Achilles&Briseis: A Novel

Chapter 9

    Kegarta picked at her fingernails in boredom. The creak of the carriage was louder than even the thunder overhead, and twice as annoying. The box that contained the scroll Lagus had given Briseis sat next to the handmaiden. Briseis scowled out the curtained window to avoid looking at the box, but every so often she failed. Briseis' hand rested on the edge of the window and the stinging rain drops had long numbed her flesh, but molten iron burned just beneath the surface.

    Lady Celine insisted they take her carriage as the foul weather showed no signs of relenting. Low visibility and strong wind seemed determined to push them back towards the temple. Briseis had one blanket wrapped around herself. She'd given her other three to Kegarta. Though Kegarta was wrapped in many blankets, Briseis feared the girl would take to sickness. The rain soaked through the canvas top of the carriage and drops fell onto the occupants, adding to their misery. Lady Celine and Kegarta noticed her foul mood as they set off this morning but neither commented on it. Briseis was as gracious as she could be given the situation and thanked Lady Celine again for her hospitality. That Lagus was Lady Celine's cousin wasn't the older woman's fault, but every time Briseis saw her the priest's words rang again in her ears. The words were infuriating but the more she thought about them, the more she wondered if it could be true.

    The Day of Black Sun was the day her father had presented her to the kingdom as heir. She'd heard the story many times. It was a day of celebration and feasting lasting three days. Her father had been on a journey to another kingdom and on the way back, the goddess whose heart he'd captured presented him with their child. Or so Briseus had been saying for the past twenty years, but the king hadn't just returned with a child, he'd come back lacking three fingers, which he also refused to speak about. Briseus being obviously injured upon his return added weight to Lagus' story.

    He refused to name the goddess whom he'd seduced, claiming she wished to remain unknown. Briseus' forbidding anyone to ask about his injures would make more sense if Lagus was telling the truth, after all, if she wasn't his child, maybe he'd needed to fight to take her and received the hurt that way. But no one could question his word, and so she'd been given all the rights and privileges of a princess of his bloodline. Briseis had never questioned the story. Her eyes had the mark of heaven, that alone proved she was a daughter of one of the Olympians.

If Lagus wasn't lying then she wasn't the daughter of a king and goddess. It was more likely she was the daughter of a god and some peasant woman. What had happened to her true parents? Again, images of Briseus' hand with the missing fingers flashed in her mind. Briseus returned injured but alive, but what of his opponents? Was his opponent a desperate woman trying to keep her child who'd gotten in a lucky shot against a man powerful in body and influence? It didn't bode well for whoever had given that injury to the king, and if this scenario Briseis imagined was true, it was unlikely the woman would be left alive.

    Many hours later, they passed through the gates of Pedasus but instead of going to the palace, Briseis directed them to Lavda's home. The carriage would take Kegarta back to the palace and then be sent back to Lady Celine. Before exiting the carriage Briseis grabbed the box with the scroll. It was silly that she hated the contents of the box and yet didn't want it too far from her. Then again, she couldn't let it fall into the hands of just anybody regardless of the truth or falsehood of it. While Briseis doubted this would have the to power to remove her from her position with no other heir available, the rumors would be a stress she didn't need.

    "Princess," a servant from the household rushed to greet her. "We weren't expecting you. Lady Lavda is still sleeping. I will send someone to wake her."

    Briseis shook her head. Lavda didn't sleep well while pregnant. Briseis wouldn't have that slumber disturbed for anything less than the invasion of Pedasus. "That's not necessary. What's your name? You must be new to the household, I don't recognize you."

    "Yes, Princess," the girl was flustered. "Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Astmi. One of the older handmaidens married and I've taken her place, just two days ago. Do you want me to take that box for you?"

    "No," Briseis said a little more sharply than she intended. The girl jumped at her tone. "I beg your pardon Astmi, I have been in a unpleasant mood for many days."

    "The bad weather dampens many spirits, my Princess. I was told you and my lady are great friends. I'll put in the room closest to hers."

    "Thank you," Briseis told the girl. "You'll enjoy serving my friend. Lavda provides the best training among the nobles one could wish for."

    The girl confirmed with excited chatter how happy she was to be chosen among several dozen candidates.

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    "Over half the wall is finished." Lavda told her as Briseis presented her with a plate of grapes. They were alone in Lavda's room. "Your work is paying off."

    "Yes," Briseis muttered. Lavda was nearing her time and wasn't very mobile. The baby was carrying high which the midwives said was a sure sign the child was a boy.

    "What's wrong with you?" Lavda demanded. "You've been here three days and all you do is sulk. How bad was your trip?"

    Briseis rubbed her temples. She'd taken the scroll with her this morning with every intention of opening it, yet it sat unread beside her. With every hour the scroll sat unopened, it felt as if a weight was tied to her feet, which grew heavier and heavier, as Briseis tried to tread the waters of her life while pushing down her doubts. The scroll would only tell her what the priest claimed was truth, but to find out if it was truth she would have to confront her father. If Briseis was so certain Lagus was lying, why was she about to sink? "Read this, please," feeling sick, Briseis handed the scroll to Lavda.

    "What's it say?"

    "I don't know. I haven't had the courage to look. The priest said it had the answers to my questions."

    Lavda sat up looking scared. "Briseis what happened to you on this trip? I thought you were buying a vineyard."

    "I was. Then circumstances arose that lead to me speaking to the priests. I don't know what to think. He told me..." the words stuck in her mouth. Lavda sat the scroll in her lap, messing with the twine that held it shut nervously. "He told me I'm not the king's daughter." Briseis met the eyes of her friend. Lavda sat frozen in shock.

    "But...how....where?"

    "I don't know. He claims the answers are all in the scroll."

    Lavda ripped the scroll open and began to read.

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    Briseis stormed into Vhasti's chambers. The king wasn't in his so she had to seek him out. She'd checked everywhere she could think of but the king was nowhere to be found, so she had no choice but to go to Vhasti. The room was a flurry of furious activity as maids ran to and fro packing bags, and Vhasti pacing back and forth while dictating a list of items to three maids scribbling on wax tablets.

    "Where have you been?" Vhasti nearly shrieked as she laid eyes on Briseis. "We've been summoned to Troy. Your father already left to make sure no offense could be taken by Priam for our late arrival."

    "Why are we going to Troy?" Briseis said frostily.

    "The lost Prince Alexander was sent on a mission to bring his aunt back to Troy, and make rounds introducing himself to the royalty of Greece. Prince Alexander is trying to get favorable trade terms with several cities as well. He's due to return in two months. Priam is holding a huge festival to celebrate this mission. Every kingdom in the Troad has been summoned. It's going to be the biggest gathering of royals to date. Have your maid pack your things! We leave in two days!"