Chapter Six: Poison

I woke to an earthquake. Dust came shifting down from all the cracks. Sitting up I looked around at the men running around shouting at each other.

"What is going on?" I asked when I reached Patroclus, who was still lying down trying to rise.

"The Antackees must of blasted a hole in the wall – they have been attacking since sunrise. However, this blasted wound is preventing me from helping," he grunted looking quite put out.

"What should I do to help?" I asked.

"The wounded need help – separate those who can walk from those who can't from those close to death."

"Ok," I said hesitating understanding what he said but not why.

"Supplies are running low – care must be put into where it will do the most good – in this case those able to fight."

"I understand, but I don't agree. How can you sacrifice your men?"

"Trust me, I don't like it. However it is a risk we must take. Do it."

"Fine."

All day long I was placing men in different groups, yet I couldn't bring myself to sacrifice anyone. All day long I tended the wounds of the injured, both physically and mentally.

It was evening when I was on a small break to eat a small amount of dinner, when I saw Achilles enter half carrying, half dragging a man twice his size. The head doctor rushed over with assistants to get the man who had an arrow through his throat. With the weight lifted Achilles straighten up a little and glanced around to make sure no one was looking when he yawned trying to cover it up. Than he saw me, and gave me a sheepish smile, turning around he left. Something in his step made me get up and follow him – something was wrong. Walking out the door I noticed he had stopped to sit at a bench and now was leaning against the building.

Kneeling in front of him I asked, "What can I do?"

Slowly opening his eyes he looked at me, than shook his head no.

Remembering his arm I sat next to him and lifted his selves to see how it was – to my great surprise it was gone without a scar. Thinking I was mistaken I went to look at the other arm.

"No, it is healed," Achilles' voice was tired.

"But that wound needed stitches – how?"

"I'm complicated."

"In more than one way."

"Don't ask."

"What can I do for you? You look terrible."

"Thanks."

"Seriously, there must be something."

Shacking his head he got to his feet but would have gone down to his knees if I hadn't caught him. He wasn't a huge man but he was athletic and muscular. I almost collapsed under his weight, at 6'1" he must of weighed around 200 pounds. Somehow I managed to get him to the hospital doors. Achilles was hardly conscious – pounding the doors while my body was shacking under his weight. I heard footsteps, but I also heard Achilles muttering something similar to "aeronous." The doors opened the assistant looked in shock.

"By the gods! Achilleus are you ok?" He seemed to be in great distress, "Meanes – Meanes – come quickly Achilleus has been injured!"

I heard shuffling than Meanes was at the door asking, "what has happened?"

I quickly told him than asked about Aeronus as we carried Achilles towards a bed.

"Aeronus?" Meanes asked, "why are you curious about it?"

"Achilleus just muttered something like it."

Meanes turned towards Achilles asking, "Did you get hit with a dart?"
"Neck," Achilles' voice sounded far off and faint.

Orders were shouted for men to the Athasphas plant and Stiroff root.

"How bad is it?"

"Can't feel legs," Achilles managed to speak. It was obvious he was struggling to stay conscious, trying to force his body to obey his commands yet Aeronus was winning.

Meanes took me aside saying, "Briseis, you have done so much already, and I thank you for your wonderful help, yet your services are still needed. Aeronus is an extremely dangerous and fast acting poison. If Achilleus wasn't a demigod he probably would be dead by now, yet he was on the brink of exhaustion to being with and Mynes' sword had a different type of poison on it."

Upon seeing my confusion he elaborated, "Mynes managed to slash Achilleus' arm before he died. This weakened Achilleus' body. Than with this war, exhaustion is common and Achilleus has yet to collapse to it but he has been close to it for some time now."

"His wound healed no problem," I commented.

"His mother, who is a goddess, dipped him in the River Styx when he was an infant this has made him nearly impossible to be killed by wounds. It also gave him an extraordinary ability to heal much more quickly than normal mortals than combined with the fact that he is a demigod well you have notice what happens. Yet poison can kill him, and if not kill him weaken him to the state of being like a mortal. So than with the dart hitting him the effects are drastic, if fact it could kill him. I don't think he even really knew what was going to happen or how fast everything would occur because he would have sought medical attention for it first. Already his legs are useless, his arms will go next, slowly his body will shut down; death is probably already coming for him," he continued with a hushed voiced.

"But there is something we can do – isn't there?" I pleaded searching his face for evidence that he was wrong.

"I called for the two things in this world which could help him, but they are hard to find and rare. It is up to him to fight this battle. Let's hope he can remain conscious until we get the plants – if we get the plants," and with that he turned to walk away, but before he did he said, "although it is a tough time do not despair too much for I have seen Achilleus survive some things that I had deemed just as impossible. He's a fighter to the very end."

Turning around I noticed Automedon and Patroclus were is a deep discussion with some healers. By the frequent glances in Achilles' direction I knew they were having a similar conversation to the one I just had. Looking more closely at Achilles I noticed he had in fact fallen asleep.

"My lord! Wake up!" I exclaimed hurrying over to him, "you must stay awake for us to give you the herbs."

All I got in response was a moan. However I continued, "Achilles you must fight this."

"I know," came his faint voice, "tell me about yourself."

Not quite sure how to tell him about myself but thinking it would be best in order to keep him from falling asleep I started. I told him about my city and our way of life. And so I stayed there keeping him as awake as possible. My culture was enough to keep me talking for hours, finally when I though I was running out of things to say I noticed a man talking to Patroclus who nodded and the man than headed over in our direction.

"General?" The man asked looking quite unsure, for Achilles was half way between consciousness and beyond. Glancing to Patroclus, who again nodded, the man bent down closer to Achilles and continued. "The dart came from Tydius. Achilles do you understand me? Tydius is here and probably shot you with poisoned dart. Achilles you must wake-up, how do we take on Tydius? Our defenses were not meant to last for an extended siege."

To my surprise Achilles' eyes opened. "Tydius?" he asked faintly but with a distinct edge of anger.

"He is here."

With that news his eyes closed and he nodded. Slowly but with a clear commanding tone he answered, "Get my gear."

"Sir?" The stranger said with confusion, "you cannot fight him sir in the condition that you are in. You must wait and rest for the herbs, I am merely here to inform you."

His replied obviously did not sit will with Achilles anger flashed on his face briefly before being quickly masked, so quick in fact I thought I was seeing things. "Anticulous. Tydius knows he hit me with that dart, and thinks I'll be out of his way," he replied once again in a slow forced voice. "You are built like me and look similar. If you attack Tydius at his camp, it will throw him off. If he thinks you are me, he'll think twice before starting any attacks. He has always feared underestimating his enemies, and if you convince him he has done so it will turn out to our advantage."

"But sir I can't possible be you."

"It should not be that hard – just encourage the men don't fight. All you need to do is buy some time for us. Tydius will hopefully become overly cautious if he thinks he is underestimating me."

After awhile Automedon spoke up, "Achilles why can't you think about yourself for once? Stop thinking of this war and how to win."

"Well, do you have any other ideas?" When Achilles answered it was with a tired voice, showing that he was not up to an argument with Automedon at this particular moment.

"Not exactly – no," Patroclus answered.

"Do you want Anticulous to go by himself or with some back up? Because by himself Tydius will think you are perfectly fine and not afraid of him," I said, "Well at least the stories I've heard said that you would attack alone."

To this the men turned to face me. The assistant started to chuckle shaking his head, making it clear that I was wrong, and I was out of line.

"Well, I don't know, I mean, I thought...well you know..." I stammered feeling foolish.

"Good plan. In fact that is what we need you, Anticulous, to do, that is if you are up to it. You basically need to become Achilles, although, attacking an entire army by himself may be too much. How about when Tydius goes to nearby areas with a handful of soldiers?" Patroclus said, coming to my rescue. Still unsure of myself I glanced around and caught Achilles' eyes. Noticing the small smile and nod he gave me for reinsurance I began to feel much better, and with that I excused myself.

The morning I went back to the hospital. There I heard Anticulous raised havoc on Tydius the previous night, explaining the strange quiet.

"Lady Briseis," I barely heard my name being muttered by Achilles.

"My lord?" I asked settling myself down next to him.

"Please continue telling me about yourself, and not just your culture this time." Achilles said.

"But my life isn't very interesting."

"I would like to know more about you."

"Why? You tell me about yourself. Surely you must have had an interesting life."

"Perhaps one day I will tell you."

"I would like to know."

"Basically it is a tale of a warrior, but you are different from other women."

"Really?" Now he had me curious.

"Most women get sick or faint in hospitals, however, you are a skilled healer that taught herself through reading none the less, and than you can come up with battle strategies. I must admit you intrigue me. Now please tell me about yourself."

"My lord, my life is dull, as for a warrior's life – what is it like? It must be wonderful!"

"Oh, it does have its good points. My life has been everything but stable. No, Lady Briseis, my story isn't something to be told right now. Apparently yours isn't either. So..." he stopped looking very thoughtful.

"You are getting much better my lord."

"Achilles – please don't call me 'my lord'."

"Than you shouldn't call me a lady – for I am anything but that."

"Deal."

"Sir, the enemy is on the move," Anticulous interrupted us.

"Which division is he using to lead?"

"The third center."

"Strengthen the right flank."

"How are men to be stretched?"
"All injured who can carry a sword go to the positions you call men from."

"Sir?"

"You can do it Anticulous. This is your chance to prove yourself as the next in command with Patroclus and I out of the fighting – the defenses must at least hold."

"Sir?"

"You know my mind – always go on the offensive never defense."

"Yeah, act don't react."

"Exactly."

"Glad to see you are getting better – I think, how is it?"
"It will get worse before it gets better."

"Your stable."

"For now."

"How bad will it get? I mean, come on, you are going to get better aren't you? You have to."

"Don't worry about me – the walls need to be worried about."

"Yes sir," and with that Anticulous left.