Bound

Chapter 4

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

"Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed. "

-

Anastasia doesn't sleep much that night. It is difficult to sleep peacefully while feeling such an extensive amount of pain. She lays on her side, the moonlight shining into the tent, acting as the only light source. She stares at the little piece of rope that sits at the bottom of the tent wall, securely tying two pieces of wood together. She's been fiddling with it for hours, using the pathetic string as a way to distract herself from the horrors that she's faced over the past 24 hours. Her hands shake a little as she focuses on the rope, tugging at the small sections which have frayed, running her finger along the grooves of the rough material. She sighs and lays on her back, staring up at the ceiling, the only sound that can be heard is that of the waves crashing outside, and the slight noise of Achilles' soft breathing as he sleeps peacefully in his bed. She smiles softly to herself as she thinks back to the times in her childhood where she would play along these beaches, her brothers chasing her and splashing her in the sea, those same waves...Now she lays on that very beach, bruised, violated and battered as she is held hostage by the enemy army. The thought is enough to bring tears to her eyes.

She sits up, leaning her back against the wall of the tent, tears swim in her eyes as she pulls her legs up against her, hugging her knees to her chest as she squeezes her eyes shut, trying to will herself not to let the emotions and fear get the best of her. She looks up at the silhouetted figure on the bed, her mental turmoil almost too much to handle as she debates with herself whether or not she should attempt to escape. It is the middle of the night...if I am quiet...I could slip away. She rubs her eyes in frustration, anxiously biting her nails as she thinks what to do. But if I am caught, who knows what those men would do to me next...I may never return home at all if I attempt to flee now...she rests her head back against the wall and closes her eyes, trying to will herself into bravery. I could sneak away, run to the city walls, if I am quiet...but if I am caught, oh gods...should I stay? Stay with this man. I trust him. Why do I trust him? No...he is the enemy. He is not to be trusted. No I shan't stay here a moment longer, oh gods...

And in that moment, she makes her decision. She slowly stands up, watching Achilles carefully as she quietly sidesteps along the ground towards the tent flap, before silently moving it out of the way and walking out of the tent. She quickly scans her surroundings before beginning to quietly make her way through the camp, her feet softly pad against the sands of the beach as she walks. Anastasia turns around to check behind her, and in that moment she is unaware that she is about four meters away from stumbling into the middle of a group of sleeping soldiers, some quietly drinking, some sharpening their weapons. Just as she is about to turn round the corner of a tent and be met with this sight, which would inevitably lead to more horror, a hand clamps around her mouth and pulls her back. In a moment of panic and fear, she instantly tries to pry herself away from the unknown figure, fighting at him and trying to free herself from his strong grip. Her stomach fills with anxiety and her chest is drowned with panic, her heart is beating so fast she feels like she could faint, her breathing is erratic as she tries to free herself. This is it. It's over. She's been caught by one of the wretched and ruthless soldiers that violated her so terribly the day before. Her eyes fill with tears as her shoulders slump and she accepts her fate, she may as well, there is no use in fighting.

"It's me." He whispers into her ear, Achilles, her captor. "It's me, it's me..." he says quietly as he presses his lips to her ear, and in that moment she nearly cries with relief. She does not know why she feels safe around this man, she cannot let her guard down, but there is something about him, something that makes her feel protected. Anastasia stops fighting him and allows him to pull her to safety behind a far tent, "Do you have a death wish, girl?" He says in a low and irritated voice, prompting her to break away from him and swat at his bare chest. She glares up at him before hitting his chest again, and again, and again. He stares at her as he allows her to take her fright, fear and frustration out on his chest, he hardly feels her blows. "Stop. Stop." He whispers harshly as he grips onto her wrists to stop her, noticing how she slows down and let's her arms fall limp as her eyes fill with tears and she drops her forehead against his chest, having exhausted herself from the adrenaline and panic that she felt in such huge doses in the timeframe of ten minutes. "Come." Achilles whispers as he places his hand against the small of her back to lead her back towards his tent at the back of the camp.

Anastasia swats his hand away and walks ahead of him to his tent, harshly pushing the tent flap open and storming inside. She is not trying to put on any act, she is not trying to act tough or as though she thinks anything of herself. She is just scared and frustrated. She just wants to go home, and she does not want to let herself feel any comfort from a man who is so obviously her enemy.

Achilles storms into the tent behind her, "Have you gone insane?" He snaps, prompting her to scoff and look away from him with teary eyes, "Hm? Answer me? What did you expect? You were going to expertly navigate your way through a camp where thousands of soldiers sleep? Alone?" He says angrily, Anastasia just stares at him.

"Yes, perhaps!" She snaps back at him, "Forgive me for attempting to save myself from the torment that is being held captive here!" She says angrily, this statement from her causes Achilles to quieten, he clenches his jaw and looks away from her. "Try that again and I will not be there to save you next time." He warns in a low, intimidating voice.

Anastasia's face contorts with sadness as her eyes water and she looks away from him, shaking her head as she drops to the ground, sitting down and hugging her knees against her chest again. "Why did you choose this life?" She whispers.

Achilles sits down next to her and sighs, "I chose nothing. I was born, and this is what I am." He says softly, staring into her eyes. "And you? Why do you choose to love a god? I think you'll find the romance one-sided." Achilles says with a small smirk.

She narrows her eyes at him for a moment, "Do you enjoy provoking me?" She says with slight bitterness in her tone, "You've dedicated your life to the gods..." he responds.

Anastasia shakes her head and looks at her hands, "It is not that, it's just that I know that all the gods have to be feared, and respected. My father puts his fate in the gods." She says softly as she anxiously fiddles with her fingers.

Achilles looks at her with slight tenderness in his eyes, sighing as he says, "I'll tell you a secret. Something they don't teach you in your temple. The Gods envy us. They envy us because we're mortal, because any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now....We will never be here again."