Khillea was shocked.
But to understand why, we need to go back ten minutes earlier.
In truth, Briseis regretted following. Yet at the same time, she couldn’t help but feel some strange relief. The woman standing before her didn’t exude the savage brutality that her mind had conjured. Khillea, though infamous, wasn’t the beast she had feared. Still, confusion reigned over her thoughts.
Khillea stood up from the basin, water droplets clinging to her skin, cascading in delicate rivulets down her toned, elegant body. Her sharp, yet feminine features were softened by the way the water glistened on her, highlighting every line and curve. Droplets slipped down her neck, trailing between the firm mounds of her breasts, until some slid down to her hardened nipples before continuing over the gentle rise of her belly. The water traced the graceful curve of her hips and thighs, pooling slightly at the warm space between her legs, drawing Briseis’s attention to the perfection of her untouched femininity.
“I want you to witness something,” Khillea said, her tone casual but laced with an undercurrent of significance.
“Witness what?” Briseis’s confusion deepened. The idea of being a passive observer, especially in this strange, intimate setting, made her uneasy. She had expected anything but this.
“You know I am a woman, Briseis,” Khillea continued, her voice soft yet steady. “And I want you to witness the end of my life.”
The words hung in the air like a thunderclap, echoing in Briseis’s mind. She blinked, unsure if she had heard correctly.
Khillea’s gaze drifted towards the open window, where the evening sky was turning a dark shade of violet. “Patroclus knows,” she said quietly. “But I don’t want to burden him with this tonight. He’ll have to bear enough when it’s done.”
“Okay,” Briseis whispered, though she barely understood what was being asked of her. It seemed Khillea didn’t need her to do anything, not physically, at least. The way she spoke, it was as though her presence, her mere witness, was enough.
“Help me with my armor,” Khillea said, nodding toward the simple piece lying on a nearby stand.
Briseis nodded, her hands moving to lift the armor as instructed. The weight of it surprised her, not just physically, but emotionally. Every piece of this woman’s life was heavy, layered with burdens she could barely comprehend.
As Briseis helped her don the armor, Khillea’s eyes flickered toward her, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
“Thank you,” Khillea murmured.
Briseis didn’t respond. She simply fastened the last strap, her fingers trembling as they brushed against the cool metal.
“Where are you going?” Briseis asked calmly, though inwardly her heart raced. Her voice was steady, but the growing unease inside her was hard to ignore. She didn’t want to be left alone in this place, surrounded by the Greek warriors who, at any moment, could burst in with their brutish desires. The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
Khillea smirked, a sharp expression pulling at her lips, as if the answer to the question were too obvious.
It wasn’t strange at all, Briseis thought, as she stepped back to admire the transformation. After all, even the gods, like Apollo, were rumored to possess a beauty that bordered on the feminine. Born of the beautiful goddess Thetis, Khillea’s delicate features weren’t questioned by anyone. Her appearance was simply attributed to divine lineage, the favor of the gods. In the end, all she had to do was hide the curve of her breasts beneath the armor, and no one would suspect the truth.
“I’m going to find a good man to get me pregnant, of course,” Khillea said nonchalantly, sliding on her helmet with a practiced ease.
The words struck Briseis like a slap. “What?” she asked, stunned by the absurdity of the statement. To her, it sounded as though Khillea was planning to walk out into the night and pick the first man she saw to father her child. Was that really her plan? And yet, as Briseis looked into Khillea’s eyes, she realized she wasn’t joking. There was a fierce, unshakable seriousness in her tone.
“You should wait,” Briseis said, her voice softer now, almost pleading. She spoke not out of selfishness, not because she wanted Khillea to stay, but from a place of concern. “There’s still time. Maybe someone worthy will come along?”
But Khillea only shook her head. “No,” she said, her voice firm. “Today is the right day. I can’t let this opportunity slip by.”
Khillea’s eyes softened as she turned to Briseis, a rare warmth slipping through the cracks of her usual stoicism. “I will,” she said with a small smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll be back with a man. Prepare my bed.”
