Chapter 2

Alexis don't know how long she had been unconscious, minutes or hours but the darkness eventually began to take shapes. She could see she was in a tent, surrounded by Greeks. In fact she was in the arms of one. She struggled out of his arms slapping and scratching, which took him by surprise. It only took seconds for him to get a hold of her again and then slap her to the ground. Roughly he picked her back up and held her firmly in place. She looked around was surrounded by strangers one of which was holding Briseis. A burly man walked over to her. "I am King Agamemnon…what is your name Trojan?" he said grabbing her face.

The other man was holding her arms but not her legs and she swiftly kicked the king as hard as she could in the shins. Apparently it wasn't very hard because he just laughed as did most of the other men in the tent. He grabbed Alexis from the soldier who was hurting her. "I asked you a question, woman". She did not answer, She just stared at him. He did not deserve an answer. He was obviously a man who did not take kindly to repeating himself. He was growing angry but Alexis did not care. "Are you a mute, bitch?" He spat in her face. He did not predict that she would spit back. He slapped her hard and her face was in the dust again but this time she was too weak to get back up. She heard Briseis scream.

"Stop! Stop it! Please, she's young. Her name is Alexis, she's my sister". Briseis lied. "Don't hurt her please."

The king looked from Alexis lying on the ground to her "sister" contemplating them. "Hmm two Trojan slaves…what to do with them? "That one," indicating Alexis with his foot, " is too young for my taste, but you", he said turning toward Briseis, "yes I think I want you. As for her I think I'll give her to the men. I think she will amuse them" he laughed to himself. Horror began to dawn on Alexis and yank her out of her impending unconsciousness. She had heard stories of what happens to women who are taken captive…

"Please, Lord Agamemnon, Give her to me. I could use a cleaning woman." Alexis heard a voice ask but she didn't move to look. She felt as if her body weighted a thousand pounds.

"Hmm very well Odysseus, you have been a honorable ally to me". She heard the Greek king's voice drifting away from her as strong arms carefully lifted her up and carried her out into the sunlight.

The next thing Alexis knew she was in a cool tent and when her eyes came into focus she found she was looking into a pair of kind eyes. "How is your head? It's bleeding". The man asked with concern. Her hand flew up to her forehead and when she looked at it there was blood. She hadn't even noticed. He got a wet rag and handed it to her to clean the wound.

"I am King Odysseus of Ithaca, you have my word, Lady that no harm will come to you under my care, you are safe here. I will leave you now so you can clean up and rest. There is a clean dress in that chest over there, you are welcome to it. It was a gift for my wife but she is a good woman and I do not believe that she wouldn't want you to have it." He gave her a reassuring smile and started to leave.

"Thank you, kind sir." She murmured to him. He turned back to her, "You are welcome, my lady". When Alexis was to herself she thanked the Gods for watching over her. This man seemed honorable and she felt lucky. She just prayed that her cousin was as fortunate. After cleaning and changing she settled down onto the bed skins and was asleep before her eyes even closed.