Hi again! Here's chapter 26...

Hard to tell, but I've decided, the story will end soon!


Chapter 26

It was a nice morning; the birds outside her window were chirping cheerfully.

It was three weeks since she arrived in Phthia, and Briseis woke up when the sunlight streamed right through the window onto her face. She opened her eyes hazily, and adapted to the strong sunlight. She walked towards the window, and looked out. The sun had already risen; and the sky was blue. As blue as... Achilles' eyes. Briseis thought silently. After the two weeks of seeing each other every day, Briseis started to like the man. He was very handsome, and sometimes Briseis found herself starring drowning into those soulful blue eyes. She liked the way he looked at her too. He seemed to be very caring. He treated her like Acoetes had, and he would tell her stories. Sometimes he told her stories about his mother Thetis and his father Peleus; sometimes about love, it was a very long story about two lovers in a great war, how they were separated by the king and such.

Briseis loved the story Achilles told her. The story somehow seemed so familiar, yet she could not recall anyone told her this story before. She remembered when she was sixteen, she always begged Andromache to tell her love stories: how Hector and she met; how did one feel when he or she was in love; or some great love stories in history. Briseis had heard lots of love stories, but this one seemed so real. She wondered if Achilles himself was involved... He eyes seemed to be so bitter, yet so sweet when he had told her the story.

Briseis walked back to the bed, and sat down on the edge. She ran her fingers through her tousled curls, untangling them.

'Achilles...' she said softly, feeling puzzled. He always smiled at her when they were talking, but his eyes always held a hint of sadness that Briseis could not understand. She remembered that he had always tried to kiss her in the first few days they met, when they were in his ship. But after they arrived, he had gone no further than touching her cheeks softly. What changes him so much? Briseis questioned.

There was a knock on the door, and Briseis knew that it was Achilles immediately. 'Come in,' she said, and the door opened and poked in Achilles' head.

'You're combing your hair again,' he teased her. He remembered that he had promised himself to look at Briseis sitting on the edge of the bed combing her hair each morning, back when he was in Troy. Although Briseis lost her memories not, he still looked at her every morning, combing her soft silky curls that he loved to touch so much. For a few times he had dreamt of Briseis remembering their love again, but when he woke up and reality took over him, he would feel disappointed and crestfallen. However, having Briseis alive was far more better than knowing she was dead. Achilles could not ask for more by the time.

'I see you have washed your face again,' Briseis fought back. Wait... how do I know he always wash his face?

Achilles frowned, not noticing the small detail. 'You always wash your face too.' He stated.

'But you're a man.' Briseis said.

'Men can wash their faces too,' Achilles said, and Briseis laughed while she threw a pillow at him. She caught him off guarded, and the pillow went flying straight onto his face. 'Are you asking for a fight?' he challenged, and threw the pillow back at Briseis. Briseis was readied for the attack, so she was able to catch the pillow.

A heated pillow fight started between the two at once. Achilles used the pillow like a sword, and he was controlling the whole situation. Briseis' pillow could only be used as a shield, but was still unable to protect herself from the attack of Achilles. Achilles was on the better position, and he was attacking excitedly, while Briseis was stepping back every time Achilles' sword came near.

He pushed her to the wall. 'Surrender?' he asked, grinning like mad.

'Never!' Briseis replied pouting.

'No?' Achilles asked again. 'No!' Briseis reassured, and regretted it when Achilles started to tickle her ribs.

'Ah!' Briseis gasped between her laughs. 'Stop! Stop! Stop!' she was shaking heavily with laughter, and Achilles enjoyed the joyful glint in her eyes. 'Please!' Briseis pleaded, and slid down onto the floor. But Achilles paid no heed to her pleading, and continued to tickle her mercilessly.

They had been like that for a few minutes, until Achilles stopped tickling and Briseis realized their uncomfortable position. He was on top of her, holding her down by her wrists, with his face an inch away from hers, so close he could feel her warm, sweet breath on his face. Both were breathing hard, and both weren't sure what to do. Briseis cast her eyes downward, still gasping for breath, and not looking at Achilles.

Slowly, Briseis met his eyes. He was holding her down by her wrists, gently but firmly so she could wriggle them, but not break free. His clear sapphire blue eyes were locked on her hazel brown ones, and she found she could not tear her eyes away from his. Achilles let go of her wrists, but before she could get away, he had interlocked his fingers with hers. Briseis did not know what was happening, and she did not even know what she was feeling. Part of her was terrified, and part of her was delighted.

Achilles leaned down a bit, intending to kiss her. This is the perfect moment. She would not slap you or push you away...Achilles encouraged himself.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door, and Achilles groaned inwardly. How can this unknown person disturb this perfect moment? He thought furiously, while jumping off Briseis to open the door. It revealed the person he hated most at this moment: Patroclus.

'Oh! You are here!' Achilles' cousin said cheerfully, and glanced at the flushed Briseis. 'Your cheeks are beet red! Is there anything wrong?' he asked deliberately. Patroclus knew, at least, that something had happened. 'Anyway, there's some troublesome king again. He wants to see you.' Patroclus said, 'Eudorus is already there, trying to explain to him that you are still sleeping. But that king insists on seeing you...'

Achilles shrugged, and walked out of Briseis' room, leaving Briseis sitting there, cooling down herself and thought over what had just happened and what that queasy feeling in her stomach was.

'Hey, dearest cousin,' Patroclus followed his cousin, 'what have happened? You kissed her?'

Achilles stopped abruptly, causing Patroclus to bump into him. 'Hey! What is that?'

'Let me tell you,' Achilles said gloomily, holding a finger out, touching Patroclus' nose. 'I would have kissed her,' he huffed, while Patroclus looked puzzled. He inhaled, and continued, 'if only you have not knocked that stupid door.'

Realization dawned the young cousin of Achilles, and he apologized, 'Sorry, cousin. I didn't recon you were going to kiss the girl.'

'Yes! You didn't realize and you ruined the big chance!' Achilles yelled out to no one and put his hands over his head.

Achilles' sudden outburst stunned Patroclus, and he stood there blinking, while Achilles regained his composure again, and stepped into the hall to deal with the king of whatever country, which he had not even heard of.

At the same moment, Briseis was sitting on the floor, staring into thin air. She touched her face slowly. It was burning. Why? Because of Achilles? She did not know either. It seemed so familiar. The feeling seemed so familiar. It seemed to her that she had once seen the same man lying on top of her... But how could it be? Achilles had treated her politely since she started to stay in his place. She was quite sure that nothing like this had ever happened before. But if it had never happened before, what was this familiar feeling that she detected?

She would not love. She was the priestess of Apollo.

But secretly, though, so secretly that she did not even tell it to herself, she was rather enjoying that moment when Achilles had held her under him. Secretly she admired the lofty set of his muscular figure, his majestic shoulders, his great and impatient, yet gentle hands, his golden blond locks, and the most important of all, his clear blue eyes that seemed to look right through her soul.

Briseis shuddered a bit, remembering how he sent shivers down her spine when he leaned closer to her. She was reproaching herself of admiring the man, but she could not control her smile at the thought of the handsome young prince.

She went towards the window, looking out again. Perhaps looking at the scene outside would help a bit. Her thoughts drifted back to Acoetes and Cleo. She had seldom thought of them these few days. Achilles had occupied her mind much more that he had before. She wondered if they were back at their palace of Eretria. But if they were safe, why had not Acoetes come to find her? I will come back to save you! She remembered Acoetes had said before he took Cleo and left. He had been looking at her anxiously, and she knew he cared for her a lot. Maybe like bothers and sisters... Briseis thought silently. They, Acoetes and Cleo and she had grown close those days when she was staying in their place; and Briseis cared for them a lot. She just hoped that they were safe.

....................................

Her mind was so full these few days, thinking of Achilles, worrying about Acoetes and Cleo and such, and Briseis felt so confused and messed up. Maybe it will be good to go out for a little walk...

So, Briseis ent to the courtyard. She sat on a marble bench. It seemed so familiar...

A vision, she and Patroclus, sitting on the bench, talking, flashed through her mind. Briseis stood up abruptly: She had been here once!


How's it? It's getting exciting!

Review!