Evangelia slammed the door to her room. She ripped the dress off and grabbed her leather tunic. She fastened it on and grabbed a large black cloak. She fastened on her sword belt and added a dagger into each of her sandals.

Moments later, a lone horse raced out across the plains of Troy, toward the beach.

Achilles came back into his tent with a large basin of water. He set it down and dipped rag into it. He reached out to Brisesis's face and she slapped his hand away. They continued at this for several minuets and then Achilles threw the rag into the water and back away.

Brisesis studied him for a moment and then slowly reached for the rag.

Achilles moved slightly and Brisesis sprang back.

Achilles raised an eyebrow and stood to his feet. "Do you have a name?"

Brisesis watched him as he sat down on the other side of the tent. With her eyes, she gauged the distance between them and then slowly took the rag and began wiping her face. She remained silent.

"Even servants of Apollo have names," said Achilles.

"Brisesis."

"Pretty name."

"My cousin will come for me."

"He will?" said Achilles mildly.

"She will."

Achilles half sat up. "She?"

"Yes. Evangelia will come for me."

"Evangelia," said Achilles softly as he sat back. "Yes."

Brisesis watched him. "You know her?"

"Yes. I had the pleasure of meeting her on the porch of the temple. She's very beautiful."

"She is the most beautiful of all the Trojans."

"You are not jealous. A fault that is found common in women today."

Bresis stared at him for a long moment. "I thought you were a dumb brute."

Achilles's eyebrows rose.

"I could have forgiven a dumb brute."

Just then Markos called for Achilles. "My lord, Agamemnon wants you."

Achilles snorted and shouted, "Why would I want to look at him when I can look at her?"

Markos chuckled as he walked away.

Achilles looked at Bresis. "You probably won't believe me but it's safest for you to stay in here. Those men out there left their wives. They might find you pleasant company." He stood, grabbed his sword belt and left the tent without a backward glance.

"What is it?" asked Achilles as he fastened on his sword belt around his back.

"Agamemnon is calling a meeting."

Achilles sighed. "Where's Patroclus?"

"Here, cousin."

Achilles turned. "Go into my tent. And stay there. There's a girl there. Make sure she stays safe."

Evangelia stood next to her captain. "Are you almost ready?"

"We're ready."

"Good." Evangelia turned her horse. "Wait for my command."

Bresis started as a tall man entered the tent and sat down across from her. "Who are you?"

"I am call Patroclus. I'm the cousin of Achilles. He told me to watch out for you."

Bresis looked at him for a long moment, then turned away from him.

"Are you frightened?"

Bresis looked at him. "Should I be?"

"This is war. We've come to fight."

"Have you ever seen war before?"

"No."

"And you wish to fight?"

Patroclus was quiet for a long moment. "I suppose I do. In a way."

"You want to take the life of another man?"

"Is that what war is to you?"

"Yes."

"Then you have been deceived, Bresis."

To Bresis's horror, she found herself liking the sound of her name coming from his lips.

"Many men fight war for the reason you think it is. But I fight….my cousin…and your cousins and so many of the others that are here are fighting for something different. Your people are fighting for freedom. And we are fighting for power."

"You think fighting for power makes what you do better?"

"No. But it is a reason. Better than the one you think you have."

Bresis looked at him for a long time. "You're different."

"You find that every person is different from the last one." He stood and came over and sat by her. "But you…you are unlike no one else I've ever met."

Bresis didn't move as Patroclus' hand came up and he ever so gently touched her cheek.

"You're like the summers we had at home. They where so beautiful but sometimes…they where so fleeting."

Bresis looked deep into his eyes. "I see…I see now that I could have been wrong. You…you seem so different from the other men I've met."

"Have any of them ever made your eyes shine like they're shinning now?" And then he kissed her.