A/N: So it begins...
She was all packed and ready. Not that she had much to take though, a couple of changes of clothes, including those on her back and the necklace, which she had always worn since she got it back, some food that she had sneaked. All that was bundled and it was hardly bigger than a water bucket. She took a deep breath to steady herself.
It had been decided, between the two of them, that if nothing had gone wrong, they'd be off the next night. They would put as much distance between the colony as possible before dawn came, and Briseis' disappearances would be discovered. It had been a cloudy, dark day, and one could hardly tell that dusk was approaching.
It was difficult to act normal all day. It was all she could do not to show a trace of those bitter emotions that she was feeling. It was all she could do not to embrace her friends one last time. And how she wanted to confide in someone! But she knew that one word would upset the whole thing. She still couldn't quite believe that she was leaving.
It's just a trip, she told herself, listening to the wind outside. She had excused herself from supper, claiming to be sick, but it wasn't all that far from the truth. She did feel sick. A trip from which you would never return. She swallowed with difficulty. Help me, Apollo, all I want is to be happy, but my happiness also causes me pain, and will cause pain to those around me. Yet she knew she was doing the right thing. Curling her fingers around the smooth stones of the necklace, she recalled the tenderness in his eyes as he told her those precious words.
It would be an adventure, and he would be by her side. That sounded better. And the Gods knew that Briseis had an adventurous side. She prayed in silence, for the love of her kin, for their forgiveness, and for the beginning of her new life.
Impatiently Achilles paced the narrow space between two barren trees. His steps were short and hurried. She will come, he told himself with conviction. After all, what reason would she have for not coming? But the little voice in his head immediately started to list off the possible excuses and situations. He groaned and willed his mind to shut up. Funny thing too, usually he was so in control of everything, everything he did he did with confidence. That too, had been before he met Briseis. She brought much uncertainness, but he hadn't known that he needed a little excitement in his life. No, all those battles, all that fighting simply wasn't enough for him. Most of those he knew the outcome, and truth be told, were starting to bore him. It was nice to have a few twists and turns in life. He didn't know it at the time, but he didn't want to live a life that was written out for him.
But where was she?
His gut instinct told him that she was late, much longer than she should be taking.
Something had happened to her? Someone knew? Good questions, vital questions, hopeless questions that he had no answers to.
She would just wait a little while longer. No good getting found out now. No good at all. She wiggled her toes. They'd gone numb because her bundle was sitting on top of her legs, and she had laid in this position for too long. Her legs yearned for a stretch. But she mustn't risk it. She strained her ears and listened. All was calm. She imagined that she could even hear the steady breaths of her roommates.
Briseis took a deep breath and mentally counted to five. Then she sat up noiselessly. She had her cloak on already, and her shoes. She gathered up her bundle of provisions and slowly stood up. She stifled a cry. Her feet like a thousand little pins were pricking them. She stood still until the unpleasant sensations were gone, then she took a few steps towards the door. That was another problem. It squeaked. Usually it had been not a problem, but the immenseness of what she was about to do made her paranoid.
Not much to be done about it though, so she headed straight for the door. She grimaced as the door made a noise like a strangled mouse as it creaked open. She stood taut and tense, her ears straining to hear the littlest stirs. Then she slung the pack over her shoulder and walked out, too excited for the sorrow that she felt. She was running away from home! She tip-toed across the hard ground, fairly certain that no one had even suspected that she was gone.
"You are not going anywhere." A voice not much louder than a whisper hissed from behind her back.
Briseis froze, her heart thudding, she turned around.
Helen stood not five feet behind her. How was it that she knew?
"I will not let you." With two precise strides, the other woman was by her side. And before Briseis could budge, locked her hand firmly on her arm.
"Helen-" Briseis started.
"Don't, you are coming back with me right now," Helen whispered furiously, tugging on her arm.
Finally coming to her senses, Briseis tried to wrench her arm out of Helen's grasp, but the other woman would not let go.
"Let go of me, you don't understand!" She cried.
"I know enough to understand that you shouldn't be running away!" Helen fired back, "And keep your voice down, unless you want to deal with more than just me."
"Helen, please," she tried pleading. Achilles would be frantic by now! Somehow she had to get there! How on earth did Helen find out?
As if reading her mind, Helen remarked, "I've seen you sneak out many times. I may not know where you were going or what you did, but by the looks on your face, it was something you should not have done."
Briseis stared, speechless.
"And I'm telling Andromache tomorrow."
That jostled her out of her spell. "No you are not."
"Briseis! I don't know what you are playing at, but it is too dangerous for a girl like you to be wandering around in the dark. You are coming back with me." Again Helen tried to drag her in the direction of their cabin.
Briseis stood her ground. Her cousin was making her mad if nothing else. How dare she tell her what to do? She didn't even understand why she was doing this!
"Briseis!" Helen glared at her.
"I'm not going back," she managed calmly, then with an abrupt movement she jerked her arm free and began to walk away.
Helen kept up with her brisk pace.
"Why are you doing this? Where are you going?"
Briseis stopped suddenly. "Cousin, I tell you now that it is none of your concern, go back to bed, it is better that I go now. It would be easier for everyone."
Helen could hear the pain in the girl's voice, plain as day. Her voice softened, "Can't you at least tell me why?"
When Briseis didn't answer, Helen scrutinized her face. "It is a man, isn't it?"
Briseis was once again dumbfounded. "Helen, how could you possibly know?"
Despite the circumstances, Helen smiled. "Did I not also run away from home for love? To be with the man that I loved? I would know, Briseis, I would know."
Watching the emotions play out on the girl's face, Helen concluded that she had guessed correctly. "Won't you tell me?"
"Helen, I only ask this, you cannot alert anyone, much less Andromache, do you understand?" Briseis asked urgently, "I have to go now, he's waiting." With those words she lowered her eyes to the ground.
"But-"
"It is my own choice," Briseis assured the other woman, seeing the concern on her face.
She once again started to walk briskly towards their prearranged meeting place.
"Go back, cousin, and don't mention it to anything, please." She threw back over her shoulder. But Helen persisted.
"Just wait a moment." Helen caught up with Briseis again, laying a restraining hand on her shoulder. Briseis brushed it off. Her patience was wearing thin.
"Go back, Helen," she insisted.
"I won't leave until you tell me what's going on." Helen planted her feet on the ground firmly, crossed her arms and waited for an explanation.
"It would do you no good, cousin, to know such things, go back, and in the morning when they find me gone, pretend you don't know what happened to me. It is best that way." Briseis sighed.
"I would do no such thing."
Briseis exhaled sharply, "Yes you will." When Helen began to shake her head, Briseis grabbed her arm, "Helen, I can't tell you much but I can tell you I'm doing this for my happiness, and I will be happy where I'm going. I thought you would understand." Briseis looked intently at her cousin.
"The situationsare different, Briseis."
"Not that different," Briseis retorted hotly.
Helen went on as though she had not heard, "It is, I left because I despised the life that I led, I had no love, no feelings about the home that I left behind. Is that how you feel about Troy? Is that what you feel about us?"
Briseis groaned inwardly, this was exactly what she was afraid would happen. That her final resolve would waiver upon hearing those words.
"It is not that simple," she offered.
"It rarely is. Why don't you tell me, I have time," Helen gestured to the darkness around them, giving her a small smile.
"Well, I don't!" Briseis snapped. What would Achilles be doing now? She hoped that he did not do anything foolish, such as setting off to find her.
"Who is he?" Helen asked patiently.
Briseis gritted her teeth, "Farewell, cousin, I wish you every happiness with your child, but I really have to get going." She turned around and once again began to hurry.
Helen kept up her pursuit. She felt she was responsible for her. She couldn't let anything happen to her.
For a moment they just walked. It would have been almost comical, one womanstorming in front, and the other one closely at her heels.
How dare she! How dare she demand those things! How dare she poke her nose in business that she had no business of knowing? How dare she assume that she was running away with a man! How dare she upset all their plans!
In the next five minutes, however, Briseis was going to learn how exactly wrong their plans could go.