Spirits Forged in Fire

Dawn found Achilles pulling his damaged ship onto the shores of the place he now wished he hadnt returned. Not long after he had fallen asleep, curled up at the helm, his ship had struck large rocks on the trojan shoreline and began taking on water. He had no choice but to make landing, so he cursed the gods for his bad luck.

"This is penance I must pay, I suppose." He thought bitterly, allowing the rope to fall from his shoulder. He turned and gazed towards the fallen city, and took a deep breath before starting the trek up to where the mighty gates once stood and now only rubble remained.


Briseis woke early in the morning to find Andromache fast asleep still at the base of the bed. She pulled on a robe, and then knealt next to her cousin, placing an arm around her waist.
"Hec.." Andromache muttered sleepily, as Briseis pulled her towards the pillows. Grateful for the sleep, Andromache curled up into the blankets, and Briseis smiled at the resilient woman. How selfish am I, she thought, for I am scared to raise a child on my own, when that is what Andromache is already doing. Placing a soft kiss on Andromache's sleeping cheek, she took leave of her cousin and left the building to take a walk.


Achilles stood in shock at the center of the of the marketplace; people had already begun trying to rebuild their lives in the corpse of the destroyed city. Here and there, they had made shelters out of the shells of burned out houses, and had cleared the ash and rubble of broken statues and walls out of the streets, creating paths where the now scrambled to gather water from the central well for the day. Wide open to attack, they went about their lives, trying to reconstruct what they could, and tear down and rebuild what they couldnt.He had seen the destruction of many cities, but never had he returned to see what happened afterwards. Overcome with the immensity of the destruction combined with intense respect for their hope, he fell to his knees in the center of the city, unable to proceed any further.
"Zeus, what was their crime to deserve this? What was my crime.." But he stopped himself, shutting his eyes tightly, since he already knew the answer.


Already fatigued, Briseis dragged a clay pot out with her to the well to fetch some water for Astyanax morning bath. As she observed the morning bustle though, she noticed a figure kneeling in the street, his head in his hands. The blond hair that hung to his shoulders elicited a bolt of electricity through her, as she dared to hope.
"Achilles?" She whispered, breathless. "Achilles?" She said a little louder, willing him to turn around.


A warm breeze blew through his hair, drying the tears from his cheeks. As his hands fell to his sides though, he felt the barest whisper of the wind, and it called his name. There! He heard it again. Ever so slowly, he stood, and then turned, his heart pounding at the possibility...


When she saw his face, her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. "Achilles!" She yelled, dropping the pot to the ground as she took of towards him. Achilles breath caught in his throat, unable to speak as he saw her come to him. She wrapped her arms around him, as he stood utterly stunned for a moment, before pulling her into a fierce hug.

"I thought you were dead!" She cried, sobbing onto his shoulder.

"I never should have left you..." He said vehemently, before relaxing his hold on her, fearing her might crush her. She kissed him desperately, as a true and honest smile broke across his face. His hands slid to her hips as he pushed her back to get a look at her. She was different, older, wiser perhaps, but it was her.

"Have I died?" She asked, lifting her tearstained face up to his, a tired yet hopeful smile on her face.

"No my lady," Achilles laughed, kissing her again. "We are both very much alive." Not daring to ask him the reason for his visit, or how long he would stay, she took his hand and led him towards the once magnificent palace.

"You look weary, come, and let us get you some food." She said, leading the way. All around them, people stopped to stare at their young princess on the arm of a man, clearly a warrior, with the blonde hair and stormy blue eyes. His muscular physique dwarfed her, and her hand looked tiny in his, yet the sheer willpower evident on her face looked every bit his equal.

"That is the great Achilles" Some whispered.

"I thought he was dead?" "He must be immortal then" Others said. A path was created for them as the made their way back towards the steps of the palace, as Briseis held her head high and dared anyone to question her companion.

"Wait here," she bid him, before entering the hall where Andromache, Helen and Paris sat. "I need to tell them first." He nodded, understanding that it could be difficult for her family to welcome a former enemy of Troy into their great hall, or what remained of it.

"Where in Zeus' name have you been?" Paris stood angrily, as she entered. Understanding his anger for worry, she tried to assuage his fears.

"I went to gather water this morning, but-"

"Briseis, our city is completely unguarded and you take trips from here alone, and in your condition?" He said, while Helen tried to calm him with a hand on his arm. He brushed his hand through his unruly dark curls, the stress at now being responsible for the royal family of Troy weighing heavily on his young mind.

"Paris, I am quite unscathed, and I would greatly appreciate if you would stop speaking to me as if I were a child" Briseis temper spiked, and Paris recognized the temper behind her eyes.

"Briseis," he said, moving towards her to embrace her, "You are going to have a child, you need to start thinking of that."

"A child?" Came the breathless male voice from the entrance to the great hall.

"Achilles!" Paris recognized the taller warrior. Drawing his dagger from his side, he pushed Briseis behind him. "You will not enter this hall" He stated evenly, and venomously.

"Paris please" Briseis stayed him with a hand on his shoulder as she walked out from behind him. Andromache had walked up behind Paris and grasped his arm in reassurance. "You dont understand, he..."

"You are with child?" Achilles asked, still shocked. Briseis turned to him, and nodded.

"I have been for several months now." She said quietly. Andromache led Paris back to the table where Helen still sat, desiring to offer the two some privacy.

"You didnt tell me" he said in hushed tones, his gaze dropping to her stomache.

"Achilles, I dont know if...Agamemnon...that night..." She stammered over the words, trying desperately to keep her emotions in check. Achilles pulled her into a tight hug.

"If you desire it to be mine, then it will be so." He said fiercely, not allowing room for argument.

"I do Achilles, you have no idea how much." She smiled as his hand reached tentavily to the small bump on her
waistline.
"Dont you dare tell me that he sired her child..." Paris said angrily to Andromache.
"He did, but it is not as you might think." She said evenly. "She loves him Paris."
"But she cannot! She is a Trojan, he is a Greek!"
"And what am I?" Helen asked quietly, reducing Paris to silence. "I know you love your cousin, and want her to be safe, but look at them" She motioned gracefully towards the couple, speaking now in hushed tones, their faces close to one another. "He is a different man than I have heard told. There is no denying that."
"When did you become so wise?" Paris sighed, grasping his young wifes hand. She smiled in response as he stood slowly. Paris approached the couple, gathering his words as he straightened his back, ready to face the former enemy.

Sorry to leave at a bad spot, but big exam tomorrow and I ran out of time. Will post more soon. Keep up the reviews please!
Megs