She paced the room her long beautiful hair matted and tangled. Why did she do it? Paris was just a boy he knew nothing about life, nothing about love, he was just a boy. Helen laughed to herself, since Hector had fallen at Achilles hand she had been thinking this more and more.
That was it she had fallen out of love with Paris. She stopped, feeling her heart skip a beat… NO... she cried this word aloud… She loved Paris; she knew how she felt when he touched her when they lay together. Menelaus had never been like that with her.
She thought about Paris now, her head in her hands, Achilles had murdered Hector, butchered him, now he had promised ten days of peace. As soon as it was over, she thought, Achilles would be coming back for Paris…
Achilles, she found it hard to hide her feelings for him. The way she sometimes, more often lately, imagined it was him when Paris made love to her. She would watch his every move from her seat high up on the walls see the way his armour glinted in the light the way he moved.
But then there was Paris, she did love him, she had to save him from Achilles' bronze tipped spear. But how?
"My Lady, My Lady…" Helen looked up at the serving girl peering in from the door and it struck her how she could save Paris and get the deepest desire of her heart…
"Girl, fetch me my best clothes and a travel cloak."
"Why My Lady?"
"Don't ask questions girl just do it…" the girl stared at her vacantly unmoving "NOW!"
It was a brilliant plan… she would go down to the Greek camp, find Achilles, and offer herself to him in return for him sparing Paris' life. She would get everything she wanted. Achilles would not be able to resist her… would he? Surely not, she was Helen the most beautiful woman in the world.
She slipped quietly out of the gate and immediately ran into trouble…
"Hey, Hey Girlie where do you think you are going?"
"Nowhere leave me alone man I am too good for you"
"Man? Man? I am no man I am Cloelia, and you are Helen of Troy. But where are you going?"
"Nowhere…"
"Alright I'll let you go, and I won't speak of it. But g carefully there are men down there who are… well… just be careful."
Helen reached Achilles tent almost three hours later, it wasn't an easy journey but still she made. She pushed open the door of the tent and stepped inside.
Achilles was sat on the bed he looked up as she entered, Helen could do nothing but stare. This was the first time she had seen him up close. She saw the way the candlelight reflected off of his sleek blonde hair, the way his impossibly blue eyes seemed to see right through her into her soul.
She could not hold that glance. Helen averted her eyes and unfastened her cloak, it
fell to the floor as Achilles stood up. He was almost a head taller than her and he stood so close she could feel his breath on her neck.
"You're Helen aren't you…" he said and his smooth liquid voice made her shudder.
"Y…y … yes" was all she could stammer as far as a response,
Achilles noticed her faltering and chuckled to himself before replying…
"But what are you doing here? At my tent… What?"
"I want you to spare Paris…" she answered with surprising confidence she was used to talking down to men, she was Helen the most beautiful woman in the world how could he possibly refuse her?
"Oh yeh… and why would I do that? What's in it for me?"
"I am…" she responded cordially
"You are…?" he was a little surprised, "oh I see, you mean… well I'll have to think about that one."
As Helen was about to respond a woman entered behind her,
"Ah…" she said, "I figured she was going to come here but she has arrived quicker than I expected… I was hoping to… well… it doesn't matter."
"Cloelia, you are brilliant!" Achilles beamed at the woman,
Helen stood silently, waiting, this was weird why did he not just say yes instantly? Why was he doing this to her?
"My lord…" Cloelia walked over to Achilles and allowed him to kiss her, passionately.
"Tell me Clo, what do you think?"
"On what?" she looked over at Helen,
"She is… well… offering herself to me so I'll spare Paris' life…"
Cloelia looked at Helen then at Achilles and then back at Helen…
"You want my honest opinion?... I think you should go for it… I'll be with Odysseus if you want me… enjoy yourself."
With that she left and Achilles and Helen were alone again,
"Well that settles it then, I am inclined to take her advice she always knows best after all… I accept your offer Helen."
Helen walked towards Achilles and unclipped her dress so that it fell to the floor in a heap and looked up expectantly at Achilles. He kissed her, it was gentler than she expected, and more gentle than he had been with the Cloelia woman.
She felt him hard against her, his steady rhythmical breathing his hair brush against her face. He pushed her down, back onto the bed, she pulled off his tunic and moved her hands around his toned body. Helen felt how different this was than when she made love to Paris. With Paris they were equal with Achilles he was more than in charge and boy did she like it.
Helen lay on her back Achilles was sitting across the room with a drink in his hand still naked. Helen could not stop herself looking, he was godlike as they all said. Achilles saw her looking and laughed.
"It must be weird for you, many men have looked at you like that. I have as well and I must say you are certainly not disappointing."
Helen remained silent, her heart was beating fast again.
"You should probably go now its getting light and they'll notice you're gone."
"Oh…" was all she could muster,
"Unless you want to…?"
Of course she did…
She left just before dawn, Achilles stood outside the tent to see her off. As she was disappearing into the horizon Cloelia tapped Achilles on the shoulder. He turned to face her,
"How was it?" she asked,
"Mmm… yeh…" not really a reply he thought but it will do.
Cloelia understood, but immediately looked at him enquiringly.
"You aren't seriously going to do as she asks are you?"
"Of course I am, I always keep my word Clo you know that!"
"So you're not gonna kill him?"
"No I'M not…"
The stress he put on the word 'I'm' made Cloelia realise what he meant. He looked down at her with interest to see if she understood…
"I'd be happy to!" was all she said.