The sun peeked into the tent of Achilles. He sat in the corner of the tent, gazing at Briseis's sleeping form in his bed. Her chest rose and fell evenly with her breaths. This was probably the first night she had slept decently since she left his tent for Troy. He did not want to disturb her, so he simply watched her sleep for a while. In his mind he deeply questioned why the gods had sent her to him. After all, he was a warrior and she was a priestess.

How can I love her so much? She's a Trojan and I'm a Greek. She challenges me, both physically and mentally. Our temperaments are much alike, both stubborn and proud, though neither of us will admit it. She doesn't know that I really love her, yet she still came back. She came back, risking her life to be with me. That makes her braver than me in many respects. How can she love a monster like me, who has killed her own family though? It makes no sense why she would come back. Perhaps she is spying for the Trojans. No…she curled up right next to me like always. How could I even be thinking that? Maybe she really does love me.

Achilles hated thinking too much on these things. It made him feel weak and not like the great warrior he is. Still, the thought tormented him to not know why she would come back to him. As he contemplated these things, Briseis continued to sleep peacefully on his bed.

After almost an hour passed, he slipped back into the bed next to Briseis. She stirred and opened her eyes to him. A gentle smile passed her lips. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead.

"I couldn't stay there," she said. "Knowing everything that had passed between us."

"What will your family do?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. My cousin, Helen, knows that I was leaving. I could not face my cousin, Andromache, nor her little son," she said with a heavy heart.

Achilles said nothing in reply for he did not know how to reply to her heartfelt statement about her family. He knew that he had killed Andromache's husband and father to her son.

"I want you to know that I could not face her because I love the man who killed my cousin, her husband," Briseis confessed.

"How could you love someone who killed your own family?" Achilles asked, not understanding her confession.

"The gods know better. We cannot help who we fall in love with, even if it means rejecting everything we were raised with to be with that person," she explained, looking into his pristine blue eyes.

"Even if that person is a ruthless killer?" he asked in reply.

"That is not the man I know you to be. You are kind, wise, and far gentler than you let others know. That is the man that I fell in love with, the one who saved me and taught me that the gods envy us. He is the one I want to be with," she answered.

"Then I must tell you that there is a warrior who fell in love with a virgin priestess who has taught him that there is more to life than simply fighting and killing," he said, smiling and gazing into her amber eyes. "This warrior was wanting to know if that priestess would take him as her husband."

Briseis's eyes widened with surprise. Tears began to flow freely from her eyes as she nodded and fell into his arms. Achilles held her close. She could hear his heartbeat in her ear as she nuzzled against his bare chest. Her fear dissipated in that moment for she knew that he wanted to be with her always.

"I, Achilles, take you Briseis as my wife before the gods as our witnesses and I promise to love you always and never leave or hurt you. You are my match in every way. I cannot fathom life without you now. Every man shall know that you are mine and mine alone," he said.

"And I, Briseis, take you Achilles to be my husband before the gods as our witnesses. I promise to love you always and be there for you. When I was captured, I begged the gods to answer me why I was taken from my home when I was a priestess for Apollo. Now, I know why. It led me to you. You have taught me to love with a passion. I love you," she replied.

It did not matter to them that no one saw their wedding because all that mattered to them was that the gods knew. Briseis knew that by marrying Achilles, she would never see her family again. Even though it pained her heart, she knew that it was for the best that it happened this way. Her family would never understand how much she truly loved him. All they would see is the fact that he killed Hector, their beloved son, husband, father, brother, and prince. When she did go back to Troy after his death, it was as if the entire kingdom pitied her because they knew she was found in Achilles's tent. Not once did they ask her what really happened, they just assumed she was raped. When they would find her gone, they would assume she committed suicide because she was no longer a virgin. Briseis didn't care what they would think.

Achilles planted kisses softly on her forehead and moved down the side of her cheek until he reached her lips. When he reached her lips, he kissed them gently, but she kissed back with a fierce passion. It was as if she had not kissed him in a lifetime instead of the few weeks she had been gone. Sensing this passion, Achilles responded by pulling her closer. She laid back on the bed, her lips still locked with his. In a matter of moments, she became his and he became hers forever.

Briseis woke up, her vision slightly blurry for a moment. When it came into focus again, she gazed at Achilles, still sleeping beside her. His bare chest rising and falling with every breath he took. There was a sense of peace about him as he slept and Briseis did not want to disturb him, so she just gazed happily at him. Moments later he opened his eyes and she smiled at him. She was lying flat on her stomach with the sheet wrapped around her. Achilles reached over and rubbed the small of her back. His touch was heaven to her. She leaned her head over to his shoulder and cuddled next to him. Instantly, he wrapped his arm around her and rested his hand on her bare shoulder, which felt like silk to his calloused hands worn from years of war. No matter the condition of his hands, Briseis melted at his touch. His bronze, warm skin was inviting and comforting to her as she lay on his shoulder.

"I'm sure the men will wonder where I am soon," he said.

"Will they come looking for you?" she asked innocently.

"Most likely, but they know not to disturb my tent unless it is Eudorus. I shall not have anyone interrupting us right now, so you need not worry," he replied.

Briseis sighed contently. As far as she was concerned, she could lie wrapped in his embrace forever. A sea of dreams washed over her as her eyes drifted shut and she fell back into a tranquil sleep. Achilles held her close and let her sleep on his shoulder, her dark curls cascading around her angelic face, a face that even the gods would envy. He reached over with his other hand and stroked her cheek as she slept and kissed her forehead before drifting into sleep himself. Little did either of them know that their troubles were just beginning.

A/N: Wow, I had an overwhelming response to the first chapter. Nearly 10 reviews alone! Thank you guys so much. Here's another chapter. I hope this one is a little more elaborate than the first. I'm working on it. Let me know what you think.