Celebwen Telcontar: This is the last chapter of my Queen of Kings fic.
Balrog: Use it wisely.
Celebwen Telcontar: That I will. Please leave a review. I don't own Troy. Or the Iliad.
"Well, what do you say?" Theogone asked. She stared at her mother, who was the Queen of Kings in all Greece. She had fought her way up, every inch of the social ladder to be in Mycenae where she was now.
"Sicily would be a good addition to my lands," Briseis said.
"So would the Tucsonans, the Hittites, the Egyptians, et cetera!" Theogone laughed. "You can't have the whole world, Mother! It's too big; even for you!" the girl cried.
"I don't want the whole world, Theogone. I just want to make it so that I can eliminate all usurpers to my throne."
"What about me?" Theogone asked, her voice sardonic.
"Not you, dear. You're fine as is."
"Be careful, Queen of Kings. You might overlook someone."
"I won't." She lifted her eyebrows as her Herald entered. "What is it, Tereus?"
"Pharaoh Ankhenaten and his son Horemheb have arrived in port."
"Thank you. Show them in." The herald left and the Pharaoh and Crown Prince of Upper and Lower Egypt were shown in.
"My Lady, High Queen Briseis of Mycenae," Ankhenaten said, bowing low. His son did the same. "I have come to request a peace between Greece and Egypt."
"I thank you. Will you join the Mycenaeans for a grand banquet in the honor of Peace?" Briseis said. She called for her herald, and had him tell the kitchens to make a feast. Tereus bowed himself out and went to the kitchens.
"We shall accept, Cousin," he said, using the title used between royalties. "I have also come to request your daughters hand for my son. A peace can easily be cemented between us by the marriage between your daughter and my son."
"I will see what I can do. If such a wedding is decided upon, they must remain in Greece."
"That is no large request. It shall be."
"Good. Theogone, what have you to say about this?"
"I will decide after meeting with the Crown Prince in less... diplomatic situations."
"I will await your answer, my daughter. Now, if this peace can be made, each enemy of Greece shall be the enemy of Egypt, and so you shall come when we call. Each enemy of Egypt shall be the enemy of Greece, and so we shall send an army when you call for protection. There will be a member of the Egyptian Royal family living in Mycenae, and a battalion of my soldiers living in Egypt for both diplomatic and militant purposes." Ankhenaten nodded, and Briseis called for Sagaris, one of her servants, to take the diplomatic envoy to their rooms.
Achilles and Hector looked in the fire, and Hector began to laugh.
"She's done very well. I knew she was a natural leader, but I never dreamed that she would usurp Agamemnon as the Queen of Kings. And now she's got Egypt!"
"I'm proud of her," Achilles said, grinning. "And my little Theogone."
"Both of them are natural leaders."
"I like what she's done with the Myrmidons."
"I never dreamed that she would even become the Lady of the Myrmidons, much less what she is today. Oh, here come Paris and Helen!" he called. The Trojan monarchs moored their ship at the docks, and the Trojan envoy exited from the ship.
Back to making treaties with Greeks. Let's just hope this Queen of Kings will be a good ally for Troy.
She's probably some relative of Agamemnon. It would make sense.
Gods, I hope I don't mess this up! Paris said fervently. Achilles and Hector looked on with interest.
"I wonder if he knows that the Queen of Kings is Briseis!"
"Probably not. My little brother wouldn't be bothering with a treaty, only with a familial visit, if he knew."
There's nothing that can go wrong, as far as I know, Paris, Helen commented. With them were their son Hector and their daughter Hecubae.
I wonder where Briseis is. Last I saw, she was the Lady of the Myrmidons.
She's probably in Phita with her Myrmidons. I wonder if she ever married?
"No, she didn't, Helen. She loves Achilles to much to marry," Hector said, earning a look from said warrior. At that moment, one of the Myrmidons, Eudorus, approached.
Paris and Helen, envoys to Mycenae from Troy. We greet you. Unfortunately, the Queen of Kings is unavailable right now. If you would like to speak with the Princess of Kings then you may.
Princess of Kings?
The daughter of the Queen of Kings. Princess Theogone of Mycenae and the Greek Kingdom.
Yes, we will discuss matters with the Princess then if possible with the Queen.
Good. Come, I will have Proetus bring you to your guest chambers.
Priam entered the 'room', and took a seat near his son.
"Father. Have you been watching the fire lately?"
"No."
"Where was Briseis when you last saw her in the Fire?"
"Leading the Myrmidons in an attack against the Greeks. She already had Queen Penelope's support for Ithaca, and she herself was in Phita."
"Well, you've missed quite a bit then. Our Briseis, our Priestess of Apollo, is now the Queen of Kings. She rules over all Greece. Her word is law. She is about to make a treaty and bring Egypt into the meld. Paris and Helen are about to make a treaty with her, bringing Troy, or what is left of it, under her jurisdiction. They have no clue that Briseis is the Queen of Kings."
"They're in for a shock," Achilles said. Priam could say nothing. He stared into the fire as Paris and Helen were taken to the Throne Room and introduced to the delegates Ankhenaten and Horemheb. Briseis and Theogone were sitting in the shadows.
"Who's the girl sitting by Briseis?"
"Her daughter, Theogone."
"So Briseis married."
"No, she didn't. Theogone is Achilles' daughter." Priam looked at the Greek hero, and raised his eyebrows.
"I see."
In the past, Greece and Troy have been adversaries. Now we strive for peace. Princess Theogone and myself would uphold this peace. Would you do the same, Paris King of Troy? Briseis' voice rang out through the chambers. Priam, Achilles and Hector were riveted to the flames to see what would happen next.
Paris' eyes went wide, and as Briseis stood in the strong candlelight, the Trojan king shook his head and blinked his eyes.
Briseis...? he asked, completely confused.
Yes, I am Queen Briseis of Mycenae. Born Briseis of Troy into the family of Brimus brother of King Priam of Troy.
Briseis... You are... High Queen... Queen of Kings... Of Mycenae... By the Gods... How did this happen? Helen managed.
I became Lady of the Myrmidons, then I decided that Greece needed a new ruler. I started by making friends with Queen Penelope, and from there I began to conquer all of the lands of Greece. I moved into Mycenae about eight and a half years ago. The Greek nation, under me, is far stronger than it was under Agamemnon. He just wanted power. I want power and the good of the people. Will you join me in this alliance to come when I call, and to be my ally in fact as well as in name?
Briseis, you... I will. I know better than to oppose you in either sparring or politics.
Good. Will you join us for a banquet with the Egyptian Pharaoh? He has a son just a couple years older than your daughter.
How do you know about Hecubae?
My spies are the best out there. I know her name is Hecubae, you have a son named Hector, Helen is once again pregnant—Congratulations, by the way—and you are building a new community on Mt. Ida.
I see. All of your information is correct, somehow. You also seem different, harder, and the cousin I knew is gone.
She died the night you killed Achilles. I became the Lady of the Myrmidons, a different person than the one who used to run through Troy, carefree.
What about Brimus? Are you more he than you?
I suppose you could say that. Brimus was a guard, and was hard-hearted. He is another aspect of my personality, the main part of me nowadays. Briseis is no more. Now I am Queen of Kings, and have no time to run through city halls, or yell at family. This is mainly about the alliance, and me trying not to kill you.
"As you can see, Father, Briseis has made a name for herself. She's usurped Agamemnon, and become Queen in his place."
"She's so much better than he was. I would fight for her in an eye blink," Achilles put in.
"As would any who know her. She's also united all of Greece, Troy, and Egypt. She has her eyes on Sicily, Tuscany, and Italy as well."
"My Gods!" Priam cried. "She's going to rule all of the world!"
"Perhaps. It wouldn't be too far a stretch of the imagination to see that she rules the world. Remember how she was better in many subjects than I was, when she dressed as Brimus, the young guard?"
"I always wondered who Brimus was, and why he was never around when I wanted to talk to him."
"Brimus. Briseis. Same person."
A man ran into the room. My Lady! He had hair that was nearly white, same as his beard. He wore a blue robe, and his face was seamed with many wrinkles.
Eudorus, she cried, running to him. She embraced him and kissed his brow.
My Lady, I have sorrowful news for you. Eudorus hung his head, a tear dripping from his eye. It was a sign of his extreme sorrow that he had allowed himself to cry.
What is it? she asked, and Achilles could see that her joy in seeing her father figure was dampened.
Enyo and Areia had a good long life. They lived about fifty years, a miracle for a horse. Both of them crossed the River Styx last night. Briseis raised her head, her face white and drawn. She had grey streaks in her black hair, and crow's feet were etched at the corners of her eyes.
They will be buried with full honors. Coins will be placed on their eyes for the Boatman, and their bodies will be laid in the tomb I have cut from the rock for my own body.
Priam sighed and looked around, startled. He hoped that the two new arrivals, wherever they were, would not be too bloodthirsty in death as in life. Achilles and Hector sighed and went to find the two horses, and bring them into the Realms of the Dead. He hoped that they would be able to keep from trying to devour anything and everything. Then he sat back to watch the rest of his nieces' life.
Briseis lay on her bed, coughing up mucus. Her hair, once raven-wing black, was now snowy white. Her skin was thin as leaf-skeletons, and her eyes were almost sightless. She couldn't remember the names of the new Myrmidons, and often called for her old friend Eudorus, who had died many years before. It hurt Theogone's heart to see her mother like this, and the old woman was often taken to lapsing in silence and reliving the past.
"Eudorus," Briseis rasped.
"Mother, he's not here."
"I'll wait then until he comes. I have instructions for him."
"Mother, he won't come."
"Yes he will. He's been a good and loyal friend. I have one more order for him before I cross the River Styx."
"Mother..." Theogone sobbed. Finally, she fled, not being able to look at her mother like this.
"What is it, Theogone?" Calus, her Myrmidon husband, asked.
"She's crying for Eudorus again. She won't let herself go until he's by her side so she can tell him some instructions or other."
"Gods. He died of old age about twenty years ago!"
"Eudorus had always been there for her, and it was a hard blow when he died." Hecubae and her husband Horemheb trotted up.
"Is Cousin Briseis crying for Eudorus again? I think I have a solution."
"What is it? Anything to help Mother," Theogone said.
"Calus can pose as Eudorus. She won't know the difference anymore."
"It's worth a shot."
"I hope it works. Otherwise she'll be sad and impossible to deal with!" Cedalione, Theogone's granddaughter, said. "Go on, Grandfather. We'll stay here."
Calus squared his shoulders, wiped his streaming eyes, and entered the dying woman's room.
"My Lady Briseis," Calus began.
"Eudorus?" Briseis asked.
"Yes."
"Thank the Gods. I want you to watch over Theogone as you have me. I hope she doesn't make too many mistakes as Queen of Kings. You know how young and rash she is. Promise me. This is the last order I give you,"
"I promise, My Lady. It has been my life's honor to serve you, Lady Briseis." Calus couldn't hold back the tears any longer, and they streamed down his face and into his graying beard.
"Thank you, Eudorus. You have been a good and loyal friend, for all the time I've known you." She reached up weakening arms and grasped Calus' shoulders, bringing his head down so she could kiss his brow. Then, she lay her arms by her sides, and she rested her head on the pillow, falling into her eternal sleep.
The sand was soft under her feet as she stood on the beach waiting for the ferry. When Charon got there, he admitted her quickly. She saw that there was a rip in his robes near the neck, in the shape of equine teeth. One of his hands was scarred and pockmarked and his arm was ripped up. Enyo, Areia, she thought sadly. They had died thirty years before, and she had sorely missed their presence to liven up her life.
"Thank goodness you're here now," a voice rasped from Charon's hood. "That Myrmidon has those monsters under somewhat control, but they've rescently eaten fifteen spirits of people who were going to be reborn into new bodies!"
"Enyo and Areia. Why am I not surprised?" She handed the boatman her coins, and lifted her skirt in order to board the vessil. "I'm looking forward to seeing them again," she whispered.
When she disembarked and got into the Halls, she looked about in the hallway, seeing torchlight flickering on the walls. A young man with golden hair and tanned skin walked down the hall, beaming. Briseis took one look at him, and sprinted for him. "Achilles!" she cried. He scooped her up in his arms, and kissed her.
"I've missed you, Briseis, my Queen of Kings," he whispered in her ear.
"And I you," she replied, before hearing the clop of hooves and the ecstatic neigh of two horses. She looked up to see Enyo and Areia sprinting down the hall, Eudorus clinging to Areia's mane and beaming.
"My Lady Briseis!" he cried. He slipped from the diabolical mare's back and stood near her. She took his head in her hands and kissed his brow gently.
"It's good to be home, with my family; where I belong," she said as Priam, Hector, her parents, and Patroclus came up, followed by the original Myrmidons and all of those who had served under her when she was in charge. She kissed each one of them on the forehead, and walked into the Halls of Mandos. She was home.
Celebwen Telcontar: How was that?
Balrog: Alright, I guess. Could have been worse.