Chapter 06: It Won't Leave Me Alone
Paris was asleep on his cot by the fireplace. He was stripped of his regal garb and he was back in his cotton tunic and bottoms and Briseis could see that this was where Paris was most comfortable in the world. She was still awake along with Katriana and Acacius was outside, sitting comfortably with a blanket and a cup of hot soup to accompany him, provided by the hostess.
"He seems at peace here," Briseis observed as she sipped her own tea. Katri was sitting across the table pouring a second cup for herself. As she settled, Katri glanced at Paris' sleeping form.
"I'd actually be insulted if he weren't," Katri quipped. "He's lived here a decade. He BEST be comfortable here or our mother would be tossing in her grave."
"OUR mother?" Briseis raised an eyebrow.
"Our... I mean, MY mother of course," Katri blushed. "But good enough to be his as well, at this point."
"Tell me of Paris when he was younger," Briseis requested, leaning in from across the table. Katri thought for a moment and smiled.
"Energetic, wildly obnoxious and stubborn... A bit childish at times, but mature enough to handle himself well... When we first met, he wasn't too happy about the idea of sharing his newfound mother but he grew to be happy with me, I guess."
"Grew to be happy with you?" Briseis laughed. "He talks of nothing and no one else in the palace. Katri this, Katri that. He missed you terribly in the last two months."
"He could have visited," Katri said a bit bitterly.
"Don't put blame on Paris for that... please," Briseis defended. "He was put under house arrest by the Queen. She was afraid she would lose him again but I think she's learned that the gods won't be reclaiming his son once more."
"I guess..." Katri looked at her tea and smiled sadly. "He wasn't the only one missing the other. It's been just as lonely here without anyone to be with. At least, he has a few family members to keep him company. All I have is sheep." Briseis looked at her strangely, her mouth opening to ask a question then shutting as if she thought better of it. "You wanted to ask me something. What was it?"
"Nothing.. Nothing. It's none of my business, Katriana," Briseis stammered.
"Katri..."
"Katri."
"And don't tell me it was nothing. Tell me what you wanted to ask," Katri laughed.
"Nothing..." Katri glared at Briseis and the young royalty rolled her eyes. "Fine.. I... I wanted to know if you and Paris... Well, Alexander to you, isn't it? I wanted to know if you and Alexander are or ever were romantically involved."
Katri's hand shook and tea splashed down to the table soaking the wood. Her face flushed to a deep red and she looked away in surprise.
"I'm sorry. Like I said it was none of my business," Briseis added hurriedly.
"No... no... Actually... I'm glad you asked..."
"You are?"
"I... I never quite had anyone to talk to about it. Maybe I need an outsider's perspective to see if I'm really going crazy or not," she chuckled.
"Then you..." Briseis looked at Paris pointedly and then at Katri who nodded her head embarassed. "I knew it!"
"Before you have any assumptions, know that it's VERY one sided," Katri said. "Only at times, too. Sometimes I'd look at him as if he were my world... The next moment, I'd be disgusted because he's like a brother to me and then afterwards, I'd see him or remember him and all these strange feelings would rush back and then they'd stay..."
"You're flushing, trembling AND rattling on about him!" Briseis laughed. "You really must be in love with that boy!" Katri just shook her head.
"It's strange though that at times, I won't feel it and others it would just keep bothering me and it won't leave me alone... And it's a bit painful that I'm in love with someone who is not in love with me." Her hands wrung at the cup and she looked at Briseis. "Am I crazy?"
"No... Just in love and I think that Aphrodite has struck your heart quite mercilessly," Briseis teased.
"Aphrodite has done nothing of the sort," Katri rolled her eyes. A voice in her head screamed indignance but she immediately tuned it out.
"You doubt the power of the gods?"
"I do not doubt their power, but I do doubt that THAT particular goddess would waste much of her energy upon me of all those in our lands," Katri laughed. "And anyways, even if she did, it would be terribly cruel. At least let Anteros strike his. Let me be happy, you understand?"
"I do but it's quite obvious that he already has..." Briseis smiled.
"No. Alex only thinks of me as his sister. Nothing more or less than that." She shook her head but Briseis only continued smiling.
"He does... You should see how he looks at you! With all the devotion and adoration that any one could have for their significant other. Surely, you see this."
"Are... are you serious?" Her mind replayed the near kiss earlier that night and smiled in a bit of hope. "Do you think that maybe he could possibly...?"
"Without a doubt," Briseis grinned. "Oh... I can't wait to see how all this turns out! We can plan a wedding... And you can move into the palace so that Paris won't be so lonely! And you can protect him from Hector and Cassandra!"
"Protect him? Why would I have the need to protect him?" Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Hector seems a bit unaccepting of a new prince and... Cassandra has been seeing some disastrous visions concerning Paris so she's been very tense around him as well. Not exactly welcoming," Briseis shrugged, pouring herself another cup of tea. Katri's lips pursed, thinking of this piece of information.
Poor cursed princess. If I had the ability to believe you I would but I can't.
"He's not happy at the palace?"
"Well, he would be if his siblings were at all hospitable but they treat him like dirt almost. Especially Hector..."
"I hate that man..." a mutter sounded from Paris' direction. Katri visibly blanched.
"Alex?" Her voice cracked at the split of the word and she looked at him terrified. "How long have you been up?"
"I heard something vague about a wedding and then the conversation turned sour," Paris sat up rubbing his eyes.
"Go back to sleep. It's still the dead of night."
Paris just shrugged, getting up and gesturing for Katri to get out of her seat. Rolling her eyes, Katri obliged to the request, moving to switch to another chair but Paris caught her by the waist as she moved away. He sat down and pulled Katri onto his lap. Briseis hid her smile as she watched Paris envelope the girl into his arms and bury his face into the crook of her neck.
"Comfortable?" Katri sneered, her eyes still rolling in exasperation, but froze when she felt his lips graze slightly on her neck and then retreat to just rest his head on her shoulder.
"Perfect," he muttered, his eyes going back into the daze of sleep.
"Couldn't you have just gone to sleep at the bed. That way, Briseis and I wouldn't have been interrupted?" Her smile and fingers briefly touching his cheek told Paris that she didn't mind the interruption, however.
"I came all the way out here to visit you. I only have a day. I think I'll stay here, thanks," Paris grinned. She smiled at him, her hand playing affectionately with his curls.
"Whatever you say, Alex..." She turned back to look at Briseis who was smiled smugly.
"Without a doubt," Briseis repeated, looking pointedly at the couple.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
They spent the next day helping Katri tend to her chores. Even if it was reason enough for celebration to Katri that Paris had visited, she still couldn't neglect her chores. Briseis had no idea what to do since she had never really done this kind of work before so she helped where she could (closing the gate after Paris and Katri, opening the gate for Paris and Katri) but mostly stood awkwardly in the background with Acacius. And even if she had known anything about the labors, she still would have remained segregated. The bond between the two seemed too sacred to somehow interrupt with her own presence. To Paris' own disappointment, however, the sun was beginning to lower from its high peak marking the time to set out for his return to the palace.
"I don't wanna," Paris whined, hiding behind Katri. It was a place he'd grown accustomed to in the last twenty-four hours. He would constantly be found behind Katri, holding her against him with his arms, his head buried against her neck.
"Your highness, we have no choice. You must return as you had promised," Acacius pleaded. His eyes caught Katri's and he silently begged for help to persuade the younger prince to return to his new home.
"Alex, you have to leave..." Katri said softly, turning so that she could face him. He pouted and just shook his head like a child and she rolled her eyes as she always had. "Your mother will not let you return to visit me if you end up going home tied to your horse! Briseis is ready. Acacius is ready. In fact, so are you but you just won't get on Hippolytas. It's time to go, Alexander."
Paris held on tighter to Katri. "Please?"
"Off with you, you stubborn oaf!" she laughed, twirling out of his arms and out of his reach.
"No."
"If you go without further persuasion from myself, I will come by the palace in..." She stood silently, counting her chores. "... two days, I promise."
"Two days?" Paris repeated, frowing.
"Two days without delay," Katri nodded. Briseis and Acacius chuckled, starting to turn their horses to the road, knowing that Paris was already convinced. Paris looked up and saw that no eyes were upon them. Taking a deep breath, Paris gathered the courage for the action he'd been biding his time for for the last day.
Leaning down, Paris knelt his lips against Katri's, cupping her face in his hands. At first, Katri stood frozen, unable tore act but as Paris slowly pulled at her lip, she opened up, her own arms encircling his neck, pulling him closer to her. Paris gasped as his head popped up for air, but noses still nuzzling against each other between gasps of breath. Their arms were still tight around the other and neither were inclined to release.
"Two days then." It was more of demand than an affirmation as Katri nodded. He knelt in for another quick but impassioned kiss, tilting her head back to make it deeper. He released her quickly and jumped onto his horse, grinning happily that Katri responded the way he thought she would. "Who knows? We might even get to plan that wedding Briseis was so excited about..."
"You heard everything?!" Katri almost shrieked in embarassment.
"Every last word," Paris grinned. His fingers gently touched her cheek before beginning to ride away. "Two days, Katriana! I'll be waiting!"
-Anteros = Greek god of reciprocated love
Good morrow to you all! I'm sorry that this took a bit longer. I've been lazy as of late. laughs Hint: I'm ALWAYS lazy. ANYWAYS Thank you for all the lovely reviews. I could not love you more. AND PLEASE CONTINUE –or start- REVIEWING.
Grace & Caribbeangoddess= I'll DEFINITELY be writing more. laughs No worries of that.
Kelly Bloom= Your review was just chock full of praise and my ego inflated several sizes. laughs Thank you. And I didn't think it was too long either... it just GETS long every now and then, in my op. and sometimes it will be incredibly short because of how I've outlined each chapter. YES I have a bloody outline...
Goldensong= I'm actually a bit miffed with how I portray Hector in this story as well! I made him that way because one) I started this story before I saw him act so nobly in 'Troy' and two) his characterization was partially based on my thinking that this is Hector in his younger days so he's allowed some obnoxiousness and a quote notated to Hector saying – 'You are not my brother. Just a young shepherd boy full of tall tales.' I forgot where I saw it. So anyways, this story spans a LONG period of time. (Can't tell you specifics or it'll become a spoiler.) My characters have definite room for improvement or fallouts depending on whom I'm speaking of.
Nevasaiel= You're an angel. Your reviews rock and is such a good boost for the ole self-esteem. NEVER mistake that I'm ever ungrateful for your presence. And I'm glad that you like my writing style. THANK YOU!
roselynn geigel= I'm updating!!
Larrikin= Thanks for the reviews and also for adding me to your favourites! Wow... tear you like me... you really really like me!