Arianna woke up feeling two warm arms wrapped around her waist and a nose against her neck. Soft breath fluttered her hair gently. The sun streamed into the room, almost blindingly, so Arianna guessed it was late. I twisted around in hectors arms and looked into his deep eyes.

"Morning, My beautiful Princess." He gently kissed my forehead, running his fingers through my hair.

Arianna smiled and sleepily rubbed her eyes, moving closer and burying her head in his broad chest. Hector began to gently stroke her hair, a smile still playing against his lips. They lay together silently for what felt like hours, but neither minded, they would happily stay in each other's arms for as long as they lived.

"We really should be getting up" he murmured into her hair

"Just a few more minutes" Arianna whispered, running her hand down his tanned chest, he caught her hand and entwined their fingers; He touched his warm lips to Arianna's forehead as a knock at the door broke their embrace. Arianna sighed as hector got out of bed, wrapping a robe around his body. She pulled the covers up to her neck and rested against the bed frame, watching hector as he pushed the door open, looking down at a servant.

"Yes?" he asked, still smiling from his night.

"My lord Prince Hector" the man bowed "Your father requests your presence out in the courtyard, an offering to Poseidon has been left y the Greeks, they've gone home My Lord!" the man beamed joyfully, hector blinked and furrowed his brows at the man.

Arianna gasped, standing up, holding the thin sheet against her, she ran to hectors side, the servant blushed and averted his eyes. "I'm sorry but did you just say the Greeks had left?" she asked in disbelief.

The man nodded his gaze still on the floor tiles. Hector dismissed the man and turned to Arianna, her eyes seemed far away, deep in thought.

The man nodded his gaze still on the floor tiles. Hector dismissed the man and turned to Arianna, her eyes seemed far away, deep in thought, he touched her shoulder and she jumped. Her bright violet eyes focused with a few hurried blinks, she smiled but it did not reach her eyes.

"Why would they leave? It doesn't make sense" she muttered, more to herself than to hector. He pulled the sheet closer around her, moving her closer to his body, he looked down into her eyes and stroked the silk of her cheek.

"I don't know my love, but let's get dressed and go down to the courtyard, maybe my father knows more" hector soothed, Arianna nodded, but she still seemed distracted. Hector watched her move away and pick up her blue and white draped gown from floor and slipped it over her head, hector dressed in his tunic and tied his sword around his waist, his daily uniform. She took his arm and they walked quietly down to the courtyard, the sun warming their skins deep down to the bone, Arianna smiled instantly and hector let out a breath of relief, her smile was better than any food or wine, but just as addictive.

"Father" Hector bowed to his father, who kissed his cheeks before moving on to Arianna who curtsied and the old king kissed her cheeks as well. "Is it true?" hector asked his father "the Greeks have left?"

The old king beamed and nodded before waving his hand to one of the large windows, "it is my son, they left their offering for Poseidon and it is now in his temple, troy is safe again" hector turned to face the large wooden horse, just outside the sea gods temple, servants of the god and Trojans danced around the large horse, cheering, rejoicing in being safe once more. He turned back to his father and looked into his twinkling blue eyes; he smiled, ready to let the feelings of relief at the war ending flood his body, then he turned to Arianna.

She was squinting out the window, against the sun down at the horse. She was silent but her body language spoke volumes. Her back was straight, her fingers rapping against the windowsill, an erratic beat. Her brows were furrowed and she had caught her plump bottom lip against her teeth. She turned back to the king.

"Burn it" she said clearly

"That's what I said" Paris spoke up, but the king just waved him down.

"We will not be burning the horse, it is an offer to the sea god" the king said adamantly

"I'm sorry king Priam, but something doesn't feel right, they would not just up and leave, my bro- king Odysseus and the myrmidons would not just leave" she said just as adamantly back.

"Maybe the gods answered our prayers Arianna, the Greeks are gone, my city and its people are safe, and Poseidon must be appeased" the king spoke softly

Arianna scoffed "I find that hard to believe"

"Why do you doubt the gods power Arianna?" the king asked

"Why do you trust them so?" she countered. The king smiled widely and turned to hector and Paris

"My sons, please go down to the grounds, our people will want to congratulate you" his sons nodded, hector took Arianna's hand and squeezed it gently as they walked to the door. "Arianna, stay, I would like to talk to you"

Arianna stood still and turned to the king, she pressed a soft kiss to hectors lips and nodded "I shall see you later my love" hector smiled and left, Arianna turned and walked back to Priam.

"Sit" the king said, patting the seat beside him, Arianna sat crossing her shapely legs, and faced the king.

"Why do you place so little faith in the gods?" he asked and Arianna chuckled.

"I knew you would ask that, how about a tale for a tale?"

The king nodded "of course"

Taking a deep breath Arianna began "within the myrmidon ranks, the captain Eudorus is my brothers most loyal fighter, and my best and most trusted friend, we have known each other since we were very young, he has fought with Achilles since they were fifteen, been in countless wars, battles, he is ruthless in a fight, but he is one of the kindest, gentlest man you could hope for" Arianna balled her fists when she spoke of Eudorus, she missed him.

"Go on" the king prompted

"Four seasons ago they were travelling to Ithaca, I went with them, our father had died and Achilles became even more protective of me, kept me close. Once we were there, I was in the temple, I used to be a devotee to the god Apollo, like yourself, when a man began to hassle me, he tried to take me on the temple floor, I was just fifteen, smaller than I am now and I couldn't fight back, he was too strong, I prayed to Apollo to help me, I prayed and I screamed and asked for his help, but nothing, the beast of a man would have had me if Eudorus hadn't dragged him off me, they began to fight, the man stabbed Eudorus but he held his strength enough to kill the man, my friend had risked his life to save me and almost died in the process, ever since that day my faith in the gods shattered, and my faith in my friends and family grew"

Her eyes glowed with pain and anger as she relieved the memories, the man's hot breath on her neck, his clammy hands on her breasts, punching her, forcing his knees at her thighs, she shuddered, taking a calming breath before looking up at the king.

The king was shocked and repulsed, angry on her behalf "I am sorry you went through that Arianna, Eudorus sounds like an honorable man" the king patted her hand

"He is" she smiled "now, I have kept up my end of the bargain" she said

"Ah yes, why I believe in the gods" the king said with a slight smile "when Hector was young, he came down with the fever, he couldn't move, would barely wake, I brought in healers from every corner of troy but they all said the same, he would not last the quarter, I was going to lose my son, that I should prepare for the worst. from the moment they told me this I prayed, to every god, I prayed every day, that my son would live, and one morning I came back from the temple and there was hector, pale and weak but smiling, sat up, laughing" the king smiled

"I prayed for a miracle Arianna, and I was granted, I just wish to repay them" the king finished

Arianna sat quietly for a few moments, she looked up at the king with her violet eyes and the old man smiled. "Aphrodite must have liked your mother"

A slight blush crept over her cheeks, which was not like Arianna. "You still don't believe me?" the king asked

Arianna stood and curtsied to the king "I must go my lord, I fear I have taken too much of your time"

The king inclined his head at the young woman and smiled, waiting until she was at the door before speaking again.

"Enjoy the celebrations Arianna, let my people know you will make a fine queen, and a fine wife, for such a confident woman you have so many insecurities"

Arianna turned and smiled blindingly at the older man "I just hide them so well" she slipped out into the heat of the day and spotted hector in a crowd of people, making them laugh, he looked up and caught her eye smiling warmly, making her heart soar.