"Uncle!" Briseis yelled as she stepped into the Kings office, dropping
Achilles' hand and running towards Priam.
"Briseis, my niece, you are safe!"
Briseis noticed tears of relief pricking in her Uncles eyes. He looked so much like her father...Achilles stood in the doorway feeling awkward; it was the first time in his life that the mighty Achilles felt intimidated. His fate and that of his woman were in this mans hands. What is he were to reject him? He could not ask Briseis to return to Greece with him. She was Trojan royalty and belonged with her people.
Briseis stepped out of her embrace with Priam and turned to face Achilles reaching a hand out to him and drawing him forward. Achilles slipped a hand around Briseis waist more to comfort himself than her. Briseis watched her Uncles face change from shock to disbelief and then to anger.
"What is going on Briseis?" He demanded in the royal tone that left no doubt as to whom the ruler of Troy was.
"Uncle please don't upset yourself I can explain,"
"Don't patronize me Briseis! Does Hector know of this...this betrayal?"
"There has been no betrayal, uncle"
"I beg to differ Briseis, or am I mistaken as this is not Achilles the enemy of Troy standing in my office?"
"Guards!"
"No, Uncle wait...."
"I don't think so Briseis. There is only so much an old man can take,"
Guards rushed towards Achilles' and he let them take him. Briseis knew he could kill them and felt a smile of affection creeping across her face despite the grave situation.
"I will go with Peace, King Priam. To prove to you my good will. I want to join you, to become a Trojan. It is my heart greatest desire to marry Briseis and live out my days with her, short they might be,"
Briseis gasped. Marriage he wanted to marry her! Her head was spinning. How she loved this man, who could always surprise her. She watched as Achilles was dragged from the office. She turned to Priam.
"Uncle I know you're angry, I will explain in time, but now I feel I will let you be. We shall talk tomorrow, yes?"
"Achilles will die in one weeks time at dawn,"
"Uncle, please no..."
"Briseis, you have much to explain. We will speak tomorrow,"
Briseis ran out of the office blindly tears streaming down her face. Killed? Never. She ran to Hectors rooms and pounded on the door. Hector opened his door and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Shhhh.... We knew it would not go well."
"He has ordered Achilles dead in a week,"
Hector frowned. He did not like his cousins choice, but it could be a great advantage to the Trojan army, and he was quiet certain they loved each other.
"We will find away. Tomorrow we will talk to Priam together. "
Hector led Briseis into his room; she saw Andromache vanish into another room with Astyanax to allow her space. How she longed for a family like Hectors! Briseis sat down on the couch near the balcony and sighed. She lay there for along time finally falling asleep from emotional exhaustion. After dark Hector woke her.
"Come, Briseis you must rise, eat something,"
"No, I must do something,"
"Do not go to Achilles, Briseis you will make things worse,"
"No beloved cousin I have a plan,"
Briseis raced out of her cousin's chamber and towards the town's main temple. She ran into the temple barley stopping to bow to the gods and raced to find her mentor.
"Marises!"
Marises spun around and smiled. Briseis had by far been his favorite priestess.
"Yes my child how may I help you,"
"I need to get married tonight,"
Marises frowned he had heard of the strange going ons with her and Achilles. It would not be wise to get involved and risk Priam's wrath.
"Please, I must marry my love, our time is short at least. If he dies I will know we were eternally bound together in the eyes of the gods."
Marises felt his resolve weakening. She was right of course, how could he deny her this? Her heart was breaking he could sense it. He would have done anything to ease it. Priam would have to be dealt with when the time came. "I will help you, child. Come we must be swift, for surely you will want to change and I must get myself in order."
Briseis smiled and hugged Marises. She set off towards Hectors rooms; he and Andromache would be the witnesses.
"Briseis, my niece, you are safe!"
Briseis noticed tears of relief pricking in her Uncles eyes. He looked so much like her father...Achilles stood in the doorway feeling awkward; it was the first time in his life that the mighty Achilles felt intimidated. His fate and that of his woman were in this mans hands. What is he were to reject him? He could not ask Briseis to return to Greece with him. She was Trojan royalty and belonged with her people.
Briseis stepped out of her embrace with Priam and turned to face Achilles reaching a hand out to him and drawing him forward. Achilles slipped a hand around Briseis waist more to comfort himself than her. Briseis watched her Uncles face change from shock to disbelief and then to anger.
"What is going on Briseis?" He demanded in the royal tone that left no doubt as to whom the ruler of Troy was.
"Uncle please don't upset yourself I can explain,"
"Don't patronize me Briseis! Does Hector know of this...this betrayal?"
"There has been no betrayal, uncle"
"I beg to differ Briseis, or am I mistaken as this is not Achilles the enemy of Troy standing in my office?"
"Guards!"
"No, Uncle wait...."
"I don't think so Briseis. There is only so much an old man can take,"
Guards rushed towards Achilles' and he let them take him. Briseis knew he could kill them and felt a smile of affection creeping across her face despite the grave situation.
"I will go with Peace, King Priam. To prove to you my good will. I want to join you, to become a Trojan. It is my heart greatest desire to marry Briseis and live out my days with her, short they might be,"
Briseis gasped. Marriage he wanted to marry her! Her head was spinning. How she loved this man, who could always surprise her. She watched as Achilles was dragged from the office. She turned to Priam.
"Uncle I know you're angry, I will explain in time, but now I feel I will let you be. We shall talk tomorrow, yes?"
"Achilles will die in one weeks time at dawn,"
"Uncle, please no..."
"Briseis, you have much to explain. We will speak tomorrow,"
Briseis ran out of the office blindly tears streaming down her face. Killed? Never. She ran to Hectors rooms and pounded on the door. Hector opened his door and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Shhhh.... We knew it would not go well."
"He has ordered Achilles dead in a week,"
Hector frowned. He did not like his cousins choice, but it could be a great advantage to the Trojan army, and he was quiet certain they loved each other.
"We will find away. Tomorrow we will talk to Priam together. "
Hector led Briseis into his room; she saw Andromache vanish into another room with Astyanax to allow her space. How she longed for a family like Hectors! Briseis sat down on the couch near the balcony and sighed. She lay there for along time finally falling asleep from emotional exhaustion. After dark Hector woke her.
"Come, Briseis you must rise, eat something,"
"No, I must do something,"
"Do not go to Achilles, Briseis you will make things worse,"
"No beloved cousin I have a plan,"
Briseis raced out of her cousin's chamber and towards the town's main temple. She ran into the temple barley stopping to bow to the gods and raced to find her mentor.
"Marises!"
Marises spun around and smiled. Briseis had by far been his favorite priestess.
"Yes my child how may I help you,"
"I need to get married tonight,"
Marises frowned he had heard of the strange going ons with her and Achilles. It would not be wise to get involved and risk Priam's wrath.
"Please, I must marry my love, our time is short at least. If he dies I will know we were eternally bound together in the eyes of the gods."
Marises felt his resolve weakening. She was right of course, how could he deny her this? Her heart was breaking he could sense it. He would have done anything to ease it. Priam would have to be dealt with when the time came. "I will help you, child. Come we must be swift, for surely you will want to change and I must get myself in order."
Briseis smiled and hugged Marises. She set off towards Hectors rooms; he and Andromache would be the witnesses.