APOLOGY AT THE END
Chapter 7: Fighting
~Achilles' P.O.V~
I sat in my tent, shoving food into my mouth angrily as I planned ways to brutally kill Agamemnon as well as ways to get Arianna back. "My lord," Eudorus said, coming into my tent with Patroclus, dressed in their armor. "My lord, the army is marching."
"Let them march. We stay," I replied, not turning to look at the two. "But the men are ready," he persisted. "We stay till Agamemnon groans to have Achilles back!" I growled angrily, finally turning to face them, noticing my cousin's guilty look.
"As you wish," Eudorus sighed, looking once at Patroclus before leaving. I threw the rest of the wine in my goblet into the fire, making it hiss as my cousin waited for me to speak.
"Are you ready to fight?" I finally asked him. "Are you ready to kill? To take life?" "I am," Patroclus replied with a small nod. I frowned and looked down at the sandy beach floor sadly.
"At night, I see their faces. All the men I've killed. They're standing there on the far bank of the River Styx. They're waiting for me," I admitted, looking up at him. He shifted under my stare uncomfortably. "They say, 'Welcome, brother'." I took a drink of wine, freshly poured, and stared blankly at the wall, thinking of the dreams, nightmares.
"We men are wretched things. Arianna, her presence made those dreams go away. Now she is gone," I spoke wistfully then snapped out of it, setting my wine glass down while speaking. "I taught you how to fight, but I never taught you why to fight."
"I fight for you," he interrupted confidently. I turned to watch him sternly. "Who will you fight for when I'm gone?" I asked and he looked away. I sighed soundlessly and continued, "Soldiers, they fight for kings they've never met. They do what they're told, die when they're told to die."
"Soldiers obey," Patroclus said with a set jaw. I sighed again, knowing none of my words had gotten through to him. "Don't waste your life following some fool's orders. Go," I said, waving him off and leaning back in my chair to drink more wine.
"I am sorry that I could not help her, cousin. I tried," Patroclus said sadly then walked out of the tent. I paused mid-sip and stared at his retreating figure, my mind instantly switching back to the train of thought I was trying to forget.
Arianna...
A/N: I AM SO SORRY EVERYONE! I meant to update EONS ago! But school and all this other CRAP has been getting into my way. (Anyone who read what I wrote before, I apologize for acting so rudely and I will update soon, I hope you try and forget about what I said and continue reading my story. Once again, I'm sorry and I wrote a review if you guys want to read it for a similar apology!)
