Chapter 5: Achilles:

"LEO," yelled Piper and Paige. A few seconds later, Leo orbed in.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Well," said Paige stammering.

"Oh," said Piper. "Go ahead Paige. Tell him. After all, you're the one who urged her to do it."

"Phoebe found a spell to unmask a dream, I think Grams switched the pages, and we, uh I urged Pearl to do it. Sorry, Piper. I'll listen to you next time." Leo blinked a few times.

"A spell to unmask a dream," he repeated. "None of your family would ever resort to that spell. It's very dangerous and risky. There's no way any one of your ancestors especially Penny would flip to that page."

"Why is it so risky?" asked Paige.

"I think it's pretty obvious," said Piper. She turned back to her husband. "Honey, can you check with the Elders about where Pearl is. The spell sent her somewhere. We think it's the Trojan War, but please, prove us wrong."

"Sure," said Leo as he orbed out to find his cousin.

"Call Phoebe," commanded Piper. "We're gonna need the Power of Three." Paige ran into the living room to call her older sister while Piper tried to call Cole.

"Cole," she yelled. "Can you hear me?"

A few minutes later, Cole teleported into the attic.

"Did you find anything?" asked Piper. Cole sighed.

"No," he said. "Whatever caused those dreams was not a demon."

"Yeah," said Piper. "Well, we've got bigger problems. Pearl cast a spell to unmask a dream and it sent her somewhere." Paige came up to the attic then.

"I thought I heard-" she stopped when she noticed Cole. "Oh, it's you."

"Wait," said Cole. "A spell to unmask a dream, that's a really risky spell. It either sends the user to the place of their dream or it brings the dream to reality. You let Pearl use it."

"Yes," said Piper. "Actually, Paige convinced Pearl to use it. I was against it."

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" asked Paige aggravated.

"Until we find her," said Piper. Cole sighed.

"It's really hard to find someone when they've been sent through a spell like that. It requires a witch and a demon working together."

"So one of us is going to work with you?" asked Paige. Cole nodded.

"It also requires the Power of Three."

"I called Phoebe," said Paige. "She's on her way, so we'll have the Power of Three. I'm going to call Blanche to ask some questions and tell her we accidentally transported her daughter somewhere."

"Phone's downstairs," said Piper motioning to the stairs. Paige ran out of the attic to make another call.

Downstairs, Paige dialed the telephone.

"Devereux residence," sang Blanche's voice over the other end of the line.

"Hi, Blanche," said Paige.

"Hi, sweetie. How are you? What did Pearl do?"

"Fine," laughed Paige. "She was accidentally transported somewhere. We think it's the Trojan War, but we're not sure." Her voice turned serious. "We're going to get her back."

"Please," said Blanche. "Bring my granddaughter home." Blanche then laughed a little. "She might mess up the past. We wouldn't want that to happen."

Paige laughed too. "I gotta go," she said. "Bye. Don't worry."

"Good luck," said Blanche before hanging up. Paige sighed before walking back upstairs.

"I'll go check out how to reverse it," said Cole before teleporting out.

Phoebe came rushing into the attic then.

"Was that Cole I just heard?" she asked. Piper nodded.

"He's going to help us," said Piper. Phoebe sighed. She hated Cole ever since he tried to turn her evil.

"Fine," she said. "But don't expect me to not try and stab him."

"We know," said Paige rolling her eyes. Phoebe put her hands on her hips.

"You let her cast the spell without the Power of Three," she sighed again.

"Yeah," said Paige. "My fault."

"Okay," said Phoebe walking over to the Book of Shadows. It contained all of their family's history as well as demons and supernatural creatures' information. She started flipping through the pages.

"What am I supposed to look under?" asked Phoebe as Piper and Paige walked to stand next to her.

"Try Trojan War," said Paige.

"Or Achilles," said Piper. She was remembering Pearl's words. I was looking for Achilles, Pearl had said that. "She had a premonition. And in this premonition, she was looking for Achilles."

Phoebe started flipping through the Book faster. She flipped very fast until she stopped on a spell.

"A time travel spell," she said. "Like the one we used when Nicholas was attacking us."

"Who?" Paige asked.

"Warlock, tried to kill us and Prue. Long story," said Piper. She turned back to Phoebe. "The spell to unbind a bond?"

"Yup," said Phoebe. She turned to her sisters. "One of us should cast it if absolutely necessary. We don't want to risk getting stuck in time."

"Or altering it," said Piper. Her sisters nodded. Cole then shimmered in.

"What did you find?" asked Paige.

"Well," said Cole. "The only known way to reverse this spell is for a witch to go back in time to retrieve the traveller."

"So we are definitely casting that spell," said Phoebe.

"And you need the blood of a demon," said Cole.

"We'll use yours," said Paige. "Even though it is acidic."

"And it has to be cast during a full moon," Cole finished his sentence.

"What?" exploded Piper. "What do you mean it has to be cast during the full moon? The next one isn't for like fourteen days. There's gotta be another way." Piper looked up to the ceiling and yelled. "Leo!"

Leo orbed in in a shower of bright white lights.

"What did you find out?" asked Phoebe. Leo looked nervous. "Well, how do we get Pearl back?"

"The Elders said the same thing Cole told you," said Leo.

"What?" yelled Piper. "We are not waiting two weeks to get Pearl back. There has to be another way."

"I'm sorry, Piper," said Leo. "There is no other way. Pearl is on her own. She was sent to the time of Achilles and unless she figures out a way to send herself back, she's stuck in that time."

"Blanche is going to kill us," said Paige. They all nodded.

Achilles stepped into Agamemnon's tent. As soon as he saw him, Agamemnon ordered everyone to leave. Odysseus came up to Achilles and smiled.

"War is young men dying," he said. "And old men talking. You know this. Ignore the politics." Achilles smiled and stepped forward. He walked towards Agamemnon's throne and smiled.

"Apparently you won some great victory," Achilles said walking around the tent.

"Well," said Agamemnon. "Perhaps you didn't notice the Trojan beach belonged to Priam in the morning. It belongs to Agamemnon in the afternoon."

"Take the beach. We didn't come her for sand."

"No, you came here because you want your name to last through the ages. A great victory was won today, but it is not yours. Kings did not kneel to Achilles. Kings did not pay homage to Achilles." Agamemnon spat.

"Perhaps the kings were too far behind to see that the soldiers won the battle," said Achilles calmly.

"History remembers king," yelled Agamemnon. He got up from his seat and stalked towards Achilles. "Not soldiers. Tomorrow we'll batter down the gates of Troy. I'll build monuments of victory on every island of Greece. I'll carve Agamemnon in the stone."

"Be careful king of kings," warned Achilles. "First you need the victory."

Agamemnon walked towards Achilles carefully. He did not want Achilles to kill him.

"Your men sacked the temple of Apollo, yes?" Agamemnon asked.

"You want gold," said Achilles. "Take it. It is my gift to honor your courage. Take what you wish."

Agamemnon smiled mischievously. "I already have." He yelled out. "Apharius, Henon."

Two soldiers came in dragging a struggling Pearl. She was bruised in multiple places and had a cut on top of her left eye and had a split lip. Achilles' blood ran cold when saw her. He vowed to kill and torture the soldiers that did that to her.

"The spoils of war," said Agamemnon grinning. Achilles glared at Agamemnon.

"No argument with you Agamemnon, but if you don't release her, you'll never see home again. Decide." Achilles spat at him.

"Guards," yelled Agamemnon. A few guards came running in and Achilles took out his sword getting into a battle stance. They were about to battle when Pearl called out.

"Stop," she yelled. "Don't fight." She looked into Achilles eyes. Achilles looked back into her eyes and put his sword away.

"Mighty Achilles," taunted Agamemnon. "Silenced by a slave girl." He knew that he could use this girl to get to Achilles. "I'll have her scrub my floor, and wash my laundry. At night, I'll have her put through every torture I can think of. And then, who knows."

"You sack of wine," yelled Achilles holding out his sword nearing the exit. "Before my time is done, I will look down on your corpse and smile." He left the tent giving one last, longing glance at Pearl.

Pearl struggled against the chains the soldiers had put her in.

Great, she thought. Just great. I need to protect Achilles and here I am chained. There's gotta be a way out of here. I mean I've been a witch for eighteen years ever since I was four. I've been vanquishing demons since I was ten. There has to be a way out of here.

She focused hoping her telekinesis would come back, but nothing happened.

"Great," yelled Pearl. She looked at the entrance to the tent. "Can I at least get some water? Hello?" she called out.

"Shut up," came the response of a soldier.

Pearl started struggling again, but the chains were too tight.

The way he stood up for me was kinda nice. He seems kinda nice too. I need to get out of here and protect him which should be hard considering I don't have any active powers. I can't go around muttering and blasting spells in people's faces. That could get pretty messy. I wonder if the Elders exist. They must, but I can't exactly contact them. What do I say? 'Hi, I'm the ghost of witch future.' Smooth.

I could try a spell to untie me and stun the guards. Too bad there are like a gazillion guards out there. Someone is bound to notice. I wish I knew there plans.

Pearl started struggling again when she felt a tinge go through her.

I know this feeling, she thought. She gasped. It was a vision trying to break through some kind of barrier that kept pushing it down. Suddenly without any warning, Pearl was knocked into a vision.

A group of men were gathered together in a room. It looked like a megaron.

The vision quickly changed.

"Father," said a young man. He was sitting next to an old person that looked like the king. "I love Helen the same way you love Troy. I will fight for her."

The Vision changes.

"Menelaus will kill him," said a young, blonde woman.

Vision changes

"He won't come after us," said Paris assuring his love.

"You don't know him," argued the blonde. "He'll burn your houses out of spite."

Vision changes.

Two men are fighting. The older one seems to have the upper hand. Suddenly, the older man cuts the younger man's knee and it starts bleeding. He raises his sword, about to strike him-

Pearl gasps as the vision ended. She looked around the tent trying to figure it out.

"What the heck was that?" she asked herself. "My powers don't work." Then she remembered a myth.

The myth of Cassandra, a god was in love with a woman named Cassandra, so he gave her the gift to hear the future. When she didn't return the god's love, he cursed her, so that no one believed her visions.

"So visions do exist," said Pearl to herself.

I need to get inside the Trojan castle. Something tells me that's where part of my vision takes place. But the vision didn't make any sense. I mean it was all clips. There has to be something more. If I could only get inside the castle, I could talk to Briseis. She's a priestess the only thing here that's close to being a witch. Maybe she can help me get back home.

Pearl struggled again and again.

"Of all of my powers that could work here, it had to be the visions," she muttered to herself. "Man, I wish I could get inside the Trojan castle."

Without any warning, she felt a tinge go through her. Suddenly, she was inside the Trojan castle. She hid behind a wall before any guards could notice her.

Whoa, did I just astral project? I think I did. That was amazing. But how did I do it? Okay I'll come up with an answer to that later. First, I need to find Briseis.

Once the guards left, she got up from her hiding place and ran throughout the castle. She looked and saw a woman with brunette hair walking past her. It was Briseis.

Pearl ran over and pulled Briseis through one of the doors. Thank god it was an empty bedroom.

Briseis was struggling against her grip. Pearl shut the door and let Briseis go.

"It's me," Pearl told her. Briseis visibly relaxed.

"What are you doing here?" asked Briseis. "How did you get in here?"

"No time for explanations," said Pearl. "I need you to tell me if there's something happening tomorrow."

"Paris is going to fight Menelaus," said Briseis.

"What?" whisper-yelled Pearl. "He'll die. I saw it. This can't be happening."

"You saw it," Briseis repeated. "Can you see the future?"

"Yes," said Pearl. "You have to stop him. He can't die. It will change history."

"What am I supposed to do," said Briseis. "We've all tried to stop him. He won't change his mind. He wants to fight for Helen."

"Incidentally, is Helen a blonde?" asked Pearl.

"A what?" asked Briseis.

"Blonde. You know yellow hair," said Pearl.

"Oh, yes," answered Briseis.

"Good," said Pearl. "Now I know a few people." She then remembered her original mission. "Can you help me get back to my time?"

"How?" asked Briseis.

"I don't know," said Pearl. "Talk to the gods or whatever you do. There's gotta be some way."

"The temple," said Briseis. "There are some carvings there. One of them must be a way to get you back. But first, we have to find a way to cover you a little bit." Briseis opened one of the closet doors and pulled a black cape out. Pearl put the cape on and used the hood to cover her head.

"I hope this works," said Pearl to herself.

The two, young women snuck out of the room. Briseis led the way to the temple. Luckily, the temple was close, so they only got there in a few minutes. They entered through the door and Pearl shut them behind her tightly.

Briseis went towards the carvings and started reading them. Pearl started looking around the temple. It had a statue of the god Apollo, carvings, and it was built on a garden. Briseis put her hand on one of the carvings.

"I've found something," she called out to Pearl who came rushing over.

"What did you find?" she asked. Scanning the carving, she looked at all the ruins on it. "What does this mean?"

"There is a way to get back to your own time," said Briseis. "But, the spell must be cast on a full moon. The next full moon is in fourteen days."

"Fourteen days," yelled Pearl. "I'm stuck here for fourteen days?" Briseis nodded. "I have to get this message to my cousins."

"How are you going to do that?" asked Briseis. Pearl thought of the time projection spell.

"There's a time projection spell," said Pearl. "If I cast it with you, it should give us enough power to project into the future for a few minutes, long enough for me to warn my cousins."

"Will it work?" asked Briseis.

"Only one way to find out," said Pearl holding out her hand. Briseis took it. "Repeat after me."

The bond which was not to be done,

Give us the power to see it undone,

And move time forward,

For thee we shun.

They repeated the spell three times and suddenly Pearl found herself standing in the middle of Halliwell Attic. Briseis appeared next to her.

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige looked up to see the newcomer.

"Pearl," they said. Paige moved to hug her, but she fell right through.

"Guess we're corporeal," said Pearl. Paige got up.

"Listen," said Pearl. "I don't have a lot of time. Briseis," she motioned her hand. "And I found out that I can only return in fourteen days-"

"During the full moon," finished Piper. "We know. Demons, Elders, they all say the same thing. During the full moon, one of us is going to be sent to get you back. Then we cast the spell to transport both of you back."

"That's what we found out too," said Pearl. Briseis was too busy looking around the Manor.

"This place is incredible," she whispered to herself.

"We have to go," said Pearl. She felt herself disappear and reappear in the temple of Apollo. Briseis appeared next to her.

"That was a very interesting few minutes," said Briseis. Pearl nodded. She looked and saw the sun rising.

"Sun rise," she said. Briseis looked and gasped. "I have to get back and you have to warn Paris. He can't fight." Briseis nodded.

Pearl felt herself disappear. She closed her eyes and disappeared in a red light. Opening her eyes, she saw herself back in the tent.

"Okay," she said to herself. "Time for Plan A, breakout and watch the fight." Focusing her mind, Pearl tried to remember a spell to untie her.

"Got it," she said.

Rope untie,

For the battle to lie.

The chains fell off from around her and she got up running out of the tent. There were no guards around, so she was safe.

"Okay," said Pearl. "First, I gotta get my bermuda shorts and stuff. A spell. Let's see."

Transport me.

To where I wish to be.

Pearl looked around and her surroundings began to change. She was now standing in front of the rock, where she hid her bag. Pearl got her bag and changed into her clothes. She looked at what was supposed to be her costume for the Halloween ball. It was ripped and torn in various places. It was also caked with dirt and blood.

"Oh well," she said. "There's always next year." She slung her back pack over her shoulder and went into the temple.

Opening her bag, Pearl took her sunglasses and hat out. She pulled her hair up and tucked it all into the hat. Next she put her sun glasses on.

I hope no one recognizes me, she thought. Who am I kidding? She took off her sunglasses and hat and put them back in her bag and buried it in the sand again.

Pearl cast a quick spell which took her to the battle area. She looked and saw Menelaus fight Paris. She crouched behind a boulder and squinted to see well. The Myrmidons were standing watching. Achilles was standing on a boulder above the others.

Menelaus cut Paris' leg and it started bleeding. He was about to stab him when Paris ran to his brother, Hector's feet. She could hear them shouting.

"I'll kill him," yelled Menelaus. "I swear I'll kill him at your feet Prince. I don't care."

"He's my brother," said Hector. Menelaus was about to stab Paris when Hector beat him. He took out his sword and stabbed Menelaus killing him. Pearl gasped and covered her eyes. The scene was awful.

The Greeks then charged at the Trojans. Pearl saw Hector take Paris inside the city gates.

"That's a relief," she muttered. The fighting started. Pearl watched in fear for both sides. She could see the bloody scenes, the soldiers fighting, obviously Troy was winning, but, most of all, she could see Helen sitting with the king and princesses. Briseis was sitting on the very far edge to the point that if she turned her head she could see Pearl.

Turning her head, Briseis could see a blonde and female head away from the crowds of fighting. She gasped. It was her, Pearl. The others were too busy watching the war to notice Briseis shock. Briseis reasoned why Pearl would be here of all places in the midst of a battle no less. Briseis than remembered her promise to her saying that she would try and stop Paris from fighting Menelaus. Her mind raced back to the events of her trying to stop Paris from going out into the battle field. It was unsuccessful, but he was safe and the healers were tending to him and with Pearl watching, she felt a sense of calm wash over her.

Helen turned and saw Briseis smiling slightly.

"Briseis," she questioned. "Why are you smiling?" Briseis snapped her head and smiled warmly.

"I just have hope," she said. The others turned to her, but she ignored them.

Pearl turned around and saw a stray arrow heading in Achilles direction.

"No," she screamed as she pushed herself forward. She was close to Achilles, but a flying arrow was much faster. It was coming at him from the back at full speed. He wouldn't sense it until the aforementioned pierced his neck. She propelled her legs to move faster and, in a rush of adrenaline, pushed him out of the way taking the blow herself. The arrow penetrated her shoulder and she screamed in pain as she fell to the ground with Achilles.

"Pearl," Achilles gasped. "What…" He stopped as soon as he saw the arrow sticking out of her shoulder. "Pearl," he said more urgently. "Pearl, are you all right?" Pearl cried in pain as he removed the arrow covered in her blood. He scooped her carefully in his arms despite her cries and carried her back to the camp.

On the way there, he whispered soothing words and apologies as well as thanking her.

The camp was deserted and completely empty. All of the soldiers were at the battle ground. Achilles entered his tent and laid Pearl cautiously on his bed. He moved the top of her shirt enough to expose her wound. The arrow left a big wound with a lot of blood seeping through the injury. Pearl was crying silent tears. He saw this and stroked her face lovingly. Achilles got up and quickly took a bowl with water and a cloth off of his table. He wet the cloth and started dabbing it on her wound. She writhed in soreness, but settled after the cold water numbed the pain. Achilles smiled at this and wrapped a clean cloth around her upper body covering her injury. Pearl looked up at him with weak eyes.

"What…" He pressed his hand to her mouth silencing her.

"Don't talk," he said. "Save your strength." She nodded faintly against his hand. He placed all of the pillows in his tent behind her and helped her lean against them. "Thank you," he said. She looked straight into his eyes. They were both shocked as emerald green met sky blue. Pearl broke the silence.

"For what?" she asked. He smiled slightly.

"For saving me," he said. "You did a very brave, reckless, and idiotic thing. For what you did, I am forever in your debt." Pearl smiled and leaned back into the pillows. Surprisingly, Achilles was a gentleman. He was the opposite of what she expected. She had expected a hollow man with no feelings for others or anything. History had pictured him wrong entirely.

"Thank you for helping me," said Pearl.

"I have a question," he said. Pearl looked at him waiting for it. "Why are you dressed so?"

"What?" asked Pearl looking down. She noticed that she was still in her jeans, shirt, and shoes. She groaned. Oh, man. Now I have to tell him.

"I'm not from here," she said. Achilles leaned forward.

"Then where are you from?" he asked not giving up.

"I'm…" she forced herself to say it. "I'm from the future." She closed her eyes waiting for him to strike her, shout at her, or insult her. But nothing happened. She slowly opened her eyes painfully since her shoulder wound had started to hurt her again. Achilles was leaning closer to her.

"Is that how you seemed to appear everywhere and know everything?" he asked. She nodded. "Is that how you saved me?" She smiled a little.

"No," she said. "That was your luck. I was there to make sure that Paris doesn't die. You just happened to be near me and I couldn't let you die."

"You are a very courageous person," he said smiling. "How did you get here?" Pearl thought about it and in a split second decided to tell him.

"I'm a witch," she said breathlessly. Achilles stared at her for a minute before replying.

"I beg your?" he said. From where he came from witches were considered demons and were tortured, maimed, and killed.

"I am a witch," she repeated. "I have these abilities, but they don't work here since I'm in the past. I can still cast spells here and create potions. I haven't tried the potion thing yet, but I'm sure I can. Only two of my abilities work, seeing the future and being in two places at once."

"But," said Achilles slightly out of breath at her explanation. "Witches are well-thought-out to be evil beings. They are killed. How is that?"

"Not all are evil," she answered carefully. "My family and I aren't. We are good witches, considered protectors. We protect humans from evil witches, demons and everything that comes to your mind. Most witches are what you say, but not all. Those witches have violated the one Wiccan rule to not harm an innocent. Most just want to escape the personal gain rule."

"Personal gain?" asked Achilles.

"It means using your powers to benefit yourself," explained Pearl. "A witch can't use her powers to make money for example, build a house; all of these are personal gain. We can only use our powers to help innocents, although, this hasn't stopped my cousins from trying and suffering the consequences later on." She told him laughing lightly, momentarily forgetting the pain. Achilles smiled at her. She had a powerful vibe around her and something told him that the land where she came from was entirely different from this one.

"Which time period are you from?" he asked. Pearl smiled.

"About 3,200 years in the future," she answered. Achilles' breathing hitched. "Yeah," she said. "It's a lot to take in." Achilles nodded. Pearl then remembered his words. Witches are killed.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked quietly. Achilles head snapped to gaze into hers.

"No," he said taking her hand. "I would never kill you or hurt you. You are the kindest, purest soul I have ever met. I believe everything you said. You risked your life to save people, to save me." Pearl looked into his blue eyes. They were smoldering.

"Thank you," she said honestly. He smiled up at her.

"No, thank you," Achilles leaned in and so did she. Just as their lips were about to meet, a ruckus was heard from the outside.

"The soldiers," said Achilles getting up. Pearl was about to get to get up when a searing pain shot through her. Achilles pushed her down slightly. He shook his head and threw her a blanket. She looked at it weirdly, but he indicated her clothes. Pearl carefully moved the blanket to cover her.

"My Lord," said Eudorus coming into the tent. He looked around and saw Achilles sitting casually on his bed and Pearl in a sitting position on the floor looking tired and bruised. A blanket draped over her. Achilles turned to Eudorus.

"Yes?" asked Achilles. Eudorus paused before continuing.

"The Myrmidons are all questioning why you ran off in the midst of the war," he said.

"I had some business to tend to," he nodded in Pearl's direction, who was faking sleep. Eudorus looked inquisitively in her direction.

"I thought King Agamemnon took her?" he questioned. Achilles smiled.

"He takes what is his; I take what is mine." Eudorus bowed his head and exited the tent. Pearl looked up. "Sneaky little girl, aren't you?" asked Achilles smiling slightly. Pearl turned her head shyly.

"You need to be sneaky to do what I do," she murmured loud enough for him to hear. He chuckled slightly and moved towards her. He picked her off the floor and laid her down on the bed. Just as she was about to turn her head and lay down, Achilles bent down and his lips met hers.