I'm not all that pleased with this. I hope you all like it, that's what's important!
Chapter Eight
My chance to speak to Helen alone came up pretty quickly. Hector had been holed up in father's chambers almost constantly since he had arrived home. I was in our home alone when someone knocked on the heavy front door. I quickly went to answer it, always thrilled to have guests in my home.
However, when I opened the door I wasn't so excited anymore. Paris walked in without an invitation. "I just wanted to show Helen your home, Andromache. We're going to begin building our own." He looked at me with a grin on his face. So the child would be playing house with his stolen wife. "Do you mind if I leave her with you? I have to go to father's chambers."
"Not at all, Paris," I replied. He quickly left and I was left alone with the silent beauty. She looked around the large entryway.
"Well, would you like to see the rest?" I asked.
"Oh yes please," she said in a strangely airy voice.
I took her on the grand tour of Hector and I's home, but it felt strange that she should be there. She who would cause so many problems. The whole time a feeling of apprehension prickled the back of my mind.
"Where is the nursery?" She asked when we were done.
"The nursery?" I asked. "Hector and I do not particular need one just yet."
Helen sighed. "Don't you want a baby more than anything?" She asked. "Paris and I want one terribly."
I looked at her a little shocked. "I thought you had a daughter?"
She looked at me with her soft blue eyes. "I do. Hermione, but she is in Sparta."
My maternal instincts weren't quite honed yet, but I knew I would never leave my child behind. Not for anything. It shocked me that she could do that.
Helen sat in one of the chairs without being invited and I stood above her. "Have you ever loved someone so much that you just forget everything? Forget your duties and responsibilities?" She looked up at me, a dazed look in her dreamy blue eyes. "Do you love Hector like that?"
I shook my head. "Marrying Hector was one of my duties. And if I so carelessly forgot myself in such a way, I'm afraid my husband would not be impressed. But perhaps like attracts like."
Those blue eyes of hers continued to peer up at me. There was a vague emptiness to them as though she didn't understand anything I was saying. I could imagine that a woman who so foolishly left her home and family behind for "love" often didn't understand things.
"Perhaps it does," she said dreamily. She was clearly in her own world, dreaming of her and Paris' home and children.
After what seemed like hours of meaningless conversation with the woman, whom I learned was ten years older than Paris, Hector and Paris returned. Hector seemed tense and Paris quickly retreated with his "wife."
I didn't speak to Hector, merely watched him pace around the room for a moment. His arms were folded over his chest and his brow was furrowed. I waited patiently for him to speak.
Finally, he looked over at me. "Paris won't send her back," he stated. "And father isn't making him."
"They're in love," I said sarcastically.
Hector looked at me sharply, not seeing the humor. "Their love will cost us dearly. If Helen does not return to Sparta, Sparta will come to her along with Agamemnon's army. This is the perfect excuse for Agamemnon to attempt to add Troy to his empire."
"If that's what happens, then you have trained your men for a reason. They trust you and would follow you anywhere." I murmured. I walked to him and wrapped both of my arms around his middle. He slowly unwrapped his arms from himself and put them around me.
"I cannot fight all of Greece, Andromache," he whispered into my hair. "All of Greece will come. Agamemnon will get soldiers from all over Greece and we won't be able win."
"Do not talk like that, Hector," I whispered fiercely.
He stared down at me and stroked my face with his big hands. "It is the truth, Andromache. It will be a war we cannot win. I have pleaded with father to rethink his decision of allowing her to stay. Troy will fall because of a beautiful woman."
Without another word, Hector disentangled himself from me and retreated into his own study. He kept his scrolls in there and had a large desk. I didn't follow him. He needed that time to himself, as did I. I knew deep in my heart my husband was right, but I couldn't say those same words out loud. It was too terrible of a thought, let alone a sentence.
Three months later, Helen was still residing in Troy with Paris. Hector had been training his men extra hard for he knew what was coming. He came to bed irritable and grouchy and sometimes took it out on me, so I learned not to speak to him unless he spoke to me. I was so sad for him, literally heartbroken, as I watched him struggle with his and all of Troy's fate. He knew his brother and father were foolish, but he was not yet King of Troy and there was nothing he could do.
Early one morning, the alarm bell sounded through the city. I shot up in bed and hurried out to our bedroom terrace that overlooked the city. I grabbed the railing so tight that my knuckled turned white. I could see all the way to the sea and my chest constricted at the sight before me.
Hundreds of small black warships were nearing the shore before my very eyes. I tried to count them all, but I couldn't, there were simply too many. I couldn't help it, but tears prickled my eyes and I blinked furiously.
Without a word, Hector stepped up behind me. His breathing unsettled my hair but I didn't care a bit. His large hands were on top of mine. We both stared out for a long time before either of us moved.
Finally, he moved one of his arms to wrap around my waist and he held me extremely tight. His chest was pressed firmly to my chest and he planted a kiss on my bare shoulder that was exposed by my nightgown. I turned my face to kiss his cheek and the tears fell down my face. I didn't want this to happen. I couldn't bear to watch this war unfold before my very eyes, I just couldn't.
"I should prepare," Hector murmured against my warm skin.
"Prepare for what?" I managed to turn in his arms and look at him.
He looked down at me sadly for a moment. "Andromache, this is a war. I have to go to battle."
"Right now? Today?' I asked perplexed. "You would engage them today?"
He nodded. "They will be weary from their journey and we are well prepared and rested. It will be a good show of our strength," Hector said.
He released me and I wanted nothing more than for him to come back and to hold me to him. In his arms I felt as though nothing could harm me. When he was gone I felt vulnerable and scared. I followed him into our bedroom and watched as began to put his armor on.
Holding his helmet under his arm, he came back to me and pressed a kiss to my forehead.
I clung to his hand until he finally pulled away, separating us. "Be safe," I whispered as he closed the door behind him.
So I don't have much to say about this. Let me know what you think!
Happy reading,
Avonmora
