Hello Everyone! I just wanted everyone to know that the next few chapters are going to jump back and forth with time depending on the point of view change. I just wanted people to know that as it might get a little confusing. Hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think by leaving a review.

Also, side note, I looked at my first chapter (which I had not done in a long time) and want you to please disregard the ages I stated. As I have revisited this story over the last few years that is something I have changed. Sorry for any confusion.

Hector's POV (where it ended at the last chapter)

'Not again.' He thought as he saw Kori riding up to them and leaping off the horse, she road. Hector could not imagine this would go well, even if she were Achilles' cousin, and he was proven correct when he saw Achilles strike her with his shield and Kori flew to the side. Hector felt that protective rage began to build up again. He did not care if he needed to kill another of her relatives in order to make sure she was safe, this treatment of any woman, let alone Kori, was something Hector would not tolerate. However, he was stunned into stillness when Kori suddenly in front of him, blocking him from battle, and suddenly seeing her strike the shield of, frankly, the most famous and feared fighter in the world.

"You! Will! Listen!" She screamed and the sound of sword striking shield was louder than Hector would have given a woman capable of making.

'She is stronger than she looks,' he thought as he began to watch the exchanged and the family resemblance between the two became more and more apparent to him. Their body language, they power in their voices, the heated looks in their eyes which showed more emotion than they were letting on. As they stalked each other that it made it seemed more like watching lions than people and Hector kept a respectable distance back but was ready to jump in if Achilles made another move to strike her again.

However, as soon as it started it was over and Hector could not believe his eyes when he watched Achilles walk away. Granted he gave him a look that would have turned him to stone or set him on fire if he could, but he walked away, and it was in that moment that Hector began to question if Kori was truly who she said she was. Hector knew that he loved his family more than anything, even if late cousin who was lost during the battle of the beach, but he was not convinced that, if things were reversed, that Beirsis would have been able to stop Hector from seeking revenge.

'Who are you?' Hector thought and, if suddenly struck by Zeus' lightning bolt, he remembered the exchange he had with Helen all those moons ago. " When I was girl….. I became very close friends with Achilles sister…..He was very protective of her… probably still is. That is what is message meant. He was saying how much I wasn't worth the pain I had caused. I never saw her again after that day." 'It couldn't be… could it?'

"Prince Hector I presume?" Hector heard Kori ask and he went to remove his helm. He realized that it would give away his own dishonesty about his identity, but he was pretty sure that Kori had also omitted a lot of truths and was curious if his hunch would be satisfied this way. However, he did not expect to be stopped. "No need to take off your helm Prince. I think it would be best to work on the assumption that you are you. If it was found you are not, I do not think I would be as lucky as I was holding him off as I have been."

Hector nodded and stopped his motion. A flashback of when they first met began to play in his head. They way she spoke with him them, the diplomatic way struck Hector as refreshing, now took on a different meaning in Hector's mind. 'She was trained in this… the same way I was trained by father…'

"I wish to extend my humblest apologizes, on behalf of Achilles, for the disruption to your morning. There will be no fight today."

"Why," Hector asked, both out of curiosity as well as to work out if his hunch is correct. 'She does not know I am the man by the river, there is not need for secrets now.'

"The fight was to be one of vengeance for the death of Pactolus. However, his death did not come to pass and so there is no vengeance to be had. Hence, no fight." That was something that stopped Hector in his tracks. 'The boy lived?"

"He lives?"

"Yes, he will live. Possibly not speak, but frankly that is a price I think he would be willing to pay if the delay the boatman. Would you not agree Prince?"

"I suppose becoming dumb is better than some alternatives, such as being separated from my family forever," Hector stated, hoping she would take his bait.

"Being separated from those you love is difficult, no matter the circumstance, but perhaps that is something that women know more intimately than Princes."

"Do you know from experience?"

Hector noticed Kori begin to falter and her mind drift for a moment before snapping back to the present. "I have been separated from many that I love, family and otherwise…. Luckily, I am pleased I can spare your family from a similar fate… at least on this day." With a nod Hector watched Kori begin to remount her steed. If he was right about his hunch at her identity, he now knew he had to be direct. It seemed she was better at evasion the he.

"Why did you?"

He watched as Kori looked up for a moment and look at the court who was there before looking down at him from her mount. "I will tell you prince, if you would repay my kindness with answering a question first. It is one that I do not think I will have another opportunity to ask, and it is quiet pressing."

Hector nodded. He wondered if she saw threw his own ruse, but that notion quickly left his mind.

"Is she happy?.. Helen, is she happy?" It was an innocent question, one that Hector could imagine a small girl asking and Hector now knew who Kori really was, and it was not Achilles' cousin. Still, he wanted her to say it, 'I have been wrong before.'

"Yes. Yes, she seems happy," Hector answered gently, and a queer smile seemed to bloom on Kori's face, a smile the read a mix between relief, sadness, and resignation.

"Good, she deserves some happiness. She has always been prone to melancholy, even as a girl, I don't think being married to brute made it much better," she answered with a bit of humor in her voice.

"Nor being separated from her friend, I imagine," Hector retorted

"Perhaps," She answered and quickly glanced in Achilles direction where it was clear he was becoming increasingly inpatient. "Helen always needed someone to help protect her, most especially from herself, much like my brother does. I imagine it is a duty we share Prince, that siblings must protect siblings."

Hector nodded and was pleased that his helm was still on in order to hide his bemused and shocked expression. "Indeed, Princess." Hector watched as the woman he knew as Kori give one last look at the court, wave, and urged her mount to ride off towards her brother's direction. Hector himself began to walk back towards the gate in order to process all these events when he heard it. A pained scream, Kori's pained scream. He turned just in time to see the horse rear up and her body fall. When it did not move away from the now kicking horse did panic begin to set in and Hector, throwing away his shield and spear, ran towards Kori's body.

He was aware of screaming happening behind him as well as the sound of a charrette barreling towards him, but when he got to Kori's form it was like the world fell away. He threw off his helm when he got to her and moved her body onto her back. Blood oozed quickly from a deep gash on her shoulder, but years of battle allowed Hector to identify a flesh wound from a more serious one.

"Kori…. Korinna," he called her name with urgency as he put one hand on the wound to stop the bleeding and the other on her cheek in hopes to rouse her. He quickly bowed his head to her chest and was pleased to still hear the sound of her heart and breath continue, what he did not expect was the sword that was by his face when he lifted and the sight of an even more outraged Achilles looking at him. Hector, frankly, could not blame the man. He would have probably lopped Achilles head where he stood if the situations were reversed.

"Is she…" Achilles stated, his words trailing off.

"She is still breathing but she needs medical attention. Please, let me take her into the city."

"You people where the ones who did this!" Achilles raged and Hector knew the only reason he has not already struck him dead was the fact that his sister was lying right there.

"I don't know how this happened. They were given strict orders not to interfere and, trust me, the man who did this will be dealt with by me personally. You have my word-"

"What is a Trojan's honor worth?"

"I cannot speak for all Trojan's, this is true, but I can speak for mine. I met you out here today prepared to defend my honor as a prince and general. I did not have to come here today; I did not have to allow you the curtesy of standing outside the gates without rains of arrows falling upon you. My honor is important to me, allow me the chance to defend it," Hector stated, his hand never leaving Korinna's shoulder. He could feel the blood slipping between his fingers, but it was slowing some. He watched Achilles weighing his options, he knew this was a difficult decision that will lead to more difficulties, but Hector also knew that Korinna's wound would not receive as good of attention with the Greeks than in the City and is seemed Achilles did too.

"If she dies or is hurt in any other way. I will raise the city to the ground myself and put you, and your family's heads on pikes. Do you understand?"

"I would expect nothing less," Hector answered with a nod and began the task of lifting Korinna into his arms. She was lighter than he expected, and her head lulled onto his shoulder.

"Take my charrette. It will be faster," Achilles stated and both men nodded understanding. Hector watched as Achilles brushed his fingertips on his sister's nocturnal face and Hector saw the same love and devotion that was in Kori's statements to him not long ago. "Go."

With that Hector, as steady as he could holding Korinna's body up and against him, raced the charrette to the city gates which were opening without delay. Hector could not remember the trip from the gates to the palace but remembered racing up their steps and to the infirmary. There were still a few soldiers there who needed more medical attention after the last battle, but it wasn't a struggle to find an empty cot to place her in. He noticed her body becoming paler and clammy and worried if the trip was too taxing on her body.

"Make way Prince, let me take a look," The healer stated and sent the Prince out of the area and back into the hallway where he was met with a distraught Helen, an ashamed Paris, and a worried and angry father. Glaucus and the Priest were close behind them.

"How is she?" Helen asked, he hands clutching a red and wet string of what looked to be a shell necklace. Hector worried for a moment if Helen herself was hurt but then he noticed her necklace was around her neck along with the pearl one his brother gave her.

"I am not sure, the healer just arrived. What's-"

"Come, lets find a more appropriate place to speak," Father spoke and lead everyone, save Helen who opted to go to her quarters to compose herself, and lead them into the throne room.

"Father, what has happened? How did this come to pass?" Hector asked once they arrived. "There were strict orders that no one was to interfere. Glaucus, was it one of the archers?"

"No, my prince. It was none of the soldiers," Glaucus answered and looked over to Priam with a hesitant expression.

"Then who?" Hector asked, a feeling of uneasiness beginning to sweep over him, the feeling one gets when others know something you do not.

"It was me," Paris stated, walking forward closer to his brother. Hector being livid at his brother was an understatement and, judging by the disapproving looks he was getting with the others around him, it was a feeling Hector knew he did not have alone. The next moments happened on pure instinct but the next things Hector knew was holding his brother up by the neck against one of the pillars in the throne room, not to the point of strangulation but Hector could see the fear in his brother's eyes. Hector could feel the hand on his father on his arm, a gentle plea to release his brother.

"Do you have any idea what you have just done? What in Olympus' name possessed you?!" Hector screamed and tighter his grip on his brother's throat slightly.

"Hector, enough," Priam stated with the fatherly authority that Hector found hard to ignore but eventually did release his brother to allow him to speak.

"I…. I wanted to help," Paris answered hoarsely. "I was the one who started all this and have not taken the responsibility for it. I wanted to contribute to fixing all this."

"And how, pay tell, does shooting an unarmed woman fit in to all this," Hector asked, the only thing stopping him from striking his brother being his father's scolding presence.

"It wasn't her I was trying to shoot," Paris stated but before Hector or anyone else could contribute further to the conversation, they were interrupted by Helen and the healer running in.

"She's gone," Helen exclaimed with worried panic, clutching the now clean shell necklace Hector saw earlier.

"She's dead?" Priam asked, his voice not giving way any emotion.

"No, my king. He body was reacting to her injuries, but they were not great enough the mean death. I stepped out a moment to gather some herbs to aid in pain relief and met with the princess. When we arrived back the girl's bed was empty. She has gone missing," the healer further explained.

"Poor girl must be terrified," the priest stated. "waking up in an enemy's city."

"I will gather the soldier's and guards and we will conduct a search," Glaucus stated.

"Yes, that sounds good but make sure they are unarmed Glaucus. We do not want to give the impression of hunting the poor girl. She is not an enemy nor a prisoner as far as I am concerned," Priam stated and both Glaucus, the healer, and the priest left. "Paris, I want you to also join the search. The debt you accumulated will be of her choosing, perhaps offering aid will better help you in the future." Paris nodded in shame and hurried out of the room leaving Priam with Hector and Helen.

"What would you have us do father?" Helen asked, it was clear that she was worried but was trying to hold herself together.

"Why don't you both search together, both of you know more about her than we do and will provide a friendly face. in the meantime I will go and pray. Perhaps the Gods will be kind," Priam stated and began to walk to his privet prayer garden leaving Hector and Helen.

Hector turned away from his father's retreating figure and noticed a queer look forming on Helen's face. "Come, let us try the servant's quarters," Hector stated and began to walk towards his destination, expecting Helen to follow but was shot to stillness.

"It's her, isn't it? The woman in the river," Helen stated causing Hector to whip around to her so fast that, had he not been as agile as he was, he would have fallen to the floor.

"How-"

"They way you are holding yourself and your reactions. They are different than that of a prince worried about a loose captive, even if that captive saved your life, you are acting like a man whose world is coming apart because their love is missing and hurt. Am I wrong?" Helen stated calmly and Hector was again surprised by how observant she is. No one ever seems to give her credit by being able to read people so well. Hector imagined that there were no secrets left in the palace that Helen did not know about, but that she would never tell.

"We don't have time to talk about this. We need to find her," Hector stated, trying to dismiss the subject.

"No need my son, she is found," Priam's voice echoed from the entryway that lead to his garden. His no longer wore his regal outer robe, which he rarely did when praying, and clutched to his arm which was clearly the only thing keeping her from falling to the ground was a wide eyed and exhausted Korinna. Hector noticed her eyes scanning the room and when they fell on him, he felt as if the walls of Troy would fall around him.