Achilles&Briseis: A Novel

Chapter 6

Briseis was dreaming. The green field and gentle breeze from the west were the same as always. The large rock she was moving towards sat right in the middle of the greenery. Instead of facing away from her, the lion was turned in her direction. Its eyes watched her as she moved closer. Bright yellow eyes with the glow hers sported; the intelligence Briseis saw in those eyes went beyond that of an animal.

"I'm coming for you Princess of the Black Sun," the voice of the unseen man spoke. The lion twitched its tail and began to move toward her. Strong muscles rippled under its yellow fur with each movement. Though its movement didn't strike her as threatening, Briseis' heart sped up slightly as the big cat got closer.

"Who are you? Are you the god that made the olives bloom?" Briseis asked.

"A god? No." The lion bumped its wet black nose against Briseis' hand. She ran her fingers through its mane. Its hair wasn't coarse like she expected, it was soft and free of tangles. The lion jerked its head to the west as if seeing something she could not and a soft growl rumbled deep in its chest. All around Briseis the dream began to fade and a force pulled her away from the lion.

"Wait!" She reached for the lion but her fingers missed his mane as she was pulled back. "Is this real? What does it mean? Don't leave!"

"Very real." The form of the lion began to blur and turn into a grey mass. She watched as the lion transformed into a man who reached for her but the distance between them widened. As the dream lost its vibrancy the form of the man blurred more and Briseis wasn't able to make out any features but his glowing eyes. "It's not I that wrests you away from this connection. Another force seeks to breaks it." 

"Why?" Briseis shouted.

"They know I found you too soon. The prophecy—"

Briseis sat up abruptly in the guest chambers of Lady Celine. Kegarta's soft breathing and the faint light beginning to color the horizon told her it was still early. Her dream with the lion seemed more tangible to her than the bed she sat on or the blanket wrapped around her. Knowing she wouldn't get back to sleep, Briseis dressed and went for a long walk. She walked while pondering if her dream was real as the man claimed; if the man was real as she was beginning to hope he was. He has to be.

The Princess of the Black Sun watched as the light of dawn colored the clouds pink. Her dream had changed. The lion morphing into the form of a mysterious man and having a conversation with him were new and it left her even more confused. If these dreams were real, if that man was real and wasn't a god like as he said he wasn't, then how did their dreams connect? What prophecy did he speak of but more importantly what force was it that didn't want them speaking and why? 

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"You look as if you spent the night on Tartarus' doorstep," Lady Celine said bluntly.

Briseis sipped her tea and nodded. "My dreams have been troubled and nonsensical of late. I've consulted one priest after another in the city and none have been able to decipher the meaning; if there is one at all." 

Lady Celine nodded slowly. "My cousin is a priest in the temple of Apollo to the west. He writes that communication with the gods has grown increasing difficult over this past year in particular. Many of his order in the city are growing worried what this might portend."

"My father has not heard of this. Such an issue would surely have been brought to him."

Lady Celine paused putting jam on her morning bread. "I think not, Princess. The priests much like nobles don't like to appear out of control of their domain. They will always try to solve their problems internally before any concerns are raised to the crown."