Chapter Seven- Changes

Achilles watched Briseis as she spoke to Penelope. Her voice was soft and sweet, gesturing lightly and fluidly. Odysseus came to take part in a treaty meeting that was in the nearby city. Penelope volunteered to stay at the palace with Briseis so neither would be lonely. He was happy she was there, all things considered.

"I don't expect this will take long," he said, taking a sip of wine and turning to Odysseus. "They seem rather eager to just review terms and sign. It probably wasn't worth your leaving Ithaca."

"Nonsense, Achilles," Odysseus replied. "I would rather be here for a quick signing than be farther away if it goes sour. Besides, they want me to mediate on a few things, so I had to come."

"Mediate as in they are both want the same thing and won't compromise," Achilles said sarcastically. "You would think men would be more willing to agree than disagree."

"Look who's talking?," Odysseus returned, laughter under his words.

He watched as Achilles gaze kept shifting back to his young wife. Odysseus knew her only by what happened in Troy. Now that he had met and talked to her, he understood why Achilles cared so much for her. And how much she had changed Achilles. He was still the egotistical warrior he had always been, but that was permanent damage. He now smiled, a rare thing from before, and openly spoke about peace and non-violent solutions. He always favored them, but he also always craved battle.

"Its only going to get worse from here, trust me. The bigger she grows, the more protective you become," Odysseus said softly. Achilles smirked at the comment.

"I don't think she'll be able to stand me if it gets any worse."

"But that's what we are here for, Achilles. We're here to keep them annoyed and upset until that glorious day comes when we can no longer compete."

Briseis' hand rested lightly on her rounded belly. She wasseven months pregnant with their first child. She seemed to radiate beauty even more in this state. She moved slower, but still as gracefully as ever. He smiled as he thought about how she hummed to the babe that grew within her, soothing it to sleep every night.

"She refuses to stop doing some things that aren't good for her," Achilles replied in a low voice. He didn't want Briseis to hear him; she was too involved with her conversation to notice. "I say anything and she gets so angry she starts to cry."

"At least it takes you saying something. When Penelope had our first son, she would hate me for days on end and suddenly want to talk to me again. I think that's the reason I'm so alert around her even to this day." The laughed at this; two men, both cunning and skilled warriors, confused and blinded by women and children.

"Have you thought of any names?" Penelope asked to them both.

"I have," Briseis said, rolling her eyes. "But Achilles doesn't like them."

"They don't suit," he said in return, locking eyes with his wife. She lowered her eyes at him, and then smiled.

"That's okay," Penelope said. "We didn't have a name for our son until an hour after he was born. Most people change their minds at the last minute anyway. Once you see your child's face, its a different story." She leaned back, smiling at Odysseus.

"We had the name, Merianie, for our daughter, ever since she had our son," Odysseus started. "Wanted it so badly, beautiful name and everything. We saw our daughter and immediately neither of us liked the name."

"How did you come to her name?" Briseis asked, taking a bite of fruit.

"Odysseus' mother wanted to have a daughter named Chyristane. We changed the last letters and we had Chyristine. (Note: pronounced Shear-is-tine; tine sounding like shine) I think it much better for her."

Briseis laid in bed, waiting for Achilles. Her one hand behind her head, the other on her belly. She closed her eyes and imagined her child's face. She knew her expectations would change over time, but she knew the child would have eyes like Achilles. She was sure of that much. The winter winds died down and she knew spring wasn't too far away. She was happy the birth would be in the spring, the cold winter gone and the heat of the summer at bay.

Achilles shut the door behind him and quickly stripped. He extinguished the light in their room and joined her in bed. She laid against him, the soft material of her nightgown tickling his bare skin. He laid on his side, admiring the bulge her belly made beneath the sheets. He could tell by her eyes that she was tired, so he pressed no conversation.

He took this opportunity to look her over more throughly. She filled out more now, not as skinny as she was at Troy. Her face was jovial, light from her smile and eyes radiating everywhere. Her torso changed the most obviously. Her belly was rounded, protruding through even the loosest of dresses. She wore the same style dress, which included a low cut neckline that showed her now swollen chest. If ever, there was temptation that was it for him.

Briseis had her share of scary moments in the beginning of this child's existence. Instead of gaining weight, she lost a lot. He could visibly see where bones connected on her body beneath her skin. He held her in the lightest of touches, afraid at any more strength; she would shatter into a thousand pieces. His mother, Thetis, helped her to regain the weight by proper eating and herbal remedies. Once she got to a certain point, she was fine. Then came a small batch of mood swings. For a while, she wanted to be left alone. He respected her request, watching her from a distance. At night, however, she curled into his arms, grasping tightly at his hands and arms.

He came back from memories as her hand slid down his cheek and onto his shoulder. She was fast asleep in his arms. Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed her wedding ring. Everyday he woke with her next to him; it thanked the Gods for it. He closed his eyes slowly, touching her belly lightly.

"I'm going to be fine, Achilles," Briseis said for the eighth thousandth time. "You won't be gone for that long, and you aren't that far away. If anything happens, you can be here in a flash."

"Five hours at top speed," he grumbled. She rolled her eyes and squeezed his hand, kissing the arm she leaned against. She knew he would be like this and it there was little argument to be had.

Briseis was now into the end of her eighth month and her belly was big. It was harder to move now, but she enjoyed every second of it. Within, the baby kicked and twisted, trying hard to be comfortable squished inside her body. Achilles was there when she first felt kicking; she watched the happiness spread over him as his hand felt the vibrations from little feet against her skin. Leaving her for any extended period was out of the question, but it had to be done.

"You will be close," she said, straightening his cloak slightly. "I have Penelope here with me and the midwife is staying in the servant's quarters." He went to protest, but her finger rested lightly on his lips. "Everything will be fine. You will be here for this birth, I promise you."

He smiled and leaned down, kissing her sweetly. He felt her stomach press against him and put a hand on it. A small flutter of movement from within and Achilles smiled. He dropped to his knees and kissed her belly, hugging to her for a moment. When he rose, it was to her amazing smile.

Briseis leaned against the stone pillars out on her balcony. The sun was rising and she knew Achilles would be watching this as well. Her back ached slightly, causing her to move into a chair nearby. Sitting down wasn't hard; getting up was. But she didn't mind at all.

She never expected to be a wife or a mother. She set her mind on being a priestess after watching her mother being raped and killed. She could now stand back and look at herself when she was in Troy.

Who was that? Stubborn, stuck up, arrogant; sounded a bit like Achilles when she first met him. The days and nights in his tent changed all of that. She was born again, phoenix from the ashes. She chose to leave behind her court titles and their myth filled stories. She was a princess again, but wife to the man who set her free and mother of their child.

She heard Penelope enter, calling her name. "I'm out-" she stopped short as she started to stand. A small pang struck from beneath her belly and up through her. Nothing strong, but enough to get her attention.

"Briseis, breakfast is ready," Penelope said, crossing out onto the balcony. She changed faces as she saw Briseis standing there, her hands pressed lightly on her back and belly. "What's wrong?"

Not now, she thought. He's coming home tomorrow, please not now. Somewhere in the back of her head, something told her the child would wait. Pain was inevitable, but the child would wait until he returned.

"Briseis?"

She looked to her friend with a smile. "I think I'm in labor."

A/N: I'm really kinda not liking the fluff of these next few chapters, so I'll let you know if I'm going to change them around once they are posted. Thank you to my reviewers and readers for keeping with me.