Abduction of A Princess
By: Sheiado

Chapter Nine: Strange Connections

Briseis had never seen a man that she could, in truth, label as beautiful. That is, until now. But even beauty beheld danger and she entrusted her welfare to no man, least of all a Greek. He stood before her, assessing her in silence, before making the decision to walk forward. "I will not harm you," he assured softly; "You need not fear me."

His words failed to deter her unease and so, at his approach, Briseis stepped back, her eyes watching his every move guardedly. "Can I really trust you to keep your word?" Briseis asked quietly, breaking their uncomfortable silence as her eyes locked onto his. She showed no fear as she spoke, revealing only her intense distrust.

He appraised her courage just as he did now her beauty but kept all of his judgments to himself. Her response to his assurance puzzled him and his brow furrowed as he questioned, "You believe me not to be a man of my word?"

She stepped farther away from him, answering, "I trust few men in general, My Lord, but none have really kept their promises to me."

Ah! It mattered not if promises were given, if a man were kind or cruel, or if a man was well-renown. She distrusted and, even if secretly, feared all men. "I am a man, yes," Achilles spoke gently, wanting to reassure her, "I will not deny that many would succumb to their primal urges and take what they wish for themselves. Some, indeed, cannot be trusted and I have no doubt that you have met many. I, however, am a man that likes their women willing and I will not dishonor you or your wishes. You are safe here, I promise you."

His words seemed to have soothed her vigilant behavior for she nodded in acceptance and sat down quietly at a safe distance.

"In truth, I have no use for a slave girl," he continued, observing her in silence. She was indeed beautiful, almost enchanting with her cascading curls of raven black and fair, pale skin. Her eyes among all her features were the most enthralling to him; they showed the depths of a soulful creature, the spirit of an exceptionally headstrong woman.

She gazed up at him unflinchingly, her face masked with a blank, unreadable expression. "If you have no use for a slave girl, My Lord, then why not kill me and get it over with?"

The response puzzled him far more than her not taking his word of promise to heart. The idea, in itself upset him, especially since it was generated by one whose beauty outmatched any he had ever seen in Pthia; to take a life as valuable as hers seemed like a waste and an unworthy cause. She astounded him in the sense that she held such passion in her eyes and yet, kept courage in the face of danger. Most women, slaves especially, typically cowered at his feet in fear. This one treated him like he was an equivalent to an enemy on a battlefield. "You would wish for death so quickly?" he asked, suddenly ever the more intrigued by her.

Briseis wringed the silky material of her skirts absently, her wrists grazing against the harsh straps of rope still tied to her. "And why not?" She admonished, trying not to speak her answers recklessly, "I'd rather die than go back to that man you prefer to call king. You are a warrior, are you not? Is killing not what you do?"

The curtain of her hair tumbled gracefully off of her cheek as she gazed up at him, a challenging look in her eyes.

Achilles shook his head before padding over to his bed of furs. "I do not take the lives of women or children and as I have said, you are safe here. You will not have to return to Agamemnon as you are considered mine by his decree. No one will take you from this tent or me."

Briseis merely stared at him, her eyes softening at his admittance. She found herself impressed by him. The great warrior, Achilles, indeed had a human heart? "When I heard of you," she spoke, "I thought you to be nothing more than a dumb brute."

Achilles smiled wistfully at her confession. "And now?"

Her eyes fell from his as she began studying the material of her gown, "I do not know," she admitted softly. He was a man and a son of Greece, how much trust could she dare put into him?

She felt his eyes on her for the longest time, just watching, possibly making a decision on what to do with her. Tired of the silent tension, Briseis gazed back up daringly. His eyes startled her, for he had the most intense set of blue sapphire irises that she had ever seen before in her life. There were very few people she knew with eyes as deep and blue as the Aegean Sea, for it was a rarity unless if one were of Grecian blood. But not all Greeks carried such intensity within their eyes as this man. Others she had seen seemed so hollow in comparison…

His lips quirked into a smug, arrogant smile at her entranced expression, making Briseis snap out of her reverie to frown at him. She was blessed, for the dim candle light showed no hint of the blush now painted across her cheeks.

"What is your name?"

He turned his gaze over to the bed at his side, covered with animal pelts, to bend down and grasp his fingers around the cold hilt of a dagger. Briseis swallowed hard, shifting her position silently on the floor.

Achilles took almost immediate notice of her apprehension and murmured gently, "here, let me take care of those for you". He gestured toward her bound hands as he approached her with caution, not wanting to upset her. Briseis froze as he knelt at her side, his hands grabbing at her binds to slice them open.

"Briseis," she answered softly, beyond caring that she indeed used her real name in response.

His eyes found hers as he cut open the last piece of rope, "Are you afraid, Briseis?"

She stared in silence, finding herself once again enthralled by him, staring into eyes that made her feel as if she were drowning in a deep blue sea. His lips were just inches apart from hers, making her conscious of their close proximity. "Should I be?" she breathed, silently scolding herself moments later. He was to be her enemy…

And yet, Briseis felt drawn to him…

"The sea takes and the sea gives. Takes lives, it will do but it will also give life. It will direct you, fear not, lost one..."

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