Atlantian

Becoming Atlantian [13]

Chapter 13

"Aubrey?" A voice questioned from the door of the tent causing the warrior to glance up from the lifeless form within his arms.

Tiberius stood there in his Trojan regalia but his eyes were transfixed on the dead eyes that appeared to be boring within his soul. With slow, painfully slow steps, he advanced towards Achilles and pulled the limp and bloodied body from his arms and cradled her against his chest.

"It was too soon. I knew it was too soon." He whispered brushing a red tendril away from her face and smiling down at her. "You were going to be amazing. You were supposed to be our saviour."

Achilles still stared at the woman in the blue dress but his eyes were wide as he looked upon the battle wearied man cradling the dead woman like a child. He was so gentle yet from his battle wounds, it was clear that he had seen even more battle than even the Mighty Achilles.

"She forced herself onto my blade. She wouldn't stop. I think the gods wanted her dead." He spoke quietly so as not to startle the obviously grieving man.

Tiberius snarled at the man. "Your gods hold no realm over us. Stupid fool." He lowered Aubrey's body down on to the ground and ran his fingers over her lids to close her eyes. Without knowing why, he tilted his head down and pressed his lips against her forehead. "I'm sorry Miss Winters."

Not waiting for any more words from Achilles, Tiberius climbed to his feet and walked towards the entrance of the tent. He paused before he actually left though. "Give her a good burial." He called out over his shoulder and then made to leave but Achilles stopped him.

"Are you Tiberous?" Achilles called after him just as Briseis and the healer made their way into the tent.

Tiberius nodded and spun on his heel to face the Blonde warrior once more.

"I am Tiberius Maximus and you are Achilles. What business do you have with me?" he spoke coldly causing the newcomers to move as far away from the hostile man as possible.

"I have none but the fire haired woman spoke of you. She didn't finish but she mentioned you and the Matriarch."

Tiberius' entire body stiffened and then with a nod of his head he strode out of the tent.

As soon as he was gone, Briseis knelt by the side of Aubrey and lifted her head so that she could cradle it in her lap. She caressed her red hair that had spilled from its braid and smiled sadly done at her. The healer joined them on the floor and felt for a pulse and shook his head. He even held a metal plate under her nose but no breath fogged the surface.

"She's gone. I will inform the men to prepare a pyre for her."  The elderly man glanced down at the limp form and shook his head back and forth. "It's such a waste."

He pushed to his feet and strode over to Achilles, giving him a consoling pat on the shoulder.

Everyone was so focused on grieving the dead woman that they did not notice that the symbol on her hand was still glowing. The rainbow of colours within her limp palm swirled faster and faster. It sent a jolt of coloured light through Aubrey's veins causing the body to twitch slightly but it went completely unnoticed by the others. Slowly the wound on the dead woman's chest closed up yet the blood remained on her skin as a reminder of how she died. They did not notice a small sigh that passed through Aubrey's lips or the way that her hand twitched.

Briseis lowered the limp and bloody body to the floor and then proceeded to cover her with a sheet of white fabric. She gulped and looked at the silhouette that was visible through the sheet and let a few tears spill onto her golden chin.

"She was a strange woman but she did not deserve to die. Mother Hera, please protect her and guide her to the Elysian Fields." With that she placed her fingers to her forehead, and then she swiftly left the tent with the two sombre looking men. All of them left the cloaked form to lie alone in the silence of the tent.