Briseis sucked in a lungful of the sweet, heavenly, and most importantly free, air. It was so good to be out of that dreadfully musty cave. One could easily become trapped in there. She shuddered at the memory, and then frowned at the tall man walking steadily a few paces in front of her, and the woman leaning on his arm.

Briseis almost smiled. When Helen came to, the first thing the woman saw was Achilles kissing her. Unconsciously, she brought up a hand and touched her lips gingerly, blushing like a girl after her first real kiss. She could still remember his taste on her lips from that deep and drugging moment. And Helen's shocked gasp.

Briseis finally smiled at her cousin's back. The look on Helen's face was one in a million. To say she looked as if she saw a ghost was an understatement. Briseis bit her lip. It had taken a while just to convince the puzzled woman that she was not hallucinating, and then fill her in on the whole situation. Briseis had to hand it to her though, Helen was, on the whole, very understanding, once she was assured that Achilles was indeed there with them as a real living being.

As if sensing her friend's thoughts, Helen turned her head and looked back at Briseis. Briseis smiled sweetly at her, and she could have sworn that Helen winked at her in return before turning back to Achilles. The two were fast becoming friends, Briseis thought with amusement. Interestingly, Achilles seemed comfortable around the soft-spoken woman, at ease. In the time that she had known him, through the war and just recently, Briseis had realized that even with his miraculous abilities, Achilles was a reserved man. Or very independent, so to speak. He trusted very little, that much was clear, especially when it came to people. He didn't make the effort to befriend others, and most people, after one look at him, edged away in fear. He intimidated without even meaning to.

Carefully Briseis went around a pile of rubble, keeping her gaze thoughtfully on his back. After some urging and pleading, Helen had promised not to speak a word of who she'd seen, and who she had been with. Their plan was to drop Helen off back at the camp without being spotted and then leave. Helen would just tell the others that she and Briseis was restless and had taken a walk, then the earthquake started, and they lost sight of each other. Let them assume the worst, let them assume that I am dead, Briseis thought to herself, it will be so much easier on them, especially Andromache. She would be better off with the idea that her cousin was dead than with the idea that she had run off with the enemy. The thought brought sadness, the same gnawing feeling in her gut.

Shaking her head clear of the unpleasant thoughts she trotted up to join the other two, plastering a smile on her face.

Achilles reached out and took Briseis' hand as she sneaked up behind him. One look at her eyes told him that she was troubled. He shot her a knowing look and squeezed her hand in comfort. But Briseis aimed a look at Helen and shook her head ever so slightly. He understood. She didn't want to upset Helen when she was reluctant to play her part in their plans in the first place. He raised his eye brows at her but said nothing.

Briseis let go of his hand and went around on the other side to Helen. She chattered away with the pregnant woman about baby names and her plans for the child. Helen was happy to oblige to the light and easy conversation while Achilles pretended to look bored. Briseis gave him a small smile.

Andromache crouched down and watched them approach in the distance. She could not see their faces but it was clear that the man had a firm hold on the women beside him. She didn't know what he intended to do with them but she certainly wasn't going to wait to find out. She gritted her teeth and took out an arrow. She strung the bow and pulled back the catgut, waiting for them to come closer. There was the huge break in the ground a few feet in front her. She knew that he had to let go Briseis and Helen to get across. She would wait until it was clear that she wouldn't hit either one of the woman, and then she would kill that bastard.

She tensed her hold on her weapon as they came closer. She recognized Helen, her arm apparently locked in his viselike grip. Briseis was cowering beside her, her head bent, obviously unable to do anything. She watched as he distanced himself but kept his watch on the two women. He was standing, no, towering, in front of them, his back to her.

She seized this chance.

She stood up to get a better aim. A split second before she let the arrow fly, the man turned and she saw his face clearly for the first time. A small, strangled cry escaped her mouth. Her arm trembled despite herself. For a moment time seemed frozen. Then the whish of the arrow sent her back spinning into reality.

Achilles heard the sound. In fact, he had heard it so many times in his life that it was next to impossible not to recognize it. He reacted before his brain had the time to register the source of attack. In a flash, Helen and Briseis were shoved to the ground at the same time the arrow whipped by his ear, missing by inches.

With a glance to make sure that the women were all right, he dropped into a crouch position himself. His senses were on high alert. Briseis struggled to sit up but he pushed her down with a firm hand, gesturing to her to be quiet.

All that took an approximate of five seconds.

The ringing in her ears told her that she was holding her breath. Andromache let it out and felt everything click back into place.

On the other side, Achilles spotted her, and felt a tightening in his stomach. The Trojan princess had a none-too-gentle look in her eyes. Slowly he stood up and met her gaze.

It shocked him.

Even though he knew she must hate him, the intensity of the loathing in her eyes surprised him. He had never seen a woman hold such a grudge.

"You," Andromache whispered deadly with venom in her voice. Any other man would have trembled. Achilles merely blinked. His lack of emotions and actions angered her. She would have expected more of him. She couldn't even explain to herself what, just, more. But then again, she hadn't been expecting to see him either. Now she didn't know what she expected. She was confused. She hated that.

And the fact that he was just standing there.

Measuring her, she supposed. Somewhere in the back of her head she remembered that he was supposed to be dead. But the thought didn't seem to be that important at the moment. Maybe he was invincible, maybe he couldn't be killed. But that wouldn't stop her from trying. She may not be clear of much right now but she sure as hell was clear on one thing.

She was going to kill him. For Hector. For Troy. For herself.

Achilles still held her gaze, yet from the corner of his eye he noticed her bow, Paris' bow, the one that he lost in the commotion moments ago, was inching up her side. He did not move.

Briseis seemed to become aware of the action in the same instant. She sprang up to her feet, clutching Achilles' arm.

Andromache was only dimly aware of Briseis, or anyone or anything else for that matter. It was as if the world was limited to her and this, this murderer. He killed Hector, a voice whispered in her ear. Her head pounded with rage, excitement and hate. Her hand shook. She brought up the bow to aim.

"Andromache!" Briseis' voice sounded far away, very far away.

Achilles stood. He should have been dodging for cover or even disarming her. She was but a stone's throw away. But he stood immobilized. He didn't know what made him, but he couldn't bring himself to move. He deserved it, he knew. In all possible means of honor he couldn't get himself to move. He was rooted to the spot on the other side. He remembered what he did to Hector. And the shame washed over him yet again.

"Stop! Andromache!" This can't be real, Briseis thought, it can't be. She wasn't about to stand around and watch her lover get shot a second time. By the same damn weapon, no less. She dashed in front of Achilles, her arms outstretched.

Twang.

The arrow pierced the air cleanly. Just as cleanly it cut through her flesh. Briseis jerked back and felt nothing. Then fire. It spread, like molten rock, hardening, numbing, burning. It burned most of all.

She gasped.

Andromache dropped to her knees as the horror sank in.

"Briseis!" He didn't know if he whispered it or shouted. But before his own eyes, before he could reach for her. She staggered forward and was swallowed by the gap in the earth head first. She didn't have the breath to scream.

For a second no one breathed.

Then Achilles was lounging after her.

Briseis attempted to grab some of the branches hanging down into the crack but she didn't seem to have control over her fingers. She couldn't bear to look down, down into the glaring abyss that was waiting to swallow her. She closed her eyes and heard the blood roaring in her head. She braced for the fall.

It ended much too early. It was so abrupt that it knocked the breath out of her.

Achilles snagged part of her dress. Thank God she was conscious enough to try to slow her fall. He leaned over the edge, sprawled on his stomach with his hands fisted in the flimsy material. His feet dug into the hard earth.

Briseis felt the pull at her waist and struggled to right herself. Everything was spinning. Her head was threatening to split open. Her shoulder. She snapped open her eyes and saw the spreading crimson in the gray material and felt herself go limp.

"No!" Achilles' voice cut through the fog in her mind. "Briseis! Stay awake! Grab those branches!"

Her eyes opened again and she focused on the blurry mass of green above her head. She tried to lift a hand and was amazed at how weak she was. Her shoulder burned.

"Come on, Briseis!" Achilles struggled to balance himself, half of his body was dangling off the edge.

"Briseis!"

She took one shuddering breath and grabbed blindly. She fisted her hand around the scraggly wood.

"That's it." Achilles pulled with all he was worth. He couldn't think about how her dress could rip and how he could lose his hold on her. He refused to let himself think about it.

Briseis felt herself hauled up by the inches. She let go of the branches and dug a foot in a crevice along the wall of the gap. The pain was so constant that she no longer thought of it. She concentrated on escaping the darkness waiting beneath her. She would not fall. With a sudden burst of will power she lifted her head and locked her eyes on Achilles. His jaw was set and the muscles on his neck were bulging in effort. Briseis made herself reach and grab one of his arms, ignoring the sudden flare of pain spiking from her wound.

His breath was coming out in short little bursts. He could do this. He closed his eyes and steadied his breath, then pulled. Blinding white spots danced in front of his eyes. He forced them open and saw the most beautiful sight.

Briseis.

Then he was scrambling by her side, staring into her eyes. Her breath was shallow and her face was starch white. Beads of sweat were rolling down her forehead. Her face was scratched. Her shoulder was bleeding. But she was alive. She was here with him. Alive

Achilles resisted the urge to gather her in his arms and squeeze her tight. Instead he contented himself with squeezing her hand, holding it like he'd never let go.

"Achilles." His name barely scraped past her parched throat. And the last thing she saw before she sank into that blessed unconsciousness was the love in those beautiful eyes. She had always loved his eyes. She lost herself in those eyes and thought.

This isn't such a horrible way to die.