"You regret what we did?"
"No, just that I did not wait. I could never regret doing such a beautiful thing with you, my love," I said, kissing Achilles' shoulder.
"One moment you strike me, the next you—"
"I know! Yesterday I was trying so hard to make my mind overcome the desires of my body and I failed. That dream I had scared me some, but I know my father would never hurt me," I said, and smiled, kissing his hand. "Our courtship was a quick one, Achilles, but both my fathers understand love."
"Still…" he paused. "We must never tell them."
"Oh, of course," I laughed.
Since Achilles was not fighting today, much to the anguish of the Greeks, who were falling like flies on the battlefield, I lay down on the bed of furs and spread my legs for him. Achilles entered me slowly and gripped my thigh as he began to thrust. I wrapped my arms around his neck and enjoyed our slow love-making until, when we were almost finished, there was a knock on the wall of the hut.
Achilles looked down at me and winked, taking his time with me before getting up and putting on a robe. He left me inside the hut while he went out and spoke to whoever it was. While he was out talking, I dressed myself in a purple dress and waited for him to come back. Only a minute or so later, he came back to me, an annoyed expression on his face.
"Who were you talking to, my love?"
"Patroclus," he replied, sitting beside me.
"And what did he want?"
"To know when the Myrmidons will fight, when he will fight…"
"Tell him he can tomorrow," I said, smiling at the thought of Achilles and his most fierce warriors fighting for Troy.
Achilles looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"I think we will resolve this matter faster if you tell me what you mean," I insisted.
"Tomorrow we are leaving Troy and going back to my home in Larissa," Achilles replied firmly.
"Leave Troy?" I screeched, standing up. "My home is here; my family is here. I cannot leave."
Achilles stood up and rested his hands on my shoulders. "I made the promise that if you married me, I would stop fighting for Greece. I made no other allegiance."
"But Troy is in the middle of a war!"
"I realise that, Arli," he said, kissing my neck. "But you may already be carrying my seed and I cannot risk your safety."
"Why would I be in any harm? If you and your Myrmidons stop fighting, the Greeks cannot defeat us…is that not what you believe?"
Achilles sighed. "There is a chance that Troy…could fall."
"All the more reason for us to stay and fight for Troy, Achilles!"
"No, Arli, I will not fight against Greeks! Some of those men I consider friends and I will not help kill them," he said firmly, turning away and sitting back down.
I kneeled down in front of him. "Then how can I marry you? I cannot lose my family and my homeland. Please, stay and fight for Troy, I beg you—"
"No, Arli!" He shouted, grabbing my hands in his. "I will do what I promised to do and so will you. Tonight we will be married and tomorrow we will set sail for Larissa; there is no more negotiating."
I snatched my hands away from his and moved them to his face. "Achilles, as much as I love you, my place is here. It will be fine with me if you do not fight for my country, but at least stay with me here."
Achilles did not answer back; he only looked at me with grave sincerity and shook his head.
"If you make me choose between you and my family, then you will not be happy with my decision. I will marry you tonight, to make our union official, but then I will stay with my family in the palace until we can finally agree."
Achilles' nostrils flared. "If, after tonight, I have to carry you back here, I will!"
"There is no need to threaten me. I will still be yours; until we can reach some sort of understanding, I will be faithful to you," I said, sliding the straps of my dress down, placing Achilles' hands on my breasts. "I am yours, Achilles. No man shall ever have me but you…"
Achilles slowly stood up and kneeled down behind me, pulling my dress off my body. I felt his hands touch my stomach and then my womanhood. I leaned back to kiss his jaw and then guide his hands back to my breasts. Gently, he pushed me forward so I was on my hands and knees. He made love to me in the same loving way he did earlier before.
For the rest of the day, until darkness fell, we spent our time in each other's arms making love. I believe that it was because he felt he was somehow losing me that Achilles held me just that little bit closer and just that little while longer.
When it was dark enough, and enough men had retired to their tents, Achilles and I made our way to the secret entrance and found our way to the palace. Hector was pacing up and down the balcony when we arrived, dressed in his ceremonial armour like Achilles was.
"Arli!" Hector exclaimed when he saw me, running to embrace me.
"Oh, father," I whispered into his ear. "These past two days have seemed like weeks!"
"I know, but soon you and your soon-to-be husband will be back with us," he said, smiling.
I turned to Achilles, who gestured for me to explain. "Actually, I will stay in the palace from this night forward until Achilles and I come to a decision over whether we leave Troy or not."
Hector's eyes widened. "Leave Troy?! My daughter, no! Not at a time like this."
"Achilles and I will sort out what we should do, and, for now, I would like to think only of my wedding."
Hector sighed, clearly unnerved by my admission, but led Achilles and I away. I went to my room and was dressed in white by my servant, and Hector led Achilles to a small ceremonial room where Paris, Andromache, Helen, Priam and a priest were waiting. There was no time to bathe, only change into a white dress with a veil. I was escorted to where Achilles and my family were waiting. It could not be a traditional wedding, but it would have to do.
The priest said a blessing over us and then there was the sacrificing of four goats to the Gods. Achilles lifted my veil, kissed me and our ceremony was over. The bridal party left Achilles and I in my room to consummate our marriage but, after today, there was no need.
"I am now the wife of the great Achilles," I said to him, but really I was saying it as much to myself.
"And I am the husband of a Princess of Troy," he smiled, and kissed me on the lips.
I undressed out of the white gown and into a nightrobe while Achilles sat in his armour on my bed. With him concentrating only on his thoughts, I watched for a few moments. He finally took notice of the silence and looked back at me.
"What were you thinking about, husband?" I asked, coming over and resting my head on his shoulder.
"I was thinking, wife, that my idea for what should happen now is the most rational," he admitted, lifting my chin up to look at him.
"Go to Larissa and pretend there is no war? Larissa is in Greece; will not there be retribution when these forces return?"
"They know that Achilles and the Myrmidons are not like dogs they can command. We are more like Lions who are wild and untameable; we will do what we want and only when we say. If we leave this Trojan War, they must respect it."
I sighed. "Please, stay in Troy with me. You do not have to fight against your countryman, just stay with me. If Troy falls, even though I can defend myself, you can defend me also. Just stay with me."
"I cannot," he said, standing up. "I must leave now, Arli, or suspicion will arise. I will visit tomorrow. Goodnight, my wife."
I kissed him one last time. "Goodnight, husband."
No one's POV
Once outside the doors of his bride's room, Achilles was ambushed by Hector.
"You are taking my daughter away?!" The Trojan Prince hissed at his son-in-law. "I forbid it."
Achilles acknowledged his presence and continued walking through the palace. "Your ears must be strong."
"Answer me!"
"You are no longer her keeper, Prince of Troy, I am. As her husband, it is up to me to make the right decisions for our future together. What I have decided is much safer than anything she has proposed."
"We both know she'd first die before leaving Troy and her family," Hector counted, keeping up with Achilles' quick pace. "She won't leave. You must stay."
Achilles stopped suddenly and faced his father-in-law with a cool gaze. "I am going to do what is right for my wife and, if that means having to force her on a boat, then so be it. She may not realise it now but it is the only option. We will leave in a few days time and that is final."
As Achilles turned to walk on, Hector spoke. "You are not worthy of my daughter."
Achilles turned for a second time to look the man dead in the eye. "Do not get in my way, Prince Hector, or I will have to take action against you."
Hector stared as Achilles walked on, this time he did not stop. There was trouble in his words, the Prince knew it, and could only hope it didn't manifest itself into reality.