Frank had never felt such excruciating physical pain. He was unable to get up as the Argive soldier towered over him, his face twisted in a smile. "Ajax died by his own sword," he said. "Since you look like him, I think that death would suit you too."

Frank remembered watching a tragedy one year about Ajax's death. The great soldier had been driven to madness after Odysseus was chosen to wear Achilles' armor instead of him. After slaughtering a herd of cattle, Ajax regained his senses and in despair, killed himself. Frank gritted his teeth, trying to bear the pain, but it was too much. "I don't think you'll find me falling on my own sword."

The Argive's eyes glinted. "Then, I'll have to do the honors for you."

He used both hands to lift the sword embedded in Frank's chest. A guttural scream rose from his lips as the pain in his chest exploded. "Not so heroic now, are you?"

Frank couldn't reply. He was growing dizzier by the second as he lost more and more blood. The Argive knelt down and took Frank's sword from his hands. Frank was too weak now to resist and he felt a wave of nausea roll over him. Was this how he was going to die — on his back? Frank tried to move it get up, but the effort cost him too much and he lay there panting. This wasn't the glorious death the bards sung of. He met the Argive's gaze. "Just get it done with quickly."

The Argive smiled. "I think I'll make it slow."

Frank blinked. Perhaps this would mean the man cut down one less Lesbian. If so, he could endure the pain; he must. As the Argive lifted Frank's sword and prepared to plunge it into his torso, Frank whispered a quick prayer to the gods to look after Hazel, his mother, his grandmother, Nico, and Percy.

He closed his eyes and waited for another stab. It never happened. There was a wild scream of rage and Frank blinked open his eyes. He saw Nico and Percy fighting shoulder to shoulder against the Argive. There was hate in Nico's eyes as his cruel sword swung towards the Argive. "Never hurt my friends!"

Percy was fighting too like a madman, anger blazing in his eyes. "You'll pay for this."

Frank wanted to keep his eyes open, but he was exhausted and he felt them close. Soft hands wrapped around him. "Stay awake," came Will's furious whisper.

The blonde healer lifted him up. Another soldier helped him and the two carried Frank back to the city. Frank was aware of little else except the pain flaring in his torso. When they finally reached the tent, Will and the soldier set Frank down. "Stay awake," Will repeated. "Medic's orders."

He removed Frank's armor and then used wet rags to wash his wounds. "I'm going to have to stitch the wound," he said aloud.

He snapped at someone to find flaxen thread and a needle. Every time Frank felt himself drifting to sleep, Will told him to stay awake. "Someone get him some watered-form wine," Will said. "He's lost a lot of blood and he must be thirsty."

Will worked with the bumble fingers of a healer, sewing up Frank's wound. He had nothing to give Frank to block out the pain and when he finished, he washed the other wounds with vinegar. "This will help fight infection," he said. "You've lost a lot of blood, Frank."

Frank blinked. He was so light-headed. All he wanted to do was fall asleep, but he was afraid he'd never wake up again. "Am I going to die?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Will said, "but I'll do all I can to give you a fighting chance."

These were the last words Frank heard before he slipped into unconsciousness.

***

    Frank saw a woman who looked remarkably like Hazel peering at him. "Are you Hazel's mom?" Frank asked. "Am I dead?"

   The woman laughed and her cinnamon-colored curls bounced. "No, my dear. I am the goddess Aphrodite. I appear to everyone in a form similar to what they find most beautiful and you see that in Hazel."

   Frank felt his cheeks growing hot. "She's great."

   Aphrodite laughed again and Frank realized the epithet laughter-loving was very fitting. "My son and I have been looking over you," she said. "I have not seen such a cute romance since Helen and Paris."

"Ummm," Frank said. "Didn't they both cheat on their spouses and didn't Paris die?"

Aphrodite waved away his words. "They were a cute couple."

"Sure," Frank said, deciding not to argue with a goddess (even if this was a dream). "I wouldn't want to die like Paris, though."

Aphrodite blinked. "Oh you won't. No, I have made many romances happen, but it seems like only the tragic ones get attention, Helen and Paris, Hero and Leander, Apollo and Hycanthius. I am weary of people saying I am less powerful than Hades; that is simply not the truth. You will not die today, Frank. Rest and be healed. I am watching over you and your beloved."

She placed a palm over Frank's head and it seems to ease to the pain he felt even in his dreams. His eyes closed and his dream faded away.

Frank woke up to see Will looking over him. The blonde lad's eyes were circled with darkness. "You're awake," he said, holding a flask up to Frank's lips.

Frank drank eagerly. He was sticky with sweat and still feeling quite weak. "You developed a fever," Will said. "You were muttering in your sleep, saying things about laughter and Hazel and tragic romances."

Frank felt his face flush. "Luckily, I think the fever broke," Will said. "You are still weak, but I think that, with time, you will recover."

Frank nodded. He slowly sat up and realized the tent seemed more cramped than normal. There were men everywhere being tended by medics and soldiers alike. "Why are there so many in here?" Frank asked.

Will's face grew somber. "We lost the battle."