Hecuba's words had been harsh. Hector looked at his father expecting him
to object to her words but he only averted his gaze away from his son.
"Fine. I shall go back and fetch him" came cold words back in response. He walked swiftly and quietly out of the chamber not even taking a moment to look back.
He couldn't understand why it was so important to her that his brother attends a meeting. He knew that Paris wasn't exactly on Hecuba's favorable side, but she never acted like that before. Perhaps it was because she was disappointed with who Paris was not. He was not a warrior.
Paris had always loved women, he put matters of the heart as his first priority and it was because of this that Hecuba disliked him as a person. She still loved him as a mother would love her son, but she couldn't bring herself to see him in good light.
Hector shook his head. A lover and not a fighter. He didn't understand why being a warrior was so important.
A warrior may have glory and valor...but time passes and like the wind, it blows away for all to be forgotten. Love seemed to do the exact opposite.
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"You seem so quiet now" Helen put her arms around Paris' shoulders and leaned against him, trying to making him stop shivering.
"Yes...I suppose I am a bit silent" he smiled as he continued to shake, "I don't have much to say unless it's 'I'm cold'"
She laughed, "How can you say that you are cold when your skin burns like fire?"
"Believe it or not, I feel cold! Am I really that hot?" He seemed to find her words amusing.
"Well...let me put it this way...you seem to radiate heat at the moment" She took her hand and ran at across Paris' chest.
"Really! You must stop teasing!" He pulled away slowly frowning, "If I am not to have you, don't tease me so!"
Helen's mood changed quickly to this "Anyways...I've been thinking...about your question I mean"
He shifted around so that he was facing her under the mess of blankets, "oh... have you decided?"
"Yes I have. Paris, I came here out of the love I bore for you..." she pulled him close to her, "and I will stay out of the love that I still bear for you"
Helen leaned in to kiss him, but again he backed away, this time fast. She felt hurt but then she saw a smile surfacing on his face.
"We may be back on good terms again, but as long as I have this cold restrain yourself. I'll get you sick" He gave her a peck on the cheek, hoping that he would not infect her that way.
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"Mother must be out of her mind making Paris go to this pointless meeting. Weather he comes or not, only more quarreling will result from it I assure you. I saw it. I saw Menelaus' angry face in my dreams last night" Cassandra was at the loom, weaving a complex pattern of greens and reds.
"Yes... quite so. I have faith in what you foresee yet I saw something different" Helenus handed his sister a single gold string.
"What would that be?" interest was sparked within her.
"I saw Paris fighting a loosing battle" He looked on at the forming picture in the loom.
"Fighting!? Indeed a strange image. Something is lingering in the air...I fear Eros may be causing trouble" Cassandra then pulled out brown string.
The image in the loom slowly took shape in the form of a pomegranate tree. The very tree Helen sat under to escape her world.
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Hector sighed as he stood in front of the door; he had failed to even try to reason with his mother. He just hoped that Paris would accept his apology for not being able to fight for his brother's best interests as well as he should have.
Just as he reached for the door it swung open suddenly and there was Helen. She stopped in her tracks, accidentally dropping a bowl she had in her hands, spilling warm water all over the floor.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to, I'm so clumsy" she picked up the bowl and invited Hector in.
"What brings you here tonight?" She turned back to look at Paris who was sitting up clanking his teeth from the shivering.
"I need a word with Paris. You need to come to the meeting. I ask for your forgiveness I couldn't convince mother to let you stay home and rest"
"He can't go! For the love of the Gods, look at him! He can't stop shaking!!" Helen threw the rag she was using to clean up the spill on the floor in anger, "why must he go?"
Paris got up and walked over to Helen, trying to calm her down "It's okay. You have to understand that I'm doing this for you, I must attend"
"But..." She opened her mouth to say something but then decided against saying it.
"Trust me. Hector will be there and so will my father, if I suddenly feel really ill they'll bring me back home" Paris looked at Hector who had crossed his arms and nodded.
"Well... all right, get dressed then, you can't go to the meeting in just a robe" She eyed him smiling and he began to blush, adding more red to his already fever-flushed cheeks.
Helen seemed to be pulled towards Paris' sweet personality. He seemed so naïve...so out of it sometimes... she loved this quality.
Of course he was anything but naïve, but it was this side of him that showed a childish innocence that most people loose when they grow older. The war only emphasized this more as younger men joined the battles.
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Priam waited patiently in the meeting room. It was a beautiful place, the floor was made of marble that seemed to almost reflect light like a mirror would. Torches and candles were lit everywhere giving the room a serene feel to it. This was a place where a man could think in peace without being bothered by the daily worries of war or family, it was a shame that tonight this place would turn into a room full of discontent.
For once, he was happy that he was away from his wife. Hecuba had been moody since Helen moved to Troy. She knew Helen would bring chaos with her, she always did. It was almost as if Eros herself was constantly by Helen's side, jumping at any chance to cause quarrelling.
He prepared himself for the worst as Paris and Hector came through the doorway. Hector did not even take one look at his father. He was angry. Paris had followed close behind, his eyes on the floor trying to distract himself from thinking about vomiting. He could see himself now, as soon as Menelaus would walk through that door he would heave all over the floor.
Priam stood up, "Sit down, Menelaus will be here soon, we'll keep things as brief as possible for Paris' sake"
Paris looked up as he heard his name, he wanted to saying something, but when he opened his mouth he gagged and covered it with his hand. Wave over wave of nausea seemed to strike him after the horse ride to the palace.
Priam's face seemed to turn to concern at this, "You don't look well at all. Do you want to rub vinegar on your wrists? It helps you feel better"
Hector laughed, "It may help you feel better but it smells horrible"
He shook his head. Paris was stubborn, "I don't like the smell of vinegar"
"Suit yourself. Suffer then. Here comes Menelaus now" Priam gestured for both Hector and Paris to stand up to greet him.
Author's note: Wow! Twenty reviews already!! Thanks to all of you!! I'd like to thank Aoi Hikari for a great idea (her comment on Paris' naiveness seemed to give me an idea).... THANK YOU!
"Fine. I shall go back and fetch him" came cold words back in response. He walked swiftly and quietly out of the chamber not even taking a moment to look back.
He couldn't understand why it was so important to her that his brother attends a meeting. He knew that Paris wasn't exactly on Hecuba's favorable side, but she never acted like that before. Perhaps it was because she was disappointed with who Paris was not. He was not a warrior.
Paris had always loved women, he put matters of the heart as his first priority and it was because of this that Hecuba disliked him as a person. She still loved him as a mother would love her son, but she couldn't bring herself to see him in good light.
Hector shook his head. A lover and not a fighter. He didn't understand why being a warrior was so important.
A warrior may have glory and valor...but time passes and like the wind, it blows away for all to be forgotten. Love seemed to do the exact opposite.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
"You seem so quiet now" Helen put her arms around Paris' shoulders and leaned against him, trying to making him stop shivering.
"Yes...I suppose I am a bit silent" he smiled as he continued to shake, "I don't have much to say unless it's 'I'm cold'"
She laughed, "How can you say that you are cold when your skin burns like fire?"
"Believe it or not, I feel cold! Am I really that hot?" He seemed to find her words amusing.
"Well...let me put it this way...you seem to radiate heat at the moment" She took her hand and ran at across Paris' chest.
"Really! You must stop teasing!" He pulled away slowly frowning, "If I am not to have you, don't tease me so!"
Helen's mood changed quickly to this "Anyways...I've been thinking...about your question I mean"
He shifted around so that he was facing her under the mess of blankets, "oh... have you decided?"
"Yes I have. Paris, I came here out of the love I bore for you..." she pulled him close to her, "and I will stay out of the love that I still bear for you"
Helen leaned in to kiss him, but again he backed away, this time fast. She felt hurt but then she saw a smile surfacing on his face.
"We may be back on good terms again, but as long as I have this cold restrain yourself. I'll get you sick" He gave her a peck on the cheek, hoping that he would not infect her that way.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
"Mother must be out of her mind making Paris go to this pointless meeting. Weather he comes or not, only more quarreling will result from it I assure you. I saw it. I saw Menelaus' angry face in my dreams last night" Cassandra was at the loom, weaving a complex pattern of greens and reds.
"Yes... quite so. I have faith in what you foresee yet I saw something different" Helenus handed his sister a single gold string.
"What would that be?" interest was sparked within her.
"I saw Paris fighting a loosing battle" He looked on at the forming picture in the loom.
"Fighting!? Indeed a strange image. Something is lingering in the air...I fear Eros may be causing trouble" Cassandra then pulled out brown string.
The image in the loom slowly took shape in the form of a pomegranate tree. The very tree Helen sat under to escape her world.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Hector sighed as he stood in front of the door; he had failed to even try to reason with his mother. He just hoped that Paris would accept his apology for not being able to fight for his brother's best interests as well as he should have.
Just as he reached for the door it swung open suddenly and there was Helen. She stopped in her tracks, accidentally dropping a bowl she had in her hands, spilling warm water all over the floor.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to, I'm so clumsy" she picked up the bowl and invited Hector in.
"What brings you here tonight?" She turned back to look at Paris who was sitting up clanking his teeth from the shivering.
"I need a word with Paris. You need to come to the meeting. I ask for your forgiveness I couldn't convince mother to let you stay home and rest"
"He can't go! For the love of the Gods, look at him! He can't stop shaking!!" Helen threw the rag she was using to clean up the spill on the floor in anger, "why must he go?"
Paris got up and walked over to Helen, trying to calm her down "It's okay. You have to understand that I'm doing this for you, I must attend"
"But..." She opened her mouth to say something but then decided against saying it.
"Trust me. Hector will be there and so will my father, if I suddenly feel really ill they'll bring me back home" Paris looked at Hector who had crossed his arms and nodded.
"Well... all right, get dressed then, you can't go to the meeting in just a robe" She eyed him smiling and he began to blush, adding more red to his already fever-flushed cheeks.
Helen seemed to be pulled towards Paris' sweet personality. He seemed so naïve...so out of it sometimes... she loved this quality.
Of course he was anything but naïve, but it was this side of him that showed a childish innocence that most people loose when they grow older. The war only emphasized this more as younger men joined the battles.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Priam waited patiently in the meeting room. It was a beautiful place, the floor was made of marble that seemed to almost reflect light like a mirror would. Torches and candles were lit everywhere giving the room a serene feel to it. This was a place where a man could think in peace without being bothered by the daily worries of war or family, it was a shame that tonight this place would turn into a room full of discontent.
For once, he was happy that he was away from his wife. Hecuba had been moody since Helen moved to Troy. She knew Helen would bring chaos with her, she always did. It was almost as if Eros herself was constantly by Helen's side, jumping at any chance to cause quarrelling.
He prepared himself for the worst as Paris and Hector came through the doorway. Hector did not even take one look at his father. He was angry. Paris had followed close behind, his eyes on the floor trying to distract himself from thinking about vomiting. He could see himself now, as soon as Menelaus would walk through that door he would heave all over the floor.
Priam stood up, "Sit down, Menelaus will be here soon, we'll keep things as brief as possible for Paris' sake"
Paris looked up as he heard his name, he wanted to saying something, but when he opened his mouth he gagged and covered it with his hand. Wave over wave of nausea seemed to strike him after the horse ride to the palace.
Priam's face seemed to turn to concern at this, "You don't look well at all. Do you want to rub vinegar on your wrists? It helps you feel better"
Hector laughed, "It may help you feel better but it smells horrible"
He shook his head. Paris was stubborn, "I don't like the smell of vinegar"
"Suit yourself. Suffer then. Here comes Menelaus now" Priam gestured for both Hector and Paris to stand up to greet him.
Author's note: Wow! Twenty reviews already!! Thanks to all of you!! I'd like to thank Aoi Hikari for a great idea (her comment on Paris' naiveness seemed to give me an idea).... THANK YOU!