Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC and parts of the storyline. All rights go to Wolfgang Peterson, the wonderful director of Troy.

A/N: Hello to everyone! Thank you for being so patient with me as I deal with writer's block for this story. I have been focusing more on COTAR, but I am going to try and crank more chapters out for this story in the next few months. Now some of you may be mad about this chapter, but just bear with me please! Hello to all my new favs/followers: PensiveProsperity, Ellesbellssmells, mynameistolong, immy020102, Darkest Nightingale, superfaraway, marriedharrypottercast, The mad wolf, Cheyenne761, JessTheDepressed, Atn87, Kohanita, Abysseum, clorainexe66, kelsi106, Avacii, LenaMiaH, RedPlanetGalaxy, Sofa Garcia, oberonx007, Animephilosopher1, aishiteru naru, Seraphis88, sailinginthestorm, ByondTheSource8, Xenahime92, Diablo731, Ruuuby, aaldosari14, Princessdiana516, Nora83, Bronnie929, NattiB, CoffeeInMyVeins, JediGemini, and Ameryll Cullen. And thank you to guests for reviewing!

Ch. 20

"Men would live exceedingly quiet if these two words, mine and thine, were taken away."
~Anaxagoras

"Pay attention to your enemies, for they are the first to discover your mistakes."
Antisthenes

Much to Panthea's pleasure, the Greeks and Trojans had not engaged in any battles thus so far. With the revelation of Panthea's pregnancy in March, the Greeks were hesitant to even begin skirmishes with the Trojans for fear that the child Panthea was carrying would be the future heir of Troy and Sparta. Menelaus wanted to pull away all forces while Agamemnon was not so easily deterred from his quest for world domination.

While the mortals were dealing with their human problems below, the gods watched from above on Olympus, waiting for their time to strike or to meddle once again in the world below. Athena sat with her twin brother and sister, Apollo and Artemis, while Aphrodite and Thetis sat across from them. "It seems our Panthea is carrying your grandchild," Athena speaks.

Thetis nods, smiling brightly. "Yes, she is." She is ecstatic to be a grandmother, but it was unfortunate that it would born in a time of war.

"And what a pretty child it will be," Aphrodite comments. She flips her blond curls over her shoulder, thinking about what gifts they would all bestow upon the child.

"Or handsome," Apollo adds. "It could be a boy."

"You would like that, wouldn't you brother?" Artemis speaks, chuckling at her brother.

"You never know. He could be a lady-killer like his great uncle," Apollo says, sending the goddesses a seductive look to which all of them laugh at.

"If I recall brother, Daphne's father turned her into a tree so she wouldn't be ravaged by you." Apollo frowns at Athena's words.

"That was just once," Apollo responds, quick to defend himself. "Besides, she wasn't that pretty anyways." They all let out bursts of laughter at Apollo's antics, knowing that love was a game even for the gods.

"Now, now my children….and Thetis, darling," Zeus speaks, alerting them all of his presence. "How is my grandchild?" he asks, his gaze falling on Athena.

"Well, father," Athena replies. "It seems her pregnancy has stopped the war as for now, until Agamemnon is tired of waiting. The Greeks are at odds with each other while the Trojans hope to take protection behind their walls for a little while longer."

"I see," Zeus speaks, a thoughtful look on his face. "Let's see how long this truce last." He departs as quickly as he arrived, all eyes on him as he disappears once again to his chambers. Zeus ever rarely participated in his children's antics, choosing for them to do all the work while he watched. He was supposed to be neutral in this war anyways.

Apollo lets out a chuckle at his father's departure. No one ever seemed to know where he disappeared to after their short meetings. It wasn't like he wasn't interested in what they were speaking about. He just appeared occupied by his own thoughts and instead of listening to the talk around him, Zeus would excuse himself to deal with his thoughts on his own. Meanwhile, the rest of the gods continued their talk, wondering as to what the humans would do next in this war they called life.

Hector had been enraged once they returned to the city. The way Achilles looked at Panthea and the way she had looked at him had crawled under his skin. He said nothing to Panthea as they journeyed back to the palace. Apollis seemed as if he was walking at a snail's pace as he carried Panthea and Hector up the streets and around the structures within the city. Panthea could see Hector's hands gripping the reigns tightly and she instantly was worried, She bit her lip, worrying about what had frustrated him so. Of course, she knew it had to do something with Achilles. She internally berated herself for her reaction towards him, but she had to tell him. It was the right thing to do. And she was happy she did so. The light in Achilles' eyes had been enough satisfaction for her. But seeing Hector now, she realized her association with both men would affect the way each man acted towards her. But, she hadn't seen Achilles for months. Hector should have understood why she acted that way. It was only natural and suddenly, she found herself upset with Hector's behavior.

Finally, they made their way make to the palace. Hector dismounted swiftly, going to aid Panthea, but she swatted his hands away and got off of Apollis herself. She did not acknowledge Hector, instead striding past him and into the palace. She spared Apollis a soothing rub on his neck, barely even looking at Hector. Hector was put off by her behavior, calling after Panthea as she walked to her chambers. He was angry on their way to the palace, but now he was concerned.

"Panthea," Hector called after her. Panthea said nothing and ignored his words, her lips pressed in a thin line as she continued down one of the various halls of the palace. "Panthea," Hector called out one more time. Panthea halted, turning, and fiercely giving Hector a gaze before she turned on her heel, entered her chambers, and slammed the door behind her. The sound made Hector jump and when he heard the sound of the lock slam into place, he cringed.

The guards at their posts eyed Hector, some of them even staring at the door Panthea had slammed behind her. "Back to your posts," Hector spoke in a commanding tone, the men all returning to their positions at the sound of the Prince of Troy's voice. Hector was fuming once again, rubbing his face in an exasperated manner before he too headed towards his rooms. He blew off Panthea's behavior, believing it had something to do with mood swings women had during pregnancy. However, he knew better than that. He had done something to upset her, but he just let it be. If he knew Panthea, it was better to let her cool off instead of press the subject.

Three months had passed since that fateful day when Panthea had been allowed to see her father and Achilles. Things had been tense between her and Hector, Panthea choosing to be stubborn and keep him on his toes. A few weeks ago she had intentionally knocked into a maid who was carrying food and water on a tray. When the servant went to retrieve the items, Panthea intentionally stopped her and stared directly at Hector.

"Hector," Panthea spoke, "Could you get those for me?"

All eyes turned to the couple, waiting for Hector to make a move. Hector swallowed his pride instead of criticizing her and gathered the fallen fruit and bread as well as the vase that had been filled with water. "My lord," the servant said to him, bowing, and taking the food away to replace it with new food. Hector stood in front of Panthea, a stern look on his face. Panthea met his gaze, not backing down. When neither of them said anything, Hector gently grasped Panthea by the arm and led her away from the courtiers. Helen watched after her daughter warily, wondering what had gotten into her. Priam also seemed worried, his daughter-in-law's behavior quite a shock. Hector must have done something he thought.

Panthea neither protested nor was willing to go with Hector as he gently led her to a secluded part of the terrace gardens. A small smirk appeared on her face while Hector's was graced with a frown. His forehead was creased and his grip tightened around Panthea's arm for a moment before he realized his annoyance was getting the better of him. He immediately took his arm away from Panthea's arm and she rubbed the flesh, his strength having hurt her slightly. She said nothing though, instead raising her eyes up to meet his and meeting him in a defensive stance.

"Panthea, this has got to stop. Whatever I have done to offend you, you have not told me and that is hardly fair for me to apologize to you when I have no idea what I even did," Hector said. Panthea looked him over, noticing the dark circles under his eyes. The strain of war…and her attitude…was finally getting the better of him. Small skirmishes had begun on both sides, both the Greeks and Trojans hungry for the war to begin again. However, Panthea's look of guiltiness turned to one of defense once again.

"You say that you love me, that you married me to protect, yet I think there is a reason for you to hate me now," Panthea spit out through clenched teeth. She placed her hands on her stomach defensively as Hector watched her body movement.

"I could never hate you," Hector spoke, taking a few steps toward her to embrace her. Panthea backed away, not bothering to see that Hector's face was filled with hurt at her accusation.

"But you hate the child I carry." Those words stopped Hector right in his track. The fact that she assumed such a thing angered him, but at the same time, he knew why she had come to that conclusion. His behavior at the meeting between the Greeks and the Trojans displayed his envy as well as disgust towards Achilles.

"No Panthea," Hector muttered through a clenched jaw. "I do not hate the child." He kneeled in front of her placing his hands on her sides as he pressed a kiss to her massive stomach. She looked so small with the way she was carrying the child, so fail, so delicate. "I love this babe as if it were mine." He looked up at Panthea who still had a stubborn look on her face, as if she didn't believe him. Hector stood up to his full height, taking her face in the palms of his hands and rubbing her cheeks softly. "I hate that I am not this child's father, that the woman I am married to does not carry my seed. You have no idea how much I wish this child was mine. You have no idea how much I wish to make love to you," he whispered in a husky tone.

What Panthea said next surprised them. Whether it was because she was overcome with pregnancy hormones or because she was finally giving into her temptations, neither knew, but it did not matter. "Then why don't you," Panthea uttered, biting her lips nervously as she met Hector's lust-filled gaze.

The Prince of Troy immediately pressed his lips to hers, hard, making Panthea let out a gasp of surprise at his intensity. His hands traveled from her face to her back, holding her as close as he could without hurting her or the baby. Panthea's hands were holding onto his broad shoulders as she tried not to lose her balance as he pressed into her. Slowly, Hector lowered his hands to her bottom and squeezed before lifting her into his arms. Panthea lets out a giggle at his enthusiasm, Hector carrying her through the halls of the palace towards his personal chambers. Panthea's arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers playing with the curls at the base of his neck while her face was pressed into the curve of his neck and shoulders. The guards watched, curious at the married couple's behavior. They had recently heard or seen the tension between the couple, but not the playful banter they were seeing now.

Hector slammed open the doors to his chambers loudly, setting Panthea down gently on the tiled floor as he released her from his grip. He immediately wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her too him as he guided their bodies slowly to the bed in the middle of the room. He kissed her slowly, but deeply. When Panthea legs hit the edge of the bed, they pulled away, resting their foreheads against each other. Panthea made the first move, placing her hands on his shoulders and pushing off the material of his chiton there, revealing his broad chest and taunt stomach. She ran her hands and eyes over the skin greedily, her hands following a pattern from his shoulders, over his pectoral muscles, down his stomach, and back up again. Hector let out a sigh of content at her motions, his hands remain at her waist, but fingering the material of her peplos.

Hector placed his hand under Panthea's chin, pulling her lips back up to meet his. As he did so, he released the pins on her peplos, the thin material falling to the ground and leaving Panthea bare in front of him. She looked absolutely beautiful to his eyes. Her white-blond fell across her shoulders, over her growing breasts and her stomach was huge with child. She looked absolutely breathtaking to him as he took her in. She blushed under his gaze before sit back on the bed and scooting backwards until she was able to lie down. She reached her arms up to him, beckoning him to her with her smile.

Hector obeyed her summons willingly, untying his chiton and standing completely naked in front of her before crawling over top of her. Panthea's legs immediately opened for him and Hector bared his weight on his elbows so as not to crush her or the baby. He lowered his face towards her, kissing her gently before making a path of kisses to her neck and then latching his mouth onto one of her breasts. The sensation made Panthea moan and she bucked her hips up while Hector lovingly paid attention to both of her breasts. Her hands ran through is dark curls eager while Hector's own hands held her waist in place so she would stop squirming from his actions.

Hector chuckled as Panthea bucked underneath him. He drew himself back up over her, staring into her eyes while she whined for him to continue. She pulled him towards her, her strength surprising him as she reached around his neck and pulled her towards him. Her legs wrapped around him eagerly and her hand traveled to his length, reaching for it. Hector stopped her, moving so she could no longer reach him. The movement hadn't startled him, but made him frit his teeth in want. However, he did not want to rush this moment. He wanted to take his time, though Panthea had other ideas.

"Hector, please…" Panthea begged, her hips continuing to buck against his.

Hector shook his head, determined not to completely fall under her spell. He would enjoy her first, he would pleasure her first, for he knew once he was inside her that he would be undone. "Let me savor you my love," he spoke to her huskily, sending shivers down Panthea's spine. Panthea was frozen in place, mesmerized by the sound of his voice. His gaze made her feel wanted, made her feel loved. He pressed another kiss to her lips before sliding down her body and parting her legs open before placing his head between her legs.

Panthea began to moan as Hector ravished her flower, her hands clenching the sheets of the bed while she bit her lip and threw her head back in pleasure. Hector knew exactly what he was doing and he knew it as he smiled against her area. He drew his tongue up and down her opening before using his finger to press against her bud. He continued the movement, drawing his tongue against her before inside of her. It was driving Panthea absolutely crazy. Her breathing was heavy and she felt her orgasm near before Hector placed her on the edge. As she finished, her back arched off the bed and she called out his name, though it was only a whisper on her lips. She could barely speak, she was so overtaken by the sensations Hector had given her. Hector removed himself from between Panthea's legs, pressing kisses to the inside of her legs before kissing up her body and lovingly rubbing her stomach before he held himself over her again.

"Please," Panthea spoke softly, looking up at Hector. Though she was tired, her want for him had won out and Hector was more than pleased to grant her wish. He nodded his head at her, his lust filled eyes connecting with hers. He centered himself with her opening, careful not to rush as he entered her. Both groaned at the feeling, one at being completely filled, the other at being overcome by warmth and tightness. Panthea gripped Hector's arm tightly and raised her legs to wrap around Hector's middle. Hector breathed in deeply, his eyes shutting in complete rapture as he was taken over by the feeling of being inside Panthea. He looked to Panthea, making sure she was alright. She nodded, urging him to continue by raising her hips up. Hector then filled Panthea with his entire length, ushering a whimper out of Panthea as he started to pump in and out of her. Panthea pulled against Hector's shoulders, wanting his kiss against her lips as they made love. The two kissed passionately, Hector's tongue darting inside of Panthea's mouth and exerting dominance over her. One hand held the flesh between her bottom and leg while the other had drifted into her white-blond locks.

"Hector, Hector," Panthea called out, her nails digging into his back as he thrusts got faster and faster. Hector could begin to feel himself unravel and he knew he was close. "Hector, I love you," Panthea spoke in his ear. That was all he needed and he yelled out as he finished. Both of their bodies were drenched in sweat and Hector struggled to keep himself above Panthea as he came down from his high. He collapsed onto the bed next to her, lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling as he breathed heavily. He pulled Panthea into his side, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her on the forehead as they both recovered from their rendezvous. Panthea buried her face in the crook of his neck, sighing contently as the pair cuddled. Hector looked to Panthea, his hands resting on her stomach and rubbing over the area gently. She smiled up at him, placing her hand over his. They were both content in that moment, basking in the aftermath of their lovemaking as they stared into each other's eyes.

The two later returned to the gathering, Panthea practically glowing while Hector looked satisfied as he walked next to her, his hand at the small of her back. It seemed the tension between their new princess and their crown prince had been resolved. However, soon that would all change.

It had been decided by the Trojan council that the war would resume. Priam, even after voicing his opinion that they should wait, had eventually decided to agree with his men. Glaucus had also agreed with his king, but his stubbornness remained. The majority had voted against him and the idea that they should remain behind their walls. With a heavy heart, Hector went to tell Panthea the news, that he would lead the Trojans once more into battle that next morning. When he told her, her face of joy at seeing him turned downcast. She turned her back on him, stepping out onto the terrace of her room and looking out towards the beach.

"I only have one thing to say to you," Panthea spoke through tear-filled eyes. She turned to him then, her white-blond hair blowing in the wind. "Everything is not as it seems. Let that be a warning to you when you step out on that field and kill someone's husband, someone's son, someone's brother, or someone's father. I advise you to be cautious." Her words felt like a slap to his face, but he knew she only spoke with her heart. It was silent then, Panthea barely looking him the eye. That's all she said or did before he departed. Hector turned on his heel, unable to say anything else. She was disappointed, but he was already in war mode.

The next morning, practically dawn, the Trojans suited up for battle. Hector led them in all of his shining glory, mounted on his great war horse. He passed through the streets of Troy, many of the women and children lining the streets to give their men farewells. Some faces were grim, others were tear-stained. Hector saluted them all as they past, each and every citizen of Troy bowing their heads as their crown-prince and their troops marched forth into battle. Soon they reached the great wall surrounding the city and the heavily guarded gate which opened as they approached.

The troops pass through the gate, heading down the beach toward the Greek encampment. The Greeks had no clue of their coming which made the battle even more important. Everything had to go perfectly as it was the first true battle to rekindle the war. Hector looks up towards the ramparts, only seeing his father, Panthea, and a few of his father's advisors and guards. It was too early for the members of court to be awake anyways. Andromache had remained with Astyanax while Helen and Paris remained in their own quarters. Some had ridiculed Paris for his behavior since he had not returned to war despite the healing of his injury earlier.

Panthea stares down at Hector from the ramparts, though he can't see the look of pity on her face. She doesn't just pity Hector, she pities the men marching down to meet the enemy and the Greeks who had no idea of the coming battle. She prayed to the gods that this war would end, but that seemed impossible as of now.

Silently, the Trojans make their way down the beach, Hector, Tecton, and Glaucus ahead of the rest of the soldiers having dismounted their horses and walking on foot. They line up against the valley of the beach, the Greeks seemingly in a fish bowl while the Trojans encircle them. They halt, barely making a sound. Only the three leaders move, beating their spears against their shields. Immediately, the watchmen alert the camp, throwing the men into a frenzy. The other soldiers follow Hector's lead, a loud echoing sound of spears against shields is hear throughout the entire camp. Menelaus remains in his tent, neither moving nor urging his men to fight or not. He is tired of fighting and though his brother goes to leave their tent, he speaks no word to him. Agamemnon sends him a fierce glare before departing, meeting Odysseus and Nestor as the troops are rallied.

"Hold those barricades!" Agamemnon bellows as he walks to the high dunes, a place where he can watch, but not participate in battle. Nestor joins him while Odysseus heads to the ranks, joining his Ithacans. He knows the men are overwhelmed seeing the Apollonian Guard as well as 25,000 foot soldiers marching behind.

The Greeks stand nervously as they wait for the approaching enemy. Their camp is utter chaos as they rush to meet the Trojans. "Archers to the rear," Hector speaks to one of his captains as he marches down with his men. The man rushes to the back of the troops, the archers trailing behind him. Suddenly, an outburst is heard at the end of the Greek line.

Odysseus turns towards the voices, his cautious face now one of relief. "Achilles, Achilles, Achilles!" he hears. Achilles' mighty figure emerges from the camp, his armor practically glittering as he races with the Myrmidons to battle. Eudorus, his trusty servant, runs side by side with him. All the men begin to cheer as they spot their champion. Odysseus thought Achilles would not fight any longer, but he was wrong. Achilles and the Myrmidons continue up the beach, Hector spotting his rival immediately among the commotion.

"Achilles," Hector utters with hatred, eyeing his enemy with a venomous stare. Soon the other Trojans realize that the Greek's morale is now boosted by the appearance of Achilles and they start to doubt their true force as they charge against the enemy. Yells are heard from both sides as the armies collide, some of victory, some of anguish. The sound of steel against steel, steel against shield, and steel against flesh is heard. Achilles pushes his way forward through the crowd while hector does the same. Bodies fall before the mighty lion while the dark prince of Troy eliminates his enemies in the same manner.

Soon the two come face to face, all fighting stopping around them as the soldiers realize the champion of the Trojans and of the Greeks are engaged in a battle of strength to see who truly is the greater soldier and most blessed of the gods. A ring forms around the two men as they size each other up, but behind the watching men, battle still rages. They each catch their breaths as they prepare to fight for glory. Odysseus, immersed in combat, finishes off his enemy before seeing the fight about to begin. He's uneasy, feeling that something isn't quite right about the golden warrior.

The forces clash, Greek against Trojan, sun against moon. Each are experts in their movements, their swords apart of them as they strike the other man. Achilles is quicker, striking like a cobra as he moves around Hector. He his is light on his feet, continuously moving. Meanwhile, Hector holds back his strength, patiently waiting for an opening that could cut down his rival instantly. Odysseus makes his way through the crowd towards the front of the ring around the soldiers, intently watching Achilles. Hector can see his facial expression from the corner of his eye and now he is unhinged.

Achilles makes his move, raising his sword overhead and leaving his front unprotected. Hector has the opportunity to strike the skin under his helmet, but he doesn't take it. Panthea's words echo in his head: Everything is not as it seems. Instead, he strikes against the skin of the chest instead of his neck, lowering his aim by a fraction. The wound is deep, but not so deep as to say there was no slight hope in recovering from the injury. The Trojans let out sounds of praise while the Greeks sounds of despair. Achilles clutches his hand to his chest, the blood pouring out onto his hand as he stares at the wound.

Time seems to stop as hector tries to wrap his brain around what had been done. Odysseus has the same facial expression of shock on his face. He cannot believe Achilles has fallen. Achilles collapses to the ground, his sword still grasped in his hand. Eudorus, Achilles right-hand man, stares at his master in devastation, not realizing how he could have been defeated in battle. Hector goes to kneel next to Achilles body, but is taken aback when he removes his helmet and realizes it is not Achilles at all. It is Patroclus, Achille's cousin. Gasps of shock are heard throughout the crowd and Hector has a mixed look of disappointment and horror as he looks down at the boy who is barely even a man. Odysseus carefully approaches him, coming to stand beside him.

"It is his cousin, Patroclus," Odysseus reveals as they stare at the boy. Patroclus has a panicked look in his eyes and he cries out in anguish. Medicine would need to be applied to the wound soon or infection would set in. However, with the poor supplies of the Greeks on the beach, he would have little to no chance surviving. Patroclus and Hector connect gazes, the victorious soldier and the fallen cousin of Achilles.

"Enough for one day?" Hector questions Odysseus. The King of Ithaca merely nods as he continues to stare at Patroclus. "Back to the city!" Hector yells out. The captains repeat his order, escorting the men back to the city. The dead lay around them, but they will have time later to collect the bodies, once terms have been discussed.

"Back to the ships!" Odysseus calls out. The Greeks head back to the ships while Odysseus remains next to Hector. He has a contemplative look on his face. Eudorus and Glaucus remain behind, standing behind the two great men and eyeing each other. Odysseus notices both of them, knowing that Eudorus would have to report to his master about his cousin and that the general would not leave the Prince of Troy's side.

"I can take him back to the city and take him to the houses of healing. He would have a much better chance of surviving, as would I," Hector adds on. Odysseus raises an eyebrow at him. 'Surely your wife would kill you if you were in the same situation," he continues, Odysseus understanding what he meant. Panthea would surely have his head if he had killed Patroclus, but a minor lashing would be evoked from her if he attempted to right his wrong. Odysseus looks to Eudorus, waiting for the man to speak.

"My lord, if I may be so bold, Patroclus will have little to no chance surviving if we don't act now,' Eudorus mutters, watching as the blood from Patroclus' wound continued to flow out onto the sand. He was losing blood quickly.

Odysseus nods before stating, "Tell Achilles. The Trojans will take Patroclus into the city." Eudorus hesitates at first, not wanting to leave the boy, but he obeys Odysseus and returns to the Greek encampment. Meanwhile, Hector calls for a soldier to bring his horse to him. When his great steed arrives, he mounts before Odysseus hands Patroclus to him. Glaucus also mounts his own horse, waiting for Hector patiently. He eyes Patroclus warily. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into," Odysseus mutters.

"I already know the consequences," Hector replies, "But if this boy dies, then it is on my conscience. And do not fear, he will be no prisoner of war. He will be a guest of Troy while he heals." Odysseus agrees, shaking his head. Hector spurs off into the direction of the city, Odysseus watching as the figures fade away into the distance before turning into great blurs along the outline of the city. He then turns towards the Greek encampment, letting out a sigh. He would have to deal with Achilles or poor Eudorus would end up pummeled to death. He heads in the direction of the Myrmidon Camp, silently praying that Patroclus would be healed.

Meanwhile, Panthea stands on the ramparts of the city, waiting to see the figure of Hector return. She had not seen the battle between Patroclus and Hector for they had been too far down the beach, but as she saw Hector approach, a bloody figure in his arms, her blood turned cold. A jolt of pain wracked her body and she cried out in anguish. She felt liquid run down her legs and she froze. Panthea was in labor.

A/N: Comments?