"You can't wear that." Vhasti took in Briseis' attire with distaste.
Vhasti had somehow gotten word of the private dinner and that Briseis would be attending. Though Vhasti was disappointed not to have been invited to what she considered a prestigious event, having her daughter attend did reflect well on Vhasti in the eyes of the other visiting royals. Her father had packed up and left the city soon after the last council they'd attended together. Briseis still hadn't gotten a chance to speak with him as to the truth of her origin; every time she tried Briseus was with some king or high official from another kingdom. As much as Briseis wanted answers she wouldn't start a scene in front of company or even the servants.
"Plain clothing is required," Briseis reminded Vhasti as she let her hair down from its complicated braided style. Briseis had chosen one of Kegarta's dresses. It was the plainest item of clothing they'd packed. It was a soft blue sleeping garment with no ornament or complicated embroidery. It would be scandalous for her to be seen in this under other circumstances, but after consulting Hector she was told it was fine. Kegarta was already nearing Briseis' height so it fit her well, even though it was loose around the waist.
"Even still put your hair up at least."
Briseis disregarded Vhasti's comment. "I'll be back later tonight." Briseis rose from her cushion as a guard entered her room to escort her. "Kegarta see my mother back to her chambers."
Vhasti sniffed and Kegarta nodded. The storm seemed to be lessening though a chill lingered in the air making her shiver. Torch light cast strange shadows on the wall, constantly shifting from one shape to another. Only the sound of her footsteps and that of her guard could be heard. Even as still as the palace had been since the funeral games began, this silence was different. It felt ominous.
They rounded a corner to see Andromache and Hector standing at the door of the room. It was strange to see the couple dressed even more plainly than she was.
Andromache took Briseis' hands and squared her shoulders that had looked so fragile for many long days. "Thank you, sister. I couldn't face this tonight without you and Hector by my side."
Briseis removed her hands from Andromache's and gave her friend a hug. In the back of her mind, Briseis wondered if she'd be repeating this with Lavda soon. She hoped not, Briseis couldn't take much more sorrow on top of the fear of war.
"It's time," Hector told them. The women broke apart and Andromache took the arm of her husband and the hand of Briseis. The trio entered the room to see no servants, only the royal family sat around a preset table. Briseis recognized some of the faces, but there were more she couldn't name. Priam and Hecuba had been prolific in their creation of children, the room was full to bursting with their children and the spouses of those old enough to have them.
There were two noticeable absences; Paris and Helen. Andromache seemed to pay it no mind but Briseis could hear Hector mutter under his breath about Paris and his dishonor. His temper seemed to be cooled as Andromache briefly laid her head against his arm. Briseis felt the dinner would go smoother if the controversial couple stayed away. It was clear Priam and Hecuba were displeased as they shot disapproving glances at the empty seats.
Hector helped his wife to her seat but didn't take his own. "Tonight we gather as a family to say goodbye to my son—"
His words were cut off by the loud swish of doors. Helen and Paris walked in without so much as an apology for being late. That rudeness might have been overlooked by Hector had the couple adhered to the dress code. Paris was dressed in finery but Helen seemed to have taken care to select the best of everything she owned. Her gown was a flowing purple, embroidered with birds and trees, jewels adorned her hair and body, with every moment the woman glistened.
Andromache spoke before Hector could. "Leave! How dare you insult us like this!"
Pairs seemed to grow slightly uncomfortable but Helen wasn't cowed. "This useless ritual of yours is not my affair. If I must attend something so worthless, I will attend wearing whatever I see fit," Helen huffed.
"Take your whore and go, Paris," Hector demanded. Hector's hand reached for a blade at his side but there wasn't one strapped there tonight.
Helen's face went red and her eyes flashed. "What did you call me?"
"You heard me, whore," and Hector spat at her feet.
Helen took a step forward, to do what Briseis had no idea, but Paris placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to draw her back. Helen shook his hand off and walked up to Hector without fear. "Your welp wasn't strong enough to be born with breath. Perhaps you've made a poor choice of wife," Helen ran her hand down Hector's arm with a predatory look. Hector's body went stiff and his face looked blank.
Briseis' mouth fell open. Paris stood looking aghast at what Helen had just said. The entire room was silent. Rage burned in the eyes of Andromache as she left Briseis' side and pushed Hector away to face Helen. Helen looked at the wife of Hector and with a smug gaze. Andromache slapped Helen with such force that a few of the jewels in Helen's hair came loose and clattered to the stone floor.
"You vile woman!" Andromache shrieked. "You broke your oath to your husband, by all reports a good man, and left your own child behind! How could you do that? What sort of woman abandons her child! Then you come here to make a mockery of my misery! I will not suffer you to be in my presence." Andromache raised her hand again but Helen grabbed Andromache's wrist and twisted it. Andromache cried out and that seemed to break Hector out of his odd lull.
"Release my wife, whore," Hector tried to grab Helen but she slapped him and another lull settled over Hector briefly. Hector recovered quickly and once again put his hands on Helen and tugged, which made Helen hiss though her grip remained true. Paris began to rush forward. Shouting from the other men as they stood up to try and break the women apart filled the room. Guards began to filter in the chamber at the commotion. One grabbed Paris before he could stab Hector and another stood behind Hector looking unsure of what to do.
Before the men could do anything else Helen did something that shocked them. An evil smile went across Helen's beautiful face as she spoke, "I grew tried of the child's incessant screaming. Children's are so tiresome but at least I can have them like a real woman." Tears filled Andromache's eyes and Hector made to slap Helen. Briseis rose to her feet meaning to defend her friends and then a bright flash lit the room.
Hector and Andromache were thrown back into the wall and all within three feet of Helen collapsed. Brisies' head cracked against something hard as she went down, and a painful sensation she couldn't describe ran up and down her entire body and stole her breath.
Helen stood tall with a look of triumph. "I am above you mortals with the power of a god running through my veins," Helen said as she turned to stomp out of the room dramatically. Another zap of light coming from Helen's finger hit a guard that tried to block her path. He fell to the ground with a groan. Helen's head turned toward Briseis with a sneer only to be replaced with surprise as Helen's eyes met Briseis'. "To you and you alone I apologize," Helen said with an inclination of her head before she continued her exit. Helen's footsteps quickly faded as she walked down the hall.
"What have you brought upon us," Hecuba demanded of Paris in a hiss. "I want her returned to her husband, Paris."
"She is my wife, she will be staying," the man huffed stubbornly.
"I have already decreed to the kingdom that Helen is to stay," Priam said wearily. "I can't take it back now it would make me look weak."
"I don't care," Hecuba said with a look of disbelief at her husband's words. "She's a menace." Then turning to her second son. "Did you see the way she shamelessly threw herself at Hector? How could you love a woman that is certainly going to turn around and betray you?" The Queen of Troy bent down to help her eldest son and his wife back to their feet. The couple was still dazed. Someone helped Briseis to her feet as well but she didn't know who the man was.
"She would never betray me!" Paris shouted. "She stated what everyone knows. A woman who's first child is stillborn is cursed."
Pushing aside his mother and wife, Hector rushed at his younger brother. "You don't deserve to be a Prince of Troy!" Hector punched Paris sending him to the ground and didn't stop hitting him. Several of the other princes jumped up to break up the quarrel.
Then the room descended into madness. Briseis tried to find Andromache but the room was so crowed she couldn't move very far. Fearing to get caught up in what was fast become a huge brawl as some men went to defend one brother or the other, Briseis instead moved to the very edge of the room and inched along the wall. She was planning to stand at the entrance of the room and try and find her friend in the chaos, when Priam's voice roared.
"STOP THIS MADDNESS!" It was amazing such a loud shout could come from from such an old man. His voice did what manpower couldn't as the fighting instantly ceased. "Everyone return to your chambers and don't leave them until summoned. My sons, I will send for you all at dawn, be ready."
🦉
"Was it really as wild as the servants are saying?" Kegarta asked Briseis the next day. The girl's eyes were wide as she tried and failed to imagine such a thing.
"It was probably worse." Briseis told her as she slipped her wine.
"Did Helen really try to force Hector to set Andromache aside for her?" Kegarta absentmindedly over jammed her bread as she talked resulting in a sticky mess.
"Well, not exactly but it was as if her touch rendered him helpless for a moment. I've never seen anything like it—" a loud bang at her chamber door stopped Briseis in her tracks. Both women jumped as another loud and urgent knock came from the door. Kegarta wiped her hands clean of jam and quickly hurried to the door. Briseis looked down at her attire which was poor. Not in quality but she hadn't been expecting visitors or to go anywhere today so she had dressed accordingly.
She heard Kegarta having a conversation that seemed heated. The girl closed the door and rushed over. "Helen has invited you to her chambers, immediately. If you don't come she will appear here in due time."
Briseis felt sick to her stomach. Her dislike of Helen had grown much overnight and being alone with her was the last thing Briseis wanted. Images of Helen and the light coming through her fingers filled Briseis' mind. No doubt Helen would be full of wrath if she refused the summons. The thought of Kegarta suffering what she had last night made the decision for her. "Very well. Tell her messenger I will arrive after I have dressed appropriately."
Kegarta hesitated as a look of disgust filled her eyes but the girl went to rely the message. Briseis walked rapidly to a trunk and began to select the best of everything she'd brought with her. Helen would expect no less. With that thought Briseis also added the small garment made of spider silk to her pile of acceptable items. It worked with blades and she hoped it would also protect her from whatever that strange power of Helen's was should this meeting go sour.
Kegarta protested loudly but helped Briseis dress. "I can't believe you want to listen to anything she has to say. If you strike up a friendship with the vile woman what will Hector and Andromache think?"
Briseis didn't say anything. Kegarta couldn't truly understand the power Helen displayed. It was so easy for her to hurt them all last night, Briseis had no doubt Helen could kill with that power just as easily. Kegarta's protests increased even farther when Briseis refused to wear the best of her jewels and instead began to wrap them as a gift for Helen. Her servant begged her not to go, or if Briseis must go to let her come along, but Briseis ordered Kegarta to stay put and walked out the door.
Briseis' heartbeat was far outside the norm as she walked across the palace to the royal chamber hall. Her nerves were shot. Taking a deep breath she knocked on the door and after just a moment an old woman answered. The woman had hard eyes and a mean look, "Name?" She asked.
"Princess Briseis of Pedasus."
"My Lady is expecting you," the woman opened the door wide and stepped aside.
Briseis had a vague idea of what Paris' chambers had looked like before he brought Helen here from the few times her owls had watched them, and it wasn't this. Jewels and garments filled the space to an absurd degree. In fact, you'd be forgiven for thinking this chamber housed one person instead of two. Everything seemed to be to Helen's taste and Helen's alone. She had a mirrored stand inlaid with pearls, curtains that seemed to be woven of pure gold bearing Helen's image hung before the balcony, royal purple sheets and blankets were on the bed. Purple dye was so difficult to make only royals could afford it, but they would never use sheets dyed the color, or at least none but Helen it seemed. If you were wealthy enough to purchase such things they were for display, a symbol of your wealth to make others envious, not for personal enjoyment hidden away.
"Welcome, Princess." Helen's smile seemed to be genuine as she greeted Briseis.
"Thank you for having me," Briseis said, hoping her skill in diplomacy made her come off just as pleased as Helen was, "I have brought you gifts."
Helen took the wrapping eagerly and ripped into it. Briseis had filled it with a necklace of pure and large emeralds, three golden rings set with various jewels and ruby earrings that dangled past the shoulders. Helen seemed satisfied with them and she put them all on immediately. "Your offerings are even better than what Paris presented me with the first night he seduced me. I thank you, sit down."
Briseis did as asked and the old servant woman quickly filled the table with sweet treats and spiced wine. Helen stood before her mirrored stand, the one that had pearls inlaid into the wood, admiring herself from every angle. The old woman went to kneel by the fire with the completion of her task and turned seemly into a statue, only the slight rise and fall of her chest showed her to be alive. Her pose had her face to the floor and her arms extended to Helen's seat, as if she were worshipping the Queen of Sparta. Briseis found it disturbing but didn't comment.
Helen came to sit with her. "I apologize for not taking notice of you earlier. Paris loves to keep me in his bed. I had no idea anyone of equal status with me was here."
Bile rose is Briseis' throat. "One could hardly blame him. You are the most exquisite woman who draws breath."
Helen smiled. "Yes, well I am thankful for a break. He intends to fill me with children but I've been lucky so far to avoid that horrible fate again. I came across a tea in Sparta that many woman use to prevent pregnancy. It's very effective, I wish I'd found it sooner," Helen said with a sigh. "I'm almost out but I'll have more of the ingredients to make plenty in a week or so. I'll give you some so you and your lovers don't have to worry."
"I would be very grateful for that. I'll pray for that event to be delayed farther with myself until then," Briseis said with a smile.
"Tell me, who is your sire? Mine is Zeus; perhaps we are sisters?"
I hope not, Briseis thought. "My sire remains a mystery though I am from my father's mortal line so I know it to be a goddess."
Helen inclined her head. "My brothers, Caster and Pollux, and I are all children of Zeus, but my mother took awhile to admit it. Clytemnestra, my older sister she's just a mortal, was always jealous of us. If she could see me now," Helen laughed, "escaping my miserable old life just as she longs to escape hers with Agamemnon."
And the conservation went on. Mostly about how superior they were to all others and how Helen planned to avoid going back to Sparta at any cost. Hours passed before Helen released Briseis with a promise to come again. Briseis trudged back to her own chambers. She wanted a long scrub in the hottest water possible to cleanse herself. Her teeth ached with all the sweets she had to consume and she sobbed inwardly at the thought of having to pretend to enjoy Helen's company again.
Kegarta was standing outside their chambers, the girl's face was pale.
"You needn't have waited for me like this the entire time. Come, I wish for a bath."
"Please follow me, Princess, someone wants to speak to you." Without another word Kegarta walked off.
Bewildered, Briseis had no choice but to follow. Kegarta lead her deep into the castle, when the girl grabbed a torch from the wall Briseis grew impatient. "Where are we going?"
"To the oldest part of the castle," Kegarta handed her the torch. Briseis took it and watched as Kegarta pulled aside a tapestry to reveal an door. It opened to a long staircase. "I've been ordered not to follow, Princess. I'm sorry but I must go back to our chambers."
"Who summons me?" Briseis asked before Kegarta fled.
"Queen Hecuba."