Chapter One
Five years later...
The streets of Mithlond bustled with activity, and Bria kept her wits about her as she strolled through the crowds, heading toward the docks. She kept her hood up to disguise her features. Travelers were not uncommon sights in the Havens, but strange elves most likely were. She didn't want to attract attention: she merely wanted to gain passage on a ship. First, however, she needed to find her traveling companion.
Reaching the docks, she glanced around. If I remember correctly, he said to meet him at noon by the ships. Bria groaned inwardly. If he's forgotten...
"Surely you did not believe that I would forget about such a lovely maiden, Briseis?" a voice asked behind her.
She spun around and laughed, gripping Gandalf's shoulders and placing a kiss on his cheek. "How could anyone fail to trust such a kind wizard, Mithrandir?" she teased. "Have you had any luck gaining us passage?"
The old wizard smiled. "Down to business then." He pointed to a ship near the end of the piers. "We will sail at dawn on the Mariana."
"Our journey will take some weeks, then?" Bria asked Gandalf, distaste upon her face.
"Three weeks, four at most, my dear," he replied. He looked at her more closely. "Does something bother you, Briseis?"
"No," she answered. Then, when he kept looking at her, she sighed, exasperated. "I dislike ships. Being cooped up like this with nothing to do drives me to the edge of madness."
The wise wizard smiled knowingly. "Then perhaps I shall help you fill your hours. Would you care to learn more of our destination?"
"Oh, yes," she agreed, excited. Perhaps this journey would not be so horrible after all.
Four weeks, two storms and one near drowning later, the Mariana sailed into the harbor of Troy. Bria, who had just recently found her sea legs, was surprised to discover that she would miss the ship. Certainly she would not miss the stale smell, the old food, and the leering sailors. Oh, no. But she would miss the smell of the sea, which she had come to love. She would miss the breeze, which was always more tame when one was on land.
Oh well, she reflected. Perhaps I'll be able to swim in the sea here. There must be somewhere...
She was startled out of her thoughts by Gandalf. "Come, Briseis! The King expects us!" Bria laughed at the old wizard's excitement. Two horses stood by to convey them to the palace, and she vaulted upon hers. "Come, Mithrandir!" she cried, cantering her steed to the city gates.
Gandalf, who had only just mounted his gelding, started off at a more stately trot. The guards sent to escort them to the city chuckled, hearing the wizard mutter about 'young people.'
Briseis loved Troy. The city was immense, with soaring stone walls as thick as mountains, and atop a majestic hill, the beautiful city of Troy was crowned by a magnificent white marble palace.
"It's beautiful," she murmured, awed. She hadn't known men could make such things.
People cheered for the lovely girl and the wizened old wizard riding through their midst. The travelers and their escort were greeted with calls and stares, for they were a strange sight in Troy.
Women gaped at the lovely young girl's raven locks, which shone blue even in the sunlight, and young men swooned at the sheer heartbreaking beauty of her smile, which she flashed without reservation. Surely, they whispered to each other, surely she is more beautiful even than Helen of Sparta, who rivals even the gods.
Bria did not notice their admiration, however. She was too busy gaping at all that she saw, mesmerized by the magnificence of the city. When they reached the palace, a beautiful auburn-haired woman descended the steps to greet them.
"Incanus!" she said joyfully, and Gandalf took her hand and kissed it, smiling. "My lady Andromache, it warms my heart to see you." Andromache glanced at Bria, smiling, and Gandalf continued. "Andromache, Crown Princess of Troy, may I present the lady Briseis of Vinyamar, in the north. She has accompanied me upon this journey in the hopes that she will see more of the world." Bria smiled shyly at the lovely princess, who looked at her kindly.
"Be welcome, Lady Briseis," she said honestly. "I hope you will come to love Troy as I do."
Bria smiled. "I already love it," she replied, and Andromache grinned in return.
"The King wishes for me to tell you that he is currently attending a meeting from which he cannot leave, but that he looks forward to seeing you tonight, Incanus," the Princess said. "If you like, I will show you to your rooms and perhaps you may freshen yourselves up after your journey."
Bria nodded gratefully and Gandalf smiled. "Thank you, Princess."
After showing the wizard to his rooms, Andromache led Bria to a large door at the end of a long corridor. "I hope you will be comfortable here," she said, pushing it open and gesturing for Bria to go first.
Bria gasped. The room was large and airy, with several levels separated by steps and supported here and there by ornate pillars. One entire wall was taken up by a balcony that overlooked the sea. "It is magnificent," she whispered. Andromache smiled.
"My rooms are near, just down the next hall," she said warmly. "If you need anything, just let me know."
Bria turned to her and smiled gratefully. "Thank you." She paused. "Truly. Your kindness... it means more than you know."
Andromache nodded and cupped a hand to Briseis' cheek. "Dinner will be in an hour. There are clothes in the wardrobe that should fit you." She raised an eyebrow, glancing at Bria's tunic and breeches. "Of course, you are more than welcome to garb yourself as you feel comfortable."
Bria chuckled. "Thank you. I will be certain to do so." She laughed at Andromache's expression. "I will see you at dinner."
Briseis stood on her balcony several hours later. She supposed she had made a good enough impression at dinner, although she suspected that the men had paid more attention to the dress she was wearing than to anything she had said.
She chuckled, remembering seeing the laughter in Andromache's eyes when she had entered in the white gown and the men's' jaws had dropped.
"I hope you enjoyed your first evening in Troy," came a voice from behind her. Bria smiled. "More than I thought I would."
"I hope you will be here when Hector and Paris return." Andromache stepped up to her, cuddling her son, Astynax. "They are as wonderful as their father."
"I look forward to meeting them," Bria said truthfully.
Andromache glanced at her. "You might want to keep an eye on Paris, though," she said, one side of her mouth coming up in a grin. "He enjoys women."
"Well, then I look forward to refusing him." Andromache laughed at that.
Bria sobered, her eyes drifting out over the ocean, although her thoughts were elsewhere.
"What bothers you?" Andromache asked quietly.
"I am envious of you," Bria confessed. Andromache looked at her, surprised. "I know, my friend, I have known you only for a day, but already I begin to love you as a sister. And do not worry, I am not envious of aught you possess, but more that you seem to have found perfect happiness."
Andromache gazed at her. "And what has happened in your life to make you so unhappy?" she asked softly. Soft brown eyes met deep gray ones, and Andromache was struck by the grief she saw there.
Briseis turned back to the sea, and for a moment it seemed she would not answer. Then she spoke, and the story she told broke Andromache's heart. "My parents were slain when I was barely beyond girlhood. My sire and dam had many enemies, for they were an elf lord and a faery queen, and both had fought many wars. My mother led a group of the fey, those beings who came from the earth long ago and settled here even before the gods. She saved the life, and fell in love with, a young elf lord from the Kingdom of Doriath, which is now below the sea. They built a home and lived amongst my mother's people. A child came of the union, a half elven half-faery girl who was showered with love and who grew to be a lovely, happy child. Then, one night their home was attacked, and the elven lord was slain. His daughter awoke to find him dead, lying in his own blood. She saw her mother brutally killed before her eyes, but she was spared by the murderer's aversion to killing children. She burned her own home as her parents' funeral pyre and spent five years searching for their killer, who yet evades her grasp. She settled in an abandoned elven city on the coast, Vinyamar, and met a kind old wizard who disapproved of her choice of lifestyle and convinced her to journey with him to see the world. Now, she is confused and doesn't know where she belongs." A tear ran down Bria's cheek and she brushed it away impatiently. Andromache sighed. "You do not know where you belong, my friend," she said softly. "No," Bria answered, her voice husky with unshed tears. "I would like you to belong here," Andromache murmured. "I have always wanted a sister." "I would like that," whispered Briseis.
Five years later...
The streets of Mithlond bustled with activity, and Bria kept her wits about her as she strolled through the crowds, heading toward the docks. She kept her hood up to disguise her features. Travelers were not uncommon sights in the Havens, but strange elves most likely were. She didn't want to attract attention: she merely wanted to gain passage on a ship. First, however, she needed to find her traveling companion.
Reaching the docks, she glanced around. If I remember correctly, he said to meet him at noon by the ships. Bria groaned inwardly. If he's forgotten...
"Surely you did not believe that I would forget about such a lovely maiden, Briseis?" a voice asked behind her.
She spun around and laughed, gripping Gandalf's shoulders and placing a kiss on his cheek. "How could anyone fail to trust such a kind wizard, Mithrandir?" she teased. "Have you had any luck gaining us passage?"
The old wizard smiled. "Down to business then." He pointed to a ship near the end of the piers. "We will sail at dawn on the Mariana."
"Our journey will take some weeks, then?" Bria asked Gandalf, distaste upon her face.
"Three weeks, four at most, my dear," he replied. He looked at her more closely. "Does something bother you, Briseis?"
"No," she answered. Then, when he kept looking at her, she sighed, exasperated. "I dislike ships. Being cooped up like this with nothing to do drives me to the edge of madness."
The wise wizard smiled knowingly. "Then perhaps I shall help you fill your hours. Would you care to learn more of our destination?"
"Oh, yes," she agreed, excited. Perhaps this journey would not be so horrible after all.
Four weeks, two storms and one near drowning later, the Mariana sailed into the harbor of Troy. Bria, who had just recently found her sea legs, was surprised to discover that she would miss the ship. Certainly she would not miss the stale smell, the old food, and the leering sailors. Oh, no. But she would miss the smell of the sea, which she had come to love. She would miss the breeze, which was always more tame when one was on land.
Oh well, she reflected. Perhaps I'll be able to swim in the sea here. There must be somewhere...
She was startled out of her thoughts by Gandalf. "Come, Briseis! The King expects us!" Bria laughed at the old wizard's excitement. Two horses stood by to convey them to the palace, and she vaulted upon hers. "Come, Mithrandir!" she cried, cantering her steed to the city gates.
Gandalf, who had only just mounted his gelding, started off at a more stately trot. The guards sent to escort them to the city chuckled, hearing the wizard mutter about 'young people.'
Briseis loved Troy. The city was immense, with soaring stone walls as thick as mountains, and atop a majestic hill, the beautiful city of Troy was crowned by a magnificent white marble palace.
"It's beautiful," she murmured, awed. She hadn't known men could make such things.
People cheered for the lovely girl and the wizened old wizard riding through their midst. The travelers and their escort were greeted with calls and stares, for they were a strange sight in Troy.
Women gaped at the lovely young girl's raven locks, which shone blue even in the sunlight, and young men swooned at the sheer heartbreaking beauty of her smile, which she flashed without reservation. Surely, they whispered to each other, surely she is more beautiful even than Helen of Sparta, who rivals even the gods.
Bria did not notice their admiration, however. She was too busy gaping at all that she saw, mesmerized by the magnificence of the city. When they reached the palace, a beautiful auburn-haired woman descended the steps to greet them.
"Incanus!" she said joyfully, and Gandalf took her hand and kissed it, smiling. "My lady Andromache, it warms my heart to see you." Andromache glanced at Bria, smiling, and Gandalf continued. "Andromache, Crown Princess of Troy, may I present the lady Briseis of Vinyamar, in the north. She has accompanied me upon this journey in the hopes that she will see more of the world." Bria smiled shyly at the lovely princess, who looked at her kindly.
"Be welcome, Lady Briseis," she said honestly. "I hope you will come to love Troy as I do."
Bria smiled. "I already love it," she replied, and Andromache grinned in return.
"The King wishes for me to tell you that he is currently attending a meeting from which he cannot leave, but that he looks forward to seeing you tonight, Incanus," the Princess said. "If you like, I will show you to your rooms and perhaps you may freshen yourselves up after your journey."
Bria nodded gratefully and Gandalf smiled. "Thank you, Princess."
After showing the wizard to his rooms, Andromache led Bria to a large door at the end of a long corridor. "I hope you will be comfortable here," she said, pushing it open and gesturing for Bria to go first.
Bria gasped. The room was large and airy, with several levels separated by steps and supported here and there by ornate pillars. One entire wall was taken up by a balcony that overlooked the sea. "It is magnificent," she whispered. Andromache smiled.
"My rooms are near, just down the next hall," she said warmly. "If you need anything, just let me know."
Bria turned to her and smiled gratefully. "Thank you." She paused. "Truly. Your kindness... it means more than you know."
Andromache nodded and cupped a hand to Briseis' cheek. "Dinner will be in an hour. There are clothes in the wardrobe that should fit you." She raised an eyebrow, glancing at Bria's tunic and breeches. "Of course, you are more than welcome to garb yourself as you feel comfortable."
Bria chuckled. "Thank you. I will be certain to do so." She laughed at Andromache's expression. "I will see you at dinner."
Briseis stood on her balcony several hours later. She supposed she had made a good enough impression at dinner, although she suspected that the men had paid more attention to the dress she was wearing than to anything she had said.
She chuckled, remembering seeing the laughter in Andromache's eyes when she had entered in the white gown and the men's' jaws had dropped.
"I hope you enjoyed your first evening in Troy," came a voice from behind her. Bria smiled. "More than I thought I would."
"I hope you will be here when Hector and Paris return." Andromache stepped up to her, cuddling her son, Astynax. "They are as wonderful as their father."
"I look forward to meeting them," Bria said truthfully.
Andromache glanced at her. "You might want to keep an eye on Paris, though," she said, one side of her mouth coming up in a grin. "He enjoys women."
"Well, then I look forward to refusing him." Andromache laughed at that.
Bria sobered, her eyes drifting out over the ocean, although her thoughts were elsewhere.
"What bothers you?" Andromache asked quietly.
"I am envious of you," Bria confessed. Andromache looked at her, surprised. "I know, my friend, I have known you only for a day, but already I begin to love you as a sister. And do not worry, I am not envious of aught you possess, but more that you seem to have found perfect happiness."
Andromache gazed at her. "And what has happened in your life to make you so unhappy?" she asked softly. Soft brown eyes met deep gray ones, and Andromache was struck by the grief she saw there.
Briseis turned back to the sea, and for a moment it seemed she would not answer. Then she spoke, and the story she told broke Andromache's heart. "My parents were slain when I was barely beyond girlhood. My sire and dam had many enemies, for they were an elf lord and a faery queen, and both had fought many wars. My mother led a group of the fey, those beings who came from the earth long ago and settled here even before the gods. She saved the life, and fell in love with, a young elf lord from the Kingdom of Doriath, which is now below the sea. They built a home and lived amongst my mother's people. A child came of the union, a half elven half-faery girl who was showered with love and who grew to be a lovely, happy child. Then, one night their home was attacked, and the elven lord was slain. His daughter awoke to find him dead, lying in his own blood. She saw her mother brutally killed before her eyes, but she was spared by the murderer's aversion to killing children. She burned her own home as her parents' funeral pyre and spent five years searching for their killer, who yet evades her grasp. She settled in an abandoned elven city on the coast, Vinyamar, and met a kind old wizard who disapproved of her choice of lifestyle and convinced her to journey with him to see the world. Now, she is confused and doesn't know where she belongs." A tear ran down Bria's cheek and she brushed it away impatiently. Andromache sighed. "You do not know where you belong, my friend," she said softly. "No," Bria answered, her voice husky with unshed tears. "I would like you to belong here," Andromache murmured. "I have always wanted a sister." "I would like that," whispered Briseis.