A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the short chapter, but I wanted to get something in before next week, because I might not have time to undate next week as I will be busy...so there you go...on with the story...
Andromache was tired to the bone. She had to see to that the people had enough to eat, enough clothing to keep warm, and that those who were wounded were getting better. On top of that she had to take care of her son. The days were arduously long, and it had been raining for the past couple of days, dampening their already sour mood. A few fights broke out, over the rationing of food, and she had to settle the dispute.
No Greeks were pursuing them, of that she was sure. They'd probably finished ransacking her city and sailed home by now. Let Poseidon take care of them, Andromache thought bitterly.She was to lead the survivors along the river, until they came across the mountains, and just over the mountains was a valley, nourishing enough to establish a village. At least, that was the plan. Hector had given her those instructions, and she knew he must be right. Yet it was no easy feat. Summer was fading into autumn and the nights were chilly. They tried to find caves to spend their nights in, if possible. Camping under the stars wasn't what she had in mind when they escaped, but they couldn't do better than that, what with the little equipment they had. Many of the people fled with only the clothes on their back. Some had taken gold and other valuables with them. But what use did those have when they hadn't anyone to trade with? So they had to make do with what they had, stopping frequently to allow the elderly rest. They'd gotten some pelts and skins from the animals they had hunted but there clearly wasn't enough to go around. She was discouraged. And fed up on trying to keep warm and dry in the drizzle. This evening wasn't that wet, but just enough to make their clothes damp and uncomfortable.
Andromache sighed, tucking a rabbit fur around her son. She felt that it was her responsibility to get her people to safety. Troy must survive. Their son must survive. Nobody argued when she told them where to go and what to do, despite the fact that she was a woman. But then again, her strength and determination was known among the Trojans, ever since she married Hector. "You'd make a fine general, my love." Andromache closed her eyes and remembered her husband's words. The small reminder gave her hope. She looked down at her sleeping boy, and saw the resemblance to his father. She will not give up.
He was on the right track, he was sure of it. Not only did the footprints lead this way, but it also made sense for them to travel by the river.It would naturally provide them with water and make it harder for them to get lost in the woods. He wondered where they were headed. Achilles hastened his steps, each one took him closer to Briseis.
A baby's cry pierced through the night. Andromache silently cursed and sat up, holding her son. She loved him with all of her heart, but sometimes one was tired of a child's constant fussing for attention. As gently as she could, she rocked the boy against her shoulder and patted his back. Astyanax's cries gradually reduced to whimpers and finally to sniffles. Andromache breathed a sigh of relief as the boy dropped back to sleep. It was good that he had not roused anybody, everyone was tired and deserved a good night's sleep. So did she, Andromache smiled ruefully and kissed her boy on the forehead. As she laid down beside Astyanax she noticed,from the illumination of the moon, a lone figure by the water. Carefully, as to prevent her son from waking up again, Andromache stood up. It was Briseis. What on earth was she doing up at this hour?
Briseis couldn't sleep tonight. In fact, she hadn't been able to sleep well for the past week. Her mind kept wandering off, into dangerous zones, reviewing the events of the past. Unconsciously she reached up and fingered the smooth stones of the necklace she was wearing. It was oddly comforting. And the last physical reminder of him. The necklace was large and looked somewhat awkward around her small neck, but she didn't care. It used to belong to Patroclus, Achilles' cousin. After he died, Achilles gave it to her, before she left with Priam. It was almost as if it was an apology for killing her cousin, Hector.
For the thousandth's time, Briseis told her brain to shut down, to retire for the day, but it would not listen. Her sleepless nights, plus her waning appetite and her listless attitude, had taken their toll on her. She lost weight and her already thin frame was even thinner.
Briseis picked up a smooth, flat rock, and skipped it on the river, shattering the flawless reflection of the moon. The ripples grew larger, larger, and eventually dissipated. The effects calmed her, so she threw another, and another, willing her mind and body to settle down. She did not know how much time had passed, finally she felt the tug of sleep on her eyelids and went to bed. But it was to be many hoursbefore she finally sank into blissful unconsciousness.
"We would be together again, in this world or the next," Paris had told her, before he captured her mouth with his for a fierce kiss. Helen believed it then, and she believed it now. She put trust into those words, and they helped to ease the pain she felt in his passing. She was not forgetting, she was merely packing away the feelings for another time, another place.
Her sickness had turned for the worse. There were days when she couldn't keep anything down. Many were frightened for her, including Andromache, but Briseis seemed strangely aloof. The girl kept to herself all the time, and mumbling when spoken to. It was always as if her mindand soul weren't with them. Helen was puzzled. She had not lost a loved one, as many in their group had, so what was the cause for her withdrawal? Perhaps living in her sheltered and peaceful life, she had never seen the evilness of war, of so much death. Maybe she would pull out of her trance soon as time went on. Helen did not think more of her cousin by marriage as another wave of nausea overwhelmed her.