Chapter 17- Farewell
The stars twinkled in the sky as I walked with Priam through the dark, quiet night. The secret passages proved to be of worth once again to Troy. I watched his every move. Once a great king, hidden in the cloak he looked like a broken man. I grimly walked slower to match his gait with mine. The man seemed unable to comprehend the dangers, thinking only of how he wanted his son to have a proper burial. It didn't occur to him that an arrow could fly any second through the air, or that Achilles could have thrown his body to the sea and left back home. I believed that at this moment he didn't even care of life. The moon in the sky guided us in the dark till we came to the campfires. Instantly I remembered that Priam was near me and grabbed his hand, leading him back into the dark and close to the temple, where Achilles' black tents lay not far off. I took a deep breath, wishing not to come to this place.
The small campfires glowed in the night sky, winking at me with a welcoming sign. I saw Eudorus in the distance, standing wistfully at one of the fires, hands on his hips and cup of wine in hand. My heart lifted as I remembered running to Patroclus' open arms. Priam saw my eyes full of happiness, though my face was still stamped with sorrow.
"Need you stay with the Myrmidons, it is up to you. I will not hold you back Aldreana," Priam's voice broke the silence. I faced him with the stunned of looks. But his face was sincere. I looked back to Eudorus, wondering of his words at the hearing of the news. Should I remain, let Priam take Hector? Maybe even convince Briseis to join me with Achilles? The thoughts ran through my head, to finally be rid of Troy. I needed nothing more than his words
Completely sidetracked, the sudden clang of the spears against shields made my head snap in shock, bolting back into the world. The two guards stood at the beginning of Achilles' camp with hard stares at me. They bore nothing more than the spears and shields, their helmets and swords strewn aside. "State your business spies," one said grimly. I flashed the sword out, catching the arm of the man. He doubled over and the other man pulled out his sword, having it poised at my neck. I was bending low to the ground when the man was struck by another sword hilt from behind. As the man collapsed, grabbing his aching head, Eudorus's glare was magnetized by the glow of the fires.
"Aldreana? What in the Gods' names are you doing here?" I gave a weak grin, revealing my face from beneath the hood. Eudorus shared in his own revelation, smiling slightly. He looked from me to Priam's hidden face in puzzlement.
I was overcome with sadness as I remembered the reason for me being here. "I have a visitor for Achilles. If you do not let him see your lord then I will have nothing better to do than strike you down and deliver him myself." Eudorus returned to his seriousness. He tried to decipher the man beneath the cloak. "Do not waste our time Eudorus. It is important we return before anyone knows of our absence." The grunting of the guards standing and giving Eudorus anger glares made his motions even quicker. He sheathed his sword and grabbed the hand of Priam, noticing the old age in the bent over man.
"Come with me." He took us quickly to the tent, without warning allowing Priam to enter, even though he would have done so even without Achilles' request. Soon the Myrmidons gathered around the tent. But after seeing me, many shrugged off the complaints from the guards and stalked back to the campfires. The others easily dispersed themselves when Eudorus and I equally glared at all the rest who remained. Eudorus looked at me up and down, finally shaking his head.
"What?" I demanded. He eyed the sword at my side, noticing whom it used to belong to. "Hector gave it to me."
"I know, I saw him take it when he left," Eudorus commented. I looked up at him. His striking blue eyes made an irresistible control and I fell into his warm embrace. Eudorus held me close, all the while turning to look at Achilles tent for any signs of life. "Who's in there?" he finally asked. I staggered back, recovering from my sudden break down.
"The King of Troy, Priam." Eudorus stopped in his tracks towards the fire. He spun around, rounding up on me and grabbing my arm tightly. A vast grimace covered his face as he berated me.
"Aldreana, what were you thinking? Do you know the dangers of bringing him here? Anyone who finds out who he is will kill him." I opened my mouth to protest, but he waved me silent. He rubbed his chin in thought, and then laughed coldly. "I thought it was so quiet in there, Achilles probably killed him already." He looked up at me with vexed eyes. "Sometimes your renegade attitude is what makes you so dense Aldreana."
I stood in shocked silence. Achilles walked quietly out, his whole body stricken with grief. He looked up to find me and scowled with a derisive look. Shaking his head, he walked behind his tent, where Hector's body was kept. "Eudorus bring a cart for the man," he shouted from behind the tent with a feigned strength, his voice clearly filled with agony. I looked to Eudorus, who loitered for a momentary while, then in a huff went to obey his order. I followed quietly, hoping that Priam had the sense not to come out of the tent unaccompanied. I ran to catch up with Eudorus till I was in step with him and still felt like I was jogging to keep up with the man's stride.
"Eudorus you don't understand, I had to do this. It was an order given by Priam and I promised him I would do it. I had to obey." Eudorus again gave a smile, biting hard on his lip to keep from laughing. He grabbed the handle to a wooden cart leaning against one of the tents and pulled it from out of the sand. I peeked into the tent and saw in the back corner was a poorly striped cot, the sheets rolled into a ball and set aside. "I see you take care of the vacant quickly." Eudorus glanced inside the tent and with a grave demeanor nodded to my statement. The lingering feel of Patroclus was in the body armor, burned from the fiery tower. I pictured the armor on his clad body, shinning with glory in the sun. A cough that covered a sob escaped my lips. Eudorus took a fervent glance at me and then continued back to Achilles.
"Aldreana, I didn't mean to yell before. I just don't want to see you in danger." Out of the corner of his eye he looked at me and gave a quaint smirk. "I barely know anything about you and yet I care for you so much." There was an uncertain look in his eye. I sensed his growing feelings for me, and wished that I could only share in some of those feelings. But I couldn't.
"People sometimes feel absurd things that they can't explain, but normally it's because they don't have to explain it," I suggested. Eudorus thought on the statement and then nodded, unloading the cart and unrolling the blankets tied in the back.
Priam stepped out of the tent, Achilles close behind hefting Hector in his arms. He carefully and slowly placed the body onto the cart and with Eudorus's help fastened and tied him securely. Achilles was silent, his face expressionless, yet I saw the tears in his eyes. Sending his knuckles into his eyes, he turned back to Priam.
"We allow twelve days of funeral services," he avowed. Priam nodded and I watched as Achilles held his hand out. Priam stared at with a hazy and weary glance. Then his hand flashed out and grasped Achilles firmly. The pact made between the two lifted my heart. As I watched, I only hoped that the war could possibly end like this.
Achilles drew quiet again, taking a deep breath. Finally he blurted something that was uncharacteristic to him. "Your son was the best I fought." Both Eudorus and I looked at each other, Eudorus showing amazement to his lord's statement. Priam didn't know how to reply and quickly looked at me for the next action. A running gait behind made us all turn around. Briseis, dressed in a plain long tunic, stopped with a puzzled look.
"Briseis?" Priam asked. She instantly ran into his arms. "I thought you were dead." Achilles blinked and looked away, the zeal for the girl lost in his effort to pry her away from Priam, to claim her as his own. Briseis looked at Achilles for explanation. He motioned for the cart. She dutifully climbed on, grabbing his hand and not letting go. Achilles pulled something from beneath his cloak and handed it to her. I caught the glitter of a shell necklace, Patroclus' necklace. Priam climbed on with her and looked back at me. I slowly walked over to the horse that Eudorus had attached to the cart, grabbing the reins. Briseis managed to choke a depressed farewell.
"Don't worry, you're safe in Troy. I promise you we'll meet again." Achilles lovingly kissed her hand. I grabbed the reins of the horse and yanked hard on them, shoving my face into his flanks to keep from crying. Eudorus rushed to my side as we began to leave the camp.
"Aldreana, come with us, there's nothing for you here." I stopped, glancing to Eudorus. Achilles out of the corner of my eye shrugged carelessly, not caring anymore. I looked over my shoulder to Priam. He gave a depressing smile, his confirmation of my vowed task complete. Briseis gave me a warm face, her eyes telling me to remain here, but her face mixed with indecision. I noticed her varied feelings, her begging face. She needed me, she wanted me to stay with her for any help she would need. Eudorus realized my uncertainty.
"Aldreana, the choose is yours. I just…" he trailed off, his voice growing quiet and slightly embarrassed. I gave him a quick embrace, shaking my head. Tears blurred his face, but his eyes still were stuck in my head, clear and patient.
"Eudorus, I have a duty I promised I would keep. I'm sorry, but others need me here." He nodded solemnly, though I felt his heart break. Achilles still stood by Briseis' side, holding her hand and embracing her with all his love. The feeling placed in his face was one I had never seen before. It changed the man completely.
"Perhaps, Aldreana, in another life we will all meet again," his powerful, once arrogant voice cut through the unsettling air. Priam gave me a look of caution, his eyes pleading to be going. I nodded my head in agreement and gave Eudorus once last weak embrace.
"I pray that we will meet again my lord," I replied softly. Priam's eyes lowered in a disappointed grimace.