The Forbidden Love of Achilles; Achilles and Penthesileia

~5~

Achilles watched her concentrate on her next move. She was as skilled at chess as she was at battle. Her strategy for warfare was quite impressive. He looked at her again, she was so beautiful. Her servants had bathed and dressed her in her own clothing, which the Trojan king had sent along with the rest of the Amazons' gear.

"Check" Penthesileia called. Her smile an easy one. She appreciated his form in casual clothing as much as she appreciated it in armor; black suited him as well as the royal blue. At ease with one another, they'd played almost every day once in the morning and again at night. Until today she hadn't been able to rise from the bed. Her wound had healed but her strength had taken its time returning. She knew that in the end he had no intentions of letting her go. That he saw her as a conquest but she had no intentions of becoming an easy conquest.

"Very good." He chuckled. He'd been paying more attention to her than the board, but no matter. He slid his bishop into place, "Checkmate."

Admiring the move, she granted him a smile, "Nice" pushing her chair back from the table, she stood. "Who knew that the brute of the Trojan War had a mind for strategy and not just battle?" Turning away from him and the chest board, she stared out at the tranquil aqua waters of the Aegean; the fragrant breeze tugging at her white and scarlet robes. Snapping his fingers to signal the waiting servants to take the large ornate chest set away. Achilles stood and moved to stand closely behind Penthesileia. He was so close, he could smell the palm and lily oil used in her bath and hair. It had been almost seven years since he'd smelled a fragrance so heavenly. "Lilies."

Penthesileia couldn't help tensing as she became extremely aware of Achilles' large, warm body, the palm oil he'd used in his morning bath mixed with his body's natural sent was so enticing that it was almost hypnotic. She needed to keep away from him  or at least at arm's length. Moving away, she walked to the water's edge. She stared down at the waves climbing over the sand. Hearing him moved in her direction she redirected her confusion into annoyance, half turning to confront him, "Surprised? Didn't think that a wild, manly Amazon would care about bathing and oils?"

Achilles halted his steps, staring at her. Was she trying to pick a fight? He knew she had been doing just that over the last few days...keeping him angry and away from her with sharp words. Words, he noticed she didn't fling at Eudorus. He pushed the wave of jealousy away, "No...not surprised at all. It simply smells good...you smell good."

"Myrmidon..."

"Achilles. My name is Achilles." He interrupted.

Spinning around,  she pinned him with a feverish stare. "I know your name Myrmi..."

His hand snaked out and wrapped around her forearm, yanking her up against his chest. "Achilles!" he watched the light in her eyes go from surprised to fury. He could see by the set of her jaw and the tightening of her full lips she had no intentions of giving in. but he would win this battle. "Achilles...say it!"

When she made no move to comply, he tightened his grip and pulled her forcibly toward the tent. "Fine! I believe you need a lesson in your true status!" From the corner of his eye he caught sight of Ainia and the fierce Antandre advancing on him in aid of their Queen. He was out of patience. Holding a spitting and fighting Penthesileia in one hand he held the other out,  two fingers pointing directly at the two Amazons, who stopped dead in their tracks. "No!"

Leaving the stunned Amazons, who now found themselves surrounded by myrmidons, Achilles continued into the tent. With a sharp twist of his wrist, Achilles sent Penthesileia sailing violently to the bed.

Landing on her stomach she twisted onto her back. Leaning on her elbows she snarled, "And this does what exactly?" she would never know why she'd said it but she would always remember that it was the beginning. "Myrmidon!"