"What troubles you Hector?" Andromache asked her husband.
"I have to speak to father and Paris right away." Rushing up the stairs Hector entered the throne room, seeing his father talking to his advisors.
"Ah Hector you've return from battle uninjured I hope." King Priam asked eyeing his eldest son from head to toe.
"Yes father I must..." Hector started.
"Come let us celebrate our victory." Priam cut him off.
"Of course father but first I must..."
"Yes, yes whatever it is I'm sure it will be fine." Priam smiled as he spotted Andromache enter the throne room with her infant son in her arms.
"FATHER...please let me speak."
"But of course Hector."
Hector spotted one of the servants "Anella." she turned to him "Paris, find him and bring him here NOW... drag him if you have to." Hector watched as she ran off to find the youngest prince.
"I must..." Hector sighed as he was cut off again. Hearing Anella yelp outside the throne room doors she nearly ran into the youngest prince.
Paris entered limping a bit with Helen at his side "What is so important that I have to be...How did Anella say it, 'dragged here if I have to be."
"We don't know Paris, Hector says that he needs to..." Andromache began.
Hector was getting impatient and just yelled out. "BRISEIS!" That single word snapped everyone's mouths shut. Taking a deep breath Hector continued. "How long has she been missing?"
"Seven months eighteen days." Priam answered with tears forming in his eyes.
"Why are you bringing her up now isn't it painful enough just to know that she could be dead or a slave or..."
"PARIS, enough." Andromache cried, then she looked at her husband.
"During our last battle one of the Greeks mentioned her name, I'm not sure if it's our Briseis..."
"The Greeks have Briseis?" Priam shouted.
"Father calm down, we will find a way to get her back if it really is her. Apparently during our fight she went missing; Achilles ordered his Myrmidons to leave battle and search for her."
"Achilles?...That monster...poor Briseis." Andromache gasped holding Astyanax closer to her body.
Priam left the room deep in his thoughts, Hector looked at his father with saddened eyes because he had mentioned his missing cousin. 'What if it isn't Briseis...It will break his heart even more...I should have waited until I was sure...Damn.'
That night Briseis looked at the seashore lost in the sound of the waves crashing on the nearby rocks, a few of the Myrmidons nearby keeping an eye on her. Sitting within his tent Achilles was fingering a seashell necklace his mother had made him; deep in thought Achilles didn't notice a hooded figure enter his tent. As he looked up the figure approached him, took off his hood and knelt at Achilles feet placing a kiss at each of the warrior's hands.
"Who are you?" Achilles asked staring at the man before him.
"I have endured what no one on earth has endured before. I kissed the hands of the man who slaughter my people for glory."
Achilles stood up and looked at the man in astonishment realizing who it was. "Priam?" The Trojan king nodded "How did you get in here?"
"I know my own country better than the Greeks, I think."
Achilles stepped forward grasping the old king by the shoulders to help him on his feet. "You're a brave man." And gently pushed him down in one of the chairs in his tent. "I could have your head on a spit in the blink of an eye."
"Do you really think death frightens me now? I watch my countrymen die from the wrath of a king who wants to rule the whole world."
Achilles chuckled. "Agamemnon is a fool, he'll slaughter every one of his soldiers just to be able to enter your city it will be his undoing."
"A fool you say...yet you kill for this fool. How many have you slaughtered Achilles, how many cousins and fathers, brothers and sons have you killed? How many brave Achilles?" Achilles didn't answer as Priam continued. "I knew your father, he died before his time, but he was lucky not to live long enough to see his own kin fall."
'Own kin?' Achilles eyed the old king. "Why are you here?"
"I came here to beg you to return my niece to me."
"Your niece?"
"Yes, Hector heard you say her name during this mornings battle...Briseis is my niece, she was taken from us months ago we have been searching for her ever since. I beg of you return her to us."
Achilles' eyes widened then narrowed. "No."
"You would keep a priestess of Apollo as a slave in your camp? To be used off as some whore whenever your men feel the need?" Priam had tears in his eyes.
Achilles laughed "If any man where to lay a hand on her in such a manner they'd find it on the ground next to their head. My Myrmidons would not let any harm come to her...ever."
Priam looked at Achilles with confusion searching the warrior's eyes. "What is my niece to you and your men?"
Achilles looked at Priam and let out an exasperated sigh. "To my men she is their Lady, they would gladly give their life for her."
"And to you?" Priam knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from the man's mouth. After a few moments with still no answer Priam asked again, "Briseis do you..." before he could finish his sentence Achilles cut him off.
"I am not releasing her to you..."
Priam thought for a moment carefully repeating the warrior's words in his head, and then asked, "May I speak with her?"
Achilles smirked "I admire your courage for coming here..." Achilles looked behind his shoulder and added "'If' I let you walk out of here... it doesn't change anything, you're still my enemy in the morning..."
"Your still my enemy tonight. But even enemies can show respect." Priam answered. As Achilles left the tent, Priam could hear him call out to one of his soldiers.
"My lord?"
"Briseis, where is she?"
"On the shore, a few of the men are watching her sir."
Achilles nodded, "There is a man in my tent see that no harm comes to him."
"Yes my lord."
Achilles spotted Briseis as she watched the waves she was rubbing her arms for warmth he walked over to her and sat behind her, his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. "Are you cold?"
Briseis leaned back. "Not anymore."
Achilles kissed her cheek and took a deep breath, "A man entered my tent a few moments ago..."
"Really...Is he all battered and bruised now?" she giggled.
Achilles smiled. "He claims to be your uncle."
Briseis turned to look at him and laughed. "You can't be serious?"
He nodded "He's in our tent now...he asked if he could speak to you."
Briseis grew nervous at the sincerity in his voice and turned back to look at the shore, "Even if he is who he says, it does not change the fact that I would not remember who he is."
Achilles held onto her tightly. "He just wants to speak to you, I will be with you, no harm will come to you." After taking a few deep breaths she nodded, Achilles stood and helped her up. Not wanting to let him go Briseis latched on to his arm as they walked towards their tent. Achilles chuckled.
"What are you laughing at?" she growled.
"You don't actually think that the king of Troy; a harmless old man would be a match for my Myrmidons as well as myself would you?"
Briseis stopped walking pulling on Achilles' arm, "The king of Troy is my uncle?"
"That is what he claims."
"What is the king of Troy doing in a Greek camp?" She asked.
"To see if I truly have his niece, apparently he heard that you were my captive." Briseis smiled at that comment as Achilles held back the flaps of their tent and entered with Briseis behind him still clutching his arm.
"Briseis! I thought you were dead." The old man cried, taking a step forward but stopped, as she stayed hidden behind the warrior. Peeking over his shoulder.
"Well you wanted to speak with her, here she is." Achilles said not moving from his spot.
"You seem afraid dear niece, you need not fear me child you should know that."
"What exactly is it you want sir?" Briseis asked.
"Do you not know who I am?"
"I know that you are the king of Troy, as Achilles has just told me but other than that no sir."
Priam looked to Achilles and gasped. "What have you done to her?" he nearly shouted.
Achilles chuckled. "I saved her."
"I want her returned to me to her family."
Achilles narrowed his eyes, "Making demands now?"
"She is a Trojan in a Greek camp, a priestess of Apollo, and my niece."
Achilles rolled his eyes and sighed. "Do you wish to go with him, to meet your family?" Achilles asked as he turned to Briseis. Knowing very well that she would be horrified, Achilles turned back to Priam, "'IF' Briseis chooses to go with you, no Greek shall attack your city you have my word, and she will do so only if a few of my men accompany her. Otherwise she will not set foot in your city."
Priam chuckled "You want me to allow Greeks within Troy?" then thought deeply with this offer, 'Leave Briseis with these Greeks, or have her returned with a few Greeks entering Troy.'
Briseis leaned her head on Achilles back and caressed his sides as she listened to them talk.
"It is getting late you should return to your city, if Briseis decides to meet her kin as you claim you are, she will be at your gates with her escort...I warn you now King of Troy, if there is any foul play and you kill off my men, or if you refuse to return her to me within the next day I will scale your wall and slit your throat, along with your entire family...is that clear."
The old king had no other choice and nodded, Achilles tilted his head toward the makeshift door of the tent and Priam put on his hood after looking back to Briseis for a few moments, and then silently left the tent. Achilles followed and motioned for Eudorus to approach. "Have the men escort him back to Troy, no harm is to come to him."
"Yes my lord." Eudorus answered eyeing the cloaked figure. And led him to the group of Myrmidons that had gathered at the camp entrance with a horse and chariot.
Achilles entered his tent and watched as Briseis paced back and forth muttering Achilles had to strain to hear but he couldn't make out what she was saying, "Briseis..." she hadn't even noticed that he had entered the tent. "Briseis..." he tried again.
This time she stopped and turned to him. "Wha?..."
"Briseis, love you are making a hole in the floor." He chuckled as he made his way to her, and hugged her close to his body. "Are you alright?" he asked as he nuzzled her neck, which in turn made her moan, then tickled her sides, which made her laugh and playfully swat at his arms.
"Yes."
"Are you sure?" He continued tickling her until she had tears in her eyes and gasped for air.
"YES...PLEASE STOP, YES I'M SURE." She giggled and Achilles stopped, lifting her up in his arms so that they were face to face, Briseis wrapped her arms around his neck as well as her legs around his waist and kissed him deeply, Achilles slowly made his way to their bed and gently laid her down, quickly taking off their clothes Achilles positioned himself above her and entered, as they moved together moaning each other's name in ecstasy, their fingers interlaced with one another's, breaking their kiss for a breath Briseis whispered "I love you" Looking deeply in her eyes he whispered the same and kissed her lips lightly, quickening his movements he brought her to the edge as she screamed out his name he kissed her hard and followed after her. Resting his forehead on hers Achilles breathed deeply. Rolled to the side bringing her with him still within her, he grasped her thighs to slide her out, and laughed when she pouted, capturing her mouth with his, breaking the kiss Briseis smiled and kissed his chest laying her head above his heart and yawned, Achilles smiled and reached for one of the thin sheets on the bed and covered them as they both fell in a deep slumber.