Chapter 12: Briseis' Pain
Briseis feared for Hector. Tears fell from her eyes at the thought of her lover killing her beloved cousin. She looked at the bracelet around her wrist and if Achilles did kill Hector, she would never love him again. She heard someone coming into the tent and looked up. She let out a sob when Achilles came in. She got up and ran out of the tent, throwing the bracelet into the sand. Achilles picked it up and looked towards where she just ran.
She ran around the back and she couldn't believe the sight. Her beloved cousin was dead behind his tent. She collapsed next to his body and cried. She didn't care if his body was filthy, she placed her head on his chest and cried as hard as she could. Achilles walked over to her and touched her shoulder. Briseis shrugged his hand off and looked at him with tears in her eyes and the blood on her cheek. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO KILL HIM! I TOLD YOU HE WOULDN'T HAVE KILLED A CHILD ON PURPOSE! YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED HECTOR! YOU KILLED MY COUSIN!" She screamed. She stood up and hit him. Achilles didn't move when she hit him. "I loved him, he was my family. NOW I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR YOUR JUDGMENT!" She screamed. She couldn't hit him again, she fell next to Hector's body and cried as hard as she could. "You made Andromache a widow and their son fatherless. You're so careless of that choice," she sobbed. He kneeled in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"I am sorry for what I have done," he apologized.
She threw her arms around his neck and cried into his neck. "He was my cousin. He was my family," she sobbed. She cried as hard as she could.
Then she allowed herself to be taken back towards the tent.
That night, Briseis heard a familiar voice and hurried out front to see Priam standing there. "Uncle!" She gasped. Priam walked over and kissed her forehead.
"I thought you were dead," he whispered.
Briseis looked at Achilles with hope in her eyes. "Go," he murmured. She let Priam go and walked over to him. "Go, milady. Go be with your family," he whispered. She touched his face and sighed sadly.
"I'll never forget you," she whispered.
Achilles watched as she got onto the chariot as they rode away, Briseis looked back at him.
When they came back to the city, Paris hurried out and saw Briseis getting off the chariot. "Briseis," he sighed as he hugged her. Briseis hugged him back and cried into his shoulder.
"I tried to stop Achilles from killing him. I really tried," she sobbed.
"It wasn't your fault," he whispered.
She felt him pick her up and carry her into the palace.
That night, Briseis sat next to Andromache and watched as the funeral continued on. Helen was holding Hector's son. She looked at Andromache to see tears falling from the young widow's eyes. She felt guilty. She believed that her cousin's death was her doing, because she didn't stop Achilles from killing her beloved cousin.
After the funeral, Briseis sat in her bedroom crying. Paris entered the room and sat next to her. "Hector was a brave warrior. He was my brother, I had to watch him die today. Hector is dead because of me. I did this. I had bring Helen here and now Hector's gone," he whispered.
"Why did you bring Helen here?" She demanded.
"I brought her here because I love her."
She decided not to get him angry, since he was suffering as well. She got up and stood on the balcony. "I still can't believe that he's gone," she whispered. Paris walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and cried against him. Paris held her close and kissed the top of her head while holding her close to him.
When she went to go to sleep, she grabbed onto Paris' hand before he could go far. "Please stay until I fall asleep," she whispered. Helen was watching not too far away. Paris sighed as he lied down next to his cousin and watched as she tried to relax. He stroked her hair and got up once she fell asleep. Helen walked out of her shadows and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"She'll be all right," she whispered.
He nodded before leaving the room. Briseis dreamt about Hector and Achilles through the night.
Author's Note: Sorry for the long update. I've been working on other stories. I'll try and update again. Review please.
