Chapter 1: Three Years Later

"Briseis," Adara called. Briseis sighed as she brushed out her hair and pulled the veil onto her face so the only thing the men could see was her eyes. She sighed sadly, this was her life. A dancing slave for King Agamemnon. She held her tears back and looked into the mirror. Adara came into the room and helped her up. "You know that Agamemnon hates it when we're late for our performance," she added. Briseis nodded sadly and left the room.

Briseis looked out over the guests in the room and pushed back her tears as she and her friends continued dancing. However, she knew that afterwards, men of Agamemnon's choice would come out and take a dancer for the night. This happened to her once every month. Once the dance was finally finished, Agamemnon stood up and walked over to a dancer. He came to Briseis first like he always had during the past three years. "Achilles," he called. A strong man came onto the floor and looked at her in the eye. He held onto her hand and removed the veil. He led Briseis out of the room and upstairs.

She sat down and thought that he was going to be like all the others, however, instead of feeling him upon her like all the others, she felt a robe being placed around her. She looked at him with sad tears. "You're not going to?" She asked. Achilles kneeled before her.

"I won't touch a woman that doesn't want to be touched. I've been raised better than that," he answered.

Tears fell from her eyes as she held the robe close to her. He pulled a basin full of water over to them and began to wipe the stuff off her face. "How long have you been a slave to this man?" He asked.

"I've been a slave for three years. Every month he'd invite his friends and everyone else he knows to this large banquet and have my friends and me dance the night away in front of them. He'd have his friends that he was very close to take me upstairs and have their way with me. I never wanted this life. I want to go home to my family, my friends, and to my people," she explained through tears.

He stroked her face and saw that she was in terrible pain. "Where is your home?" He asked.

"My home is in Troy," she replied.

Achilles looked at her in shock. "The Jewel of Troy!" He gasped. Briseis nodded with tears falling from her eyes. He pulled her into a hug and sighed sadly.

"For three years I have been dreaming of going home. To see Hector, Paris, and Priam. I miss them so much," she sobbed.

Achilles let her go and looked at her. "I promise that when the time is right, I'll get you home to your family. I promise," he vowed. Briseis cried as hard as she could. Tears of happiness and sadness fell from her eyes.

"All I ever dreamt about was going home. Now it'll be coming true," she sobbed.

Achilles nodded and then he grabbed a dress from the closet and handed it over to her. "Here, put this on," he insisted. He left the room so Briseis could put the dress on. When he came back in, his eyes widened in shock. "Wow! You're beautiful," he murmured. Briseis blushed, that was the first time a man told her she was beautiful. She hadn't felt beautiful since the day she first started dancing. "I will not bed you, milady. I will buy you from Agamemnon. I know it sounds strange, but that is the only way I can get you home," he explained. She sat on the bed in disbelief. This man was actually going to try to get her home. Achilles then realized he didn't know her name. "What's your name?" He asked.

"I'm Briseis, niece of King Priam," she answered.

"I'm Achilles, I'm the son of Thetis," he imparted.

She then hugged him again with a sigh. "Thank you so much to try and get me home," she whispered. Achilles hugged her back and sighed.

"You are welcome, Briseis," he assured.