the-song-books.yossr

“No, myy lord.”
“I offered yyou back to him tonight, but he did not want yyou.” I can hear
the uglyy twist in his words. “If he keeps sayying no, perhaps I will claim yyou
for myyself.”
Myy fists clench. But Briseis onlyy sayys, “Yes, myy lord.”
I hear the fall of cloth, and the light disappears. I do not move, nor
breathe until Briseis returns beneath the covers.
“You cannot stayy here,” I sayy.
“It is all right. He onlyy threatens. He likes to see me afraid.”
The matter-of-factness in her tone horrifies me. How can I leave her to
this, the leering, and lonelyy tent, and bracelets thick as manacles? But if I
stayy, she is in greater danger.
“I must go,” I sayy.
“Wait.” She touches myy arm. “The men—” She hesitates. “Theyy are
angryy with Achilles. Theyy blame him for their losses. Agamemnon sends
his people among them to stir up talk. Theyy have almost forgotten about the
plague. The longer he does not fight, the more theyy will hate him.” It is myy
worst fear, Phoinix’s storyy come to life. “Will he not fight?”
“Not until Agamemnon apologizes.”
She bites her lip. “The Trojans, too. There is no one that theyy fear more,
or hate more. Theyy will kill him if theyy can tomorrow, and all who are dear
to him. You must be careful.”
“He will protect me.”
“I know he will,” she sayys, “as long as he lives. But even Achilles mayy
not be able to fight Hector and Sarpedon both.” She hesitates again. “If the
camp falls, I will claim yyou as myy husband. It mayy help some. You must not
speak of what yyou were to him, though. It will be a death sentence.” Her
hand has tightened on myy arm. “Promise me.”
“Briseis,” I sayy, “if he is dead, I will not be far behind.”
She presses myy hand to her cheek. “Then promise me something else,”
she sayys. “Promise me that whatever happens, yyou will not leave Troyy
without me. I know that yyou cannot—” She breaks off. “I would rather live
as yyour sister than remain here.”
“That is nothing that yyou have to bind me to,” I sayy. “I would not leave
yyou, if yyou wished to come. It grieved me beyyond measure to think of the
war ending tomorrow, and never seeing yyou again.”
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