Chapter Title: Golden
BRISEIS'S POV-
Of course I had heard of this Achilles. Who is this world has not? From every end of Greece and beyond, the name of this warrior has echoed through the land. Even the dark-skinned Egyptians whispered his name in fear for the rumor was that he was a god. Some said he was ten feet tall and carried an even taller spear. Others claimed that he raced in a chariot led by black horses that ran faster than any other creature in this world and that he would trample you to death. All though, described his hair like molten gold, so finely shining that even if he was not a god, he could certainly impersonate one.
I remembered Helen and her own silken tresses of spun gold that made her resemble Aphrodite. Such fair hair is so rare in Troy that anyone with it is instantly holy.
"Briseis," Patroclus called me out of my daze. "This is my cousin, Achilles."
I looked up from staring at the ground to meet his eyes. Like Patroclus's, they were a clear, light blue, the blue of a cloudless day. But they were deeper than Patroclus's. They were unreadable, probably because he hid emotions with practice. Or maybe, he didn't have feelings at all. He was a warrior still, a ruthless murderer. And yet, still, I was entranced in those eyes, trying to find the slightest hint of anything at all except blue.
I did find a bit of carelessness. He barely glanced at me before saying something to Patroclus.
'Not only ruthless, but rude,' I thought angrily and then clapped my hand over my mouth when I realized that I had said those thoughts out loud.
Achilles and Patroclus both looked up at me. Patroclus was looking shocked and Achilles looked stone cold as usual. For a moment, I expected him to strike me, but he laughed. A dry, humorless laugh. Appearing relieved, Patroclus joined in as well leaving me just standing there to be laughed at. My cheeks were flushing hot crimson and barely holding on to my temper, I said through gritted teeth,
"It's true and you have just proved it even more."
I was about to stomp away when Patroclus blocked me and said playfully,
"But I thought that you wanted to ride the stallion that you admired so much."
Achilles scoffed and challenged,
"Can you handle such a horse as mines? It's not going to be like riding the ponies that you have."
So he thinks me a child and an ignorant one at that. I held up my head proudly, letting every bit of whatever royal manner I had show through.
"I don't ride ponies!" I exclaimed furiously. "Can I ride your horse or not?"
He looked me in the eye, steely once again, and gave a curt nod.
"No, you can't!"
Cassandra had suddenly appeared by my side and she started scolding me, making me look more like a child than before.
"Only stupidity drives one to trust a Greek!" she cried and then faced Achilles. At the sight of his face, she gave a gasp and backed away, her eyes focused on him in fear.
Breaking into sudden sobs, she shrieked,
"Murderer! He's a murderer and he'll kill us! He'll strike our brothers and fathers down and..."
Instantly, she staggered, as if struck and indeed, she had been struck by a terrible vision.
"Hector!" she screamed. "He'll kill Hector!"
The mere thought of those words sent shivers down my spine and I brushed it away quickly. Awkwardly, I helped Cassandra up and whispered soothingly as I could,
"No, sister, it's just a dream, only a dream."
More like a nightmare.
"No, no," Cassandra whispered desperately, her eyes flicking from Briseis to Achilles. "It's a vision, a true one. Those Greeks with the golden hair will destroy us all!"
People said that Cassandra was mad, but suddenly, she seemed to make a lot of sense. Helen would bring war to Troy and Achilles would surely be in that battle. I no longer wanted to ride that horse, that horse whose master loved the heat of battle. Cassandra had fainted now, exhausted by those visions and I alone could not carry her back to the palace. For a moment, I'm sure that I looked completely lost, but then amazingly, Achilles picked up her body in his arms. Dumbfounded, I led him back to the palace where he put her back down on her bed. And for a moment, I'm sure that I could see humanity in his eyes.