"No I do know you, you're Achilles! The one that sent me here!" the soldier yelled out in anger
"No, you were on a battlefield, and by the looks of it several men and a horse sent you here" Achilles answered and turned back around
"Funny seeing you here. Isn't your mother an immortal goddess?" the soldier asked
"Don't talk about my mother, and if that were true I wouldn't be here now would I? Standing in this forsaken line that doesn't go anywhere to cross a river to meet Hades!"
"Good point, but you lead the army!"
"I led many armies, it's not my fault you were a terrible soldier"
"Why you!" the soldier went to hit Achilles, who grabbed his arm and threw him into the river.
Brisies lay at the steps exhausted praying at the alter to Aphrodite. Her prayers would go unanswered and unheard. The gods had abandoned her again. She cried at the thought that she would never see Achilles again. That one man changed her so and that she had never uttered the words that she loved him.
One of Aphrodite's priestess approached Brisies.
"Do not cry in the temple of Aphrodite. You will find a way to meet with your love"
"But how?"
"Have you heard of Orpheus?"
"The musician?"
"Yes, his wife Eurydice died and he went into the Underworld and begged Hades for her. He amazed Hades and had the pity of Persephone, and so they allowed him to return with her."
"But he was tempted and looked back, and because he looked back he broke the rules. He died of eternal sadness without her"
"We know of a way to the underworld, there is a cave that will lead you in, but be for warned, you cannot be attacked by the dead there for you will be dead too"
"Where is this cave?"
"You must impress Hades, he is not the sun god and he will not listen to reason"
Achilles stood there as Charon approached with his boat.
"Don't you look familiar?" Charon said
"I bet you say that to all the dead" Achilles said as he dropped the 2 coins into his hands
"No, I do know you form somewhere. That stance, that ego and pride, you're almost too cocky"
"Not the first time I've heard that before. Don't you have a boat to paddle?"
"Not like you're in a huge rush to meet Hades. Besides they're not going anywhere with out me! Who are you?"
"A soldier like everyone else here"
"Well we had a few kids that were thrown over the walls, kinda graphic in a way. Screaming and wailing for their mommies"
"Well mommy can't save them now"
"That's it! You're mother was Thetis! I remember her, she was dipping you into the river holding you by your heel. And you were just squirming along. She tried to make you immortal but apparently it didn't work."
"If it did I wouldn't be here having this conversation with you now would I?"
"Did she really cover you with ambrosia and try to burn you?"
"No, that was just a rumor, who burns a baby these days?"
"Who throws kids over the walls of a city?"
Briseis walked through the forest searching for the cave. The priestess had told her it was on the highest peak of the mountains where it almost touched the sky, and that no mortal would ever survive the climb. Few did succeed but none returned with what they wanted. Briseis walked on and thought of him, where he was, what he was doing, and his hot breath on her skin. The memory of it made her body quiver with anticipation. But he was not there anymore.
Achilles heard his name again and turned around, he saw nothing, when he turned back he saw the image of Briseis walking. He saw her think of him and smile for a moment, and then watched how her body reacted to the thought of him. He smiled that he was still able to cause such a reaction in her still.
"Who's that?" Charon asked
"No one" Achilles answered
"If you're wondering why you can see her it's because you're dead and she's not. The dead can hear and see what the living are doing when they think of them. I can see what you're thinking cause it's one of the perks of this job"
"You're job is to be nosey?"
"Hey you try paddling for all of eternity"
"Speaking of which can you paddle any slower?"
"Don't worry, Hades has been waiting for you. You've kept him pretty busy recently"
"Well I wouldn't want to disappoint"