Author's Note: Mordred will be showing up next chapter! :)

Who am I?

Polyxena stood at the edge of the deck, her hand on the rail, and thought about it as she gazed over the sea. It was dark and very late but she'd woken in the middle of the night. Slipping past Medea's wards wasn't easy – her mentor was entirely too protective – but Poly had plenty of practice. So now she was on the deck, looking over the dark, moonlit waters. Everything seemed so strange this late, nothing but shades of grey, like some photographs she'd seen.

Photographs. Polyxena rolled the word around in her mind. Motorcycle. Computer. Video game. These were concepts she shouldn't have, although she wasn't the only one to remember. The dark skinned, nameless man, especially, knew precisely what she was talking about. Some of the others, including Hector, seemed to vaguely recall. And yet… Why do I know these things? Who am I? Most of the time she knew. She was Polyxena, younger sister to Hector, twin sister to Troilus. Her brother had been murdered by Achilles in front of her and she'd been taken as his captive. Treated with honor as the daughter of a god and a seeress, Achilles had often heeded her advice. And yet… I never really did anything. Polyxena remembered cooking and mending, using the homely skills the priestesses had taught her. She'd made herself useful in the Myrmidon's camp but that was all.

At times like tonight, though, she remembered other things. She remembered the weight of a spear in her hands. She remembered feeling the solid thunk of that spear hitting flesh, the impact running through her arms. Polyxena remembered fire dancing at her fingertips before being blown away, reducing darkened enemies to ash. Lifting a hand, she gazed into it before focusing her power. A tiny ball of flame began to form –

Then she heard footsteps and closed her hand, extinguishing the blaze as she turned. Polyxena expected it to just be a crewman – they had some people working at night, always – but instead she saw white hair, white skin and thoughtful blue eyes.

"It is late to be awake," he observed and Polyxena examined him, fascinated. His costume was so flamboyant, all red and gold, but what caught her gaze more than anything was his spear. Beautiful and gold, she wanted to touch it, to feel it in her hands. Would the weight of it match her memories? "May I join you?"

"I would be glad of the company," Polyxena said graciously. And truthfully, she meant it. A small smile quirked the edges of his lips before he joined her at the rails. "Your name was Karna?" It was hard to keep track sometimes. He nodded slightly, his translucent hair bobbing with the motion.

"Karna, son of Radha," Karna said and Polyxena nodded, remembering her own mother. It was hard, sometimes, when you had a mortal mother and a divine father. It seemed like the human half was crowded out and forgotten.

"Polyxena, daughter of Hecuba," Polyxena replied with a smile, pleased to introduce herself so. "I'm pleased to meet you." For real, not the… inauspicious way they had first met. Polyxena's cheeks heated a little as she remembered turning around to see two men in her quarters. She hadn't heard the door open and close so that had been beyond shocking. And the frank way they'd been staring at her… well, actually, that was quite familiar. Achilles and Patroclus had both looked at her so. Instead of responding, Karna merely nodded and leaned against the rail.

Karna said nothing more and for Polyxena, the silence was oddly comfortable. With most men it would have been awkward and strange, but not Karna. That thought made her smile a bit as she gazed up at the moon. As she did, though, her thoughts went a different way.

"So you want to go home. What will you do when you get there?" Polyxena asked with a small smile. "Take up your war again?" Somehow, Polyxena knew the history of the man beside her. He'd fought in a war on behalf of his king and died at his brother's hands… a brother who hadn't know they were related. "Given what you know?" she asked, turning her head to meet blue eyes. Karna stared at her solemnly.

"That is not my decision," he said and Polyxena wanted to sigh. She held it back.

"I understand," she said quietly. Karna was saying that it would be up to his relatives and friends. Could peace be achieved? Polyxena thought it was doubtful but… "Who knows what moment of time we will find it in, if we find it at all." They might find nothing but a twisted shard, barely recognizable as Karna's and Arjuna's homeland. They had found lands like that before.

"What will you do, if you find your homeland?" Karna asked, turning the question around. Polyxena laughed softly.

"Keep sailing," she said candidly and Karna smiled, a small tilt to his lips. "You knew Hector was lying."

"To himself more than anyone else," Karna agreed and Polyxena admired him for a moment. He was so handsome in the moonlight, his skin luminous under the gentle light. "I am only surprised that you know."

"I know Hector quite well," Polyxena said, reflecting on it. She hadn't known him that well until she had found him again, after Jason took her to be a concubine. A large part of the reason Hector had seized the ship. By now, though, Polyxena knew him extremely well. "I think he always wanted to go adventuring but restrained himself because he was a Prince. Now, though, he's had a taste of it. I don't think he could give it up," Polyxena gave the man beside her a gentle smile. "And I will go with him for now." Karna tilted his head to one side, examining her with penetrating blue eyes.

"And what is your wish?" Karna asked and Polyxena was almost touched by the question. Achilles would never have asked it, since her wants had meant almost nothing to him. Hector didn't think to ask her either, assuming she would do as he wanted. Karna was the first man to ask her such a thing.

"I'm not sure yet," Polyxena said, turning her head to look up at the moon again. It was so large and bright. "Or maybe I should say, I want too many things. I want to be a powerful sorceress. I want…" Polyxena hesitated. She'd mentioned this to Hector and he had just laughed. "I want to learn to use a spear," Polyxena finally said, lifting her head challengingly as she turned it to gaze at Karna. He just looked at her seriously, not mocking her ambition. "I want to be powerful for myself, not just a – a hanger on to powerful men." That was what she'd been for most of her life and truthfully, what she was now. But Polyxena was getting training from Medea, which was something. "Is that wrong?" Polyxena asked, wondering what Karna would say. Most men would laugh.

"No," he said it so simply, with such honesty, that Polyxena's breath caught. She blinked back tears before smiling at him.

"Would you be willing to teach me?" Polyxena asked, feeling a bright hope. It wouldn't be easy but she could get a weapon… but then Karna shook his head.

"No." Polyxena felt briefly crushed before he continued. "I am unable to teach. I learned this with my own sons, long ago." …Oh.

"I see," Polyxena said, still disappointed but understanding. Teaching was not easy. Medea sometimes had problems explaining basic things to her although Polyxena thought they had both learned along the way. Karna smiled at her faintly and she noticed again how the moonlight made him look so ethereal. Ah, but her eyes felt heavy now… "I should go back to bed," Polyxena said, stifling a yawn with one hand. Karna nodded.

"I will stay a bit longer. Rest well," he wished her and Polyxena nodded before turning to go. Karna was fascinating but she really was tired now… reaching the door, she glanced back to see Karna gazing over the sea. In the darkness his armor looked silver, not gold, and glittered like the stars. Smiling, Polyxena slipped down the stairs to go to her room.

It was rare to find a man who did not mock her dreams.

Karna watched with slightly wide eyes as the ship entered the mouth of a great cavern.

"How can something like this exist?" Arjuna asked and Karna had no answer. They had travelled into a cove, surrounded by high mountains. But one of the mountains had a great hole worked into it. Water was flowing out of it, a slow current they nonetheless had to fight against, rows biting into the water as the Andromache steadily made its' way. Karna stared at the walls. They were smooth as glass and clearly unnatural.

"Magic! And our rowers are getting tired, take your turn," Hector said cheerfully and Karna nodded before moving quickly to do that. No one was exempt from rowing except the captain and the two women. Although if things were tricky on navigating and Hector needed help, the nameless man would join him.

There was nothing tricky about the navigation here. It was merely tedious, as the ship safely continued a steady course. There was no wind to help, though, so Karna applied himself, giving his strength to the ship. It was actually rather meditative, as the row master called the time. After a while Karna lost track of time, feeling nothing but the strokes of the oar, the wood against his palm.

Karna was surprised when the row master called for them to stop. The rowing came to a smooth halt and Karna felt it as the ship came to a stop with a soft bump. The men at the rows began leaving their spots, moving naturally aboveboard and Karna followed the wave, joining them. As he did he vaguely noticed Arjuna, beautifully coiffed and poised as always. He seemed out of place on the oars yet Karna knew his brother was no stranger to hard work. And for ancient Greeks, manning a ship's oars was appropriate enough for a noble.

Setting that thought aside, Karna stood on the deck of the ship and gazed over the place they had found. It was a town, nearly a city. A vast cavern, filled with low slung buildings. They were made of the same stone as the cavern, which had the same oddly smooth walls as the tunnel. The lighting was strange and not very comfortable, blue lanterns that illuminated the place with a cold fire. Karna could understand the need for them, though. There had to be some kind of air circulation – he felt a breeze – but the soot from torches and lanterns would quickly become unbearable in such an enclosed space.

"Alright you goons, listen up!" Hector called and Karna's attention snapped to him. He was standing on a box to get himself some height and the nameless man was standing to one side, Medea to the other. "You all know the drill BUT we have plenty of newcomers so I'm going to go over it!" There was a chorus of groans and Karna listened obediently as Hector ignored that and continued. "This is the Underground! It's a hive of villany, the place where pirates gather, and the hub of the worlds!" Say what? "It was made by a half-crazed goddess with no name!" …What? Karna glanced around involuntarily. Speaking so of the gods… but surely Hector knew what he was doing. "She says she's the daughter of Loviatar and she's extremely dangerous! If you see a woman with long grey hair and burning red eyes, run, do not walk!" Karna was less than worried. "Also, you will travel in pairs so pick your friend! Stay with this person at all times! Piss together, I am not joking!" …No. "Do not go to Avenda's Dice Parlor and do not go to the Dark Horse whorehouse or I will have you thrown overboard!" Did he want to know why? Well, Karna was not interested in a whorehouse. "Keep all these things in mind and I will do you the courtesy of assuming you can handle yourselves! Now go cause some chaos you villainous scum!" There was a laugh from the crew and glancing around, Karna thought the Greeks were indeed a villainous assortment.

Karna's first thought for a companion was Polyxena. It would be an honor to escort her. However, looking for her, he was disappointed. Arjuna was already there speaking to her and as Karna watched she laughed, a smile on her face. That place has been claimed… turning away, Karna frowned. He wasn't sure who –

A soft cough caught his attention and Karna blinked as he beheld the strange man they had rescued from the snow. He was tall, tall enough that Karna had to look up a little, and horns curled back over nearly white hair. The pattern of light on his skin was very unusual and so was his small, hesitant smile.

"I was wondering, would you like to go with me?" He asked as Karna tried to recall his name. Ah, Siegfried, that was it.

"I would be honored," Karna said, truly meaning it, although his tone didn't change at all. He was not very good at expressing himself… Siegfried's smile grew, though, and Karna knew the words had been enough.

"Thank you. Where would you like to go? I'm not interested in a whorehouse and I hate gambling, but I would like beer," Siegfried said and Karna smiled slightly. That was precisely how he felt, about the whorehouses at least. Gambling was something he'd done, on occasion, although he'd been told he was a very boring person to gamble with.

"I would like some beer as well. Shall we find some?" Karna suggested and Siegfried laughed. They left the boat together. It didn't take long for them to find a tavern and as they settled in for a nice beer, Karna was pleased with the temporary companion he'd made. Friend? Well, perhaps.

Karna didn't have many true friends, but perhaps Siegfried could be one of them.