Ah, after a sleep I feel a lot better.

Now, let's continue...

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Chapter 13

Achilles and Briseis slowed down a bit when they were nearer to Patroclus' tent. Both paused rapidly at the entrance. Without any hesitation, Achilles threw the flaps open and the couple walked in.

Patroclus was sitting on the floor, still in his armor. The sword that he had forgotten to bring with him was lying on the floor, disregarded. His head was in his hands, which arms were both resting on his knees. He looked troubled, and very distressed. Briseis observed the tent. The arrangements of the furniture were very much like Achilles' tent. There was a trail of blood on the floor leading under her feet, towards the entrance. She stepped aside, not wanting to make any contact with the dried blood of the dead or not, Greek soldiers. She looked back at Patroclus. The cloths bandaging his wounds of the night before, as Achilles had told her, were shed with blood again, but there were no more cuts. On the floor below him, she saw a few drops of dried tears. Tears? He was caring enough to cry for my sister-like cousin?

Briseis was touched, so she walked towards him and bent down, wanting to comfort her. But in her mind, she was screaming to be comforted too. But in order to comfort the others, she had to put on a strong face. 'Patroclus,' she started, and startled, Patroclus yelled with fright and looked up, just to see a woman who looked a bit like Chryseis was looking into his eyes softly, in a comforting way. Briseis hugged Patroclus gently, hoping the boy could recover soon. And slowly, Patroclus hugged her back, but Achilles could see it, his face was still grim.

Whether his cousin's face was grim or not, Achilles need not care. He could only feel a pang of jealousy hammering his heart, and he did not want to bear the feeling. Besides, he had never been jealous of anything before. He pushed away the force roughly, and focused back on Briseis and his cousin. Briseis ushered the boy to get on the bed to get some sleep, and Patroclus obeyed reluctantly. Briseis looked back at Achilles bitterly, asking for help. He walked towards the bed and in a quite demanding tone, asked his cousin how was his 'rescue'.

Patroclus did not hesitate a bit, and told the two the whole story.

After Achilles had given him the sword and left, he climbed up the stairs. He strolled towards the entrance of the meeting hall swiftly, ignoring the shouting and yelling of stops and ceases of the guards. He looked at them murderously, and they were both silenced at once.

The meeting hall was empty. He walked up to Agamemnon's throne, and kicked it hardly. Achilles smiled contently. He would have done so if he had had a chance.

There were two entrances beside the throne, and Patroclus had entered one casually. After entering, he found the entrances actually led to the same destiny. And so, he started his way of finding Chryseis in the maze-like ship of Agamemnon. He had come across a lot of guards, but he could manage them. Briseis gasped at the way he said 'manage', as she knew the underlying meaning was 'he could manage to kill them'. Patroclus had looked at her for a split second, then shrugged and continued. Patroclus had asked the guards before he killed them, so, he could find Chryseis quickly. She was locked inside a room on the lower deck. There were two guards outside, and he had defeated them and asked for them the keys. The two guards, at his feet were begging for his mercy, and telling him that the keys were kept by Agamemnon. So he asked them where the King's room was. Both said they did not know, as they were only guards and not the servants of Agamemnon. So Patroclus let them go. He had tried to use his sword to cut open the lock, but it was made of fine steel, and his sword could not get it open.

He did not know if Chryseis was safe or not, as there was no response at the other side of the door when he had yelled for her. He thought she was locked in a storage room for wine, as he could smell alcohol.

Patroclus had wasted no time, and he started to find Agamemnon. But the ship was too big and the pathways were like maze. He eventually got lost and could only find his way back by the drops of blood on the floor.

Achilles patted his cousin's shoulders, and told him to rest. He and Briseis would save the girl.

So they both went out and wolfed down their breakfasts. Briseis remembered the room she was locked in when she was held by Agamemnon. It was very likely that Chryseis was also locked inside the room.

So off they went to Agamemnon's ship, and waited secretly on the side of it. It was morning, and it was very likely that all the kings were gathered inside the hall, holding discussion about how to win the war. The discussion had gone especially long today, so Briseis looked out at the sea while Achilles was watching every move of the ship. Suddenly Briseis spot a ship that was familiar. She had seen it so many times, and it seemed like she had boarded on it a few times too.

Achilles' nudge had caused her to turn away from that familiar ship, towards the entrance of the meeting hall. Kings and captains were pouring out of it. Briseis waited for all of them had descended the stairs and walked away, and she started towards the stairs too, only being grabbed by Achilles on her waist.

'What is it?' she whispered without turning to face him.

Achilles kissed the back of her neck tenderly. 'There are always a few kings who stay there to discuss further or more private matters...'

So Briseis and Achilles waited for a bit longer, and about a few ten minutes later, an old man walked out. A man Briseis could recognize without a shadow of doubt.

'Uncle Chryses...' Briseis murmured softly, shocked by the fact that the old man was there.

'Is he your uncle? Let's go and find him.' Achilles said, entwining his fingers with hers.

When they came nearer, Briseis could see the old man more clearly. He looked dejected, and there were tears in his eyes. When he finally noticed that there were two people staring at him, he looked up and found out that one of them was no other than Briseis.

He looked shocked. 'My niece! My dear niece! Briseis! You are still alive!'

Briseis ran forward and hugged him tightly. 'I'm here, uncle Chryses.' She said miserably.

'I thought you were dead!' Briseis' uncle looked like hope had come to him again. 'Now, come with be back to Troy. You'll see your cousins and brother Priam.'

Briseis stepped one step back, and observed Chryses' old and wrinkled face again. He seemed to grow much older in these few days that she had not seen him, and his face was masked with a layer of sadness. Yet his eyes shone with light and hope like he had just discovered an oasis in a desert. Briseis hated to disappoint the old man. She would never like to see him looking crestfallen again. But she had to keep her promise. Besides, she loved Achilles so deeply that she could die for him.

'Uncle, I cannot do this,' said Briseis tentatively, 'I've promised to sail away with the warrior Achilles.' She looked down at her feet, feeling guilty, 'and he promised not to hurt one Trojan or Theban again.'

When Briseis looked up at the man again, there were tears again in his eyes again. Chryses nodded, and added, 'besides, you love the man,' he smiled softly at her, 'I can say you have made an immense decision, you choose to leave your family behind.'

Chryses looked towards the far away gates of Troy. 'If I can just have Chryseis back...'

He turned to leave, and walked a few steps towards the ship that was familiar to Briseis. He stopped suddenly, and said to Briseis, 'I wish you good luck, and have a happy live in Greece with Achilles. Don't worry about Priam and your cousins; I will bring a message to them that you are safe.' Briseis let a tear made way down her cheek, and kissed her uncle goodbye. It would be the last time in her life she kissed him. 'Farewell, my dearest uncle...'

'Farewell, my dear.' He walked away. 'I must pray to Apollo to have my daughter Chryseis back...' she heard him muttered.

The tears on Briseis' cheeks made Achilles felt so blameworthy. Had she lied to him that morning when she said that she was willing to leave her country with him?

'Should we get on to save Chryseis?' asked Briseis softly.

'I don't think so.' Achilles said pondering. 'Your uncle had come here with a huge ransom for his daughter.'

They both looked at the ship of Chryses. Sure it held a lot of gold and jewels. Yet Agamemnon had refused to give Chryses her daughter back. There was no way of saving her.

They walked back towards the tent, both deep in their thoughts.

Briseis was thinking of ways to save Chryseis, so that her uncle need not be so miserable.

While Achilles was thinking if he should bring Briseis back to Greece or let her go back to her loving family in Troy, and stay with them, never seeing him again.

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Hey, it's sad, isn't it?

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