No One But You

Chapter Twelve: My World Crashed Down

The greatest story was you and me.
Had it all we had everything, but now the
Story's done it's just history.
The last act is over.
Your every line had the sweetest sound.
Your every touch turned my world around.
But then the light came up and my world crashed down.'

Meat Loaf, 'Not a Dry Eye in the House'

When Briseis woke in Odysseus' tent the next morning, the first thing she was aware of was voices behind her. She was lying with her back to the centre of the tent, buried under a pile of blankets that she guessed Odysseus or Neoptolemus must have put over her the night before, because she was sure she had just curled up in exhaustion and slept, oblivious to such minor things as comfort and warmth when filled with the coldness that had gripped her since he had been taken from her.

Not moving, mainly because she saw no reason to, Briseis let herself tune into the voices behind her, and she listened to them through her dozing state.

"Please, let me take her." That was Odysseus voice. Briseis had never heard the king pleading before, and guessing that the 'her' he referred to was herself, Briseis could not help but be mildly interested.

"She was trusted to me, old man," Neoptolemus was saying. "What do you want with her?" The animosity in the new Lord of Phthia's voice was scarcely veiled, and it shocked Briseis, because although she had heard rumours of his cruelty, he had been nothing but a gentleman to her.

Odysseus was speaking now, his tone edgy as he said, "I'd feel safer if she was with me."

"Don't you trust me?" Neoptolemus mocked.

"You must know your reputation," Odysseus shot back. "She's an innocent."

"She's pregnant with my father's child!" Neoptolemus interrupted, his voice incredulous.

"She's still an innocent," Odysseus said softly.

There was a momentary silence, before the younger man spoke again. "Tell me then," Neoptolemus asked scornfully. "What is my reputation?"

There was a measured silence as Odysseus weighed up Neoptolemus mood, for the warlord was at the best of times unpredictable. Deciding to be blunt, the King of Ithaca said, "They say that you make Achilles look merciful. That you take what you want with no thought as to you hurt. That you torture, rape and murder at a whim. That you worship no God and show loyalty to no man."

There was a silence that seemed to stretch into eternity, and Briseis felt a cold fear grip her heart. She had thought that she was safe with this man. She had let her guard down with him, and Odysseus' words now left her paralysed with fear. She desperately wanted to get away: far away. She wanted to stop having to fight every second of every day. She wanted Achilles. But instead all she had to protect her was she had his son, who Odysseus was implying only had taken an interest in her in order to bed her.

"Like father, like son eh?" Neoptolemus said, his voice slightly bitter.

Odysseus shook his head. "No," he said. "Achilles never caused unnecessary pain."

Neoptolemus looked down, and when he glanced up again the callousness was gone from his eyes, and had been replaced by a hollow, sunken look. It was an expression that scared Odysseus more than the usual ruthlessness and vicious sneer that marked the young man's face.

"I wouldn't harm her, Odysseus," Neoptolemus said in a broken voice, scarcely audible. "I would never harm her."

Odysseus met the other's man's eyes and held them there for a long time, until he slowly began to understand. He nodded sharply and rose, saying, "Be good to her. She's been living in Hades since the war began," before he left the tent.