Hector said goodbye to his father and brother, leaving them behind for the last time. He walked down the stairs of the tower, thinking of his beautiful wife and their precious baby, whom he had left sleeping safe in their beds. He paused to picture her face, closing his eyes. He thought to the night before, the love they had shared, and yet he realized that he hadn't told his wife that he loved her. It was difficult for him; he had only said it a few times throughout their marriage. She never pressed the matter, but he knew she would say it everyday if she had the courage.
He rounded the corner, heading to his death, and as he reached the stairs he saw his whole life ascending the steps before him. Andromache approached him, clutching their son in her arms. He was unable to say anything to her for fear that his resolve would break. He leaned in to her ear, unable to look into her eyes.
"You remember what I told you?" he spoke softly. She looked at him with pleading eyes, the strength from the night before gone. She looked so fragile, and his heart broke to see her in such dreadful agony. He knew that she would ask him to stay, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to muster up a response that could ease his guilty conscience for leaving a wife and baby behind. He waited for her answer.
"You don't have to go." she whispered. "You don't." Her eyes begged him to stay, and Hector pushed all emotion out of his mind, knowing that if he considered staying he would do it. Instead he repeated his question.
"You remember what I told you?" he asked again, more harshly than he meant. 'At least I'll know they are safe when I'm gone.' he thought. 'At least I'm saying this because I love her.' Her eyes examined his face quickly before closing tightly as she nodded, trying to hold back tears. She opened her eyes and hoisted her son up, allowing Hector to look at him one more time. He looked at his son, his boy, and felt overwhelmed by his love for him. The baby's blue eyes stared up at his father, and Andromache stared at him the same way, only hers filled with sadness.
Hector knew this would be his last time with his family, and he cherished every second in his memory. Couldn't they see that he was fighting for them? Hector kicked the thought away. He knew he wasn't fighting for them. If he was truly brave and courageous he would stay for his family, he would give up his pride and honor so that he could defend his home and his love. He gazed upon his son, and tenderly kissed him on the head, his heart slowly breaking.
Andromache watched as her husband kissed their son goodbye and suddenly she could not hold the tears back any longer. She closed her eyes and leaned her face against her husband's forehead, praying silently to the gods for a miracle. Hector moved away from the child slowly, making eye contact with him one final time. 'You will be alright, my son.' he thought.
Hector wrapped his arm around his wife once more, burying his face into her shoulder, holding her tight. He kept his eyes open, swaying back and forth with her in his arms. It was a bleak attempt at comfort, but he knew she would never feel him hold her again, and he wanted her to know it was alright. 'I love you, Andromache.' he thought. He heard his wife begin to cry, and he knew he needed to leave before he was unable to. Suddenly they heard Achilles cry out his name again, and he pat her on the back, telling her that she needed to let go. She breathed against him one last time, not quite kissing his cheek and tapped his armor, beckoning herself away from the warmth of her lover. Hector moved quickly past her, afraid of looking at her wet eyes again.
Astynax began to cry. It was not just a cry, but a wail, and Andromache kissed him on the head as Hector walked reluctantly away. Andromache cried against her son, quickly making a decision and twirling her body around.
"Hector!" she called between sobs. He stopped walking away from her, but did not turn around. He wanted more than anything to run back to the arms of his family. He hesitantly turned to see his wife at the top of the stairs. Andromache took several deep breaths before yelling down to him. "I love you." she cried, looking straight into his eyes. "That's all. I love you so much." Andromache continued crying, and Hector couldn't leave her there alone. One of the guards yelled to him that the gate was ready to be opened. He motioned for the man to follow him, and he raced back up the stairs to his wife.
Andromache stared at her husband with hope as he ran back up to her. Taking their son from her he handed the child to the guard who had followed him. He stopped in front of his wife, looking straight into her eyes. She evened her breathing and stared at him.
"Say it again." he ordered. She complied.
"I love you Hector." she professed. Hector wrapped both of his arms around her and held her body close to his. She continued sobbing, her cries louder this time. He ran his hands along her back and kissed the flesh on her shoulder. He slowly pulled away from her, but Andromache refused to let him go. She wanted to hear him say that he loved her too.
He looked at her and whispered, "If you asked me to stay, I would." Andromache's chest caught in her throat. She paused for a moment and looked at the floor, contemplating what he had just said.
"If you stay, Troy will stand. And if you go, he will kill you, and Troy will fall." Andromache stated to herself. She looked up at her husband's eyes. "Stay for Troy, Hector. Stay for your home." she pleaded.
"If I stay, I stay for you." he explained.
Andromache closed her eyes. "I cannot ask you to stay for me. I'm not important. If I died today, Troy would still be Troy. You would still be the one they would look to. I don't matter to them. I'm not a reason for you to stay." she rationalized.
"You matter to me. They care about what makes me happy. You, and only you, make me happy, my love." he corrected, holding her face. "Like I said, if I stay, it will be for you. Do you want me to stay?"
"Of course I do!" she cried.
"Why?" he demanded.
"Because I love you!" she responded.
"Then ask me to stay for you!" he instructed.
"I can't." she cried, breaking down yet again. She wept openly and looked to the guard awkwardly holding the baby. She stared back at her husband. "Stay for your son. Stay for Scamandrius." she begged. "He needs you." Hector smiled at the name he picked out for his son. He was the only one who called his son that name, and Andromache had always hated it. Hector looked back at his son, whose crying had ceased.
"Do you need me?" he asked. Andromache nodded.
"Yes."
"Andromache, I won't stay for anything or anyone but you." he replied obstinately. "If you ask me to, I will stay." Andromache closed her eyes, unable to be so selfish as to ask him to stay for her. Hector closed his eyes and turned away from her, pulling out of her embrace. He kissed his son quickly and headed back down the stairs. Andromache swallowed her pride and ran to the stairs.
"Stay for us. For your son…" she paused. "For… for me." Andromache ran to her husband and threw her arms around him. "Will you stay for us?" she asked.
"Yes." he replied, hugging her tighter. "Of course I will."