How could it be morning already? It felt like I had only fallen asleep for a few moments. I looked around the room dizzily, trying desperately to make out if this was reality or just a dream. I pressed firmly on my eyelids with my fingertips, rubbing back and forth vigorously, blinking them open slowly. I turned around, to find the other half of the bed empty...Paris had disappeared yet again.
"Why do I do this to myself" I whispered quietly with a hint of aggravation in my voice. I stood up quickly, slipping into a dress I had not yet worn in Troy. I walked down the hall, stopping when I saw them. Their voices were loud, and I could not tell if they were in an argument or not. Hector had all his armour on already, and yet Andromache was still in her nightgown. Their son, in Andromache's arms, started crying...as did Andromache. They pulled each other into an embrace, weeping onto each other's shoulders. Hector must have done this stuff a lot because he had just comforted me the same way not even the night before last. As I sat there, I dozed in and out of reality, my mind busy remembering the night before.
Paris lay asleep in the bed. I could not sleep. My mind was bursting with confusion and my head throbbed like it had never done before. I stood up hastily, walking out onto the balcony, thinking that some fresh air would cure me of the pain. I saw the fires being put out on the beach as all the Greek Warriors were falling asleep, and I cursed them all for doing this. I turned around slowly at the stirring noises of Paris, to find he had only shifted positions and was still fast asleep. I took small steps until I re-entered the room. I crouched onto the hard ground, slowly stroking Paris' warm soft cheeks. He could be dead at this exact moment tomorrow. I might have to sleep here alone for the rest of my time. He will die all because of me. These thoughts were all racing through my mind. The throbbing beat harder and harder until I had to squint to keep from falling over. I stumbled over to our dresser, pulling out the cloak I had worn the night I snuck onto the ship with Paris, and throwing it atop my clothes. I dizzily crept out the door, racing down the steps and turning the corner to the garden. As I did so, I saw Hector coming my way, I glanced at him and then started to run.
"Wait! You, stop!" He called out from behind me, but I kept running. Unfortunately, (being he is a warrior) he caught up to me, firmly gripping my arm and turning me around. He removed my hood, tears running down my cheeks.
"Let me go!" I called out trying to pry his fingers from my arm and run away.
"Where are you going?" His deep voice said as he dug his fingers deeper into my arm.
"To return myself to Menelaus...this war was all my fault, and Paris is going to fight tomorrow because of me." I said hiding my eyes from his. Whenever I looked upon Hector I felt belittled, like he was someone of greatness that I needed to feel inferior too. I tried to shake my arm free of his grip yet again, but I had no luck.
"Even if you return now, there will still be a war. Do you think Agamemmnon brought all of Greece across the sea to win you back for his brother? Agamemmnon has been looking for a reason to attack Troy for years, and the night you left with Paris gave him one." I looked up at him, tears rolling off my cheeks and crashing onto the ground. I tried to think of something to say but nothing came to mind.
"I-ah-I...don't want Paris to die. Just let me go...please" I said yanking one last final time. I looked up at him, my eyes large and pitiful, tears dripping out like an neverending stream. My heart skipped a beat and I gasped for breath, sending me collapsing into Hector's arms. He held me in them for quiet a while. They were much bigger and warmer then Paris' but he didn't make me feel quite as protected as when I was in my love's. I started lightly pounding on his chest with my fists.
"Why won't you let me go...please let me go..." I continued to mutter, and he began to slowly rock me back and forth. Crying so hard made me short of breath, and I started gasping for oxygen. I clutched onto his dark blue robe, trying desperately to recooperate.
"My brother is going to fight tomorrow no matter what happens." He paused for a second, looking down at me and then back up at the sky.
"He needs you tonight more then he has ever needed you before....give him the comfort that he deserves." I sniffled a few times into his chest, nodding frantically and then regaining my strength to stand on my own. My breathing regulated, and I pulled the hood back up over my hair. From where I was standing, I could see our room. I looked over at Hector who stood silently, awaiting for me to speak.
"You know....Andromache is a lucky woman." I said looking up at him and managing to force a smile on my face despite all my tears. He chuckled to himself and then nodded.
"And Paris is lucky to have you." There was an akward silence after that. We both stood there looking at each other then back at the sky unsure of what to say. I finally broke the silence by saying goodnight, and then we both slipped away quietly into the night in opposite directions. I opened the large wooden door to our room, where Paris still lay sound asleep on our large comfy bed. I crawled into bed with my clothes still on, sticking my face extremely close to Paris' and rubbing my fingers along the back of his neck and then twirling them in his curls. I gently kissed him a few times on his lips, not trying to wake him, and yet not trying to keep him asleep. His eyes fluttered open, and he stared at me until a smile crept upon his lips.
"is it morning already?" he said in a raspy voice, blinking a few times.
"no..." i smiled and kissed him again, pulling his naked body against my gown.
"go to sleep." i whispered against his lips, and he did as i told him to.
"Helen...Helen?" I heard someone saying. I shook myself from my trance, and realized that Andromache was shaking me.
"Are you alright?" Andromache stated, Hector standing behind her gazing at me wide-eyed.
"Yes...yes I'm fine." I said getting to my feet and smiling nervously.
"Why were you following us?" Andromache said arching her eyebrows as she stared at me inquisitively.
"Well...I was, I thought...I thought maybe you knew where Paris is?" I said stuttering madly and moving my golden hair from my face.
"No, but I'm sure he hasn't got far. With that leg of his, I'm not sure he could" Hector said from behind Andromache and she nodded in agreement.
"Thank you both." I said nodding, still feeling quite wicked at the fact that I had followed them. I started cursing at myself under my breath, making my way back to our bedroom. I heard a noise from the garden, and yet again curiousity got the best of me. I crept over to the sound, wondering what it could be. I peeked around the corner to see Paris with a bow and arrow, shooting at a man made of hay.
"Paris!" I said excitedly, which was not the wisest thing to do, for he turned sharply letting an arrow fly and land right next to my head. I shreiked jumping to the ground, and then looking up amazed that I did not have an arrow sticking out of my skull.
"Helen! I am so sorry, I did not know it was you" He limped over to me, helping me stand up.
"You shouldn't sneak up on a Prince at target practice" He said in walking me over to a bench and taking a seat next to me. I couldnt tell if his tone was joking or serious. I nodded, letting him know I wouldn't do it again. His face quickly turned cold as he looked down at me and his eyes drooped.
"What is the matter?" I said running my fingers down his cheek.
"Hector leaves for the beach this morning. Father's orders." I could feel my mouth drop wide open and I began to shake my head in disbelief.
"What, but why...how...why?" I said beginning to stutter again. I did this a lot when I was nervous. I would also twiddle my thumbs, or clumsily drops things. Paris shrugged, and I could see how upset he was. I pulled him into my arms, still in shock over the fact that the men were already going to the beach after our victory just yesterday.
"He will be alright..." I said quietly, stroking the back of his neck.
"He has to be"
"Why do I do this to myself" I whispered quietly with a hint of aggravation in my voice. I stood up quickly, slipping into a dress I had not yet worn in Troy. I walked down the hall, stopping when I saw them. Their voices were loud, and I could not tell if they were in an argument or not. Hector had all his armour on already, and yet Andromache was still in her nightgown. Their son, in Andromache's arms, started crying...as did Andromache. They pulled each other into an embrace, weeping onto each other's shoulders. Hector must have done this stuff a lot because he had just comforted me the same way not even the night before last. As I sat there, I dozed in and out of reality, my mind busy remembering the night before.
Paris lay asleep in the bed. I could not sleep. My mind was bursting with confusion and my head throbbed like it had never done before. I stood up hastily, walking out onto the balcony, thinking that some fresh air would cure me of the pain. I saw the fires being put out on the beach as all the Greek Warriors were falling asleep, and I cursed them all for doing this. I turned around slowly at the stirring noises of Paris, to find he had only shifted positions and was still fast asleep. I took small steps until I re-entered the room. I crouched onto the hard ground, slowly stroking Paris' warm soft cheeks. He could be dead at this exact moment tomorrow. I might have to sleep here alone for the rest of my time. He will die all because of me. These thoughts were all racing through my mind. The throbbing beat harder and harder until I had to squint to keep from falling over. I stumbled over to our dresser, pulling out the cloak I had worn the night I snuck onto the ship with Paris, and throwing it atop my clothes. I dizzily crept out the door, racing down the steps and turning the corner to the garden. As I did so, I saw Hector coming my way, I glanced at him and then started to run.
"Wait! You, stop!" He called out from behind me, but I kept running. Unfortunately, (being he is a warrior) he caught up to me, firmly gripping my arm and turning me around. He removed my hood, tears running down my cheeks.
"Let me go!" I called out trying to pry his fingers from my arm and run away.
"Where are you going?" His deep voice said as he dug his fingers deeper into my arm.
"To return myself to Menelaus...this war was all my fault, and Paris is going to fight tomorrow because of me." I said hiding my eyes from his. Whenever I looked upon Hector I felt belittled, like he was someone of greatness that I needed to feel inferior too. I tried to shake my arm free of his grip yet again, but I had no luck.
"Even if you return now, there will still be a war. Do you think Agamemmnon brought all of Greece across the sea to win you back for his brother? Agamemmnon has been looking for a reason to attack Troy for years, and the night you left with Paris gave him one." I looked up at him, tears rolling off my cheeks and crashing onto the ground. I tried to think of something to say but nothing came to mind.
"I-ah-I...don't want Paris to die. Just let me go...please" I said yanking one last final time. I looked up at him, my eyes large and pitiful, tears dripping out like an neverending stream. My heart skipped a beat and I gasped for breath, sending me collapsing into Hector's arms. He held me in them for quiet a while. They were much bigger and warmer then Paris' but he didn't make me feel quite as protected as when I was in my love's. I started lightly pounding on his chest with my fists.
"Why won't you let me go...please let me go..." I continued to mutter, and he began to slowly rock me back and forth. Crying so hard made me short of breath, and I started gasping for oxygen. I clutched onto his dark blue robe, trying desperately to recooperate.
"My brother is going to fight tomorrow no matter what happens." He paused for a second, looking down at me and then back up at the sky.
"He needs you tonight more then he has ever needed you before....give him the comfort that he deserves." I sniffled a few times into his chest, nodding frantically and then regaining my strength to stand on my own. My breathing regulated, and I pulled the hood back up over my hair. From where I was standing, I could see our room. I looked over at Hector who stood silently, awaiting for me to speak.
"You know....Andromache is a lucky woman." I said looking up at him and managing to force a smile on my face despite all my tears. He chuckled to himself and then nodded.
"And Paris is lucky to have you." There was an akward silence after that. We both stood there looking at each other then back at the sky unsure of what to say. I finally broke the silence by saying goodnight, and then we both slipped away quietly into the night in opposite directions. I opened the large wooden door to our room, where Paris still lay sound asleep on our large comfy bed. I crawled into bed with my clothes still on, sticking my face extremely close to Paris' and rubbing my fingers along the back of his neck and then twirling them in his curls. I gently kissed him a few times on his lips, not trying to wake him, and yet not trying to keep him asleep. His eyes fluttered open, and he stared at me until a smile crept upon his lips.
"is it morning already?" he said in a raspy voice, blinking a few times.
"no..." i smiled and kissed him again, pulling his naked body against my gown.
"go to sleep." i whispered against his lips, and he did as i told him to.
"Helen...Helen?" I heard someone saying. I shook myself from my trance, and realized that Andromache was shaking me.
"Are you alright?" Andromache stated, Hector standing behind her gazing at me wide-eyed.
"Yes...yes I'm fine." I said getting to my feet and smiling nervously.
"Why were you following us?" Andromache said arching her eyebrows as she stared at me inquisitively.
"Well...I was, I thought...I thought maybe you knew where Paris is?" I said stuttering madly and moving my golden hair from my face.
"No, but I'm sure he hasn't got far. With that leg of his, I'm not sure he could" Hector said from behind Andromache and she nodded in agreement.
"Thank you both." I said nodding, still feeling quite wicked at the fact that I had followed them. I started cursing at myself under my breath, making my way back to our bedroom. I heard a noise from the garden, and yet again curiousity got the best of me. I crept over to the sound, wondering what it could be. I peeked around the corner to see Paris with a bow and arrow, shooting at a man made of hay.
"Paris!" I said excitedly, which was not the wisest thing to do, for he turned sharply letting an arrow fly and land right next to my head. I shreiked jumping to the ground, and then looking up amazed that I did not have an arrow sticking out of my skull.
"Helen! I am so sorry, I did not know it was you" He limped over to me, helping me stand up.
"You shouldn't sneak up on a Prince at target practice" He said in walking me over to a bench and taking a seat next to me. I couldnt tell if his tone was joking or serious. I nodded, letting him know I wouldn't do it again. His face quickly turned cold as he looked down at me and his eyes drooped.
"What is the matter?" I said running my fingers down his cheek.
"Hector leaves for the beach this morning. Father's orders." I could feel my mouth drop wide open and I began to shake my head in disbelief.
"What, but why...how...why?" I said beginning to stutter again. I did this a lot when I was nervous. I would also twiddle my thumbs, or clumsily drops things. Paris shrugged, and I could see how upset he was. I pulled him into my arms, still in shock over the fact that the men were already going to the beach after our victory just yesterday.
"He will be alright..." I said quietly, stroking the back of his neck.
"He has to be"