Briseis stood at the edge of the cliff in the mountains watching what was left of Troy burn. She watched as the Greeks destroyed her city, and watched the flames consume her love, Achilles.
She had fled the city with her cousin Paris, the man that had killed her love. But this war had caused everyone tragedy, Paris killing Achilles because he had killed Hector. Achilles coming to this forsaken war to claim Helen back from Paris. Through all the fighting there was still love, and she had found love in the arms of a Greek. But it would never be the same. She was a priestess to Apollo and she had given herself to Achilles. There would be no redemption.
Her people lived in the mountains for a few days before meandering their way through to lower ground. There Breiseis fell ill in the mornings. She didn't know why, she had thought it was the gods punishing her. But then she realized what was happening to her.
"Briseis, are you not well to travel?" Paris asked her
"I am fine Paris, just tired from all this walking" Briseis answered
"We must continue on, for Troy" Paris said as he walked off
The people walked on, and Briseis remembered there was a temple nearby on the side of the mountain.
"Paris, there is a temple here, I must go to it" Briseis insisted
"Are you insane? We must stay together" Paris answered back
"No, go on, I will catch up. I must go" Briseis started walking off
"Briseis come back!" Paris shouted
"Where is she going" Helen asked
"To a temple"
Briseis walked through the rough terrain and seeing the small stone temple through the trees. She smiled as she walked closer. She collapsed from exhaustion a few feet outside the temple doors. The doors opened and figures came out and carried her inside.
Achilles was standing on what seemed to be a very long line at the river Styx. Charon the boatman had never seen so many dead traveling to the underworld.
"Who knew this war would bring me so many that wish to take my boat?" he said to himself, "Come come, pay the boatman so you may see Hades"
Achilles stood there wondering what was to become of him. Where would he go? Tarturus? Certainly not the Elysian fields as he had killed men in 5 different countries over the course of his life. He wondered if he would see his father Peleus. His mother Thetis was right, he would meet a short life when he went to Troy, but if he did not go he would have never met her. His thoughts wandered to what Briseis was doing, and slowly an image of her appeared in front of him. He reached out to touch her, but it was only an image. He watched her sleep and smiled. She was still beautiful.
Briseis woke up with a chill run through her body. She looked around and saw she was inside the temple. But a few things had changed since the last time she saw it.
"You're awake now" a woman said
"Look the robes of a virgin priestess, we don't see those anymore" another woman said
"Where am I? Is this not the temple of Apollo?" Briseis asked
"No, those frigid male priests all left a while ago. This is a temple to Aphrodite"
"The goddess of love?" Briseis asked
"Yes, we are priestess to Aphrodite, we spread her message of love"
Brisies looked at the scantily clad priestess.
"Is there a reason that you have come to the temple?" the priestess asked
"My love was killed in the war. He had died trying to save me. I couldn't save him. I devoted my life to the gods and they did nothing, they let him die"
"The love of a broken heart cannot be fixed by Aphrodite, only time can do that"
"Then I will grow old, and wither away until I see him again. Not even Hades will separate us"
Achilles was watching the soldiers online bicker with each other. He saw a few of them attempt to swim across the river Styx. That was quite a sight to watch, Achilles laughed in amusement. The soldiers were merely transported to the back of the line, and some of them had swallowed the water and lost their voices. As it was said anyone who drinks from the river will loose their voice for 9 years.
"Hey I know you!" a soldier yelled at Achilles
"No I don't think so" Achilles turned away