Chapter 9
"The Beginning of The End"
Hector was worried, but for once, it had nothing to do with the foreigners who held his country's shores. Rather, it concerned the woman sitting beside him at the dinner table. Since he had found her on their balcony the morning after Andromache left, she was like a ghost to him. Constantly, she seemed distracted by her thoughts, and he couldn't count the numerous times he watched her lie to his face when he begged her to tell him what was wrong. In return, he played dumb because the lies themselves ate away at him, and he couldn't bring himself to confront her. Wishful thinking told him that she was only worried about the war, but he knew it was untrue.
Things had changed between them ever since Andromache had briefly returned, and it terrified him. He felt at fault for the current ocean growing between them. While he had never and would never be unfaithful to Lila, allowing Andromache back into his life for even an hour's time had been a treachery to her. More over, Hector had known the moment he let Andromache in that it was wrong.
He would love Lila until the coins were placed on his eyes, but he could understand why she doubted him and why she was pulling away. 'A goddess does not belong with a mere man,' his mind warned him. He did not deserve her. He was a hardened soldier who was unworthy of her beauty, grace, and kindness. Vainly, he had hoped she could love him, but the signs were there: they had not made love in days, she constantly complained of being weary and would retire to their chambers for hours, and she rarely smiled anymore. He felt as if his heart were being torn from him, and as a result, he too grew withdrawn.
"I know Andromache returned," Paris said suddenly.
Hector and his brother were sparring in one of the gardens when Paris made his admission. The older prince had been distracted and lost in his thoughts for days now, and while they were sparring, Paris managed to land a blow with his wooden sword. What was even more amazing was that Hector didn't seem too concerned by it. Instead, he rejoined, "Who told you?"
"Helen."
Hector nodded and explained, "I sent her away… for good."
"Is that what's been plaguing you?" Paris lunged at his brother who easily stepped out of the way and dodged the younger man's advances.
"Not entirely," Hector admitted with a sigh before he put out his leg and caught Paris under his knees. As the younger sibling fell onto his back, Hector quickly knelt beside him with the wooden piece against his brother's throat.
"Lila," Paris guessed easily after he caught his breath from the fall. Hector shot him a curious look and helped his brother off the ground. "You might be wiser, but I have more experience with women. I can recognize the signs."
"Signs?" Hector repeated with a sense of dread weighing down his limbs.
Paris patted his brother on the shoulder sympathetically. "You need to speak with her. Buy her jewelry. Bring her flowers. Apologize even if you're not sure what you did." Hector snorted, and Paris asked, "What?"
He looked at his little brother with amusement in his eyes. "I never thought I'd see the day when you gave me advice."
"My husband left me for a common whore. I want the city to fall."
Agamemnon smiled slyly and thought, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.' This woman had just won the war for him, and he suddenly felt like celebrating. "Perhaps Troy will have a beautiful, wise queen."
Andromache beamed at the notion. "You're too generous, great king."
Agamemnon of course had no desire for there to ever be a Troy again, but he had years of political experience. Charm, power, and the proper leverage were needed in every negotiation –especially with an angry, backstabbing woman who held the keys to Troy. "This tunnel you speak of under the ground, is it guarded?"
"No," the exiled princess responded. "It's a secret."
All of his kings were gathered before them in the Agamemnon's tent, and they all understood the gravity of these last several nightly meetings. While the princess had given them a way inside, they couldn't simply funnel their entire army through an underground corridor. They needed an efficient plan of attack.
"We should send in a few men who can then open the gates," one king suggested.
"Yes, if we attack at night, the majority of the city will be asleep and unaware."
"Still," Odysseus spoke up from among the others, "Troy is guarded more heavily now than ever. We can't risk the possibility that our men will be found out. If we do not succeed with this plan, we will not win this war."
"What would you suggest?" One man asked with a chuckle. "That our men pray to the gods for invisibility?"
The king of Ithaca ignored the ignorant quip. "We don't need magic to achieve invisibility. We need a diversion."
"A diversion?" Agamemnon repeated thoughtfully from his throne. "Tell us, clever Odysseus. What did you have in mind?"
"We have to be convincing," he continued. "If the Trojans think that we have left, they'll call off the majority of their guards. We will stand a much better chance invading an unsuspecting city rather than one that is ready for war." The tent was quiet aside from his voice, and he took a moment to gather his thoughts.
"How do you plan to convince them that we have retreated?" Another king asked.
Odysseus was remembering the man who had been carving his son a horse, and it took him a moment to respond, "The other day I saw a small bay west of the beach. We can take our ships and hide them there where they are out of sight. We'll take the wreckage from the damaged ships and build an offering to Poseidon for the Trojans to find. They'll think we are praying for a safe voyage home."
"Will the Trojans believe so easily?" one king interrupted.
"No, not if that is all they see, but if it appears that the plague has swept through our camps, they'll be certain we left."
Agamemnon chortled at the brilliant idea. "Yes, have the men begin building an offering immediately."
Lila missed her mother desperately. She missed her best friend even more. In fact, there was a long list of things she missed: her fat cat Elvis, her tiny apartment, the cacti lining the highway, strong coffee, television, her high heels, and books. Surrounded by friendly faces with the undeserved love of a prince, she felt more alone than she could bear. She could not allow herself to confide in anyone though all she wanted to do was scream her lungs out from the weight of her burden. Hector had been distant, and it only justified her maintaining the secret. He had grown tired of her company, and the thought tore her to pieces. Without his love, she felt hallow inside and dead to the world.
That evening she stole away to the statue of Apollo where her knees met the cold brick, and she desperately held her hands to her chest. 'Please, whoever is listening: God, Allah, the gods… anyone. Please, help me. I can't bear this another second.' Silence met her ears, and her tears turned cold on her skin in the night air. 'Please.'
'Get off the floor, Lila,' a beautiful male voice whispered to her. 'Go to bed.'
For a brief moment, it was as though sunlight kissed her skin and penetrated through her cold fear down to her soul, and she whispered, "Apollo?" As quickly as it had come the warmth dissipated, and there was no answer. Lila pulled herself to her feet and returned to their room where she found Hector sitting up in bed and waiting for her.
There were all varieties of beautiful flowers lining the room, and Lila softened easily at the kind gesture. He had a look of immense concern on his handsome face, and it effectively melted the icy distress gripping her heart. She climbed into their bed and curled up against his chest without a word. Hector then wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly for fear of losing of her as he said, "I'm so sorry."
Her arms wound around his neck, and she stroked his hair. "I'm sorry too."
Gently, he rubbed her back and pleaded, "Let me help." Without warning, her whole body began shaking as she finally released pent up sobs, and for a time she couldn't speak. He held her even tighter and whispered comforting sentiments to her. "I'll protect you from any enemy," he promised. "I won't let anyone hurt you."
She bent back to look into his eyes as she asked through broken sobs, "Do you love me?"
"Until my death," he responded earnestly.
"No matter what?"
"Yes."
Lila clumsily wiped the tears from her eyes, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words aloud. Instead, she took one of his worn hands into her own and placed it on her lower abdomen. Hector was confused by the unexplained gesture, but as he stared down at his hand and its position on her body, it hit him like a ton of bricks. "You're with child?"
"Yes," she whispered. Without hesitation, Hector was laughing, and he pulled her against his chest. "You're not mad?" Lila asked in confusion.
"Why would I be angry?" he responded. Relief flooded his body as he realized that her actions this past week were not out of a lack of love but out of fear, and then his relief was replaced with unhindered happiness.
"I was so afraid," she explained, "that you would feel trapped with me."
Hector held her face between his hands and kissed her passionately. "There is not a luckier man in the world." She found herself laughing with him as he kissed her cheeks. Her smile lifted his soul. "How long have you known?"
"A little over a week," she admitted. "I've been sick in the mornings… I was going to tell you the day Andromache showed up. I had gotten a toy at the market, and I was going to surprise you."
Hector was absolutely ecstatic as he gently laid her on her back. Then he kissed her abdomen and placed his forehead against her. "Our child," she heard him whisper to her stomach. Lila had to admit she had never seen him look happier.
"Come here," she beckoned, and he returned to her face where she kissed him over and over again. She had missed him so much in the days when she had been distracted and uncertain of their future. Their tender kisses turned passionate, and the lovers were reunited in the night.
Several days later, Lila turned sideways and peered at the reflection of her naked body. There was the slightest curve to her abdomen, but it was difficult to tell from looking if it was a baby or simply a poor diet. However, it was firm to touch, and she found herself inspecting her body from every which way. If she had to take a very uneducated guess, she would say she was around seven weeks along, but there was no telling when her morning sickness in fact had begun. Lila had something of a sensitive stomach, and any feelings of nausea could have easily been chalked up to her new Trojan diet rather than a bun in the oven. Of course now it was almost a morning ritual, and she mused, 'It's a good sign, right? When Paula was pregnant, she threw up every morning. It's the estrogen or something. It means your baby's healthy… I hope.'
Hector watched her with an amused smile from his position on the bed. Suddenly, she turned to him and asked, "Do my breasts look bigger to you?" He burst out laughing then, and the naked girl put her hands on her hips. "Real mature, prince. It was a serious question." She placed her hands over her breasts and gave them a thoughtful squeeze. "I think they're bigger."
"You look beautiful," he assured her with a grin.
Lila smiled but admitted, "You're biased. Do you think people will notice?"
"Your breasts?"
"No," she said, but then thought for a second and added, "Well, yes. My growing breasts and stomach. They're going to eventually figure it out."
"Are you embarrassed?" Hector asked abruptly.
Lila bit her lip and rubbed a hand thoughtfully over her belly. "I know that we love each other, but I guess I don't want people calling our baby a bastard child just because we're not married. I mean in my time it wouldn't matter, but I don't really know how your culture handles this sort of thing. People can say what they want about me, but I don't want anyone to judge her."
"Her?"
She grinned and explained, "Wishful thinking. We already have Astyanax, so I thought a little girl would be nice."
All of a sudden there was a frantic knock at the door, and Lila quickly pulled a robe around her naked body.
"Enter," Hector called out, and immediately Paris burst into the room.
"Brother, you must come look," the younger man said.
"What has happened?"
"The Greeks…. They've gone."
Lila shot Hector a warning gaze. "I'll meet you at the gate in a moment," the older prince said, and Paris left as abruptly as he had come.
"Burn it," she quickly whispered.
Hector nodded as he slipped on his armor. "I will. I'll return soon." Then he too ran out of the door and to the gate. Lila walked onto their balcony and strained to see the now vacant beaches.
His father, brother, a small group of guards, the high priest, his generals, and Hector himself comprised the group which set off for the beaches. There were signs of the Greeks still evident on the sand: abandoned fires, pieces of debris, millions of various footprints, and several unattended carcasses. King Priam leaned over one, but a general warned, "Careful, my king. Do not approach too closely."
"It's the plague," Glaucus explained as he squinted at one dead man's decaying flesh. Hector was not concerned with the dead. Against the blue horizon stood one massive relic of their departure.
"The horse," he murmured to himself.
"What is it?" Old King Priam asked as he craned his neck back to take in the entire sight.
"An offering to Poseidon," the high priest spoke up. "The Greeks are praying for a safe journey home."
"What should we do with it?"
"Burn it, father," Hector said immediately.
"Burn it, my prince?" The priest scoffed with a glare in his direction. "It is an offering to the gods!"
"Burn it," he repeated.
"Hector," Priam warned his son gently, "we should not anger the gods. This is a gift."
"We should take it to the temple of Poseidon," the priest added, and Hector had a desire to punch the foolish old man.
"Father, Agamemnon would have burned our city to the ground with all our countrymen inside. They do not deserve our blessing. We should burn it. We can make a sacrifice to Poseidon ourselves but not this."
"I agree," Paris spoke up suddenly. "Hector's right."
Priam was pensive for a moment, but the look on Hector's face seemed to both disappoint and convince him. "Very well. Today we will celebrate for Troy has won a great victory, and we will properly thank the gods ourselves."
Hector let out a sigh relief as several of the guards lit the legs of the horse on fire. Within moments the entire wooden piece was engulfed in flames, but there were no screams of pain from the inside. In fact, there was no sign of any men hiding within the structure. The prince frowned as he watched carefully, and something in the back of his mind was warning him. Hadn't Lila told him there would be Greek soldiers hiding inside?
When he returned to the palace, Lila was anxiously waiting by the gate. "So?" she whispered as she pulled him aside.
"We burnt it," he assured her, and she visibly relaxed.
"We won!" She was grinning then and looked near tears as she embraced him. He wanted to tell her of his doubts, but how could he? She was from the future, and she was absolutely positive about the Trojan horse. Still, something felt wrong, and the doubt in his mind was never too far from thought.
Within hours, the city was alive with the largest celebration the prince had ever witnessed. He easily dismissed his concerns when he saw Lila's beaming face. He had never seen her so carefree and light-hearted. How could he ruin her happiness with his doubts? Instead, he laughed as she began dancing, and she grabbed his hands and spun with him. He was dizzy by the time she released him, and Paris slipped a cup of wine into his hands.
"To Troy," the younger man said with a raised cup.
Hector lifted his as well and answered, "To Troy." He drank the entire cup in one attempt and watched Lila dance with Helen.
"Have you seen anything more beautiful?" Paris asked in reference to the celebrations.
"No," Hector admitted, but his attention was not on the crowd. The princess seemed embarrassed, but Lila practically floated through the air. She was so serene, guiltless, and free, and her hazel eyes met his for a moment. Without hesitation, she did something he had never seen: she blew him a kiss. The prince laughed in return, and she winked before Helen caught her wrist and pulled her away. Apparently Helen had forgotten her embarrassment, and the two women danced arm in arm. His dark eyes lost them in the crowd of his countrymen. Every single person, old or young, was celebrating, and Hector patted his younger sibling on the shoulder. "We'll never let Troy fall," he promised, and Paris nodded resolutely in return.
Evening fell, but the celebrations did not cease. "Lila, won't you grace us with a song from your country?" Priam asked as he looked kindly down at her from his seat.
Lila was sitting on Hector's knee, and it was the first break she had taken in hours. In fact, Hector practically had to pull her from the crowd and remind her of her condition to get her to rest. She smiled in return to Priam and agreed, "Certainly. I think I might have something fitting." The prince released her and watched his love stand before the crowd of people and the court. Instead of facing the court as was expected, she turned to the throng of people in the square.
"Into the night, desperate and broken. The sound of a fight. Father has spoken. We were the kings and queens of promise. We were the victims of ourselves. Maybe the children of a lesser god between heaven and hell, heaven and hell…" As her voice met their ears, the square grew quiet, and the Trojan people strained to catch a glimpse of the woman. She used all her power to project across the space, and the crowd began cheering her on. "…Into your eyes, hopeless and taken. We stole our new lives through blood and pain. In defense of our dreams. In defense of our dreams. We were the kings and queens of promise. We were the victims of ourselves. Maybe the children of a lesser god between heaven and hell, heaven and hell…" She was beaming as they cheered louder, and Hector was amazed how she commanded the attention of the throng of people. As the song neared the end, she pushed herself even further, and in response, the crowd roared. He couldn't be sure if it was the words, Lila herself, or the combination that had his people so engaged. When she finished, the crowd burst into applause, and she laughed and walked back to Hector as if it were nothing.
He kissed her temple and admitted, "You'll make a great queen one day, my love."
Lila shook her head. "Just because I can get a bunch of drunk people cheering doesn't make me a leader."
"You didn't see yourself," he continued. Without a trace of hesitation, he drew her closer amidst the cheers and revelry and said, "Be my wife."
She gently kissed his forehead and replied, "I think you've had too much wine, honey."
"No." He took her shoulders and forced her to face him. "Marry me."
Around them everyone was unaware of their conversation, and she looked into his dark eyes with apprehension. "Ask me in the morning when you've sobered up."
"No," he said again. "I can't wait another second. Marry me, Lila."
"You're serious," she breathed in surprise, and her expression shifted from doubt to shock.
He took her face into his hands. "What is your answer?"
Her eyes welled up with tears then, and she began laughing. "Yes, you brute. I'll marry you." He kissed her deeply, and he couldn't remember ever being happier. His city was safe. He had found the love of his life. She would marry him and have his child. How could his life ever be better than that very moment?
Author's Note: The song which Lila sings is "Kings and Queens" by 30 Seconds to Mars from their album This Is War (2010). Sorry guys for the delayed update. I was out of town celebrating a belated Valentine's Day with my boyfriend haha Luckily, however, I've already begun on the next chapter! Thank you to EmmyMK and Impossible Avenues for the two lovely reviews! Emmy: I wasn't initially going to bring Andromache back, but the drama queen in me couldn't help herself ;) Impossible: Sounds so good! I would read it haha It would be refreshing to read an original Achilles story! I hope you like this chapter and continue reading :D