Chapter Nine: Time Does Not Heal All Wounds

I was still sitting there in the room trying to look after Achilles, but feeling dumb. He was asleep after all in order to get some rest so I don't think my presence would be let get a deep enough sleep to help him get back to his full state of health. So I got up to ask Meanes about this, walking towards where I thought I could find him I once again over heard Patroclus and Phoenix but this time Automedon had just finished speaking.

"What do you mean he is not here anymore?" Patroclus demanded.

"That's just it – I don't get it either, but that is what I've heard." Automedon replied.

"That makes no sense. The Green Dragon can't just disappear. Someone has to know his whereabouts." Phoenix said.

"He knows." Patroclus said.

"How?" The other two asked.

"How does he know what he knows? I've known him almost as long as you, Phoenix, but I still don't get it."

"But would he really kill the Green Dragon?" Automedon asked.

"The Green Dragon is responsible for the death of his wife. So Achilles would kill him and Tydius whenever the opportunity presents itself, even if it meant his own life." Phoenix replied.

"He was very tired this morning. I think we should ask him when he comes to."

At this point I moved on. I should not eavesdrop but it helped me put the pieces of the puzzle together. Achilles somehow heard that the Green Dragon had come here probably because of Tydius. Achilles knew everyone he cared about would not allow him to face the Green Dragon, so he slipped out of the city and into the enemy's camp. There he murdered his enemy. Than when sneaking back into the city he stumbled upon me – swearing me to secrecy in order not to annoy Patroclus, Phoenix, Automedon, and probably Antiochus. He would have probably told them later on when it became unavoidable.

Curiosity got the better of me so I turned around back to Achilles – I wanted to know if my theory was correct. I probably shouldn't do this but everything seemed to revolve around Achilles' past, which he would not discuses freely.

I settled back down reading up on the gift of prophecy and how the gods express themselves. I had never been able to read openly while I was married, now I seemed to be a sponge anything and everything were great for me to learn about, and the more I read the more I wanted to read. I was in the middle of many readings when Achilles' voice interrupted me. "I guess Athena decided to send me a mortal guardian."

"I'm just doing what I am told to do."

"Than how come I have a feeling that you normally don't always obey?"

"Is it true that Athena is your patron goddess?" I asked instead, choosing to change the subject.

Achilles did not respond right away, but seemed to be lost in thought and memory. Than he answered in a flat voice void of any emotional content, "Athena and I have a nice relationship."

"But when you almost died Patroclus asked how Athena could of abandoned you – it seemed like you were on talking terms."

"You should not believe everything you read Briseis. Gods are fickle and have few loyalties, and when they visit someone it isn't always when that person needs it."

"So you don't like Athena?"

"I respect Athena. I guess in a way I like her."

"Than why talk down about the gods – shouldn't they all be respected and loved?"

"As I said those books that you are reading are written by priests, who don't know the first things about the gods."

"And you do?"

"I have met them."

"So you are an expert?"

"No, I'm just saying do not trust everything in writing."

Before our conversation could interrupt Phoenix walked in. "You're up."

"Yeah, how you doing?"

"Worried about you."

"Haven't you learnt that you shouldn't do that?"

"Well, we received some news that is of interest to you."

"Go on."

"We don't want you to get upset and do anything that might cause yourself further harm."

"Phoenix, just tell me."

"The Green Dragon was here and than we don't know," he said in a rush of words. Breathing deeply he studied Achilles closely.

"I was informed."

"You didn't actually go into their camp did you?"

"Briseis would you please excuse us?" Achilles asked.

"I think I have a right to be here." I blurted out before I could slam my hand over my mouth.

"I don't think this is any of your affair," Phoenix coldly said.

"I guess I can be trusted with secrets but not the truth."

Phoenix looked confused about this and Achilles did not look at me. After awhile he quietly said, "The Green Dragon is no longer a treat in this world."

"So you did sneak into his camp, and than you m...mur...murdered him?" Phoenix asked in astonishment.

Confusing me – Achilles was a warrior of course he murdered people.

"I gave him a chance."

"By murdering him in his sleep?" I asked in disgust, what kind of chance was that?

"I did not murder him."

"His dead because of you."

"Briseis, killing and murdering are two slightly different things." Phoenix said. "I should have known you, Achilles, did not just assassinate him. You see Briseis, a warrior, such as Achilles, does not like the idea of murdering someone. To murder someone is cold blooded and does not offer any glory to the kill. Achilles killed the Green Dragon, meaning he offered the Green Dragon a chance to kill him."

"But the result is the same – he's dead."

"Yes, but Achilles survived the challenge."

"But you don't openly get the glory."

"I was not after glory this time." Achilles stated with a touch of sadness to his voice.

"Than why did you mur...kill him?"

There was a pause, before Phoenix cleared his throat and excused himself.

"Phoenix is a good a man." Achilles said.

"He seems like it."

"When I was nine years old, Paris took Helen to Troy. And since Patroclus was a former suitor to Helen who had taken the oath to help her husband he was required to go to war. My mother was scared that I would follow my cousin to war, so you hide me on the island of Scyros. There I meet Diedameia we became good friends. In order to get the king of Scyros to help conceal my identity, my mother made an agreement with him; if we were both willing we would marry. Well since we became such good friends, her father decided to marry us. We just went along not really understanding what we were getting ourselves into. Well, anyway, to make a long story short, I eventually went off to war and the Green Dragon discovered our relationship and decided to send me her head in a box."

"That's awful." I replied quietly, not sure what else to say. I want to ask him for the details that were obviously skipped in his story, but knowing it was not a good time to do so I remained quiet.

"So please understand, sometimes glory has to take a back seat. If I had waited until I was fully recovered, and formally challenged him than I would have to deal with trickery that he would surely had come up with. Than it is better that the Antankees are thrown into some state of confusion."

"How old are you?" I asked curious about the story being told by such a young person.

"Seventeen. Why?"

"How are you so young but so good supposedly?"

"I was trained when I was young."

"Two?"

"Seven."

"Why so young though?"

"You really want to know the whole story don't you?"

"I didn't know it was related. You don't have to tell me, I have already overstepped my bounds. It just struck me odd how young you are."

"Maybe another time."

"Ok." I said than after awhile continuing to say, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Trusting me."

"I guess you remind me of Diedameia." He stated before continuing on to say, "But in a way you seem so different."

I wasn't quite sure how I should take that.

"I mean you're spirited like her and independent. Yet I you could not tell her things, I can trust you."

"How do you know?"

"Your eyes."

"Looks can be deceiving."

"Eyes don't lie, you might call it my sixth sense."

"I thought that was catching arrows."

"Yeah that to." He laughed.

"I guess I should be honored that you feel that way."

"You should."

We were looking into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity, yet it was not. Time seemed to stop. He had somewhere in the middle of our conversation sat up, and now I noticed how close we were to each other. My heart start to beat wildly but breathing seemed to be impossible. We both wanted to same thing at that moment. He softly brushed a stray piece of hair off my cheek before cupping my face with his one hand gently pulling me towards him as he leaned forward.