A/N: This chapter is one of the last two or three. I'll update it as soon as possible, I promise. Scouts honor. This chapter has tons of short paragraphs instead of two long ones like last time; I don't know which one I like better.

Chapter Nineteen – Love's Lost

The sun shone with all it's intensity but the heat was dulled by a cool breeze from the sea. The sea sparkled and there was not a cloud in the sky. It was a beautiful day but the Trojans could not see that. All they could notice was their prince, walking towards his impending death.

Briseis could not hear the exchange of words and for that she was thankful. Death would be preferable to this pain she felt, as though her heart was ripped in two.

Hector, her oldest friend. The man who had always been there to comfort her, to make her laugh, to calm her anger, to chase away whatever demons her soul possessed.

And Achilles, she could never love another as much as she loved him.

Andromanche sat on the stone floor of the platform and she ran to comfort her. For a moment it felt as though the princess would push her away but Andromanche gripped her hand tight. She sat beside her friend and sat listening to the metallic clang of swords. Her blood froze as it stopped suddenly.

Briseis' eyes shut as she stood, never wanting to open them. There stood Achilles. Piercing her soul with his eyes. She could not forgive him, not while he had killed Hector. Many things she could pardon but never this sin.

He could see her face even with the distance between them. She looked down with an expression of heartrending stillness. A white and silver gown fluttered in the breeze, her dark hair swept up behind her head. She was a lady again and the Briseis he had known was gone.

No longer was she strong with the faint hint of innocence in her. Now she was harsh and cold, he could tell even as he stood away. This was a new Briseis. The woman he loved had gone and she was there instead.

Hector's body trailed behind his chariot and the Greek camp was a roar of whispers as he entered.

Eudorus was the first. "Is that the prince, My Lord?" He nodded mutely.

She would never forgive him for this. Not if he professed his love for her from the highest mountain to the lowest valley. Not if he chased her around the world. Not if he gave up this war and took her back to Phita with him. Not for as long as she lived.

Never.

Andromanche sat between Paris and Priam, her eyes closed, tears streaming down her face. All of Troy stood in the square around her husband's pyre. High priests were silent now.

'Their bird signs did not predict this.' She thought vindictively. The statement held chilling untruth. Everyone had known. No one had tried to stop him except her. Astyanax cried in her arms.

He would grow up without a father, that is if he would grow up at all. The army's strength without Hector was lessened greatly. If the Greeks won her son would die. Her tears flowed harder at the thought. If both Hector and Astyanax were dead she would have nothing left.

Helen cried in the seat next to Paris and Hecuba had wept for days. Cassandra sat with a sad expression but no tears. Briseis stood beside Melanion, her eyes closed and still.

She felt a surge of hatred towards Briseis. She loved Achilles and he killed Hector.

But Briseis was forgotten as Paris and Priam stood to light the pyre and she buried her head in her hands. She could not bear to see him burn.

As the smoke rose into the night's sky and the crowd filed away, the birds began to chirp merrily and Helen led Andromanche off to her room.

"How is she?" Melanion asked tersely. The doctor avoided his gaze. "What is wrong with my sister?" He roared, drawing his sword on the physician. Paris held him back.

"Melanion quiet. She may hear you." He then turned on the doctor. "What is wrong?"

"She has been coughing up blood, fainting. We tried everything we knew. We cannot find a cure for her ailment." Both the prince and the noble knew what that meant. "I would not give up hope yet. She said she had recovered before; perhaps all she needs is family, friends, good food and rest."

He apologized quietly and walked out. "Melanion I am sorry. We must hope she gets better. You should gather your family, tell them of the news. I will break it to mine. I am sorry."

"It isn't your fault Paris. I will bring my family to see her tomorrow. We will…" He paused and continued in a near silent voice. "We will say goodbye. It is how she would have wanted it to be."

And they did. Melanion returned with their brother's the day after.

Briseis sat up in bed with no indication of sickness other than her eyes. Their bright cobalt shade had dulled over time. Ebony hair fell around her shoulders springing back as Hentayol pulled the strands finding unimaginable entertainment in the action. Cariaxis and Balcamen stood in silence staring at their sister. Brisantho, Termiande, Praxiam, Eopedeus, and Condanion spoke animatedly about some meaningless adventure, always interrupting each other. Cartanye sat beside her on the bed, leaning into her shoulder as she smiled and listened to her brothers.

Melanion stood beside the head of her bed, protecting it as Cerberus protects Hades. She looked at him meaningfully. "Alright, time to go outside." He said ushering them out.

"How come you get to stay?" Cariaxis argued.

"Because Briseis and I need to speak of adult things." He explained warningly, danger flashing in his azure eyes.

"I'm an adult, Melanion."

"Cariaxis please." She said pleadingly. "Leave Melanion and I. Go with your brothers." She still held that sternness of a parent, even in her ailment. He looked for a moment as though he would argue but instead left, closing the door behind him. Melanion locked it. "How many days has it been since Hector's death? They do not tell me here."

"Twelve suns." She nodded and spoke suddenly.

"What's wrong with me?"

"I wish I knew." He said as she stood. He rushed to her side and steadied her. "The doctors are clueless. They say there's hope but this case is fiercer than any other you've ever had."

"I'm going to die." She said, staring out the window to the gardens. "I can feel it. It's as though my life is nothing more than sand, slipping through the fingers of the Gods."

"We all must die, Briseis." He said, standing behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders. She overlapped them with her own.

"Promise me something." She said, her voice wavering.

"Anything."

"Tell the people." She said sadly. "I do not want to be remembered as simply dying in the night. I want to give them hope. To inspire Troy. If only one last time." He could see the tears falling down her cheeks.

"Of course." He said. "Of course, they will all know."

"Briseis, you look so well." Helen said. Her feud with Paris' wife was long forgotten. "We have a surprise for you but you cannot have it looking like that." She gave the princess a confused look as servants came and dressed her in her old clothes.

She wore deep blue gown. Silver and jewels around her neck, decorating her ears, fingers and hair. "You look beautiful." Another voice said. Andromanche appeared in the doorway.

She stood and walked towards her friend. "I am so sorry. I wish I could have stopped him." She apologized quickly. The princess had neither seen nor spoken to Briseis in days.

"I realize that now." She embraced the noblewoman tightly. "I am not your surprise. Come." She led her down the hallway, each princess holding one of her arms. The palace was oddly deserted. As they walked towards the balcony faint strains of a chant reached her ears.

They stopped at the doors. "Open them. We will follow you." Helen said, smiling wryly. "Paris and Priam are out there. Your brothers too. Go."

She sighed and pushed the doors open. The princesses helped her but as she saw what lay beyond the doors her breath was not taken away by fatigue.

"Briseis." A crowd cheered her name below. All of Troy stood below the balcony. Staring at her. Cheering her name into the warm night air.

"Your brother said you wished to be remembered. That you didn't want to pass in the night with no one knowing." The old King said wisely. "Paris thought, who better than you to tell them that."

"Thank you." She said bowing her head and embracing the prince first and then Melanion. "Thank you." She repeated. She turned to the crowd. "I address you today with solemn news." She said loudly. "I have lived in Troy for six and twenty years and I have never felt such love from the people as I feel now. I…I have always felt as though I was only an ordinary person but this moment proves me wrong as what ordinary person has had this done for them?" She said, biting her lip to keep from crying.

"This night is one I…I will carry with me forever and ever, beyond Troy and into Hades. I cannot find the words to tell you why I am here. There is no way to tell you pleasantly so I will not." She wiped away a tear. "I am dying." The crowd was silent in shock before whispers began to come as loud as the waves on the sea. She held up her hands for silence.

"I would tell you one thing before I go, if I could do anything before I go…" She paused. "It would be to apologize to you. For not being strong enough to overcome this disease. I wish I could be with every citizen of Troy for all their life but I cannot. So I tell the people of Troy now that I have decided to not fight my ailment. I have decided that I would make a better symbol in death than I ever could in life.

"Don't pray for me, for I shall never leave you. Though it may get harder for you to find me," She paused again, wiping away her tears. "I will always be in your hearts…for you will always be in mine." The crowd looking up at her with sorrow. "And I will never be gone so long as you love me." She finished sadly. "Look to the farthest window to the east of this palace wall. As long as I live there will be light in that window."

A/N: I got most of this from the song 'Eva's Final Broadcast' from the movie Evita. If you've never seen it you really should, it's an amazing movie (and it has Che Guevara who has the coolest name ever, played by Antonio Bandaras).