Chapter Twenty One- Little Princess
"She's beautiful, mommy," Kyte said, touching his sister's arm lightly. Briseis smiled as her sons crowded around her to see Achillae. The baby was awake, enjoying the attention from her brothers.
Pat took to holding her tiny hand in his, playing with her fingers. Achillae watched him as he kissed the top of her hand. Kyte stroked her cheek sweetly making noises at her.
"Why did you name her Achillae," Pat asked, still deeply enamored with his sister.
"Well, she looks like your dad a lot. And his name is Achilles. So we named her after him."
"Are we named after people?"
"Yes. You are named after your dad's cousin Patroclus who died almost seven years ago," she continued, lifting Achillae up to sit up in her arms. "And Kyte is named after my brother Kytelus who died when I was five."
"We're named after dead people?" Kyte looked confused bordered on amused. She gave him a smug smile and stroked his hair back. Their attention was diverted back to the baby as she let out a soft coo. "She's an angel momma," Kyte said softly.
"She's an angel." Thetis rocked her granddaughter gently. The baby didn't have her nap, so now she was fussy and upset. Achillae calmed down, but remained so only as her grandmother moved around. Achilles stood across from them and the others, watching carefully. Briseis showed Pat how to play chess again and Kyte sat on his brother's side, whispering moves into his ear.
"May the Gods protect whatever nation you to defend," she joked. She finished her moves, put them in checkmate. "Its time for bed now." The boys made protesting noise, but quickly jogged over to their sister and grandmother, kissing them goodnight. They tackled Achilles' legs, but he bent down fast enough to catch them in his arms. Hugs and sediments exchanged, the two ran out to their room, Briseis fast behind them.
After she left, Achillae started to get fussy again. Her whimpers grew louder and looked like she would start to cry. Thetis rocked her a bit more forcefully, but it wasn't helping.
"Here," Achilles said, opening his arms and coming towards her. Thetis watched her son and grandchild. He sat in a chair across from her, cradling the baby lovingly. She calmed down, staring into the deep blue of his eyes. He smiled at her, tickling her knees. She kicked a few times, then curled into his arms.
Within seconds, she was asleep, little hand tightly holding onto his fingers.
"I never imagined you like this." Achilles looked up to his mother. Her face was soft and kindly, watching the two of them.
"Like what?"
"A husband. A father of three," she said, coming over and sitting next to him. "At peace." He looked to his sleeping daughter when she said that. He was at peace. The soft features of the baby girl made him smile.
"I'm glad you went to Troy," she said.
"So am I."