Chapter IV

Hector immediately ran to Briseis and in gulfed her in a hug, followed by Paris and Andromache. Helen stayed behind; she felt it was her fault this happened to Briseis. She believed Briseis would hate her for all that befallen her in the Greek camps.

"My dear cousin it so good to see you well!" Andromache said joy in her eyes. "Are you alright?" What did they do to you?" Paris asked clearly enraged. Briseis opened her mouth to speak when Priam cut her off. "Now is not the time! The important thing is that she's home!" Everyone nodded as Hector kissed Briseis' head and Andromache led her out of her room as Helen followed behind leaving Paris and Hector with their father.

Once Andromache and Briseis had left. Hector turned to his father. "What you did father was very dangerous. The Greeks could have killed you!" Paris nodded as Praim addressed his sons. "Dangerous yes! But a necessary action for my daughter!" Hector and Paris were still troubled by Priam's actions but didn't push the subject further.

"There are some honorable men among the Greeks. I found honor in the most unlikely place!" Priam said with a small smiled as he sat on his throne. Hector nodded in agreement, but Paris was clearly infuriated. "What honorable men? What man did you find that you would call him honorable?" Priam looked at his son and spoke. "Achilles!"

Hector and Paris looked at their father shocked. "Achilles?" Paris yelled. "What honorable thing has he ever done! He kept Briseis prisoner!" Paris continued to yell at his father, while Hector remained silent.

"He kept her safe! While other men wished to harm her and strip her of her virtue! He kept her safe!" Priam yelled at his son clearly irritated. Paris was about to speak when Hector placed a hand on his shoulder. Hector was clearly doubtful, but he would speak to Briseis tomorrow.

Andromache and Helen took Briseis to her room and had a bath drawn and robes and food brought to her. Andromache was still concerned, she wanted to know what had happened, but knew Briseis would tell her when she was ready.

Agamemnon was furious when he heard of Achilles' "treachery". Achilles had taken full responsibility for letting Priam and Briseis go and he didn't wish for Odysseus to endure Agamemnon's wrath.

Agamemnon threaten to have him and his men killed, but that did not worry Achilles, his thoughts were only on Briseis and how he longed to see her again and feel her touch.

The next morning Briseis awoke in the comfort of her bed, but she wished that Achilles was with her. She sat up as there was a knock at her door. "Enter!" The door opened and two servants appeared caring food and fine robes, followed by Priam.

The servants left and Priam went to sit beside Briseis on the edge of her bed as he kept his gaze locked on her balcony that over looked the city and saw as far as the Aegean Sea. Priam mind was filled with the events that took place last night and he wanted to hear Briseis' tale from her own lips.

"I'm grateful to Achilles for keeping you safe!" Priam said as he looked at her. "As am I!" Briseis as she gave him a small smile. Priam could sense more meaning behind words.

"Do you love him?" Briseis was immediately taken back by his words, she thought of lying, but how could she. "Yes!" Was all she could say, Priam remained calm and turned his gaze back to the balcony.

A few moments passed before Briseis spoke, "I'm sorry Uncle! I betrayed you, Troy..!" Praim turned back his eyes to Briseis and cut her off as he took her hand into his. "No my dear! You have betrayed no one! I saw the love in his eyes and in yours! If you denied your feelings you would be only betraying your heart!"Briseis hesitated for a moment before smiling at Priam.

Briseis had spent the entire morning in her room with Priam telling him all that had happened. Priam was shocked at Achilles' actions; he was definitely not the man the legends spoke of and he definitely had a new form of respect for him.

"Uncle? Are you mad at me?" Priam looked at her. "For what?" He asked clearly confused. "For breaking my vows! What will the priests say?" Priam nodded in understanding and looked at her. "No my child! I'm not angry with you! As for the priests, they were originally against you becoming a priestess since you are a member of the royal family!" Brisies nodded.

"But they will want the full extent of the law brought down on me!" The law on this was very clear and Priam knew this too, Priam took the words of the priests very seriously and he knew if he would let them have their way, he would have to watch idly by as his own daughter would be executed, but he was King was he not!

"My dear they will not harm you! I am King!" Briseis smiled as Priam got up and kissed her head and left to address the council.

Hector sat on his father's right hand and Paris on the other in the throne room as the priests continued to argue. Priam had told them of Briseis actions; but only of her breaking of vows but not with whom and why, but Hector and Paris knew the truth.

Priam had told Hector and Paris the whole story, before their meeting with the priests. Paris was of course furious, but Hector understood, but this just made him want to speak to Briseis even more.

The majority of the priests had forgiven Briseis and only wanted to strip of her of her title as priestess and allow her to live out her life as a true princess of Troy. Priam and his sons were of course in agreement, but there were a small group of priests that wanted her blood.

"We cannot put her to death! She is of royal blood!" Archeptolemus yelled, he was a Trojan high priest and adviser to Priam. "She never should have never been allowed to serve as priestess in the first place. She should be married to an honorable man and be bearing his sons." He continued as Velior another priests opposed to sparing Briseis opened his mouth to protest when Priam silenced the room.

"Enough! Briseis will be stripped of her title as priestess and will not be punished any further!" "My Lord!" Velior protested. "My decision is final! This discussion is over! I will hear no more of it! Priam said as left the throne room.

Hector and Paris left the room shortly after their father. Paris had stormed off to find Helen and Andromache was waiting patiently for Hector in the hallway.

Hector told Andromache everything that had happened to Briseis. Andromache felt a sense of relief, there many worst things that could have happened to her and she was quite happy that her cousin had found love, even if it was from the most unlikely source.

Briseis stayed in her room all day, she was anxiously waiting to hear of the verdict of the council. There was a knock at the door, Briseis practically jumped out of her seat. "Enter!" The door opened and Briseis stood up as Hector and Andromache entered the room.

CLIFFHANGER!

What will Hector and Andromache say?

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I will try to update as soon as possible!

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- Alana.