Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except for the ones I made up!
Warning: This chapter has more violence and language than the other chapters.
Chapter 10
Achilles was talking to Patroclus and Eudorus as he was heading back to camp. The air felt extremely still. Achilles didn't know what it was but he felt kind of eerie all day. Now, he felt slightly on edge.
Patroclus noticed this. He had known his cousin for too long to not know when something was upsetting him. He turned to him, "Are you alright Achilles?" he asked. Achilles broke away from his trance. "Yeah. It just feels strange. The air's too still-it's too quiet." Eudorus agreed. "It is too quiet."
Achilles tried to shake it off. He was probably just feeling paranoid. He had been anxious to see Adara all day. He was going to see her real quick before setting off to a quick meeting he was to have with his men later that evening. They were approaching his tent and Achilles stepped aside from his friends. "Hold on real quick. I just want to check on Adara real quick." He said walking into the tent.
Achilles looked around the tent but Adara was nowhere in sight. Their bed wasn't made. It was just a strange minor detail he now noticed. Adara either got up to make their bed before heading to the medical rooms or she made it right after coming back. She liked to keep things neat. Plus, she was usually back earlier.
Achilles left the tent and turned to Eudorus and Patroclus. "She's not in there." He said scratching his head. Eudorus thought. "I bet she's with one of the girls. You know how they like to gossip." Patroclus nodded reassuringly. "I agree with Eudorus. Sometimes she's with Karis or even Odysseus's healer.
Achilles hoped so. Karis' tent was only a bit away. He wanted to stop by there to make sure. On a normal day he wouldn't have read much into this. But he just had a weird feeling that something wasn't right. "I'm going to check with Karis real quick. You guys can go ahead of me." Patroclus shrugged. "It's alright. I want to see Karis." Achilles chuckled for the first time since they had gotten back. "You're still into her? Isn't she a little to old and…"he coughed "advanced for you?" Eudorus laughed at Achilles and Patroclus blushed. "No! She's only 2 years older. And…I can handle her." he said putting his head down all of the sudden feeling extremely young.
Achilles smirked slightly and rapped his knuckles on her tent so that she could hear him." Karis came out a few seconds later and she raised her eyebrow at the three men standing outside of her tent. "Achilles, Eudorus, Patroclus." She said smiling at them all, her eyes lingering on Patroclus. "Is there anything I can do for you?" Achilles spoke, "Yes. Have you seen Adara? Wasn't she was with you earlier?"
Karis nodded. "She was. But I left about an hour and a half ago. She wanted to stay around a bit longer." All of the sudden a look of horror swept over his face. "Why? Can you not find her?" she knew how crude men could be-especially in the camps farther away. Achilles shook his head. "No." he began to pace. Everyone could feel the tension and the worry on his face. They were worried too. Adara wasn't one for leaving or being mysterious. Where could she be?
Adara felt Haemon shudder in her ear as he pulled her hand on him tighter. His eyes rolled back and she jerked away from him as he came slumping on the floor. She felt so nauseated and dirty from touching him. She got up and reached for the tent flaps. She screamed "Achilles!!!!!" as loud as she could in panic as she felt his wrist grab her ankle tightly and fling her on the ground.
Haemon was furious and he held her arms down so roughly that bruises were forming. "Why do you keep calling him?" he growled. "After tonight, you'll be calling only my name." Adara squirmed, "No, no." she wailed tiredly. He leered at her and kissed her so forcefully she thought she would die. His large body covered hers. "Ah, you're mouth is so sweet." he said smirking and she wanted to punch the smirk off his face.
He pinned her to the ground and began to grope her breasts hardly. He moaned and bit her neck, spreading rough bites all over. She gasped in pain and he reached between her legs. Her eyes shot open in sheer panic. She squirmed under him, her arms moving numbly to fight him off and her lungs felt crushed. She tried to move her limbs but they felt like jelly as she swung tiredly. But she didn't care. She would die and fight to the end before he would ever enter her.
Achilles was pacing in deep thought when he heard an ear-piercing scream. It was a name, his name! He knew exactly who the owner of the voice was. He glanced quickly over to his friends. The panic shone in his eyes also reflected in their eyes. Without any words exchanged he turned and sprinted off in a flash.
Achilles' heart pounded as he ran faster than he had ever ran in his life. He heard the dull thud of his friend's footsteps farther back. His mind was moving a mile per minute. Where was she and was he too late?
In less than a minute he stopped to look around. His ears searched for any sign of movement or sound. He heard muffled whimpers and groans coming from a tent about ten yards farther. Without another notice he ran straight toward the tent and pulled back the flaps angrily.
What he saw made him growl in pure fury. A man was on Adara his hands were holding down her arms as she fought back tears streaming down her bloodied face. "Get the fuck off of her!" he screamed and the man jerked back angrily. The man's expression turned into terror as he recognized who had come to confront him. Achilles recognized the man. It was that bastard Haemon.
He pulled the man roughly to his feet while turning to Eudorus and Patroclus who had just entered the tent. "Get her out." He barked. His head was spinning and he had no time to be polite. Patroclus had known the aftermath of Achilles' anger. Right now he was furious. He helped cover Adara and Eudorus picked her up and they left the tent.
Achilles and Haemon faced each other. "Who the fuck do you think you are violating my woman?" he growled his blade pressed to the man's throat. The man looked frightened but he tried not to show it. "Your woman? She's as much mine as she is yours. She was to go to Agamemnon." Achilles punched him in the face so that his nose shattered, blood gushing everywhere. "So you're doing his bidding." He said between his teeth.
Haemon scowled at him. "Go ahead. Kill me. Just wait until Agamemnon hears." He said angrily. Achilles laughed at this. "Ah, you think Agamemnon's what I fear?" he scoffed. "No you and your little bastard of a king are nothing to me. But you are right about what you said. I am going to kill you. You can rest on that. You chose your path when you touched a single hair on her head."
Haemon pulled out his dagger and tried to swipe at Achilles. Achilles moved back reflexively and pinned the man to the wall. The man was big; he most likely had Achilles in the weight category. But he wasn't as strong nor did he have the furious adrenaline that was pumping in Achilles' veins.
"That's right. I want you to fight me, bitch. You had no problem fighting her. Well, I'm here and I'm your size. Man to man. Pick up your sword. Take a swipe at me." Achilles snarled. He was begging for a fight. He had no other want than to personally tear this man to pieces.
Haemon took a swing at him and Achilles blocked him right away. He spun around and sliced the man's tendons so that he fell on the ground. Haemon was breathing deeply in pain and Achilles stabbed him close to the heart. So close that it would hurt like hell but he wouldn't die immediately.
Achilles stared at him crouching on his eyelevel. "So now you know how it feels.
All of the pain you caused her you will feel now." He said as he stabbed him again in the side. "But you'll feel more of it in hell." He said dangerously quiet. Haemon gasped and shuddered before Achilles took one skilled slice across his neck, shutting his eyes forever.
Achilles looked down at the bloody, mangle of a mess that was now the man on the floor. He gasped harshly, his heart feeling like it would pound out of his chest.
It wasn't the death that bothered him. The man had it coming .It was just the series of events that had unraveled. He felt so bad for Adara. He looked in disgust at Haemon's arousal on the floor. He felt all of the anger rise in his throat again. He had a bad feeling he hadn't been there fast enough. Sure the man was now murdered but nothing could change the fact of what had happened.
Adara felt arms around her and she was being led to a tent. She could hear Patroclus and Eudorus softly talking to each other. They reached the tent and Adara heard shuffling as they laid her down on something soft and squishy. A blanket was put over her.
Adara looked up and tried to wipe some of the blood on her face. "Thank you." She said meekly to Eudorus and Patroclus. She felt embarrassed and weak to be put in this situation with the two men who had become her friends.
They nodded and Patroclus took her hand. Both of them felt terrible for what had happened. They felt like ripping the guards throat for hurting their favorite healer. They all felt so protective for her. "I want to see Achilles." Adara croaked out. Eudorus and Patroclus exchanged glances. "He'll be back Adara. He's just-" Eudorus cut off.
Adara nodded." I know where he is. But…I just want him." Patroclus squeezed her hand. He knew Achilles must have demolished the man. He had seen the anger in his eyes. Eudorus heard loud mummers coming from outside the tent. He patted Adara's shoulder gently and grunted. "I'll go take care of the people." He said. He knew from Karis that people would had heard the commotion and wanted to see Adara. But she didn't need that right now.
Patroclus nodded and kissed her forehead. "Don't wory, Adara Achilles is coming." He said feeling bad for his good friend.
------------------------------------------
Achilles had disposed of the body and was heading to Patroclous' tent where he knew Adara would be. He saw a group of his men clustered farther back. They seemed to be talking to Eudorus and they all looked worried and they parted quickly for Achilles to walk in between them.
Achilles walked past them and went straight into the tent. Inside he saw Patroclus sitting by Adara. He walked toward them and noticed Adara's beautiful face was bloodied. Patroclous looked up. "We wanted to get her to clean up but she only wanted you." He said and Achilles nodded as he exchanged his cousin a look of gratitude.
Patroclous gave him a weak smile and Adara reached up for Achilles and he picked her up. He cradled her and kissed her hair gently. Achilles silently thanked Patroclus and whispered in Adara's ear. "Let's get out of here, sweetie."
He walked out and Adara clung to him. As they walked out Achilles saw more people had joined the group outside of the tent. Melina and Karis were there and they had tears in their eyes. Achilles cleared his throat and continued to walk. He knew his friends were just concerned but it was hard for him to deal with it right now.
He reached their tent and he softly placed Adara on their bed. He grabbed the bowel of water and a soft rag and brought it back to her. Adara felt Achilles place the rag to her face. Achilles cleaned the dry blood off her face. He winced at her swollen lips and some of the scratches on her face. He felt so angry that someone had inflicted pain on Adara. She was the sweetest and most caring person. It drove him mad to know what she had been put through.
Adara silently watched Achilles. He was so tense, and she could see his jaw clench tightly as he removed her dress. Achilles took in her body. She had scratches on her chest and dark bruises on her thighs. Achilles hands clenched. The bastard had his hands all over her.
Adara reached for the rag. She could see he was upset. "Achilles, here…I'll" Achilles snapped out of his thoughts. "It's fine. I'm sorry, I just-" He broke off. He didn't need to be selfish. He was struggling with the pain he was going through when she was probably hurting ten times more than he could imagine. But something was troubling him.
He cleared his throat. "Adara. Did he…" he didn't know how to word it but Adara seemed to read his mind. "No. He didn't." she swallowed. "He just touched me everywhere." Achilles saw her eyes rim with tears and she choked back a sob. "And I tried to fight him off. But he was so big." She was now crying. Achilles held her and felt his heart break. It pained him so much to see her cry.
Adara held to him tight. She was glad to be with him right now. She felt so safe in his arms. Her breathing slowed and she began to fall asleep. Achilles stroked her arm and spoke. "It's all over, baby. I promise I'll never let anyone else hurt you." He said more to himself than her. And it was true. He would rather die a horrible death a thousand times over again than to see his love in pain again.
So there it was. This scene was hard to type. And I know the violence was a lot to handle. As you can see, Achilles is in a constant battle with his emotions. Things will get better, trust me. And for all of you with sensitive ears I'm sorry for all of the language. I know the F word probably didn't exist back than. But it's my story so I thought what the hell.
-Almond