AN: The title seems very Yoda, doesn't it? =) I figured as much.

My Immortal
By BluWine

Chapter 11: Your face, it haunts

Paris rode off, fury powering his way to the palace gates under the noon heat. He couldn't believe how off he was about Katriana. She had pretty much exiled him out of the family he'd grown with. He was so sure she would have been happy for him that he found someone who loved him and he loved in return. Instead, she just tells him to get out and basically threatens betraying their city to the inevitable war that would come after Helen. He looked ahead and saw the belt of trees that surrounded Troy. It was right outside the walls and about a mile thick. He smiled solemnly, knowing that he'd at least be home soon to be with Helen again.

Hippolytas rode hard through the trees, pushed on by its rider. Suddenly, the horse skidded to a stop. The dust erupted around him making Paris squeeze his eyes shut and cough when he inhaled the particles.

"Come on, Hippolytas!" Paris said his ankles putting pressure on the horse to keep going, but Hippolytas just neighed and turned its head from side to side. "Hippolytas!"

"He won't go unless I will it so," a voice called from the thick of the trees. Paris' head pounded against the threat of even more stress on his mind. He just wanted to go home. Another stranger's interference would just delay him further.

"Well then bloody will it so! I have not the time or strength to put up with such nonsense," Paris snapped.

A woman, tall and beautiful as all things graced by the power of the gods were, appeared from the shadows. Paris looked at her, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. She seemed vaguely familiar.

"Oenone," Paris murmured, his eyes widening.

"It's good that you still remember your saviour," Oenone laughed stepping up to the horse, petting the muzzle. "How are you, Alexander?"

"I'm fine," Paris said, backing Hippolytas away from the nymph since he was becoming wary of the cocky grin and determined look in her eyes.

"You're better than fine, aren't you? Prince?" Oenone smiled.

"Let me pass," Paris snapped.

"And let you spoil my fun? I think not," Oenone laughed. Her hand reached out putting itself on Paris' bare thigh. Paris retracted, on instinct, and slipped down his horse, putting the horse's torso between himself and the strangely forward nymph. "Why are you wary of me, Alexander? Surely, I've done nothing to make you..." Her hand touched Hippolytas' mane and it stepped back, leaving Oenone with free access to Paris. "... uncomfortable, maybe?"

"Let me pass, Oenone..." Paris repeated. She just smiled, her hand twisting in the air to perform her own brand of magick. Paris suddenly felt a tree behind him that definitely was not there before. Her hand gestured towards the tree and, without even touching him, Paris was pinned against the trunk.

"You know... You never quite repaid me for your salvation from the dreaded Rauko..." Oenone smiled, seductively starting to get nearer to Paris yet again. Paris squeezed his eyes shut trying to step away... anything to get away from the nymph but powers were holding him there and he could just as well make the gods bend to his will than move. "And you've grown into QUITE an enticing young man..." Paris cringed when Oenone was only a breath away. He waited for her unsolicited touch but it didn't come.

Paris opened his eyes and saw Oenone frowning. Her hands were hovering an inch over his chest and slid up to his neck but it was always some distance away. It was as if some invisible armor was keeping Oenone out. She tiptoed and tried to lean her lips over to his but yet again, the shield kept her touch at least an inch away from him. Oenone looked confused for a second but remained close to her prey's face.

"Something protects you..." she murmured.

Let him go...

"The gods protect you..."

By Zeus, Oenone, you shall be struck down if you do not let him go...

Oenone stepped back and immediately, Paris felt Oenone's own magick retreat.

"Aphrodite..." Paris murmured, his memories reminding him of his past.

"Ha! You wish, Prince," Oenone scoffed. "I know of her promise to you and she has fulfilled it. She has no need to keep you in her agenda and it is far from her mind to protect you."

Paris looked up surprised. He had never revealed to anyone, even Katriana, his encounter with three of the goddesses, Hera, Athene and Aphrodite, a little over a year ago. He had never let out a word relating to the incident in which he held a golden apple in his hand to award to whom he judged the most beautiful... or about the promises each goddess offered him... or about Aphrodite's promise to give to him the most beautiful woman in Greece if he judged her the most beautiful of the three goddesses.

"How do you know of that?" Paris asked, confused. "No one knows about what happened in that clearing."

"Obviously, you've been misinformed," Oenone sneered, feeling herself grow angry at the fact that she wasn't getting what she wanted. "You are one propitious young man, aren't you?"

"Pardon?"

"Blessed by a goddess' promise, holder of an ethereal's heart and love," Oenone listed.

"Aphrodite and Helen?"

"You misunderstand the latter... Helen is a mere mortal, you silly boy. Beautiful but human nonetheless," Oenone retorted. "Even if what she felt for you wasn't just lust, she wouldn't be able to protect you from me." Oenone began to walk away, still deeply bruised at her ego.

"Then who are you talking about?"

"You really don't know, prince?" Oenone smirked. She turned to Paris nearing him again. "Dear dear Alexander... Aphrodite's promise will have such repercussions that you can't even fathom. I can't WAIT until the Greeks are marching up the palace steps to take Helen against her will and you to your death..." Her eyes closed as if relishing a past memory when she was really appreciating the gift of foresight. "... And the audience to that death..." She laughed when her eyes opened, looking up at the very bemused prince. "Your face... it haunts her mind every second of her breathing day and night and you don't even know!" She stepped back again, her amusement showing on the twist of her lips. "I'll have my revenge for not having you, Alexander... Just you wait."

She started to walk away and Paris tried to go after her. He wanted answers to cryptic riddles she had just told him but Oenone waved her hand over her shoulder.

"You can pass," she sauntered away and she disappeared into the shadows. Paris was alone on the path, his mind racing.

"What on earth just happened?" he murmured looking around to see if the nymph was still hiding somewhere but he couldn't sense her presence near anymore.

Hippolytas trotted to his side and nudged his shoulder.

"One second, Hippolytas..." Paris said, his hand reaching up to calm the agitated horse. Hippolytas' nose nudged him again. "All right... All right..." He took the reins and got on the horse, trotting his way back into the city.

After a week's passing, the entire city of Troy celebrated the wedding of Paris and Helen. Hector agreed that his rother could marry before him for Andromache wished to look like her old self during the ceremony. There was a bit of an argument from Hector actually but Andromache insisted that her wedding wouldn't be rememered for the bride's appearance to be reminiscent of a fat cow, as she so wonderfully put it.

Hector and Andromache were a bit reluctant, however, in attending the short- notice but lavish wedding of Hector's younger brother as was Briseis. They had sat in the front, witnessing what they felt was the biggest mistake their friend and relative could make. Their new acquaintance in Katriana was also suffering because of it, increasing the discomfort they felt during the ceremony.

Acacius had managed to escape the awkward situation of faking the happiness he didn't feel. He had asked for leave and had been with Katriana that entire day. It was a bit unnerving though when he considered how well Katriana was taking her broken heart. She was all smiles and giggles when she was conscious of anyone's glance but Acacius caught her off her guard sometimes.

It wasn't until more time had passed. Almost a month had gone. Katrina was so wrapped up in keeping her emotions in check that she didn't realiza Acacius was about near his patience's end with her.

Acacius had taken Katriana on a walk to the more private coastline of the city. She lived north of Troy, the city almost completely surrounded by water except to the southeast. To the south was Apollo's temple, simple but majestic. The public beaches were there as well, people a constant presence there because of the heat. To the west were the ports, ships littering the coastline and cargo being shipped off and on the shore and it was the closest point to the palace. The north shore was rocky and dangerous to swim or float a ship in so almost no one took the tme to go there but since it was the shore nearest to Katriana, she had taken the habit of walking there many times.

Katriana snuck a glance at Acacius and saw him watching the horizon tentatively. Thinking that his attention was elsewhere, Katriana began to wallow in her sorrows again. She knew that Acacius had taken it upon himself to take care of her and she was endlessly grateful for it but she could never let him see how badly she was really hurting inside. She was afraid that if she let out the pain, it would be futile for more would fill her again so she took a deep breath and just suffered through it. From the corner of his eyes, Acacius watched as Katriana looked down at her feet and clutched a hand at her chest. It was something she did often now and he sighed, knowing that he'd had enough of her discretion.

"That has to stop," Acacius said softly, still looking out to the sea.

"What do you mean?" Her hand dropped and began to wring the other at her waist.

"Why do you insist that you feel nothing, Katriana? I know you pain but you don't deserve such. Why won't you let others know that Paris has mistreated you and let him be seen as the villain instead letting it pass without thought?!" Acacius asked, stopping and turning to Katriana.

"I do not let it pass without thought," she retorted. "It is the ONLY thing I think about, Acacius!" She was spun around by Acacius and now he held her by the shoulders, staying her in front of him.

"Then why not SPEAK of it?! Briseis and I are here for you and you won't take the hand offered in help!"

"Can you really help me though?" she said angrily. "Unless you can separate the bloody newlyweds, you can really do nothing. And even if you can, which, by the way, you can't!, it still won't erase what he said and what he's done!"

Acacius bowed his head in shame and his firm hands loosened their grip. "I know... and for that, I am sorry." His hands dropped to hers and held it there, feeling like he should have been able to do as she suggested.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean for it to sound as if you are to blame," Katriana murmured. "It was Paris' blame and no one else's.... And I'm sorry that I haven't been more.... receptive, I guess, to you and Briseis... I know you're only trying to help..."

"Then be so now," Acacius replied.

"I... I just can't." She stepped back and dropped his hands. "It hurts too much..." She hurriedly wiped away the tear that fell from the corner of her eye and clutched the pale blue robes she wore, wrinkling the fabric where she held it in a ball. "Just let me be... I promise to be better... I promise to talk more but not now. Let me deal with this in my own accord, Acacius." Acacius shook his head, dubiously. "Please..."

"I like this, not," Acacis murmured. "None at all. It's unhealthy for you to keep this bottled up inside of you. Have you even seen yourself in a looking glass lately?" His hand reached out and touched her face, gently, the palm cupping her cheek. "You're a mere ghost of what you used to be... You're fading..." Katriana closed her eyes, deeply touched that Acacius cared for her so much.

"Please..." she repeated, so faintly it could barely be heard against the waves crashing against the rocks or the birds calling in the air... "Just wait for me..."

"Fine..." he sighed, pulling her into his arms. Katriana relaxed against the thick wool that Acacius wore under his armour and her own arms wrapped tightly around his body. Inside, she thanked the heavens that she now had friends that cared for her so. "... Just don't let that fool of a prince be the death of you, Katriana."

"He won't be," Katriana said truthfully. She would have liked to stay there, in the strong arms of Acacius, not having to deal with the hurt she felt but reality began to creep into the beautiful moment a few minutes after the silence started.

A crash was heard. The sound of fire and falling wood, the screams of innocents trying to run from danger reached Acacius and Katri's ears. Their heads snapped up and they looked towards the city. Nothing seemed to be amiss but then their eyes found the trail of smoke rising from the ports. The fleet of ships were closing in, some already on the landing of the beach.

"Katri," Acacius said his hands now at her upper arms holding her tightly. His hardened voice pulled her from the terrified trance that held her. "Katri!" She finally turned away, looking up at Acacius, and saw for the first time the reason why he was chosen as one of the closest guards of the royal family. His eyes were cold and icy, and in the blue depths, Katri knew that this man was trained to kill, but underneath was still something human, making him care for those he was chosen to protect. "Run... Run to your cottage as fast as you can. Do not come out unless one of us comes for you... Probably Hector or myself... You should be safe there. The Greeks won't come to the north until the real battles."

"G... Greeks?" Katri choked out.

"Of course," Acacius nodded. "Menelaus has finally come for his revenge." Katri stood there silently, her eyes still wandering to the pillaging of the ports. "Katri... Katri, listen to me!" Her eyes turned away again. "If I can't come back for you in time and the Greeks start to move towards your home, run to the hidden scaean gate. The ones we've used to get into the markets without attracting attention. Remember?" She nodded. "Hide in the trees until someone opens it, understand?"

"Yes..." she trembled.

"Good... Now go!" Acacius said and Katri broke into a run, stumbling slightly around the rocks and the hills. He watched her for a few moments before running to the horse, waiting a little farther distance away. He jumped onto it and rode for the gates, hoping that the outcome of today's initial pillage by their attackers would hold not too extreme an outcome.

Okay! I'm sorry for the delay. It's been a hectic past few weeks and my computer's been down for some time and my email is disgustingly full! ACK! Anyways, here ya go. And please review! I love to hear what you guys have to say.

Review Responses:

Maren L P = He WAS a jerk, wasn't he? Ack. Hopefully he'll make up for it in the next chapter.

angeleyes = EVERYTHING will explain itself in due time! I Promise! And you really didn't think I'd let Katri take all that lying down, did you?!

Angel = Awesome suggestions! Maybe I'll take it up by the end of the story? =wink=

Nevasaiel = I'm sorry that it drives you mad but it drives you back to my story, doesn't it? haha. That's the point. Unrequited love does stink... I hate it.

Hikage Kitsune = Thank you! The fact that I could even ALMOST make you cry is actually a compliment!

Ellegirl104 = Wow... I'm so flattered that you go on the net for this story. I'm sorry that it took so long but here it is!

babyg2988 = EVERY man deserves a good whack in the head... Trust me. Hehe. Paris is VERY forgiveable though, isn't he? Damn Orlando Bloom! It's his fault we cave every time we see him smile... or look up.. or breathe... ot just stand there for that matter. hehe.

amanda = hahaha You get really passionate don't you!? Haha. Wow. Thanks for the review and the whole let's kill off Helen sentiment is a mutual one. I hate her!

Youkai no Yume = ACk!! yay! Life is wonderful if CF likes my story!! :hugs CF: CF rocks! :throws CF chocolate chip brownies made of love and hopes CF likes it:

KissTheRainGirl12489 = Have you burst yet? hehe.

Larrikin = Paris is a moron.. I know! And thanks for siding with Katri. Can you believe I actually thought everyone would HATE Katriana? =( I was all scared she'd get flamed or something but now everyone goes Poor katri... yay! =)