Hector gazed out over the walls of Troy towards the sea. He was glad to be
home, the war with Sparta had been long and bloody.
"May the gods spare us from more war" he prayed silently to the heavens, knowing in his heart that his prayer would never be answered.
Closing his eyes he sighed, breathing in the fresh sea air. Now he had time to focus on other matters, such as marriage and the recent problems his brother's sexual escapades had caused. Opening his eyes he looked down to see the gates open to allow a large group of Trojans to enter the city for the evening's victory celebration.
"Ah Hector, there you are."
"Father!" Hector exclaimed happily. He turned from the wall to hug his greying king.
"Come, you must get ready for tonight's feast. All the important families from the countryside have journeyed here to see Troy's greatest warrior" Priam said with a smile.
Hector followed his father down the stairs rolling his eyes.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The noise from the city was deafening. Hector had bathed and changed, and was now dressed in his best tunic and cape. After one last look in the mirror he headed down the hall to find his brother.
"PARIS" he screamed above the roar.
When he heard no answer he reached for the doorknob and yelled again. "PARIS!!! IT'S TIME TO..."
Hector gasped as he opened the door. He had just walked in on his brother and a saddle maker's wife in a rather compromising position.
Paris's head snapped up, his face flushed.
"It's time to go" Hector repeated harshly, slamming the door behind him.
He would have to talk to Paris about this later. If they were caught the woman would most certainly be put to death, and Paris severely punished.
After regaining his composure Hector made his way down the hall and into the main chamber.
"Where is Paris?" Priam asked.
"He's um..." Hector stumbled.
"I see" Priam said with a knowing sigh.
Just then Paris burst into the chamber out of breath with his hair messy and tunic out of place.
"Sorry I'm late Father" he panted.
Instead of responding Priam simply smiled and headed toward the balcony.
Hector followed his father outside and was amazed at the sight laid out before his eyes. Women were dancing in huge circles around the inner square while in the center a man was juggling burning torches. Behind the women, men and boys were waving brightly colored clothes and cheering loudly. On the rooftops maidens were throwing petals out into the square, making it appear as if the gods were showering them with flowers.
"Look" one of the guards whispered.
Hector tore his eyes from the maidens and followed the guard's gaze into the middle of the square. A single woman was doing a dance to Apollo dressed in a stola of deep blue and pale purple. Her gold jewelry shimmered in the torchlight. She was so beautiful that Hector was unable to take his eyes off of her. In that moment all the death and grief of the recent war faded away.
"Her name is Andromache" Paris whispered in his brother's ear.
"May the gods spare us from more war" he prayed silently to the heavens, knowing in his heart that his prayer would never be answered.
Closing his eyes he sighed, breathing in the fresh sea air. Now he had time to focus on other matters, such as marriage and the recent problems his brother's sexual escapades had caused. Opening his eyes he looked down to see the gates open to allow a large group of Trojans to enter the city for the evening's victory celebration.
"Ah Hector, there you are."
"Father!" Hector exclaimed happily. He turned from the wall to hug his greying king.
"Come, you must get ready for tonight's feast. All the important families from the countryside have journeyed here to see Troy's greatest warrior" Priam said with a smile.
Hector followed his father down the stairs rolling his eyes.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The noise from the city was deafening. Hector had bathed and changed, and was now dressed in his best tunic and cape. After one last look in the mirror he headed down the hall to find his brother.
"PARIS" he screamed above the roar.
When he heard no answer he reached for the doorknob and yelled again. "PARIS!!! IT'S TIME TO..."
Hector gasped as he opened the door. He had just walked in on his brother and a saddle maker's wife in a rather compromising position.
Paris's head snapped up, his face flushed.
"It's time to go" Hector repeated harshly, slamming the door behind him.
He would have to talk to Paris about this later. If they were caught the woman would most certainly be put to death, and Paris severely punished.
After regaining his composure Hector made his way down the hall and into the main chamber.
"Where is Paris?" Priam asked.
"He's um..." Hector stumbled.
"I see" Priam said with a knowing sigh.
Just then Paris burst into the chamber out of breath with his hair messy and tunic out of place.
"Sorry I'm late Father" he panted.
Instead of responding Priam simply smiled and headed toward the balcony.
Hector followed his father outside and was amazed at the sight laid out before his eyes. Women were dancing in huge circles around the inner square while in the center a man was juggling burning torches. Behind the women, men and boys were waving brightly colored clothes and cheering loudly. On the rooftops maidens were throwing petals out into the square, making it appear as if the gods were showering them with flowers.
"Look" one of the guards whispered.
Hector tore his eyes from the maidens and followed the guard's gaze into the middle of the square. A single woman was doing a dance to Apollo dressed in a stola of deep blue and pale purple. Her gold jewelry shimmered in the torchlight. She was so beautiful that Hector was unable to take his eyes off of her. In that moment all the death and grief of the recent war faded away.
"Her name is Andromache" Paris whispered in his brother's ear.