The next morning came all too soon. I woke before Achilles and slipped out of our bed, putting on a robe in the process. The sun had not yet risen over Troy, so much of the land was bathed in a soft purple light. It was truly beautiful to see from my balcony. Today would be the first Trojan assault on the Greeks. I was worried for the safety of my husband and cousins. Agamemnon would know by now of Achilles's betrayal and most likely be furious at losing his best warrior. Anger can raise a man's strength and stamina, but also could be his downfall. I knew that Achilles would know how to use that to his advantage, but I was like any other wife concerned for her husband. As I stood in the breeze of the early morning, I felt a pair of warm arms wrap around me and a soft kiss being planted on my cheek.

"You're up even earlier than I am."

I turned to face my husband, allowing myself to be held close. "I had too many thoughts and could not lie still."

He looked down into my eyes. "You're worried. I can tell."

"Just about you, like any other soldier's wife." I wanted more than anything to bury my face into his warm shoulder and cry, but I did not allow myself. I had to be strong.

"I promise I will come back to you, Briseis." He kissed the top of my head.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because Agamemnon's army is weak without me." His voice was sure and firm. "This war will not last too much longer and then we can go home."

"To Phtia?" I was curious.

"Yes, to Phtia." He looked down into my eyes.

"What if your people do not like me?"

"They will adore you. Mostly they will be pleased that their prince is finally married, but I know that they will love your charm and wit." His hands were warm as they engulfed my own.

"And your mother?"

"She will love you."

I allowed myself to be overcome in another embrace before he let go of me to put his armor on. As he finished tying his grieves, I came over to him and placed my hands on his armored chest and peered into his eyes with my own, trying to fight back tears. Sensing my near collapse, he pulled me into another kiss. When he broke it, he pushed away my tears that had fallen on my cheeks with his hands. They were rough and calloused to my smooth face, but warm and comforting at the same time. The sun rose slowly over the cliffs that surrounded Troy, indicating to Achilles that it was time.

"I must go." He kissed my hands.

"Achilles," I stopped him for a moment longer. "Promise me you will come back."

"Always." He turned and walked out of our room.

My heart filled with sadness after he had gone. More than anything I wished that this whole war were over and I could just be held in his arms. But I knew that I was not the only one in the palace this morning who was at a loss for words. Andromache and Helen were both suffering what I was going through, along with hundreds of thousand other Trojan women. Some of their husbands might not come home tonight and hold their wives ever again. The thought of it was too much to bear as I quickly dressed and ran down the hall to Helen and Paris's quarters. Helen was already dressed for the day and preparing to go up to the roof to watch the battle, as was customary of Trojan princesses who were married to the princes of Troy. I knew I would be expected up there as well, not only because I was married to Achilles, but because I was a Trojan princess by blood.

As soon as Helen saw me, she knew exactly what I was feeling, and drew me into a hug. It was going to be a difficult day for both of us as Paris would be leading the archers for the first time. Hector and Achilles would lead the infantry attack with the plan they had devised, hoping to end the war today. I held Helen close, as I would a sister. Both of us shed a few tears of worry because we were wives and women, whose emotions sometimes got the better of us. After chasing away our tears with confidence that things would go well, we were ready to make our way to the roof where Uncle Priam and Andromache would be waiting for us as well. Helen clasped my hand together with her own and we walked down the halls of the palace until we reached the staircase to the roof. I allowed her to go first, following right behind her. The steps were difficult to climb because we knew the reason we were climbing them: to watch our husbands fight for Troy. Upon reaching the top, two thrones remained open for us to sit in. Uncle Priam, Aunt Hecuba, and Andromache had already arrived and taken their seats. I sat next to Andromache and Helen sat next to me. Andromache took my hand to show that she also was feeling the same as Helen and I were, nervous and worried.

Below us, the troops of Troy had gathered in front of the gates and I could see the Greek legions marching from the beach, with the pig Agamemnon leading them in the front. To the side of us, Paris and the other archers were lined along the walls, awaiting the time to shoot. Everything was coming together right before our eyes, right in this moment. Hector and Achilles did not waste a minute, ordering Paris and the other archers to fire at will. A shower of arrows penetrated the Greeks lines, making them scatter like animals. I could tell that most of these warriors were untrained, probably farmers in their homelands. More and more arrows soared through the air, picking off Greeks by the hundreds. Then the real battle ensued as Hector, Achilles, and the thousands of Trojan soldiers surged forward in many directions to take out each legion of Greeks separately. A brilliant plan, thought of by my husband and cousins. However, they were not counting on another plan thought of by the Greeks. As the Trojans rushed forward, the Greeks scattered into no particular formation. This confused Troy's soldiers as they tried to take out several men at once, only succeeding in a few. I knew in an instant that our plan had backfired and that there would be no end to this war today. Helen, Andromache, and I all watched helplessly as our husbands battled their way back after a long fight. Once they were safely inside the walls of Troy, we retired from our posts to greet our husbands.

None of the men were happy after the battle, but pleased to have made it through another day of war to come home to their wives. Achilles was the most displeased of all the leaders because he had been outflanked once again by Agamemnon. He did not speak to me for a while after battle, but instead bathed and hung his armor on its stand. I merely stood by patiently, waiting for him to come around to his senses once again. A few hours later, he took me into his arms and apologized for his behavior, kissing my neck and cheeks. I forgave him without question, stating that he was only frustrated because of this war, which he fervently agreed with. That night, as I lay in his arms and could hear his steady breathing, I silently wondered to myself how much longer could this war go on. Eventually someone was going to have to give in or be completely obliterated. As I thought of this, I drifted to a listless sleep, curled up in the arms of my husband.

The war did not end the next day, or the day after that, nor even many days after that. A multitude of days passed by until it was a full year later. The Greeks continued to dwindle in numbers until they faced complete oblivion, yet Agamemnon refused to yield his pride and leave. It was certain victory for Troy, but the only question that remained was when it would occur. During the year, Helen and Paris welcomed the birth of a son named Xavier. He was a bouncing baby boy that kept everyone's spirits up in the palace. Paris was so proud of his son that the day he was born, he showed him to everyone he could find. He hoped that one day Astyanax, Hector's son, would find a playmate in little Xavier and that the two little boys would become like brothers. Also during the year, Andromache and Hector brought a daughter into the world. They named her Chryseis, taking part of her name from my own. She had the beauty of her mother combined with the smiles of her father.

I looked on in some jealousy as I saw my cousins bringing children into the world. Many times I would cry at night when Achilles was long asleep because I had bled for the month, meaning that we would not have a child. It was difficult to watch Helen and Andromache's stomachs grow with every month that passed and watch Paris and Hector pay special attention to them. Many times Achilles reassured me with the promise that we would have our own little one in time, perhaps when we sailed to Phtia. However much I wanted to be reassured, the pain was still present whenever I saw others with their babies. More than anything, I wanted to hold my own child, the little girl I dreamed about on the beach so long ago. I saw her and held her in that dream and knew that she was meant to be. I began to believe that my daughter was not meant to be until the end of the war, which pushed me to want it all to end. The war was now pointless and it was all up to Agamemnon's pride and inability to accept that he had been defeated.

Finally, after a year of fighting and slaughter, it ended. Agamemnon challenged Achilles to a one-on-one battle, which my husband accepted. The morning of the fight, he pulled me aside and promised me he would return and that we would finally begin our lives together. Joy filled my heart as I climbed the steps to the roof to watch the final battle of this wretched war. I knew in a matter of minutes, victory would be ours. The fight began as they always did, both warriors strong and giving it their all. Agamemnon threw his weight around for a while, trying to get the advantage, but never succeeding. The one cut he made on Achilles's body was on the calf and it was less than an inch long. Agamemnon tried to quickly recover, but could not as he fell before Achilles. After this, Achilles plunged his sword into the old man's body, quickly sending his soul to the Underworld. Cheers errupted from both sides as everyone was glad that it was finally over. Agamemnon fell dead on the field as Achilles walked away from his enemy, fulfilling the promise he made the king at the beginning of the war: to "look down on his dead body and smile."

I ran down the stairs and to the gates as they were opened to let Achilles and the other Trojans back in. As he walked through the gates, I leaped into his arms and he swung me around happily, kissing me all over. I kissed him back with just as much ferver. There had never been such happiness come over me before. All the soldiers around us burst into thunderous applause at their hero, my husband. Troy could now finally live in peace.

That evening, a feast was held in honor of victory. Toasts were made and speeches given from many of the captains of the army. Everyone was in such a celebratory mood and smiles were all around the great hall. The only smile I took notice of was Achilles's as he smiled at me and held my hand. I had never seen him with such joy in his eyes, nor spirit in his smile. He was truly happy that this war was over because now he could fulfill his promise to me as well: to start our own lives in Phtia. As much as it would pain me to leave my family in Troy, I knew that it was time for my life to begin with my husband. The rest of the feast was spent eating, drinking, and celebrating our victory. Achilles and I left towards the end with the rest of the royal family, heading back to our room. Once we were alone in our room, he showered me with kisses and affection. I enjoyed the attention more than anything because it had been a while since he had shown this much affection to me. The war had really preoccupied his thoughts and now he could totally just focus on me, his wife. He held me close, wrapping my curls around his fingers and stroking my cheek lovingly.

"My men are anxious to return to Phtia now that the war is over." He kissed my forehead.

"When will we be leaving?"

"As soon as you are ready. I want you to have time to properly say goodbye to your family, at least for a little while. I promise we will make return journeys in the future."

"Do you truly mean it?" I sat up from his arms, excited at the prospect of not saying goodbye to my family forever.

"Of course. They are your family and I would not keep you from them." He gently beckoned me back into his arms.

"I love you." I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder.

"And I love you."

I rested in his arms, content and happy. We would be leaving soon to return to his homeland, where I would meet his mother for the first time. I prayed to the gods that she would like me. Though we had been married a year, there were times when I felt like Achilles and I had only just been married. Though he was not as publicly affectionate as Hector or Paris, he did have his moments and he was getting better. I could understand though because he had only been a warrior his whole life. A part of me wondered what kind of father he would be. We were going to have children once we reached Phtia, so I would know soon enough. In my heart I knew he would be a wonderful father, protective and loving. Our sons, he would teach how to fight as he had done with Patroclus, and show them things only a father can show a son. Our daughters, he would love and protect as he does with me, making sure that every man knows that they must come through him first to get to our daughters. I prayed before falling asleep that we be blessed with many children to love and care for, a family.

A/N: Sorry this chapter isn't as long as the previous, but I will try for another long one fairly soon. Enjoy and thank you for reviews!