Chapter Twelve

Summary

• The protagonist wakes up to find Achilles gone. She spends the day looking for him, growing more and more worried when she can't find him.
• Eventually, she is told by Phoinix, Achilles' old counselor, that his mother, Thetis, took Achilles while he slept and they have disappeared.
• Distraught, the protagonist seeks the help of her protector, Peleus, who informs her that Thetis took Achilles to the island of Scyros.
• She travels to Scyros and meets Princess Deidameia, who she believes may know where Achilles is, but Deidameia doesn't immediately reveal any information about Achilles' whereabouts.
• Later, during a dinner party, Deidameia reveals that she has been with Achilles and is pregnant with his child. The protagonist is heartbroken at the revelation.
• Achilles appears, also disguised as a woman, and identifies himself to the crowd. He apologizes for deceiving them, and it's revealed that Thetis had forced him into this situation to try and keep him safe from the prophecy about Troy.
• The protagonist, hurt and angry, interprets Achilles' actions as a betrayal and leaves, effectively ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

• While reflecting on the complex feelings for his friend, the narrator acknowledges that seeing him as unsettled as the rest would bring no comfort.
• The narrator observed that his friend, Achilles, never looked at his new wife, Deidameia, or the boys in their hometown with any emotion or interest. Equally, he has never looked at the narrator in that manner.
• Achilles apologizes to the narrator, explaining that he did not enjoy the sexual encounter with him, soothing the narrator’s feelings of rejection.
• Upon returning to the palace, Achilles and the narrator are confronted by Lycomedes, who informs them Deidameia is upset and hoping Achilles will visit her.
• Achilles rejects the idea of comforting Deidameia, expressing his indifference toward her hopes and disappointing Lycomedes.
• Lycomedes gives the friends permission to share a guest room, however, stipulates the condition that the child Deidameia is carrying must bear Achilles' name. Achilles agrees to this.
• They spend the night together, reminiscing and catching up on the time they have spent apart.
• The narrator is shocked when Achilles reveals that it was his mother's idea to disguise him as a woman to avoid going to the war in Troy, fearing it will bring danger to him.
• The arrangement to marry Deidameia, according to Achilles, was to provide a pretext for his disappearance, rather than being a decision motivated by desiring her.