(3)

My father, King Priam, went to the camp of Achilles to beg for the return of my brother’s mutilated corpse.
He finally agreed to this at a ransom.
The sum was staggering.
“If you do not have sufficient gold to satisfy my demand, you can throw in your youngest daughter, Polyxena I believe her name is, to fill the gap,” he had said

“You are not certainly going!” My mother was adamant.
“Why?”
“Why?  You are a princess! What do you think he wants to do with you?”
I looked into her eyes calmly and replied, “If my father, the King can risk his safety to go to the camp of the slayer of his son, why can I not do something to bring back the body of my brother?  A king is the head of the realm.  Why do you hesitate to offer an arm if you face the possible loss of the head?”
My mother was taken aback, both by my reasoning and my unprecedented rebellion.
Paris tried to talk me out of it too but I had made up my mind.

I hauled myself up the cart that was laden with gold artifices from the diminishing coffer. I heard weeping behind my back. I did not turn my head.  
The Myrmidons sent a squad of six to act as my escort.  But there was no threat of my security. It would be a very foolish man to try interception what was about to be Achilles’s.
“I have come for my brother, as you demanded.”  For the first time I was standing this close to him.  I could see him clearer now, a not bad-looking face, the high bridge nose, a mouth that curved downwards most of the time, giving an impression of perpetual sadness and the pale blue lonely eyes.
“You are indeed brave, Polyxena.  Are you not aware what can happen to you alone in my camp?”
“I care not for myself but that you will keep your bargain, now that the gold and the daughter of Priam are here, as you demanded.”
He laughed.  “I will keep my promise. Your father will return with what remains of your brother to Troy at dawn.  You, must stay for three nights here, as I told them.”
I lowered my head and acquiesced
“Enter my tent.” He ordered.
I followed him.  
The tent was more spacious than I thought though Spartan.
There was another girl inside.
“Briseis.”
I nodded.  So, this was the girl who was the cause of quarrel between Achilles and his High King, which sparked off the series of killings, ending in Hector’s.
“She is pretty.  Why do you still want me?” I asked.
Achilles threw a glance in the direction of the girl.  “You are different,” he said after a while.
I could tell the girl was hurt.  She must be in love with him very much.
“We will drink first.  Girl, bring us wine.”
Briseis did as she was told.  There was no resentment in her eyes, just resignation.  I felt pity for her.
She left after preparing the wine.
We drank in silence.  I could feel my heart beating very fast, knowing what would follow.
He must have seen through me.  He chuckled.
“Do you intend to put an end to the life of someone who had killed your brother?”
I blushed.  Such though had crossed my mind.  The prophecy of Cassandra had fueled it.  But I had quickly dismissed it.  It would be a sacrilege to act as assassin when I came under truce.  Moreover, my chance of success would be minimal.
“How can I, a woman, hurt the great Achilles?” I asked not without a tint of sarcasm.
“Why not?  I am mortal, though they said my mother is a goddess.” He picked up the knife on a plate of cut meat and placed it in my hand.  
We saw each other eye to eye.  I could not say the temptation did not exist.  A plunge into his chest and
He laughed and took the knife away. “Even if you decided to do it, you should aim here instead.” He pointed the blade towards his heel.
I was puzzled.
“That, would be my most vulnerable spot.”
“I cannot understand.”
“When I was born,” he explained “my mother Thetis tried to make me immortal by dipping me in the river Styx which would provide divine protection all over my body, except here, where she held me.”
“Why do you tell me this?”
“”To see if I can trust you.  You are the only person who knows my secret.  You have the power to betray me, if you want to.”
A shock went down my spine.  Was it this Cassandra prophesied about? If I told about his most vulnerable, there would be a chance that our warriors could put it to use. Though, of course, it would be very unlikely if anyone could come close enough to put a weapon on such tiny spot.
“You can kill me instead.  A dead girl tells no tale.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “I have never killed a woman, though a young maiden had died once because of me, Agamemnon’s daughter.  She was sacrificed to the goddess Artemis to appease her so that our army could set sail.  The poor girl was tricked to believe she was going to be my bride.”
“Cruel father.”
“Perhaps. How old are you?”
”Eighteen.”
“Agh, same age as my son.”
“You have a son?”
“Yes, back in my home kingdom.  His name is Neoptolemus.”
We sat in silence for a while.
It was I who broke the silence.
“I am your demanded ransom. Do you want me?”
This time he did not laugh.
Instead, he helped me up, untied the knot that kept my chiton in place.  The flimsy garment fell to the floor and I stood naked before him.
“You are truly beautiful.  Are you a virgin?”
I nodded.
Had there been no war, my father might have given my hand to a suitable suitor, a prince or even a king perhaps.
He put his hands on my bared breasts, cupping the nipples on the crests gently.
I had thought he would be more violent.
He pulled me towards him as he freed his loincloth. Our lips sealed in a deep kiss.  It was the first kiss for me apart from my parents and siblings.  I struggled a little but his left hand was around my waist while the other was caressing me again.  I melted into his arms and he carried me over to his bed.  I half closed my eyes and he spread wide my legs and mounted me.  His manhood was as hard as his spear in battle and I uttered a cry of pain as he penetrated me.  
“Fear not, my little flower.  I am only a beast in the killing fields.”
He spoke the truth.  I had never thought love-making could be so pleasurable, not with someone who had just slain my own beloved brother.
He rode me and drove me to a state of happiness I never knew existed. I pulled his head towards my breasts, inducing him to suck at my nipples.  When he finally deflowered me, I moaned, as a woman, his woman.
He kept me for three days and we had each other over and over again.
By the end of the agreed period of captivity, I was laden with sadness to go.
“Promise me you will not harm my kin.”
He smiled and brushed his fingers against my face.  “That can never be.  I am a warrior and the fate of warriors was to fight, or die on the battlefield.  When we prevail, I will take you as my bride.”
“You will not prevail.” I said. The words f Cassandra suddenly rang inside my head.  By instinct, I felt he would not survive the war.
“Whatever,” he replied. “Now you must go.  Farewell my little lark, till our paths cross again.”