Thank you for all your reviews! I'm glad you're liking this story so far. Swordplay question to be answered in this chappie. And Sana/Achilles action!

The next morning he awoke to find himself free from the post and curled up into the fetal position on the animal skins. His hands were still cruelly clapped in the irons and a plate of food was already before him, probably to avoid something similar to the fiasco with the girl Xante the previous day. He greedily ate and drank and then sat about idly wondering what he was supposed to do now. When no one came to the hut for him, and he was thoroughly too bored to remain there, Achilles ventured out into the camp, which was currently heaving with early morning activity. Women paused to look at him, some in curiosity, some in fear and others in mild disgust. Or not so mild, he reconsidered when one spat at his feet.

The metallic clanging of swords caught his attention and he noticed for the first time that a small crowd had gathered around two fighters. He maneuvered through the crowd to reach the front for a better view, women parting in a hurry to gaze at the mysterious male prisoner.

The girls who were fighting were both young, one he recognised as the blonde Xante. Her opponent was of darker colouring, although not as attractive, taller and lithe, and unmistakably the better skilled of the pair. Every one of Xante's inaccurate thrusts were parried and countered swiftly and effectively and before long Xante was flat on her back, sword discarded and her opponent was named the victor. Grumpily she got to her feet, visibly embarrassed at her failure whilst the other girl was praised. After several moments' deliberation, Achilles decided against his better judgment and stepped forward into the circle.

'Your stance is wrong,' he said to Xante, whose eyes had widened dramatically. 'As is your grip on the sword. Here,' he stood behind her which caused her to immediately tense, and repositioned her body and her grip. A male smirk crossed his face as she trembled at his touch.

'There,' he said, allowing himself to linger a little longer than necessary before moving away. He addressed the now silent crowd.

'If someone would be so kind as to release me, I could help her to improve her technique.'

'What fools do you take us for?' Demanded the woman Elya.

'Release him,' came Sana's clear voice as she stepped into view, intrigue on her fair features.

'But My Lady,' intoned Elya in an incredulous tone. 'He is a great threat.'

'And sorely outnumbered,' she pointed out. 'Release him.' A woman hastily stepped forward to remove the irons from his wrists and a sword was handed to him. Achilles tested the weapon's balance before turning to face the terrified Xante. I seem to have that effect on this girl, he mused before speaking.

'Ready?' His voice was kind and she nodded slowly, feeling a little more relaxed. Faster than even a God could see, he'd lunged at her and surprising herself Xante managed to block it with her new stance, the sound of clashing blades ringing out through the silence. She even managed a small counter attack. As Achilles brought his sword up to meet hers he nodded in approval.

'Good.'

They carried on this way, gently sparring, Achilles offering praise and advice wherever deemed necessary, careful not to put too much force into his blows, although he knew Xante would certainly need to build up her strength in time. The crowd watched intently at their prisoner's apparent kind help towards one of their youngest warriors, who had only recently begun training in their ways. Sana watched critically, yet with a small smile on her face whereas Elya simply glowered, a hawk's eye for anything amiss. Xante became a little over-confident and allowed Achilles an opening to fling her sword to one side and point his towards her. He smiled and she felt her breath catch in her throat as she promptly blushed, watching his muscles move as he placed his own sword on the ground to join hers. He stepped forward to pat the nervous girl on the arm.

'You fought well, but never underestimate your opponent, no matter what you believe their abilities to be.'

'Thank you,' she stuttered with a smile. Achilles nodded and turned to Sana.

'I suppose you wish to bind me again,' he raised a questioning eyebrow. After an achingly long pause she approached him.

'Do you give me your word that you will not try to escape?' In a courtly gesture he took her hand and kissed it, ignoring the outrageous gasps from the crowd.

'You have my word Chieftess.'

'I thought I had your word.'

Achilles looked up from his task of tying his sandals in preparation of escape and saw Sana's silhouette framed in the doorway.

'You did my Lady,' he said as he stood. 'I am not trying to escape, I am escaping,' he smiled impishly at her glower.

'I'm not going to let that happen,' she declared, looking up at him as he drew closer.

'Yes you are,' he said quietly.

'And why is that?' In answer he pulled Sana hard against him and placed a searing kiss on her slightly parted lips. It was over before she had even registered what he had done and he was already slipping past her. Sana was livid. She grabbed him by his armour and flung him back inside the hut with such force that he fell to the floor in a heap on the animal skins. She straddled him, her knife out and pressed once again to his throat.

'How dare you?' She hissed. He seemed quite calm and the glint in his eyes showed her that he found the whole situation rather amusing.

'How dare you touch me?' Achilles laughed, a smooth sound that to her increased fury sent unwelcome tremors down her spine.

'I am your slave my Chieftess and is it not a slave's duty to pleasure their master? Or mistress as the case may be?' She screamed like a wild animal and foolishly discarded the knife to pummel his chest with her bare hands. Achilles continued to laugh at the enraged beauty atop him and as she punched him again, he grasped her wrists firmly and used his legs to reverse their positions. At his movements, Sana struggled fiercely until he pinned her down with his narrow hips and brought her wrists together above her head. She was breathing heavily, the rise and fall of her ample bosom having been amplified by the position in which Achilles had trapped her. He certainly felt very pleased with himself now that he was in control. Sana's power over him had been just as undermining as it had been erotic and he was more than happy now that the situation had been remedied.

'Release me this instant!' Sana demanded, her blue eyes darkened to the colour of midnight. Achilles responded by leaning closer to her face, his blonde hair forming a veil around them, almost shutting them off from the rest of the world.

'As I told the girl Xante,' he murmured in her ear. 'Never under-estimate your opponent and it appears, Sana, that you have underestimated my ability to face a mere woman such as yourself.' He pulled back to see her predictable expression of indignant anger, a smirk on his handsome face.

'I am no mere woman Lord Achilles,' she hissed. 'I am the leader of my tribe, a fighter, not a stupid peasant girl you can intimidate with brutish seduction!' He chuckled.

'Then why is it that you have allowed yourself to be caught in such a compromising position?' With that, he leant down and ran his tongue across the hollow at the base of her throat, just above her collarbone, before trailing open mouthed kisses over her neck and jaw line, Sana fighting him all the way. In fact, her delicious squirming was spurring him on with his ministrations. His face was hovering a hairsbreadth above hers, her eyes wide, challenging, as if daring him to go further. So he did.

OOOO! What happens next? Review to find out!