Disclaimer – No, sadly, I do not own any of the characters they belong to Homer and to History and also to Hollywood

Summary: A set of documents are discovered in the British Museum archives which turn out to tell the, as yet, untold story of Achilles and Briseis. The story tells how the two lovers met before Troy and reveals that Briseis is more than she seems. The question is how will their shared past affect the future of Troy?

Author Note: this is only my second fic so I hope you all like it if you don't please don't flame it or I shall send my evil purple mongoose after you! Right enough babbling here is the story enjoy!

British Museum documents:

Archive 4 Tombs GK 7, 8, 9 recovered 20/08/1920

Contents: Four complete scrolls featuring Achilles seemingly written by the slave girl Briseis who features in the Iliad. Discovered 1920 in what is now believed to have been his tomb only recently found in the archives at the museum here translated into English.

Here I give a faithful account of my story no lies no embellishment only truth as best as I can remember it. I write this account so that all may know the truth of the events that led to the destruction of the city once known as Troy. I believe that the truth ought to be told, even if it is only in my pitiful account. I lived these events and can only relate what I saw and, in some parts, what I heard at a later date but I urge you all lay aside Homers heroic tale and, for the present, hear the truth even if you would prefer to believe Homers story. My name is Briseis daughter of Greece and daughter of Troy, constant companion to the great Achilles and eventually, for a time at least, his wife.

Achilles,

I write this for you, I know you and I'm certain that you would want all to know you as intimately as I did. You are lost to me now but I hope that this account, the story we share, and the love that we felt will help us to find one another when I join you in the underworld. Know that I miss you and that I love you and that I cannot wait to join you. But I pray that I am able to tell our story before I do.

Our story begins thus…

To my memory, it was one of those hot and heavy days where the air feels thick and heavy and each citizen felt the burden of it while they went about their daily duties. Of course it was far too hot for Troy's greatest burden and Helen had retired to her rooms almost immediately after breakfast, demanding one servant to fan her and another to constantly bring her cool sweet fruits from foreign lands. Melons and oranges were taken into her chamber on the hour every hour in a useless attempt to keep her cool. I am no glutton, but it infuriated me that these delicious rare fruits were barred to all others dwelling in Troy, because the great lady Helen had to remain cool. It was back in those blessed three days before the Greek army arrived and, for the moment at least, Troy continued much as ever. No citizen among them questioned the outcome of the battle that was soon to take place on our shores. We had our walls and Hector and our horses, surely the Greeks could never compete with such things? Sadly I knew better. I had seen the Greek army, I had fought with them and furthermore I knew the best of them. The sum total of these three factors was the knowledge that if they truly set their minds to it they could destroy our city in one fell swoop. It is odd to recall how, back in those days, I thought of Troy as 'ours'. To think of myself as belonging to that city seems so strange to me now. It is odd to, to recall how little I understood in those days. But I digress, and these thoughts are not necessary to my tale at present.

The position of the setting sun told me that it might have been early afternoon when Hector came to my chamber. I was on my balcony overlooking the best of the city. The scroll that I had been reading lay, long abandoned, on the cushions as I allowed the sparkle of the sun upon the sea to distract me. I was wholly absorbed in watching two dolphins playing and leaping in the sea, trying to outdo each other in terms of height or speed. They reminded me of children who, in play, issue seldom serious challenges to one another and then race, laughing at the sheer joy of travelling at speed. The dolphins could spend their lives delighting in such joyous play never having to worry about war or food or marriage or any of the other complex rituals we humans deem necessary. Indeed, I found it laughable to compare the carefree dolphins with the great sprawling market that spread out from the great gates of Troy. All the shouting and bartering and unorganised rabble seemed so crowded and serious compared to the dolphins in their unending playground. I was so deep in these thoughts that I did not notice Hectors entrance until he was three paces into my room. I may not have fought for near on five years but warrior instincts, once gained, do not easily desert a person and those three steps of Hectors were all that were needed to alert me to his presence. In fact I was surprised that he had been able to come so far into the room without me noticing, usually my instincts were sharper than that. I smiled to myself and allowed him to draw close to me. He hesitated, unsure as to whether he had, for the first time, managed to enter my chamber unnoticed and this hesitation was all I needed to draw the knife I kept hidden in my tunic. Sharply I turned round and gently pressed the blade against his throat. He laughed.

"I thought I had fooled you then" he said.

"And that" I said mirroring his smile "gave me the time I needed" This game was an age old game of ours. Both of us had been equally blessed with battlefield talents by the Gods and each time we met we attempted to enter the room unnoticed by the other. It was a stealth skill that required constant practice and this little game served to both amuse us and give us the practise needed. I was rather proud of my record in this department having been able to twice enter his room while he had yet to be able to enter mine. Hector glanced to the cushions and picked up my discarded scroll.

"I see you are taking your literature studies seriously then?" he said waving the discarded poem in front of my eyes. Automatically I folded my arms in defence.

"It is the dreariest most depressing thing I have ever read. Give me philosophy, medicine, or best yet, battle accounts and little else could give me such pleasure, but for the sake of all the Gods in heaven do not make me read poetry!" To this day I do not know why but this comment caused Hector so much amusement that he threw his head back in order to properly laugh at it. I stood arms still folded wondering at this display over a comment which was a little amusing perhaps but was certainly not worth this show. Eventually he was able to compose himself and on doing so threw his arms around me in one of his infamous bear hugs.

"I thank you cousin I needed some amusement, you can always be relied upon to improve my mood"

"You're welcome," I said struggling to breathe "but could you release me just before I die, else your poor suffering wife might have to deal with your moods." He chuckled and obediently he released me. Upon meeting my eyes however he grew immediately serious and sorrowful.

"And to think" he murmured gazing at me "that soon we are to lose you forever" I had no need to put the obvious question to him for my quizzical gaze told him all and if anyone could read my face, then it was the man that stood before me. He made no reply but instead turned to enter the room.

"Cousin you have a great decision to make" he said.

AN - next chapter a little about the present and a lottle about the past.