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Chapter Five: An Opportunity

Her days were often long and hard and she slaved in the gardens from the crack of dawn to the early hours of sundown. Sighing heavily, Briseis plopped soundlessly atop her scratchy makeshift cot, wondering in silence if life as a slave were indeed like this in her home city of Troy. If it were, Briseis had alot of newfound respect for those of lower station. Their work was most assuredly far from easy.

She followed every bit of instruction given to her by Lalianes; she worked thoroughly, avoided the areas that the Lord of the household occupied, and made sure that she looked as less suspicious as possible when acquiring information regarding the Lord and palace. Both Mylana and Lalianes were the only ones knowledgeable to the fact that Briseis saught for freedom and escape and thus, kept silent about it.

The servant Mylana was an aged woman, cook, overseer of slaves in kitchens, and a well-respected servant of Lord Creceden, despite her personal resentment toward the man. She had once been the personal cook of her mother, Queen Nemertes, before being given over to her Uncle, King Priam, in Troy. To her utter surprise and relief, Mylana treated Briseis with the respect and dignity that she would have given to any royal member of Troy.

"When I first saw you," she had confided to Briseis one morning, "I thought that I was looking at the ghost of your mother."

Mylana thought, and even outright told her multiple times, that Briseis did not belong there; she was royalty, of good people, and her family's kingdom was still standing, unconquered. It would be of Creceden's nature to purchase princess born slaves and keep their identity and whereabouts secret. Royalty only became slaves when their kingdom was conquered by another, it was a fact of life. Her kingdom still stood, her uncle still remained ruler, and Briseis was still princess to Troy. She had been reduced to slave when an underground market had abducted her from Mycenae and branded her.

"You do not belong here with us, My Lady. Your Uncle is a king and you are of royal trojan blood. A princess. I shall help you as best I can but I must warn you, it will be dangerous..."

And so, Briseis asked questions and recieved answers. And with one who knew the palace and the Lord well. She didn't realize, however, that her chance would come shortly and it was a chance of unexpected circumstance...

"Maenra," a distant voice beckoned from beyond her quarters. Briseis, alarmed, gazed up toward her door, her eyes falling upon the flush and exhausted form of Lalianes.

She stopped to catch her breath, gasping as she spoke, "Your chance for escape may come soon, My Lady!"

Escape!

Ignoring the protest of her aching muscles, Briseis shot up from her cot. "A chance! How?" she demanded, moving toward the woman anxiously.

Lalianes gasped, "I heard from the servants of the hall! And even Mylana confirmed it! Lord Creceden, last winter, had indirectly insulted his king. The steward of the king is to arrive in the morn to demand payment of the insult which was promised by the Lord of the household to prevent conflict. He will demand the most beautiful of his women, gold, and fine tapestries!"

When Briseis gave no indication of a reaction, she continued, "You will be given to King Agamemnon! His brother, King Menelaus, is an ally to your kingdom, is he not? Perhaps you will have your freedom yet for you have even a greater chance of being discovered! Mylana promises that she will ensure your passage onto the boat which will be shipped to the lands Agamemnon seeks to conquer. His steward was instructed to ship half the payment, the women included, to his location."

The new information seemed to perturb her for Briseis plopped back down bonelessly onto her cot. Her face, once an expression of hope, contorted back into sadness and her shoulders visibly hunched in defeat. "I will remain living a life of enslavement, given to a new master, and there is no guarantee that I can convince Agamemenon of my station. He will see the brand and not even a king will take the word of a marked slave."

Lalianes gazed sharply at Briseis, her features softening. Her heart went out to her and she now understand fully of the princess' complicated predicament. Kneeling before her in silence, she consoled gently, "My Lady, as a slave to this master, you will surely have a better chance of being noticed and found by King Priam. Here, you will have less of such an opportunity. I beg you to follow my advice, princess, for I will be with you upon this journey. Will you come with me, My Lady Briseis?"

The young woman was right and Briseis knew it. It was the closest opportunity that she would ever have or ever come close to for an act of escape. Lord Creceden's act of stupidity and the Steward's visit was indeed a blessing in disguise, one surely given to her by the gods themselves. Perhaps Apollo really was looking out for her?

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Upon the early dawn, both women awoke and were promptly escorted by Mylana to the bathing quarters. The old woman had kept her promise and rather than working in the gardens that day, they were bathed, perfumed, styled, and properly prepared for inspection by the steward of Mycenae. Briseis felt both dread and excitement as Mylana bid her good luck and farewell. She would be a slave still, a slave owned by "the king of kings", but would now have a better chance of freedom. Or so she thought.