She dust flew up into her eyes as she ran but she continued. Tecmessa had never spoken of how Ajax treated her, but it didn't take the brightest minds to work it out. Ajax had seriously damaged the poor girl. It was an amazing side affect that due to the torture Tecmessa had grown stronger and braver. Briseis began to grow angrier and angrier as she fled back to Achilles tent.

What time was it now? Briseis couldn't be sure but the daylight wrapped around her and the unbearable heat just made her more furious. It was like Briseis was drunk with rage, her mind was clouded and she knew what she was going to do but she couldn't stop it.

Onwards she ran till her feet began to hurt but she continued.

Until she reached the tent.

Briseis stood by the door and stepped inside. Her presence startled the men inside. Ajax was sitting, his shoulder relaxed against three cushions. At his side was Eudorus, Achilles right hand man. Achilles was with them also but Patroclus had gone. Achilles looked up.

"Briseis?" he said. She looked upset, confused, angry, worried…it was hard to say but Achilles knew that something was wrong.

"What is it?" Suddenly Briseis had to think quickly. Her plan had seemed good when basic, but now she had to do it, and the details were precise.

She started acting. She used to love the plays when she was queen. She could watch them for hours and how she longed to be in one of them. She would have loved to play a warrior. A man. She wasn't sure why.

She dropped her head and began to sob. Achilles, as predicted, walked to her side and she flung her arms around him and cried into his chest. He held her back, quite shocked at what she was doing. But she was a lovely girl and he didn't care why she was doing it, he just loved holding her. He wished he had never slept with her so that she could still be a mystery.

She nestled into him and stroked his back. But then she brought her hands to his side and she fingered a shiny blade that clung to his hip. In one swift movement she removed it and pushed herself away from Achilles. He shook his head and almost laughed at her. But he could laugh all he wanted. He was now without a weapon, the most dangerous man she had met was separated from his sword and that is exactly what Briseis wanted.

She held the blade in two hands and looking at it she began to shake. Every eye was on her. Slowly she began to move forward until she reached Ajax who looked at her, perplexed and amused.

"Fight me," she whispered and Ajax laughed out loud.

"I am serious," she said again. "Fight me or I shall kill you in cold blood."

Ajax walked away from her and picked up his sword. They circled.

Achilles watched. But he wasn't frightened. He knew that if one of them died it would be Ajax. He wouldn't let Briseis die. He didn't want her hurt, but this is what she wanted to do.

She looked up at Ajax and shook her head till her hair fell behind her shoulders out the way. She lept forward and tried to slice his chest. He moved out the way and she lunged again. Suddenly Ajax brought back his fist as she stumbled forward and his hit her round the face. He laughed and turned to Achilles who did not return the smile. He gave Ajax a warning look but the warrior turned back to Briseis.

He held out his sword, trying to get her arm but she managed to block it with her own blade. She cried as the swords hit each other, but she being weaker went flying back and landed on the floor in a ball. Ajax walked over to her and kicked the blade out of her hand. She gasped as Ajax drew high is sword ready to end her life, but then a small dagger got thrown to her. Achilles watched her catch his knife and before Ajax could bring the sword down she stuck it in his heart. No mistakes this time. Ajax was going to die.

And he died quickly. Falling on top of her, his weight pinning her to the floor. She cried at what she had done and the dead man on top of her was once alive. She screamed and tears came down her cheeks. Achilles removed the man and helped her to her feet. He smiled. He didn't look angry or even upset. Ajax was his cousin.

But Briseis killed him, Achilles thought. Briseis could do what she wanted as she would do nothing for no reason. She was a good girl. She was his girl and he loved her. Now, Ajax was dead, his blood strewn over the floor and over Briseis. She cried and she began to shake even more than before when she was fighting him. But hadn't she known all along that she would kill him. It was true that earlier she was afraid, but she knew that she could do it. She could and would do it for Tecmessa.

Tecmessa.

Where was she? She was safe. Briseis knew this.

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Tecmessa sat with Thetis on the beach of Scamander. The wrong side though. They were still on the Greek's half. Thetis was wearing a blue dress. Blue like the sea.

"I thank you again for saving me my Lady" Tecmessa smiled. "But I would love more than anything to go home. Could you take me home?"

Thetis looked at the girl.

"How old are you Tecmessa?" she asked. The lady was wise. Tecmessa knew that whatever Thetis would say, Tecmessa would respect.

"I am nineteen." She replied. Thetis smiled. She had an attractive smile. She had handed it down to Achilles.

"I thought as much." She said. "I believe I am quite gifted at guessing ages." Thetis smiled again. "You were frightened." Thetis said.

Tecmessa shook her head.

"No. I was not frightened." Thetis nodded.

"Then you were angry?"

"I was furious. I was furious but I knew that I would save myself."

"Did my nephew not frighten you at all Tecmessa." Tecmessa dropped her head.

"You nephew was an evil man. I do not say that about warriors. I do not pity them. They fight for their country. They are brave. But Ajax was an evil man and what he did to me was evil. Evil blood ran in his veins my Lady. But I assure you it no reflection on his aunt." She smiled.

"I knew that I would escape his grasp one day. And that was the day that Achilles took my away from him. It is true he may have killed me if he didn't take me." Thetis nodded.

"I understand. How long were you with him?"

"I remember the day that I was taken. It was long before Briseis. She was a Queen during the war; I was a captive at the start. The Trojan War began when I was only ten. Ten years old. I can remember it so clearly. I remember them landing…"

"Who?" Tecmessa nodded.

"The Greeks. Your son, your nephew. They thought they had landed in Troy. They thought that this was the beginning, but it wasn't. This was the prologue of a war. I can tell you what it was like."

Tecmessa looked down, ready to begin a painful story.

"I was a princess…"