In a few moments, Eudorus entered the tent, carefully steadying a large bronze basin of water in his hands. A sandy brown cloth with plain embroidery hung on one arm while a thick strip of cotton cloth dangled on the other.

He set down the basin and hung the strip of cloth on the edge and turned to pass Achilles the long brown cloth. With the usual nod, he left the tent noiselessly.

Briseis busied herself with her hands, pressing her fingers against the cuts on her wrists, stopping the bleeding. Her head was turned away from him and she could feel his intent gaze on her, eating at her. It was making her heart beat faster and faster and her stomach churned with partial irritation and partial hunger.

Finally she could take it no longer and looked up to meet his gaze with burning bitterness.

It piqued her even further when he continued to meet her stormy looks with one of absolute calm and control. Briseis did not break the gaze, her hatred growing as each silent moment passed.

He bent his head down slightly to loosen the ties on his sandals but his eyes remained fixed on her, with undertones of amusement that irritated her more.

Then he moved over to where the bronze basin sat and dropped the cotton strip into the clear water, soaking it with his hands.

"Are you hurt?" He questioned, glancing up at her. "You fought back…you have courage."

Briseis hardened her gaze at him. Need he ask if she were hurt?

'To fight back when people attack me?" she stated with a bitter laugh. "Even a dog has that kind of courage!" she spat.

Achilles gave her a brief glance that seemed to hold more than he would reveal before turning back to his task. Lifting the dripping cloth from the water, he wrung it tightly with his hands and reached forward towards her. The wet cloth came close to her face, where a small gash next to her nose oozed with crimson liquid.

Shooting him a look of resentment and suspicion, she hit at his outstretched arm and pushed it away from her. His steely gaze of beguilement seemed to imply that he was entertained by her antics and it only served to irk her further.

Clearly not backing down, Achilles reached forward once more to clean the blood off her nose but she pushed his advancing hand away.

Briseis eyed him angrily, wishing he would stop. She did not understand him.

Achilles threw the wet cloth at her, finally realizing she would not let him touch her and stared coolly back at her. She looked at him furiously before throwing the cloth back at him.

The same thing went on for a few moments, and the solemnity in his eyes slowly began to fade away. Briseis threw the cloth back at him again and expected the cool wetness to come into contact with her skin again, but instead Achilles placed the cloth back in the water. Giving her another brief glance, he walked over to where a bowl of fruits and bread lay and picked it up, setting it on the floor near her.

He sat down comfortably and began to eat. After regarding him cautiously for a few moments, Briseis crawled to the basin and wrung the water out of the soaking cloth.

Feeling the cool liquid against her heated skin quelled her slightly and carefully she dabbed lightly at her cut, wincing slightly as it stung with pain. After the cut had been cleaned up, she lifted the hair that was covering part of her face to reveal another bleeding cut at her brow.

Achilles stopped eating and stared at her, a hint of concern in his eyes. But in the flickering firelight, she could not be sure.

Then he picked up the food-laden bowl and set it closer to her.

"Eat." He ordered in a firm tone.

After a short hesitation at his invitation, she plucked a ripe grape from the bowl and started to bite, savoring the rich sweetness that soothed her parched throat.

"I've known men like you my whole life." She found herself saying.

"No, you haven't." he replied smoothly.

She knew he was right; she had not met anyone like Achilles before, but since she had started it, she would be the one to win this time.

"You think you're so different from a thousand others?" she bit back, a fire in her brewing up. "Those who understand nothing but war? Peace confuses them."

His reply was one that she did not expect and took her by surprise. Instead of a cool statement to rival hers, he questioned in a softer tone. "And you hate these soldiers?"

"I pity them." She answered.

He eyed her mindfully, before saying, " Trojan soldiers die trying to protect you. Perhaps they deserve more than your pity."

Briseis could not think of anything to say to his words. She found herself silenced because his words had held truth in them. Truth that she had always been too blind and even too proud to see.

"Why did you choose this life?" she asked quietly.

"What life?"

"To be a great warrior."

There was no hesitation, so sure was his answer, his conviction. "I chose nothing. I was born, and this is what I am. Why have you chosen to love a god? I would think you'd find the romance…one sided." He looked at her, and this time she was certain that a spark of mirth and amusement was dancing in those unnatural blue eyes of his.

"Do you enjoy provoking me?" she asked him. There was no other reason as to the cleverly crafted questions of his.

He did not answer." You…your life to the gods. Zeus; god of thunder, Athena; goddess of wisdom. You serve them." He stated plainly to her.

"Yes, of course." Her voice was strong and certain, but in her heart she was wondering desperately what he was going to do next.

"And Aries, god of war? Who blankets his bed with the skin of men he's killed?" There was a polite edge in his voice and he knew he had gained the upper hand once more.

"All the gods must be feared and respected." Briseis replied without hesitation. It was what the Trojan priests had drilled into her head everyday and right now, the only thing she had left to cling onto was her faith. She could not let that fall.

Achilles looked at her for a long moment, as though searching for something only he knew existed.

"I'll tell you a little secret," he said after the pause. " Something they don't tell you at your temple. The gods; they envy us because we're mortal. Because every moment might be our last, everything seems more beautiful because we are doomed." He paused again, looking up at her and bending in closer to her.

"You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again." He voice seemed hushed into a soft, almost caressing murmur. Briseis breathed softly, looking at his face.

His skin so gold and bronzed by the sun, unmarred by scars, only the few creases induced by the harsh heat. His features were god-like, fine and chiseled. And his blue eyes had her lost in them.

She did not know it then, but at that moment, she gave in. And along with her strong will, went her heart.

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Thank you for your reviews once more. I hope you like this. I have recently posted a Hector/Andromache story as well. I would greatly appreciate it if you were to read and review that too, although you are not obliged to do so in any way. Thank you all the same.