Chapter 11: Briseis Regrets

Briseis sighed as she sat in the tent again. She listened to Achilles argue with Patroclus. When he came back into the tent, she decided to go speak with her lover's cousin.

Patroclus was walking down the beach when Briseis caught up with him. "PATROCLUS!" She called. Patroclus stopped and looked at her.

"You shouldn't be out here, milady, any Greek could snatch you right off the beach and into their tent," he pointed out.

"I'm not worried about me right now, I'm worried about you," she objected.

"Why are you worried about me, milady?"

"Stop calling me that. I'm worried because you might do something stupid."

"Why would you think such a thing?"

"If you're anything like your cousin you would go into battle. Don't do it."

She walked back into Achilles' tent while leaving Patroclus alone to think.

The next day, Briseis was pulling her dress on when Achilles wrapped his arms around her. She smiled as she felt him hold her. "Do you remember when we first met?" He asked.

"I was a slave dancer for Agamemnon and you were his best warrior," she replied.

Achilles kissed the side of her head and held her even closer. "I want to ask you something," he whispered.

"Go ahead," she murmured.

He held up a white beaded bracelet with a smile. "Will you be my wife once this war is over?" He asked. Briseis smiled and leaned into his chest.

"Yes," she replied.

He tied the bracelet around her wrist and kissed the side of her head. He wrapped his arms around her waist. Briseis placed her hands over his and sighed as he pulled her closer to him.

Another night passed and while Briseis pulled her old dress on, Achilles went outside to think. Pain went through her heart when she heard Achilles yelling for Patroclus. She ran outside and saw him hurting his good friend. "ACHILLES, NO!" She screamed. She went to stop him when he grabbed her by the throat and threw her to the ground.

Later that night, Briseis was in the tent when Achilles came in. "Briseis, I'm sorry," he apologized. She looked at him with tears falling from her eyes.

"Please, Achilles, don't kill him," she begged.

"He has to pay for what he has done," he reminded.

"Hector wouldn't have killed a child on purpose. For the love of the gods he has a child of his own."

He pulled on his armor and walked over towards his chariot. She ran after him in tears. "ACHILLES, DON'T! HECTOR IS MY COUSIN!" She screamed. He didn't answer, he just left in anger. She lowered her head and began to cry.

When Achilles arrived at the walls, he called for Hector. Then when the Prince of Troy finally came, he pulled his helmet off.

"Now you know who you're fighting," he snapped.

"I thought it was you I fought yesterday," Hector insisted.

As Achilles fought Hector, memories of Briseis' tears came back to him. "Hector wouldn't have killed a child on purpose," her words echoed.