Hey! Thanks for the reviews very much!

Therefore, I decided not to make Achilles die...

Anyway, Chapter 18...

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Chapter 18

'Is he gone?' Briseis nearly screamed out.

Patroclus left the tent without a word. Briseis felt the last trace of hope had faded away into the thin air. Maybe Oenone was right. Achilles' time had done.

Briseis walked towards the bed unstably. It seemed like every move of her had to take all her strength. She bent down to look at Achilles. His face was pale and white. His eyes were sunken and his lips looked purplish. Yet there was a trace of smile on his lips. Perhaps he is still happy to have me to hug him when he dies... Briseis thought.

Eudorus was there too. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, feeling Achilles' pulse. Quietly, as though a word could make Achilles' soul leave his body, Eudorus said, 'My lady, we must prepare for my lord's death. He is still alive, but-'

'He is still alive?' Briseis asked, a light forming in her already darkened mind again.

'He still has his pulse, but-'

Briseis sighed with relieve. Quickly she took out the vial with the cork stopper. And she hesitated. One drop can heal a mortal man... But it is to put on the wound, or to make him drank it? Briseis did not care, and slowly dropped a few drops of the elixir onto the wound on Achilles heel (the dagger was already removed). And, as though it would not be enough, Briseis poured a more than a few drops of the elixir into Achilles' mouth. Eudorus looked puzzle, as he could not understand what Briseis was doing to his lord.

'My lady, we had done all we can. We have tried all our best herbs. There is no use...'

'This, is the potion from the wood nymph. It can heal any mortal even he is deadly hurt.' Briseis said with a soft smile. Knowing that Achilles was already saved made her feel a lot better.

Eudorus looked at the vial in amusement. He smiled gratefully at Briseis and left the tent. Leaving her with Achilles alone.

Briseis looked at her lover. He looked better now. Oenone's vial of life elixir was working. Achilles had come back to life. Briseis smiled and wanted to cry again. But tears could not fall anymore. She had cried so much these two days that her eyes could not afford to produce anymore tears. She looked at the two vials in her hands. She looked at the once inviting looking vial of deadly poison. I won't be needing you anymore. Briseis thought triumphantly. She looked back at Achilles and watched him rested on his bed. I do hope he can wake up soon... Briseis bent down to kiss his lips softly in a caring and loving way.

He was awake. Briseis could feel Achilles returning her kiss. His arms snaked their way around Briseis' waist and lifted her up on to of him, drawing her into a more passionate kiss. They had been kissing for sometime, until both were breathless and drew apart.

'How long have you been awake?' Briseis asked softly.

'I've awaken after you put those few drops of potion on my wound. I could feel you pour an amount of that thing into my mouth. It tastes awful,' he answered, caressing her left cheek gently. 'But your sweet kiss had balanced it up.'

'You should have opened your eyes as soon as you're awake! You have been making me worried!' Although Briseis was scolding, the volume of the words was merely audible.

'I was curious to know what you will do after Eudorus leave the tent,' he informed her. Briseis pouted, 'this is not an excuse.'

They were disturbed by the entering of Patroclus, 'My dear cousin! I though you were...' Patroclus noticed their comfortable position, 'you were...... sorry.' The couple burst out laughing while Patroclus' face went beet red.

Achilles wrapped his arms around Briseis' waist, and sat up. 'I'm alright,' he said readily.

'Yes, I can see that, judging by the way you two...' Patroclus blurted out, and turned to leave.

Briseis smiled at Patroclus' uncomforting expression and scrambled off the bed. 'I'm going home.' Briseis said miserably as Achilles' eyes widened with fear. She is leaving me? Achilles thought, and he felt his heart sank again. Briseis had saved him, yet she was leaving him. '...Why?' Achilles asked her, infuriated. 'Why are you leaving? I thought you had promised to leave with me to Greece as long as I leave this war behind!'

Briseis shook her head. 'You don't need to do this just because I've saved your life. It's okay for me. I can handle this.' Briseis said, tears welling up in her eyes again. But as long as Achilles lived, she would feel happy. She did not need him to care for her, to love her. Just to see him live was enough to make her felt comforted.

'What is that? I want you to come! You've promised! I need you!' Achilles yelled at her like a little child. He jumped off the bed and held her so forcefully and tightly that she could not even move or flinch with pain. Achilles realized from the pained look on Briseis' angelic face, that he had held her to tight. He released his grip a bit and said, as gentle as he could be, 'I love you.'

Briseis couldn't help but to let her tears fell. Achilles loves me? Oh yes! He had said so in Agamemnon's ship! But Briseis had been too worried to remember his words. Achilles bowed his head and nuzzled her forehead. 'Come with me to Phthia.' Kissing her forehead softly, he added, 'I will marry you as my wife, if you are willing to. You can find peace there.'

Was Achilles' proposing? Briseis did not know. She only knew that Achilles wanted her, and she liked the feeling to be desired by him. 'Oh yes, I will come with you to Phthia.' She tilted her head up, and their lips locked again.

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Achilles opened his eyes a bit. He felt so warm...

Fuzzily, he looked at the source of the warmth. A mass of silky chestnut brown hair appeared in front of his eyes. Briseis, Achilles realized. He closed his eyes again, and breathed in her delicate scent. She smelt of jasmines and lily. Her breath was soft, and it tickled his bare chest. He smiled contently; it felt so good to have her in his arms. She looked so fragile and precious, like a goddess, and he did not want to leave her. Silently, he vowed to protect the gripping beauty as long as he lived.

He shifted a bit, wanting the girl to lie in his strong arms more comfortably. Briseis snuggled closer to him, and he held her tighter.

It was still dawn, and the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful. Today, the Myrmidons and Achilles, together with Briseis would sail back to Greece, and Achilles loved the thought of having a family with Briseis. He sighed and thought of the old days when he was still an unsettled and irresponsible man. According to Briseis, he had almost lost his life (as Oenone had not wanted to save men, especially those who were like Achilles. But of course, Briseis had left out the part that she had 'threatened' her friend using her own life, as she knew Achilles would tease her for that) because of his womanizing habits before he came to Troy.

Achilles wondered what might happen years afterwards, when Briseis and he were old man and old woman. Would they die together, hand in hand? He smiled at his own thoughts and silliness. He had never thought of his own future before, as he had always thought his life would be ended by this war. But miracle had happened; he was saved by Briseis' wood nymph friend.

Briseis' eyelids fluttered open gradually. Her long land glossy lashes had brushed Achilles' chest, catching his attention.

'Good morning, my goddess,' Achilles said, greeting her with a soft and gentle kiss on her forehead. 'It's nice to see you open your eyes again.' He smiled, 'I thought you'd spent most of your life sleeping.'

Briseis closed her eyes again. 'I will do as you have said.' She said hazily.

Achilles grinned, and stared at the girl. A 'tournament' started by Briseis and they were seeing who would be speaking first. Achilles, being as childish as he could be, joined. Silence took over them, and Achilles waited for, like ages. He listened as Briseis' breaths became more and more even, and his face fell. His mind was racing:

Briseis has drifted off to asleep again...

He huffed a bit. He, of course, would be the one losing the little game between the two. The most important thing was, he had never lost any competition in his life, and he never wanted to lose. He laughed at his immaturity; he had been acting like a child a few times since Briseis had stepped into his life.

He chuckled a bit. It did not matter that he lost the game between Briseis and him. He would be the happiest man ever lived as long as he could hold Briseis in his arms. Slowly and quietly, he slid off the bed, not wanting to disturb the sleep of his lover.

He got dressed and exited the tent.

'Good morning, my lord,' Eudorus greeted him. Eudorus was always the first one to rise among all Myrmidons.

'How are the men?' Achilles asked quietly, not wanting to break the peaceful scene.

'They are well. The return of Chryseis had eased the anger of the Sun God,' Eudorus replied, 'They had been very worried about you.'

Achilles snorted. There was no point to be worried about a dying man. Except perhaps for his lover... 'Every man dies.' Achilles stated simply, as if it was a theory that anyone would accept. 'By the way, we are sailing home today.'

Achilles headed for Patroclus' tent. He stood in front of his cousin's tent, not yet ready to go in. How would Patroclus react when he found out that they were leaving today? Would he give up Briseis' cousin? Achilles decided not to go into the tent. The situation might be too complicated for him to handle. Maybe he could find Briseis for help. Briseis was gentler, and was definitely more suitable to handle this kind of situations. Achilles' thoughts turned to his only love. How would the girls in Phthia react when they find out that Achilles have fallen in love with Briseis? They would be jealous. He would never deny that he loved to sleep with women, and they had always loved to give him such pleasure. But having Briseis was more than enough. She had satisfied him (not just physically, OK?) that he felt he would never asked for more. Nothing, glory or power or wealth could compare to her love. Never in his life had he thought he would give up those things just for a woman's love. If Briseis did not love him, he would not know what to do.

The sun's position was a bit higher than the time he had left his own tent. He wondered if Briseis was awake or not. He entered the tent quietly, only to find Briseis already dressed and was combing her soft curls with her fingers. He smiled at the sight. Starting from now, he would look at Briseis every morning, sitting on the edge of the bed, combing her silky soft curls under the streaks of gleaming sunlight from the window.

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I know, I know, this chapter is really useless, because I have the feeling that it is...

OMG, I can't think of anything to write to chain up the other part of the story that I had been planning for a long time...

Anyway, review!

Thank you very much.