike for those two. "I know what you long for most boy." She whispered softly. Keeping her hand motherly on my cheek and smiling that dazzling smile. "Chose Aphrodite and I will give you one thing you have always longed for. I will give you love."

Nico looked down into the golden apple and slowly saw the sad face of a boy coming into view. It was strange... but then again, not as strange as having three goddesses come to visit and make him chose who he thought was the fairest! But the boy I saw in the apple? By the gods (if there were someone really more, beautiful and fair than just these three Greeks out there), He didn't know what to say!

The boy had a soft flow locks of spiked ink black hair. His skin was sun kissed beauty and his body was... perfect! His eyes were a deep emerald, sea green colour jewel and were the most beautiful thing Nico had ever seen in his entire life. They changed ever so quickly, looking from those green jewels to being a softer blue than the ocean under the full brunt of a perfect day in the sun. However, the sadness that they wore was painful to look at. How could something so amazing and beautiful be that sad... those eyes. Those pained eyes, they were lonely and full of exhaustion.

Nico wanted to just reach out and take hold of him. To care for him. My heart ached blindly... "Even after all this time. Your wish is still clear." Aphrodite softly laughed as she watched Nico's hypnotised gaze.
"Who is he." Nico reached out his hand slowly grazing his finger over the soft gold shell of the apple.
"His name is Percy of Sparta." Aphrodite explained.
"He's beautiful." Nico whispered.
"Chose me and I will bring him to you. You will love him as he will love you. You will have the strongest love to last for thousands of years and history will remember you both."

However she did not speak of the consequences which would follow her as she would enjoy her new pairing of mortals.

"I chose Aphrodite." Nico said and the other two glared foully at him as though he had paid them the worst insult.

"Weakling." Hera murmured.

"Most unwise!" Spat Athena.

"After all this time, still you haven't changed my champion." She whispered and placed a kiss on Nico's forehead. "I will watch over you. But you must journey to back to your sister and mother. Make sure that it is remember you chose Aphrodite above Athena and Hera." She smiled shooting a glance over her shoulder to the other two girls, tracing her fingers through Nico's hair. "I will watch over you." She promised. "I will now, just as I did then." She wove some flowers into Nico's hair before taking a few steps back. "Take your journey my champion. Do not be disheartened by what is to come. Stay strong and love will always prevail."

While she held the golden apple she admired her own reflection in it. "Now be ready my champion." She smiled, giving Nico the apple which still held the moving vision of Percy. But the goddess couldn't stop grinning to the other two who gave hisses under their breath at her, before twirling on the spot and disappearing in a haze of mist as she walked away.

Nico stared blankly at the surroundings as I tried to let what had just happened in the last five minutes sink in.

"What...The...Tartarus. Just happened." He whispered.
"NICO!"

He turned slowly and saw his sister coming into view.

Bianca stared down at him with knowing eyes and a smirk. "Tried to take a short cut huh... what a strange apple." She stared at the one in Nico's hand for a moment before he concealed it inside his tunic from her eyes which moved back to him.
"I might have." He said casually as he pulled the cloak back around himself and let it catch the breeze and cool him down.
"Enough play time. We actually have a mission now." Bianca smiled. Her eyes held unrestrained joy and excitement. "Sparta has sent us news! We are to go and sign a negotiation with them."
"S-Sparta?!" Nico stuttered remembering the vision of that hypnotic beauty. Percy of Sparta. This could be my chance. This could be my opportunity to go and find him!
"Yeah. Sparta. You know, the one we've been at war with for so long." Bianca rose an eyebrow. "Mother has decided to send an convoy to sign the treaty. She want's us to go-"
"Well let's go then!"
"O...okay?" Bianca frowned, not understanding her brothers excitement. She had never seen her brother so excited since they had been little kids. "We leave immediately. Head straight for the docks and we will head out to sea."
"Well what are you waiting for! Let's go!" Nico mounted Shadow Warning and sped off quickly towards the beach.
"What has gotten into that boy?" Bianca shook her head and laughed as Zoe snorted her nostrils.