Title: The Only Ending
Fandom: Greek Myth
Characters: Apollo (& Troilus)
Rating: T
Length: 349
Summary: He'd known. Of course he known. The prophecy that if Troilus lived, Troy would never fall. And Apollo had known, all the gods know, the city is destined to be lost. There was only one way for this end.
Warnings: child death/murder, blood

Ongoing war keeps even a god busy, and Apollo doesn’t understand what’s happening until it’s far too late.

It starts with a metallic taste at the back of his throat. Thick, cloying, wet - and he burns with horror and indignation when he realizes what it means. Someone, somewhere, has sacrificed to him in human blood.

Somewhere close. He concentrates. Thymbra.

His breath catches. No.

With a though, he is there, in the humble temple outside of Troy, representative of his protection of the city.

Blood. It's everywhere: splashed across the altar, painting flickering candles, dripping from laurel garlands, pooling on the floor.

The cry Apollo lets out when he sees the body is animal. Troilus, his son, a child not yet a man, crumbled, throat yawning red, behind the altar. The desecration of the temple fades into insignificance.

Apollo's knees bang against the marble. No. Not this. Tears sting his eyes, run molten down his cheeks.

He'd known. Of course he known. The prophecy that if Troilus lived, Troy would never fall. And Apollo had known, all the gods know, the city is destined to be lost. There was only one way for this end.

Apollo reaches out with a shaking hand and touches the boy's clenched fingers. "You came here for protection," he whispers, voice hoarse like he's been screaming. "And I couldn't protect you. I wasn't even here. I'm so sorry, my son."

He aches, but there's nothing he can do. Healing power tingles within him, but it's no use on the dead.

This never gets easier. Apollo has watched mortal children die before, held bodies old and young, whole and not, but it always aches. It always will, because he can never follow.

He gathers Troilus to him now, uncaring of dark-smearing blood, wondering at how light and still he is, and spirits him back to Troy. His mother and the man who has acted as father all these years need to know.

Later, Apollo will stalk the Greek camp and learn that Achilles is his son's murder. Later still, he will have his revenge.