Chapter Text
Briseis had a pretty normal life, thank you very much, excluding the current circumstances where she was literally pushing a cow through the woods.
(Ok maybe it was a little strange… )
(Now this is usually the part where an explanation is given. Dearest reader you se–)
Suddenly a boy dazzled in gold and silver came running out of some bushes, then slipped and fell on his butt.
(Wow, just gonna jump right into this… just when the narration begins. Ok you know what fine!)
"Oh! Ugh…"
"Oh, sir are you all right?" Briseis quickly left her cow's side to assist the poor boy with the curly dark hair and doe eyes.
"Uh yes… I-I just need to catch my breath" He said breathlessly (obviously), still on the forest floor.
"Oh yes, oh my what a beautiful outfit you are wearing. Were you at the King's Festival?" Briseis asked as she helped the lad stand up.
The boy smiled and answer "Yes," as he dusted and smoothed out his outfit.
Briseis wistfully said "Aren't you the lucky one. Why ever are you in the woods at this hour?"
Suddenly trumpets. (Real subtle).
The boy quickly signaled her to be quiet and dived headfirst behind some bushes and trees.
More fanfare came as suddenly Prince Achilles himself came onto the scene, searching for something. He was followed behind by his own trusted men.
Briseis threw herself to the ground quickly and bowed down. Last thing she needed this night was to offend royalty and probably lose her head.
Achilles then noticed the peasant.
"Have you seen a beautiful, lovely, absolutely delightful, young man in gold pass through?" He asked, very loudly and a little (very) desperate.
Briseis hesitated but decided to go with an "I don't think so sir."
One of the prince's men suddenly pointed in the opposite direction and said: "I think I see him over there!"
The Prince and his men quickly run in that direction. Trumpets resume.
Briseis quite surprised at her own actions, said: "I've never lied to royalty before," She may or may not have smiled.
"Thank you," Patroclus came out (HAH) and gratefully said.
Briseis smiled and teasingly said: "You know, if a prince were looking for me, I certainly wouldn't hide"
Patroclus hesitated, then changed the subject. "Well, what brings you here--and with a cow?"
"Oh, my partner's somewhere in the woods," she then said proudly: "They're undoing a spell."
"Oh?" Said an impressed Patroclus.
But apparently the context to that isn't important as Briseis changed the subject: "Oh, yes. Now, the Prince, what was he like?"
They both sat down on some smooth stone as Briseis asked, thirsty for the gossip and drama.
Patroclus smiled, "He's a very nice Prince."
"And-?" Briseis encouraged.
"And…-It's a very nice ball."
"And-?"
"And-When I entered they trumpeted," Patroclus smiled.
"And-? The Prince-?"
"Oh, the Prince…" Patroclus blushed embarrassed at getting off track.
"Yes, the Prince!"
"Well, he's tall?" Patroclus flushed.
"Is that all?" Briseis teased. "Did you dance? Is he charming? They say that he's charming."
Patroclus laughed; "We did nothing but dance."
"Yes, and-?"
"And it made a nice change… " He smiled fondly.
"And the Prince?"
"Oh, the Prince?"
"Yes, the Prince."
"He has charm for a Prince, I guess…"
"Guess?"
"I don't meet a wide range... And it's all very strange…" Patroclus looked down and smiled sadly at the memories.
"Why would you run away?"
"It's not quite what I expected…"
"What? Princes, and castles, and fashion-?"
"I have no experience with those things. I'm not really what the prince would envision anyways" he said with a tad (more than a tad) bit of insecurity.
"But you will return to the Festival tomorrow eve?" Briseis asked.
"Well maybe… I don't know"
"You don't know? Oh, what I wouldn't give to be in your shoes"
"Hey will you look over there" Patroclus suddenly stood up and pointed. "An enormous vine growing next to that little cottage."
"Your shoes…" Briseis had not taken any notice of the strange event and rather looked down at the shiny footwear.
"It looks like a giant beanstalk rising into the sky," Patroclus said.
"As pure as gold?"
Patroclus then realized how long he's been and abruptly declared: "I must get home!"
That got Briseis' attention as she cried out: "wait!"
That was very ineffective as Patroclus ran away anyway.
"Sir ple-"
Suddenly her cow let out a rather loud "MOO" and ran in the opposite direction. Finally serving a purpose in this. (You see, the cow isn't completely unnecessary in this).
Briseis was torn between looking for the mysterious lad and chasing after the cow. But in the end decided to hunt the damn thing (just to clear up any confusion: the cow, not Patroclus) down. And turning around in the opposite direction, she ran into the woods.
The only sound that could be heard was the final chimes of midnight.