Chapter 15

Agamemnon was bewildered and embarrassed. But he had his way of concealing it by rage and fury, 'I would never let the girl Chryseis go; I'd have her mine, at home.'

Achilles laughed at Agamemnon's ineffective obstinacy, ready to say some harsh words. But Agamemnon continued, 'But of course, I want the army saved and not destroyed. If I send her away, you must prepare for me, a prize of honour. For I cannot tolerate everyman looking at the eye-catching beauty you have in your arms, while I am sending my own war prize away, and long for it.'

Achilles knew what the High King was implying, but he pretended not to, and showed no sign of anger. 'King of Kings, the most insatiate of all men,' he said sarcastically, 'how can I make you a new gift? Thebe is already plundered. I'm afraid that you must wait for the downfall of Troy, so that you can take your own brother's wife, Helen the Fair Cheeks.' He paused for a moment, taking in the enraged face of the King smugly. 'Just let the daughter of the priest go. And when the armies is restored again, go and batter down the gates of Troy and take your brother's wife for yourself to keep at your home Mycenae; or either working your loom or visiting your bed.'

Agamemnon rose with anger, so as his brother Menelaus. Menelaus pointed at his own brother, the High King, and said, 'I know it. I know you have been wanting my Helen since you have seen her.'

Agamemnon glared at Achilles, who was looking self-satisfied. He turned back at his brother, and barked back, 'Are you listening to this lying mouth of Achilles?' Menelaus immediately blushed with embarrassment in front of all the kings and excused himself out of the meeting hall.

Agamemnon turned to look at Achilles, and tried to stay calm. His was already scheming another plan to take Briseis from Achilles' for his own keeping, as Briseis was even far more fairer than the girl Chryseis he was keeping. 'Oh, oh. For the sake of the army of Greece, I must return the girl back to the priest of Apollo.' Achilles frowned. Never had he seen Agamemnon this civilized. But the matter was settled, and Achilles strolled out of the hall swiftly, and had not noticed that Agamemnon had added more to his previous words, 'and when the she is sent back in the ship of mine, mannered by my own people, I will call for the lovely Briseis in your tent and take her, seeing that a flower of young girls that she is.'

Achilles walked back into his tent, and found out that Briseis was already up, combing her smooth and silky hair.

Without looking at her again, he said, 'Chryseis is leaving. Agamemnon promised to send her back.'

Briseis found the news amazing. That means the young girl would be safe, and uncle Chryses need not be said and miserable. 'When is she going to leave?'

'This afternoon. And when the curse of the army is lifted, the Myrmidons and I are going to sail back the Phthia.' Achilles said coldly. Yes, without me. Briseis thought sadly. She did not want the tears that had been welling up in her eyes to fall, as she would not show him how much he had hurt her. She would build up a strong image. So, bit her lower lip, which had been kissed by Achilles just a few days before.

And Achilles, not getting any hint or clue from Briseis that she wanted to go with him, felt enraged again and strolled out of the tent to see Patroclus, and Briseis was again, left in his tent to ponder over her thoughts.

Briseis had learnt a lot in those few days that she was captured. And one of them was to stay optimistic always. So, she fought back her tears and walked out of the tent slowly. The sky was grey and clouded, and the wind was howling madly. She walked towards the sea and felt relaxed at the cool sensation that the sea water gave her when she dipped her feet into it. Briseis breathed in the air deeply. It was just the same as before. She sat down, letting her body under her waist soaked in the cool salty waves. Maybe if she had killed him, everything would not be the same. Yes, everything will be very different.

She sat there, thinking for a long time. Countless waves had brushed her body, until she was suddenly aware of the time. It was afternoon, and Chryseis would be leaving. She rose from her comfortable position, and walked towards a ship near Agamemnon's. It was predictable that that ship was the one they were going to use to send Chryseis back to Troy. She knew it was dangerous to go by chariot, and the ship would be sailing towards the back of the city. There Chryseis would enter the city.

'Briseis...' Chryseis voice said behind her.

Briseis turned and hugged Chryseis. She smiled at her. Chryseis whispered to Briseis in a secretive way that no one noticed, 'come with me back to Troy. No one would notice.'

Briseis shook her head. Of course the guards would notice. Chryseis was too far behind to see.

'Chryseis, tell Hector and Paris that I miss them very much,' Briseis said sorrowfully. 'Tell uncle Priam and your father that I love them with all my heart.'

'I will. And please,' said Chryseis and lowered her voice, 'tell Patroclus not to worry for me.'

Briseis smiled at Chryseis. Her young cousin had started to like someone.

So the ship sailed away, and Briseis ran back into Achilles tent, and threw herself on the bed. She cried and kicked, feeling very frustrated. She had loved and given herself to someone that used her and did not love her in return; and Achilles would be leaving very soon, and she would have no place to go; She had betrayed Troy, and she could never face her uncles and cousins again. Never in her life had she felt this way. Her heart was scattered into pieces and pieces the more the thought of it. She lay on the bed, rested for a moment, and started to cry again. But somehow, this time, no tears had come out from her eyes. She wondered why.

Briseis reached for the silver salver on the table and looked at herself. She looked horrible. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her hair was sticking to her face by the slightly dried salty tears. Her lips were bleeding a bit for she had bit her lips over and over again when she tried to let out the anger and frustration.

I want to die. I am going to die.

Losing her mind, Briseis dashed out of the tent madly and ran towards the sea. The sea that had taken uncountable lives, maybe even more than the warrior that she loved. But before she reached it, she was grabbed by two soldiers. The two soldiers that had taken her to Agamemnon's ship before. She could recognize them even they had been burned into ashes.

One stuffed a large piece of cloth into her mouth, preventing her from screaming for help or producing any sounds. The other one dragged her towards the ship of the High King which she did not wished to see again. Anger had taken over her, and Briseis kicked one of the soldiers hardly when they brought her through the maze-like ship into Agamemnon's room. They let her go free and Briseis helped herself to remove the large piece of cloth from her mouth immediately.

One of the soldiers, the one which had been kicked hardly by Briseis, whispered something to Agamemnon. And Agamemnon smiled wickedly.

'Well, well, let me see.' Agamemnon said, looking at the girl. 'Why does my dear little flower want to commit suicide? Is it that you are intimidated by anyone?' He laughed at her teasingly, while the two soldiers snickered and left the room. 'Don't worry. I will take care of him.' He smiled slyly.

'You sick, pigheaded swine!' Briseis cursed loudly, 'you have taken me from the tent of the prince of Phthia. Are you not afraid of your own dear life being taken away?'

'Ah, I see. This is the problem.' He leaned down and lifted her head up, 'the prince gave you to me himself, oh mighty princess.' He laughed lightheartedly as Briseis felt her heart broke. How could Achilles do this to her? She had been willing to follow him around, but he sent her to this unendurable brute as a gift.

The world beside her had started to swell. She felt so sick. She was tired of living.

If only I can die... If only I have been fast enough to reach the sea....

Meanwhile, Achilles roamed over the tents of the Myrmidons, but still he could not find the lovely Briseis. It was starting to get dark and he had not seen her since morning. He was starting to worry about her, although his heart was telling him not to care about that girl. But he care not, he would felt comfortable whenever he looked at her. And he needed her, now.

Maybe she had escaped. She doesn't want to leave Troy together with you.

Achilles pushed aside the heartbreaking thought, and continued to search for Briseis. Had she left the camp together with Chryseis? He was suddenly reminded by himself. Maybe she had. But he had to find out the truth. He had asked some of his Myrmidons, and they all said that they had not seen her since the departure of Chryseis. He walked towards the campsite of Ithaca, and asked the two guards if they had seen Briseis or not. They both looked at each other quizzically, and asked how the girl looked like.

Achilles described Briseis in details accurately. The two guards said that they had seen the two cronies of Agamemnon dragging a girl like Achilles had described towards the ship of the High King.

Without a word, Achilles had strolled towards the ship the second time of the day.

He knew he had to save Briseis. Without her, Achilles' heart could not survive.

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So, Chryseis was finally sent away! Poor Patroclus...

Can Achilles save his only love?

Find out in the next chapter!

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