Why was she so angry? She wondered. Did he expect them not to try to get back to their home?
Oh Apollo, she prayed. If I don't die know I'll be the luckiest Trojan to live! Oh Please please don't hurt me.
She started trembling even more and she tried desperately to calm him down before he reached her.
"I'm sorry Ajax, Sir. Please. I am sorry. Don't hurt me." She stepped away from him but he reached out and he held her by her throat. Ah, she gasped as he pushed harder into her neck.
"Stop…." She cried. "Please…..I……Achilles!" She tried to call her masters name but it got muffled under Ajax's big hand. She tried to kick him but he just pressed harder into her. She began to cry and the tears ran all over his hand.
"Pathetic," he spat at her as the tears came even faster. Beneath her sobs she could hear Tecmessa get up. Oh, please give her the strength to run Apollo. Let her escape this beast of a man! Ajax continued.
"I am out on the battle field every day! Any fight could be my last and you shed your tears because of your own arrogance! I don't know why Achilles doesn't kill you. Maybe I should do him the favour!" She screamed as he pushed even hard, lifting her off the ground. The breath was forced out of her lungs and she was desperate for a breath. Suddenly from behind someone else spoke……a female.
"Unless I do the favour first!" The person cried. Suddenly mighty Ajax screamed and dropped Briseis. Her lungs filled with oxygen and she let out a sign of relief. She jerked her head up when she heard Ajax scream again in agony. As he fell to his knees he revealed Tecmessa standing behind him. She held in her hand a knife which she had buried into Ajax's bloody shoulder. Poor Tecmessa was covered in bruises and blood was in her hair. Her face was a mask of fury from being humiliated by this insensitive man. Tears ran down her face from her obvious pain and her lips curled in hatred.
"You beast," she cried. "The months of torment I have received from you will never leave me. They will haunt me like my face will haunt you. Like a plague that drifts with you in the underworld. Go to Hell you fiend." She pulled the knife out of his wound and let the blood flow freely down his back. Tecmessa stared at it but Briseis gasped. How this death reminded her of Mynes death. Briseis felt ill and she buried her face in her hands.
"Apollo," she cried, "Make it stop. Please make the sorrow stop." A crowd of people had now begun to form around the two girls and Ajax. The made a circle, everyone trying to peer in and have a look at what had happened. Many drew back in shock when they saw who it was on the floor, dead, leaking blood like a river. However, none of them approached Tecmessa. The kept their distances from the possessed girl with the knife in her hand, dribbling Ajax's warm blood. His early departure shocked even the mightiest of warriors. Tecmessa opened her eyes from a long blink and she scanned the faces before her. The last she saw was Ajax. Her wicked master, dead at her feet. She grew weak and wanted to drop the knife and fall into a little ball and cry. But she didn't do this. She believed that the knife and the fury on her face were the only things keeping the other warriors at bay.
Suddenly she heard some warriors cry, and the name filled her with fear never felt before. Fear that she hadn't even endured in Ajax's tent at night when his body was so close to hers she felt she could move right through it. Or when he'd walk in after a day on the battlefield, covered in some other Trojans blood, and he would tell her how he wished it was her blood all over him.
"Some day it will be," he wickedly whispered to her. "Some day it shall be your blood that I bathe in." Tecmessa used to look back into his eyes and she would always dream of replying to him.
"Not if I bathe in yours first," She begged herself to say. But even brave Tecmessa could not spit out those words. But now she was bathing in his blood. It as all up her arm and on her legs.
She heard them call the name again and her heart skipped a beat.
"Achilles," some cried. She heard the footsteps in the distance. She heard soldiers groan as they were pushed out of the circle to let Achilles in. He looked at his two girls and he looked at his friend. He shut his eyes and opened them, shut his eyes and opened them. Briseis was in a state but Tecmessa's face remained unbroken by grief. Instead she looked at Achilles, her eyes wide, speaking to him from inside her head. Silently she begged him to forgive her for her sin. She would never beg to a warrior using real words. It was not her style and she really would rather die. Intimidation is something she cannot stand and she promised that it would never affect her. Achilles looked back at her and it was hard to say whether he looked confused or angry or pleased. He walked over to Briseis, glaring at the spirited lady who had led her so astray.
"Come," he whispered to her. Briseis was shaking all over and she was defiantly in shock. Achilles put his arm around her and hugged her close to him, stroking her hair and soothing her with gentle words. All the time Tecmessa watched him manipulate the girl and her eyes bore into his back. She could see Briseis head resting on his shoulder, her face covered in relief. She looked like a huge burden had been taken off her shoulders. She clung to Achilles, her little hands digging into his back. She let him whisper to her and she loved it that she was so special to him.
Tecmessa began to get even angrier now when she saw what Achilles was doing to Briseis. Briseis looked up and saw her face over Achilles back and she shook her head quickly. Her mouth kept miming the word "no." She didn't want Tecmessa to start a row. Briseis already cared for Tecmessa too much to let Achilles hurt her. She clung to him not letting him turn round to see Tecmessa scowling at him. But the embrace was broken and Achilles started to lead Briseis back to the tent. He turned around and looked at Tecmessa.
"Come," he said to her. But she stayed where she was and when ever anyone went to retrieve her she held the knife out suggestively.
"I'm going back to Troy." She said confidently. "If anyone tries to stop me the will end up like Ajax. I'm not afraid to kill. It isn't only warriors that are capable of such a crime." She turned to walk away and the circle broke and parted as she walked through the crowd. Achilles sighed and turned to follow her.
"Tecmessa," he cried after her, "You come here now Tecmessa!" he shouted. But she didn't even turn her head and she continued to walk away from him, her back to his face as he shouted. She brandished the knife to everyone who didn't move to allow her access to the path to Troy. They all eventually moved. Achilles looked at Briseis then back to Tecmessa and he ran after her. Briseis stood to attention.
"RUN TECMESSA!" She screamed. The Trojan heard her screams and turned her head. Achilles ran towards her and fear filled her before so confident eyes. She turned and fled fast her hair and dress spilled out behind her as she lifted the dust with her feet. However, she was a quick opponent but no match for mighty Achilles and he soon caught up with her. Realising that the chase was up she turned to face the warrior.
Oh Apollo, thought Briseis as Tecmessa began to square up to him. Please Apollo, don't let her fight him. But despite her prayers Tecmessa held out her knife and Achilles pulled out his. A shadow cast over the sky.