Chapter Two: The Greeks
Silence. It was over. The battle that raged since sunrise was over by mid-afternoon. Now it was silent. I had no clue to which side came out the winner. I hoped we had for a life of slavery was not an easy life, but I could handle it. I needed to know if we had beaten the Greeks or had been broken under their power.
My question was answered shortly when a rough man's voice was heard outside the doors of the temple. "They're in here!" it exclaimed, shortly afterwards the doors were forced opened and I stood face to face with a Greek covered in gore. I didn't know what to think, say, or do. I just stood there staring at the total stranger in armor.
"Queen Briseis?" He asked.
"Yes," I responded feeling extremely dumb and unsure of myself.
"Gather everyone together, if they are not so. They need to be registered," and with that the Greek turned and staked off leaving two guards in his place.
The process went quickly. Name, age, position, skills, and general health were asked, than we were let alone. Men were taking things out form the city via wagons to where ships waited to carry them to the Greek camp at Troy, and women sat in shock. Their freedom taken from them in a course of a day. Not for me though. For once freedom was given to me, or so it felt like in an odd sort of way. My husband, whom I had hated, was dead. I did not care what became of me as long as I was away from him.
I wandered through out the city aimlessly looking upon horrifying images of bodies' whole and dismembered that used to be men. In a state of quiet shock I walked into the makeshift hospital.
While in there, I started to help men who had come for their wounds to be cared for. When I was stitching up a head wound a man covered in blood walked up to me. "I hear from the men you are a good healer. How experienced are you with more serious wounds?"
Finishing up I turned to him replying, "I have read much in the arts of healing. I believe I could be helpful."
He raised an eyebrow to me and scratched his chin, muttering to himself, "A woman who reads?" I decided not to respond thinking this short man had not wanted me to hear his comment, nor did I want to draw too much attention to myself. After awhile he said, "You will do. Come quickly, Patroclus is in a critical condition."
Having no idea who Patroclus was I followed musing to myself how short the men were. I knew I was tall standing almost at six feet yet the men seemed to average 5'8". The tallest ones were my height. I recalled an old vow I had made when I was married – that if I should escape that marriage I would only look at taller men considering Mynes was so short.
The room was darker than the one I had been in. On one of the tables lay a handsome man with an arrow is his chest. At once Meanes, the healer who had gotten me, started to work on whom I assumed to be Patroclus. I aided where I could. After what seemed to be all day it was over – Patroclus had a slight chance of living. I sat next to his bed talking softly to him although he was unconscious. Finally, I started to doze off losing myself to dreams that made no sense.
Silence. It was over. The battle that raged since sunrise was over by mid-afternoon. Now it was silent. I had no clue to which side came out the winner. I hoped we had for a life of slavery was not an easy life, but I could handle it. I needed to know if we had beaten the Greeks or had been broken under their power.
My question was answered shortly when a rough man's voice was heard outside the doors of the temple. "They're in here!" it exclaimed, shortly afterwards the doors were forced opened and I stood face to face with a Greek covered in gore. I didn't know what to think, say, or do. I just stood there staring at the total stranger in armor.
"Queen Briseis?" He asked.
"Yes," I responded feeling extremely dumb and unsure of myself.
"Gather everyone together, if they are not so. They need to be registered," and with that the Greek turned and staked off leaving two guards in his place.
The process went quickly. Name, age, position, skills, and general health were asked, than we were let alone. Men were taking things out form the city via wagons to where ships waited to carry them to the Greek camp at Troy, and women sat in shock. Their freedom taken from them in a course of a day. Not for me though. For once freedom was given to me, or so it felt like in an odd sort of way. My husband, whom I had hated, was dead. I did not care what became of me as long as I was away from him.
I wandered through out the city aimlessly looking upon horrifying images of bodies' whole and dismembered that used to be men. In a state of quiet shock I walked into the makeshift hospital.
While in there, I started to help men who had come for their wounds to be cared for. When I was stitching up a head wound a man covered in blood walked up to me. "I hear from the men you are a good healer. How experienced are you with more serious wounds?"
Finishing up I turned to him replying, "I have read much in the arts of healing. I believe I could be helpful."
He raised an eyebrow to me and scratched his chin, muttering to himself, "A woman who reads?" I decided not to respond thinking this short man had not wanted me to hear his comment, nor did I want to draw too much attention to myself. After awhile he said, "You will do. Come quickly, Patroclus is in a critical condition."
Having no idea who Patroclus was I followed musing to myself how short the men were. I knew I was tall standing almost at six feet yet the men seemed to average 5'8". The tallest ones were my height. I recalled an old vow I had made when I was married – that if I should escape that marriage I would only look at taller men considering Mynes was so short.
The room was darker than the one I had been in. On one of the tables lay a handsome man with an arrow is his chest. At once Meanes, the healer who had gotten me, started to work on whom I assumed to be Patroclus. I aided where I could. After what seemed to be all day it was over – Patroclus had a slight chance of living. I sat next to his bed talking softly to him although he was unconscious. Finally, I started to doze off losing myself to dreams that made no sense.