To OrliNKeira: There isn't a real Achilles and Briseis sequel; all of my stories are told from 6 points of view. :-)
Disclaimer: Aye. The quote is from this one band (who I have never heard of), but I thought that it would fit the mood.
Reviews REVIEW: Thanx for all of you GREAT reviews!!!! Keep 'em coming!!!!!!
Chapter Note/Summary: This chapter first begins with Hector's opinion from the battle-field. This is also the first chapter where I have a Hector dream sequence, which I end this chapter with. Then, it goes back to Briseis, who has woken from her dream sequence. She meets Andromache, and listens to her idea, and the two go to the walls and see Achilles' reaction. The story then goes to Achilles' PoV, then Andromache's, both really short, 'cause I didn't really want to focus on them in this chapter. Helen has been watching, and you get her first PoV of the story. Now, you get to see some character feeling change; now, she feels some resentment towards Briseis, and a little jealousy. I mean, come on, wouldn't Diane Kruger think that Brad is hott like the rest of us??? (Actually, I think that she said that both Brad and Eric were hot… I do agree). Obviously, it is Achilles saying the quote.
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Tugging my Heart Out
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Oh, she left her kiss upon my lips
But left that break within my heart
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?"-Have You Seen Her?
Chi-Lites
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The Greeks had never been this ferocious. They were lions, all of them, and their king, not Agamemnon; Achilles. The sun flashed off of his armour, blinding men, it seemed. The crest on his helmet bobbed up and down vigorously. He was hewing Trojan heads with ease, cutting their necks like dandelion stems.
This man was born to kill.
Last night, I had shown Andromache the secret way out of Troy. I was sure that Achilles would have ridden to the gates of Troy this morning, and demand that I meet him in single combat. If I would have fought with him, I would have died. If I died, Troy would die.
"All of my life I have lived by a code, and the code is simple: honor the gods, love your woman and defend your country. Troy is mother to us all. Fight for her!"
I remembered what I had said to the lords and priests of the city two days ago. "They under-estimated us; lets not return the favour."
But I had obeyed the orders of my father, my king. And so I had killed the man who was Achilles' cousin… but he was not a man, he was only a boy. So young. With all of his life spread out before his feet. When Paris was this old, I had protected him with my life. I knew that Achilles would have protected Patroclus, if he had been there.
Some men said that Achilles was in love with Patroclus. But I knew the truth. He love Patroclus, yes, but he loved him as I loved Paris. If a man killed Paris, I would have killed that man. So I expected the same.
But there was no Achilles at the gates this morning.
Now, I could see him. I expected to see him charging towards me. I expected to see a spear protruding from my chest. There was protruding spear; there was no golden son of Peleus charging towards me. He was not even looking in my direction.
Suddenly, I saw his head turn up. I could almost see the grief on his face emerge. Some kind of regret. Is he remembering Patroclus? But there was something strange about his look. He seemed to be looking at someone. I retreated a bit into the Trojan lines, and looked up behind me.
Wind whipping through brown locks. A soft, green robe with gold trimming. A necklace with seashells.
Oh! Zeus, it is Briseis his is staring at! Why…? Good lord, I know now…
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And then, I woke up. I was sweating. I was panting. There was a weight on my chest, pulling my heart by an invisible string. Achilles! I wanted him, right now, here.
I noticed the coverlets were blue. The blue like his eyes. Ai! how can I live like this?
In the hallway, the soft pitter-patter of footsteps echoed outside my door. Then a knock.
"Briseis?" asked an un-sure voice. Andromache.
"Come in."
She sat down on the edge of my bed. "How are you? Did you sleep well?"
"Yes. I had some dreams, but… I slept well."
"Briseis, I- I need a favour."
"And…" It has something to do with Achilles. I know it.
"Would you come to the walls with me? I-"
"Achilles is out there fighting, isn't he?"
"Yes."
"I'll come." I need to see him. I must.
As I passed in the halls, others moved aside. Servants, ladies… they looked at me with pity. Don't feel sorry for me. Feel sorry for him. Feel sorry for us.
Andromache led me by the hand to the wall, and when we got there people parted again. The cobblestones were cold beneath by feet. The wind was cold. Even the sun felt cold. Then, as I swept my eyes over the scene, I saw a shaft of sunlight. He was fighting, he was killing my brothers. He was more handsome than he had ever been., though it seemed to me as if there were lines on his forehead and under his eyes which had never been there. For Patroclus. For me? I hoped it was for me, also. I wanted him to miss me.
As if he could feel my presence, he looked up. The string tugged my heart out.
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A string was tugging at my heart, all the day before, all night. I could not sleep. I could not eat. I could not breathe. I could not live. Without Patroclus, I felt dead. But without Briseis, I was dead.
Even as I cut down men, I was dead. The string was tugging. When I saw her sweet face, those strands of dark hair swirling around her face, my heart popped out. I could smell her. I could feel her.
Briseis, why did you leave? Why did I make you leave? Why can't everything be the way it was?
"Men are wretched things." I had said that once. I still believed it to be correct.
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I saw the expression one her face and his. It was surprise. Regret. Love. I loved Hector. I knew how to love. I understood why they loved. I was sure that Hector would understand. But would Troy understand? Would they hate her like they hated him?
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How could she? How could she betray me like this? How could she betray Troy? I did not understand. She said she loved me, her country, Paris. But how could she love him? That dreaded cursed son of a sea-nymph and a warrior king. But then they were all warriors, weren't they? Even Agamemnon fought.
Paris war still nursing his wounded pride. I loved him dearly. But he was still a little ashamed of himself. I was a little ashamed of him, also. All of Troy was ashamed. But they were proud of Hector. We needed Hector. And when he had returned from the morning raid, he broke the news.
"Patroclus." One word. It seemed so simple. "Patroclus." But it meant doom. It meant death for him and for Troy.
There are many words in the world. Love. That is one word. Honour. Passion. Loyalty. They are all words, yet they hold so much meaning. Immortality. That is a word also. Immortality is what Achilles wants. He doesn't want to only be the conqueror of Troy; he wants to be the one who kills Hector, prince of Troy. Husband. Father. Brother.
Why do the Gods curse us? Why do they give us happiness, only for it to be a curse?
I must say that when I was young, when my parents were still hunting for a husband, I had been told of all of the great Greek heroes. There voices seemed to drone on and on forever… then my father spoke of Achilles.
"The greatest warrior the world has ever seen… the world will ever see."
Being a princess of an important city, I knew of all the rumours of his looks, his skills, his past. All the girls giggled about him. Gossiped about him. And who to fall in love but Briseis. The priestess. The girl who swore to be a virgin.
I saw the way they looked at each other. Achilles' lover. The lover of an enemy.
I hate her.
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