Why him?/Achilles

chapter eight

Achilles just.. kissed me. Again. After everything that happened between us the previous night.

I don't really know what to think of this situation. The night we spent together was truly magical and I've never felt this way before. Achilles makes me feel things and I know for a fact he's not like all these men that have tried to get me in their beds. But is it right to feel this way? I mean, he's one of our biggest enemies and I don't know what he's capable of.

Not being able to handle my emotions right now so close to him, I excuse myself and leave the tent in a rush. I mindlessly walk around the military camp until my eyes land on Briseis. She's on the ground bandaging her wounds. I immediately run towards her and hug her.

"What did they do to you, Briseis?" I almost cry again but my cousin caresses my hair and lets me know that it's okay. She's going to get over it with the Gods' help. This girl is so loyal.

"I've wanted to talk to you about something else.." She reluctantly says and I raise an inquiring eyebrow.

"What is it? You can tell me anything," I reassure her and she motions for me to stand up. I do so and help her up as well. She finds difficulty balancing in the beginning but she eventually adjusts and together we take a walk alongside the sea.

"Is something happening between you and Achilles?" She suddenly asks, making me choke on air. I turn to her with a shocked expression. How does she know?

My face must've given away my thoughts because she chuckles and shakes her head.

"I believe you've seen the way he's looking at you." She says and I gulp. What does the way he's looking at me have?

"What do you mean? H-how does he look at me?" I ask, trying to play it cool and unbothered. Briseis mustn't know what's happened between me and Achilles. She'll judge me for sure, she will even stop talking to me. Oh my god, what if she tells the others? Then I'm screwed for real.

"Chill, Amelia. I know you guys have made love."

I audibly gasp at that. I have to stop in my tracks and stare at her as if she grew an extra pair of ears. She stops as well and turns my way with a teasing grin on her lips.

"Briseis, how do you know that?" I cautiously ask. Maybe she's bluffing. She must be bluffing.

"Come on girl, it's obvious. The sexual tension between you two suffocates the whole camp." She answers me, rolling her eyes.

"S-sexual.. what?"

"Where I wanted to take this is, have you thought that Achilles might be in love with you?" Briseis asks and I immediately laugh.

"Oh, not in a million years!" I continue laughing sarcastically but stop after seeing Briseis's completely serious face.

"Achilles doesn't look lika a softie to me. However, every time he looks at you something changes in his eyes. It's like his gaze softens and he wants to.. hug you? I don't know how to explain this; you have to see it to understand what I'm talking about." Briseis uncertainty explains to me, giving me plenty of food for thought.

Now I am even more troubled than before. I thought that all this 'I want to protect you' facade was to get me to sleep with him. I thought that I was one of the many girls he'd use to please himself. Yet here is Briseis who thinks otherwise. Maybe she's imagining things, it can't be.

"I really don't know, Briseis. On one hand he treats me so kindly and sweetly, on the other hand though he's harsh and demands things from me. He is bipolar." I voice my troubled thoughts and Briseis shrugs.

"What did you expect from a top warrior?"

Well, she's not wrong there.
We continue our peaceful stroll down the beach until we come across Patroclus and a Myrmidon - Achilles's best friend if I'm not mistaken. They both greet me with a bow and a nod towards Briseis.