Chapter 8: Meeting Again

Briseis was in the temple with the priests and the other priestesses. They heard battle going on outside and while the rest of the priestesses fled, the priests stayed. She hid in the temple when the soldiers came in. She choked back a scream when they killed the priests. Fear stayed in her heart when they passed her. However, it came too early to relax. "Look what I found, a beautiful girl," the soldier chuckled.

"Take her to the leader's tent. He'll be glad to use her," another taunted.

Briseis struggled against them as they dragged her out of the temple. "NO, NO!" She screamed.

They dragged her into a tent and forced her to sit down and tied her hands. "Stay here, our leader should be returning shortly," the soldier chuckled.

Achilles looked out over the camps and walked down to see what was going on at the moment. When Hector came, Achilles was getting ready to go into his tent. "You brought my cousin back to our family a year ago. Why do you attack our home and destroy our statues? Why must you do these things after your brought back our jewel?" He asked.

"I am doing what I am told to do, Prince Hector. Go home, we'll finish later," Achilles snapped.

Hector glared at him before hurrying off back to the city. Achilles was told that a gift was brought to his tent. When he entered the tent, his eyes widened in disbelief. "Briseis!" He gasped.

"Achilles!" She gasped.

He cut her loose and hugged her tight. "I thought I was never going to see you again," she whispered.

"I thought the same thing. I'm going to protect you from the men in this camp. They'll be wanting you. I'll protect you, I promise," he whispered back.

She buried her head in his shoulder and cried. "They killed our priests," she sobbed.

"I know they did. Your cousin thinks that I enjoy doing what I am sent here to do. I don't enjoy killing the men that serves the woman that I have protected from the world's most evil king ever," he explained.

Briseis looked at him. "If you don't like killing these men, why are you doing it?" She asked.

"I have no choice now. If I don't fight, I know that Agamemnon will order for his men to kill you. I don't want that to happen," he replied.

Just then, Achilles was called to Agamemnon's tent. He placed a hand on her face and sighed. "I'll be back, stay out of sight and you'll be safe," he assured.

He then got up and left the tent.

When he entered Agamemnon's tent, he was receiving gifts from the other kings. Odysseus was looking at Achilles as he entered the tent. When Agamemnon sent the kings away, he decided to talk to Achilles. "A great victory was won today," he mentioned. Achilles nodded while he kept his eyes ahead. When he told Agamemnon that the victory belonged to the soldiers, the king became furious. "History remembers kings, not soldiers," he snapped. "Your men sacked the temple of Apollo did you not?" He asked.

"If you want gold, take it. It's my gift, take what you wish," Achilles answered.

"Oh I already have."

He called for his men. Achilles heard a woman struggling and the fear that came into his heart came true. Briseis was struggling against the soldiers. She was beaten pretty badly and she was trying not to cry. "Spoils of war," Agamemnon mentioned.

"No arguing with you brothers but if you don't let her go, you'll never see home again. Stand aside," Achilles ordered.

"GUARDS!" Agamemnon called.

Soldiers surrounded Achilles and the man was about to kill them all until Briseis objected to it. "STOP! Too many men have died today," she snapped and then she looked at Achilles, "killing is your talent that's your curse. I don't want anyone to die for me." Achilles put his sword away and then Agamemnon began to touch the young woman, the woman that he loved. He then pointed his sword at him in anger.

"Before my time is done, I'll down upon your corpse and smile," he snapped.

He walked pass Briseis and touched her cheek. "I'll be back for you," he whispered. Briseis watched as he left and lowered her head.

"Take her away," Agamemnon ordered.

The soldiers grabbed Briseis' arms and dragged her away. "ACHILLES!" She screamed.

Achilles was walking back into his tent when he stopped short. "ACHILLES!" He heard Briseis screamed. He then stormed back into his tent and just about destroyed everything in there. He threw his knife and it landed in the back of the tent, making a hole. He was going to save Briseis whether Agamemnon liked it or not.