Chapter 5: A Night's Events
Disclaimer: I do not own Troy or Homer's poem!
Summary: : In the time of war one life may seem insignificant compared to the numerous amount of others, but that one life may be what brings change to an empire. A story of a woman, who only needs to know herself to know her greater purpose in the fabric of life. But can she find herself in time to help? HA PH M(Mestor)OC
AN: Thanks to those who have reviewed! Special thanks to Cotton Blossom! I hope this chapter sits well with you guys/girls, It took me a while to write it but it sounds promising. So without further ado, the next chapter!
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Andromache lay peacefully asleep on her bed as Hector entered the room. Amidst her deep slumber she did not hear the thump of the chamber door closing. Their son, Anstynax, squirmed wearily in his cradle too tired for tears, all he could make were sounds of whining. As Hector approached his son, Anstynax's charming chestnut eyes beamed up at him, his little fists reaching out to grab hold of his father's tunic.
What a sight the future King was when he held his child so tenderly; he would give up the world just to watch him grow into a man. That is what Anstynax was, Hector's pride and joy, a symbol that he was capable of love and humanity and did not have to be the king and warrior all the time. How dare his brother say otherwise, did he not know his unconditional love for his son?
Ah, sweet Andromache, Hector thought as he turned his gaze to his glowing wife, you have never faulted me nor dishonored my family name and still I have not given you the full attention a husband should. He lifted his son up to face him directly in the eyes, "I only hope that when you must face the burden I bare as first born son that you will be more prepared and take better care of your family than I have." The child, as if on cue, giggled and grabbed a hold of Hector's nose.
"Yes, I'm very sure he will," beamed the soft whisper of Princess Andromache's voice. "He will be as wise and brave as his father and as cunning and endearing as his mother, I am most certain." She leaned her weight on her left arm as she stared up at Hector and her child. "Don't be so hard on yourself Hector, you're crown prince of Troy and leader of its fine army. You have duties that exceed the boundaries of a normal man, and you cannot ignore their call. It would be selfish of me to beg you to stay when your country needs you the most."
Hector walked over to the bedside sitting down next to his wife, still holding Anstynax. "I should have never spoke to the way I did earlier, there was no excuse for that behavior."
"And there is no excuse for why Helen was brought to Troy. But I am not mad at you, my darling Prince. We live and make many mistakes, Hector, but that does not make us horrible people." She reached over and tickled her son, "It makes us human. Now Hector you must promise me one thing."
She lifted her son from her husband's lap cradling him in the crook of her arm. "What is that?" He asked with genuine curiosity.
"Never be serious while you stand in this room, you're terribly dull to talk to when you're in that state!" She stated jokingly a bright smirk crossing the plains of her lips.
"You, my flattering Princess, are not that exciting to talk to either." He voiced sarcastically as he retrieved his son and laid him back in his cradle where he fell asleep with ease.
"Then what am I exciting at?" Her face was stern and yet suggestive all the same.
Hector stood by the cradle pretending to deeply consider the question, "well nothing really, but you are a great cook."
Andromache's jaw dropped and her eyes flared with shock, "Why You!" She leapt up giving chase to her husband around the room until she finally pinned him to the bed.
"All right, you win," he said with fake exasperation, his hands pinned above his head.
"You let me win, you cheated," her hair dangled around his face hiding them in a curtain.
"Suppose I didn't want to win, then what?" The wind blew through the room drawing the curtain of Andromache's hair to sway back and forth in a sawing motion over Hector's arms.
His wife gave a fake look of shock as she spoke giddily, "Hector, Son of Priam, Prince of Troy, Leader of the most fierce army giving up a fight? What is the world coming to?" She smiled gingerly before leaning down and kissing him affectionately.
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"What did you do to him?!" Mestor screamed at Kalare, "he looks beaten out of his mind!" He pointed down at his knocked out brother who had a large bruise swelling at the side of his head.
"I didn't beat him up! I'm only a girl you know!" She shouted back with equal force behind her voice. "He wouldn't stop touching me, and when I realized you had left I ran up to warn Dysis but he grabbed my wrist and wouldn't let me go. I fought to get away from him and when I couldn't do it with my bare hands I picked up the nearest object, which happened to be a vase, and hit him in the head. He tumbled backwards and I ran to get Dysis."
"Likely story! You-!" Mestor was interrupted by Dysis shoving passed both of them and over to Polydorus.
"ENOUGH YOU TWO! Can we take care of your brother for the moment?" Dysis grabbed some pillows to rest the younger brother's head on as she examined the bruise. "Kalare can you get me some meat wrapped in cloth from down in the kitchen, if father asks tell him I banged my leg on the banister."
Kalare shoved passed the prince as she waltzed over to the stairs, "she's not going with you."
"And how would you know, you little beast?" Mestor retorted as he watched her exit.
"Go with you where?" Dysis placed herself in the small conversation gazing up at Mestor awkwardly.
"Well, nowhere really," he trailed off in a mumble, "just for you to live at the palace." Dysis could barely hear what he was saying but could easily hear the words 'live' and 'palace', which is all she truly needed to hear to understand his statement.
"The palace?" She asked astonished, so this is why he had come? Did I really leave that good of an impression on him? No I couldn't have! That's absurd! "May I dare ask why?"
"You could be of great help there." Dysis raised her eyebrows in question, "you see Andromache, Hector's wife, needs a new handmaiden-."
"Oh! You want me to be a servant, I see. Well you tell your Prince, brother, that I do not desire to be someone's chattel!" The young woman flew up in a fit of rage storming across the room about to slam her door shut when Mestor's arm blocked her path. He grabbed her around the waist lifting her from the ground, "remove your hands from me!" He dropped her on a nearby chair as she glared at him threateningly.
"Listen, I didn't mean for you to be someone's slave! You would be her companion, Hector is often away now that the war has started and she is left alone with her child. She desires company and I know you do too. You don't want to marry Philander I could read it in your eyes plain as day! Please do this, if not for her then for me!" Her rich green eyes peered deep into his, the look of frustration left her expression leaving behind a perplexed disposition.
"I cannot tend to her problems when I have ones myself to deal with. Who would raise my young siblings if not me? My sister? You'd entrust her with that responsibility? No, I cannot leave, not without knowing they would be cared for and my father had this tavern under control." She shook her head fighting the tears that strained at the corners of her eyes. She knew why he was asking and it had nothing to do with Hector's wife. Mestor himself was lonely and she gave him the opportunity to feel wanted that evening. She cursed herself inside out for being so sincere, she should have shooed him off when she had the chance but she felt bad for hitting him. Now she was forced into turning him down.
"Listen you could take walks with Andromache over here everyday to check up on them and we would pay you handsomely for your help. Think of it, I'm sure your family could use the money. Please Dysis, do this for me. Come to the palace." Mestor's eyes were deep and pleading she could not turn away from their power; she had been sucked in and could not escape.
"How much," she asked in barely a mumble. One tear sliding down the length of her cheek as she kept her face turned away from his.
"How ever much you need," his reply was soft spoken and full of care, curse him for being so kind!
"Okay, I'll do it." She nodded her head and turned to face the sound of her sister's voice.
"You'll do what? You're actually going to go with them? Are you crazy? What will father say?" She shouted, dropping the meat to the floor as she ran over to her now standing sister.
"I'll tell you what father's going to say, nothing, because you're not going to tell him." Dysis stated boldly as she shoved a few of her things in a sack, packing for her leave.
"Oh yeah? And how do you propose you're going to stop me?" Her sister said cockily with her hands on her hips glaring at Dysis with the full impact of her authority. The older sibling just smiled up at her never loosing contact with her eyes creating a chilling affect on Kalare.
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"You know I don't like horses!" The young girl shouted as she was hoisted onto the back of a black stead.
"Look, this should be exciting for you, Kalare, you're going to a palace full of young, strong, impressionable princes. Will you relax?" Dysis grabbed the reins of Mestor's horse and heeled the horse in to a swift trot as Kalare latched her arms around her sister's waist.
Mestor was laughing cockily from the black and brown spotted horse to Dysis left; his brother sat half asleep in front of him on the horse. They rode the back streets to the garden entrance of the palace whereupon Mestor stopped and opened the gates for them to ride in without trouble.
"Mestor, I hope you don't mind me asking but why in the name of the Gods are we not entering by the front of the palace? We are expected, right?" Kalare picked at him stubbornly.
"We're sort of expected." He replied sheepishly with a crooked grin plastered to his face.
"What does 'sort of expected' entail?" Dysis questioned abruptly.
"Sort of means not at all." A voice announced sternly from inside the stables, the footfalls of the man coming closer to the halted horses. "Mestor, I told you not to bring her here!" Hector stepped out of the shadows and into the fresh moonlight.
Dysis climbed off of the horse slowly walking up to the Crown Prince as she removed her hood from her face. Kalare still sat frozen on the back of the beast afraid to move a muscle. "Dysis come back here, where are you going?" At her voice the horse stirred and Mestor latched his hand on the rein, holding the stead steady.
"Prince Hector," she knelt on one knee properly admiring his supremacy, "please forgive your brother, he was only concerned for the well being of your lonely wife, Andromache." Her eyes turned skyward to gaze the intensely intimidating man in the eyes. He was more influential up close more so than he was when she had seen him on the rooftop.
"Rise, there is no need for you to bow to me, daughter of Darrius. I know my brother's intentions and they are and were not as noble as you may believe. I know my brother may seem charming and honorable but he has learned from Paris the ways of charming women into his bed." He spoke regally though his comments were insulting.
"If I may speak freely, my lord?" He nodded to Dysis, "you appear to be only knowledgeable of warfare and bloodshed, even kingship but that does not mean you are only that. As I am sure your brother is not only a snake charmer." Dysis concluded hoping that her tongue did not cause more of a problem than the one they were presently in.
Hector's grim face shifted into a minute grin, "A girl with wit and the courage to use it? My brother, I would watch out for her for she might best you at your own game." The regal prince gave thought to her words and, going against what he had said earlier, decided that it was not wise to send them home at this hour with the vagabonds still on the streets. In deed it was amazing that they had made it here without any trouble. "You and your companion have my permission to stay this night and this night only at the palace. Tomorrow afternoon my brother and I will escort you back home and pay for any damage done."
If this was a compromise Hector was offering than Dysis was willing to except it, as she would expect Mestor to do. "Thank you, my lord." Dysis lowered her head to show appreciation before returning her hands to the reins of Mestor's horse and easing it and her sister into the stables. As Mestor and Polydorus slowly edged their way up to their eldest brother, Hector noticed the large lump on the side of his youngest brother's head.
"What happened to Polydorus?" Hector questioned, worry and anger seeping back into his voice.
"Oh, that. He tried to 'touch' Kalare and she didn't like it." Mestor heeled the horse to easily trot into the stables leaving his brother with only half of an explanation.
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Dysis braided her hair out on her balcony seated on the ledge just gazing at the night sky with wonder. She had always been fascinated with the Gods' and their powers and how they could see you at every breathtaking moment of your life without even alerting you. This acknowledgment of their presence caused the young woman to think back on the past two days and the previous situations she had been placed into.
Her mind quickly traced to yesterday morning when her and Galen were setting up the tavern for the afternoon crowd. "When are you going to finally swallow your pride and marry some bloke?" Galen had shouted at her from behind the bar as he pulled out a tray of goblets to take inventory of.
"And I suppose that bloke would be Philander? Forgive me for my failure to find interest in that scrawny piece of swine!" His sister retorted as she pulled the stacked chairs down from the tables.
"Well you have to marry at some point, you know this. Besides it's the proper order of things."
Dysis had one hand on her hip and the other one clasping a damp cleaning cloth, "the proper order of things, eh?"
"Yeah, you know a woman's duty is to marry, stay loyal, have kids, raise the kids, and clean house." Galen announced with pride not knowing what he had gotten himself into.
"Why you!" Dysis hurled the rag at his face causing it to splatter droplets of water as it smacked into his cheek and plastered itself there. The young woman wore a cheeky grin on her lips, "well I must ask, dear brother, if that is the proper order of things, then why is it you haven't married yet?"
Galen peeled the soiled cloth from his flesh, "I'm waiting for the right girl." The rag dropped to the ground as he reached behind himself and grabbed two eggs from the basket. The man jumped over the bar counter and sprung his trick on his turned sister, egg oozing from her hair. "Which is a liberty you'll never have."
After recovering from the shock of the surprise attack Dysis shot back, her venom seeping deep within his veins. "And it is a liberty I neither desire or deserve! I will live my life alone if I must; helping father with this tavern and in raising the little ones. A duty that is far more important than marrying ones' self off!" With her fingers she wiped some of the goo from her hair onto Galen's new shirt and watched him reach for grapes as she grasped a hold of the blackberries. She remembered the free feeling of being alive and capable of breathing in the fresh sent of that day.
Dysis pulled herself out of the memory still sitting and watching the stars and moon as a light haze filtered over the horizon. "Oh Galen, how I miss you and your childish ways. I only wish I knew where you were." Out of the corner of her eye Dysis noticed a cloaked figure heading straight for the stables. The young woman climbed down from the ledge and quietly dashed to her chamber door wrapping herself in her cloak before carefully unbolting the locked door and stepping out in the hallway.
This was certainly a different situation for Dysis, she had never been prowling around in the palace before and wasn't truly sure if she knew her way around. She made a dash down the hall and straight to the steps, the woman stopped just behind a pillar as she watched two guards pass by the bottom of the staircase before taking off again. Her feet were bare and therefor making little to no sound as she thumped around on the stone pavement; she raced out to the garden.
Where she halted suddenly as she noticed Prince Hector heading for the stables as well. This provoked Dysis curiosity and as soon as she unfroze from her stopped state she cautiously jogged over to the corner of the palace just barely looking over it to see the events taking place. It was a woman; a woman was in the cloak! Her hair was fair and although she was a sight to see she was most definitely troubled. Hector spoke to her with a concerned disposition and although words were not audible she knew there was a discussion about the woman's leave. Could this fair lady be Queen Helen of Sparta? Was she trying to run away?
But there was something else looming in the back of Dysis mind and she knew she was not alone. There had been another cloaked body wondering that night; she had seen him upstairs as she watched the guards. Though it was only a glimpse it was that cloaked person she feared for she had seen that person before on the street in front of the tavern. As she made her way back to her chamber she couldn't help but wonder if that person was following her, watching her every move.
That night Dysis had trouble finding sleep as she tossed and turned in the soft bed linens only one dream would come to her. The horrible nightmare from earlier haunted her night and kept her awake in the early hours of day with no explanation to its utter chaotic stance.
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AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter's mischievousness for there is more to come! In the next chapter I will bring out more of the back-story and the like so that more suspense can be filtered in! Woot Woot! Thanks again and please leave a review there's a free autographed sandal by Orlando Bloom if you do. (By the way, Paris will be stepping in pretty soon in the story)
Disclaimer: I do not own Troy or Homer's poem!
Summary: : In the time of war one life may seem insignificant compared to the numerous amount of others, but that one life may be what brings change to an empire. A story of a woman, who only needs to know herself to know her greater purpose in the fabric of life. But can she find herself in time to help? HA PH M(Mestor)OC
AN: Thanks to those who have reviewed! Special thanks to Cotton Blossom! I hope this chapter sits well with you guys/girls, It took me a while to write it but it sounds promising. So without further ado, the next chapter!
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Andromache lay peacefully asleep on her bed as Hector entered the room. Amidst her deep slumber she did not hear the thump of the chamber door closing. Their son, Anstynax, squirmed wearily in his cradle too tired for tears, all he could make were sounds of whining. As Hector approached his son, Anstynax's charming chestnut eyes beamed up at him, his little fists reaching out to grab hold of his father's tunic.
What a sight the future King was when he held his child so tenderly; he would give up the world just to watch him grow into a man. That is what Anstynax was, Hector's pride and joy, a symbol that he was capable of love and humanity and did not have to be the king and warrior all the time. How dare his brother say otherwise, did he not know his unconditional love for his son?
Ah, sweet Andromache, Hector thought as he turned his gaze to his glowing wife, you have never faulted me nor dishonored my family name and still I have not given you the full attention a husband should. He lifted his son up to face him directly in the eyes, "I only hope that when you must face the burden I bare as first born son that you will be more prepared and take better care of your family than I have." The child, as if on cue, giggled and grabbed a hold of Hector's nose.
"Yes, I'm very sure he will," beamed the soft whisper of Princess Andromache's voice. "He will be as wise and brave as his father and as cunning and endearing as his mother, I am most certain." She leaned her weight on her left arm as she stared up at Hector and her child. "Don't be so hard on yourself Hector, you're crown prince of Troy and leader of its fine army. You have duties that exceed the boundaries of a normal man, and you cannot ignore their call. It would be selfish of me to beg you to stay when your country needs you the most."
Hector walked over to the bedside sitting down next to his wife, still holding Anstynax. "I should have never spoke to the way I did earlier, there was no excuse for that behavior."
"And there is no excuse for why Helen was brought to Troy. But I am not mad at you, my darling Prince. We live and make many mistakes, Hector, but that does not make us horrible people." She reached over and tickled her son, "It makes us human. Now Hector you must promise me one thing."
She lifted her son from her husband's lap cradling him in the crook of her arm. "What is that?" He asked with genuine curiosity.
"Never be serious while you stand in this room, you're terribly dull to talk to when you're in that state!" She stated jokingly a bright smirk crossing the plains of her lips.
"You, my flattering Princess, are not that exciting to talk to either." He voiced sarcastically as he retrieved his son and laid him back in his cradle where he fell asleep with ease.
"Then what am I exciting at?" Her face was stern and yet suggestive all the same.
Hector stood by the cradle pretending to deeply consider the question, "well nothing really, but you are a great cook."
Andromache's jaw dropped and her eyes flared with shock, "Why You!" She leapt up giving chase to her husband around the room until she finally pinned him to the bed.
"All right, you win," he said with fake exasperation, his hands pinned above his head.
"You let me win, you cheated," her hair dangled around his face hiding them in a curtain.
"Suppose I didn't want to win, then what?" The wind blew through the room drawing the curtain of Andromache's hair to sway back and forth in a sawing motion over Hector's arms.
His wife gave a fake look of shock as she spoke giddily, "Hector, Son of Priam, Prince of Troy, Leader of the most fierce army giving up a fight? What is the world coming to?" She smiled gingerly before leaning down and kissing him affectionately.
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"What did you do to him?!" Mestor screamed at Kalare, "he looks beaten out of his mind!" He pointed down at his knocked out brother who had a large bruise swelling at the side of his head.
"I didn't beat him up! I'm only a girl you know!" She shouted back with equal force behind her voice. "He wouldn't stop touching me, and when I realized you had left I ran up to warn Dysis but he grabbed my wrist and wouldn't let me go. I fought to get away from him and when I couldn't do it with my bare hands I picked up the nearest object, which happened to be a vase, and hit him in the head. He tumbled backwards and I ran to get Dysis."
"Likely story! You-!" Mestor was interrupted by Dysis shoving passed both of them and over to Polydorus.
"ENOUGH YOU TWO! Can we take care of your brother for the moment?" Dysis grabbed some pillows to rest the younger brother's head on as she examined the bruise. "Kalare can you get me some meat wrapped in cloth from down in the kitchen, if father asks tell him I banged my leg on the banister."
Kalare shoved passed the prince as she waltzed over to the stairs, "she's not going with you."
"And how would you know, you little beast?" Mestor retorted as he watched her exit.
"Go with you where?" Dysis placed herself in the small conversation gazing up at Mestor awkwardly.
"Well, nowhere really," he trailed off in a mumble, "just for you to live at the palace." Dysis could barely hear what he was saying but could easily hear the words 'live' and 'palace', which is all she truly needed to hear to understand his statement.
"The palace?" She asked astonished, so this is why he had come? Did I really leave that good of an impression on him? No I couldn't have! That's absurd! "May I dare ask why?"
"You could be of great help there." Dysis raised her eyebrows in question, "you see Andromache, Hector's wife, needs a new handmaiden-."
"Oh! You want me to be a servant, I see. Well you tell your Prince, brother, that I do not desire to be someone's chattel!" The young woman flew up in a fit of rage storming across the room about to slam her door shut when Mestor's arm blocked her path. He grabbed her around the waist lifting her from the ground, "remove your hands from me!" He dropped her on a nearby chair as she glared at him threateningly.
"Listen, I didn't mean for you to be someone's slave! You would be her companion, Hector is often away now that the war has started and she is left alone with her child. She desires company and I know you do too. You don't want to marry Philander I could read it in your eyes plain as day! Please do this, if not for her then for me!" Her rich green eyes peered deep into his, the look of frustration left her expression leaving behind a perplexed disposition.
"I cannot tend to her problems when I have ones myself to deal with. Who would raise my young siblings if not me? My sister? You'd entrust her with that responsibility? No, I cannot leave, not without knowing they would be cared for and my father had this tavern under control." She shook her head fighting the tears that strained at the corners of her eyes. She knew why he was asking and it had nothing to do with Hector's wife. Mestor himself was lonely and she gave him the opportunity to feel wanted that evening. She cursed herself inside out for being so sincere, she should have shooed him off when she had the chance but she felt bad for hitting him. Now she was forced into turning him down.
"Listen you could take walks with Andromache over here everyday to check up on them and we would pay you handsomely for your help. Think of it, I'm sure your family could use the money. Please Dysis, do this for me. Come to the palace." Mestor's eyes were deep and pleading she could not turn away from their power; she had been sucked in and could not escape.
"How much," she asked in barely a mumble. One tear sliding down the length of her cheek as she kept her face turned away from his.
"How ever much you need," his reply was soft spoken and full of care, curse him for being so kind!
"Okay, I'll do it." She nodded her head and turned to face the sound of her sister's voice.
"You'll do what? You're actually going to go with them? Are you crazy? What will father say?" She shouted, dropping the meat to the floor as she ran over to her now standing sister.
"I'll tell you what father's going to say, nothing, because you're not going to tell him." Dysis stated boldly as she shoved a few of her things in a sack, packing for her leave.
"Oh yeah? And how do you propose you're going to stop me?" Her sister said cockily with her hands on her hips glaring at Dysis with the full impact of her authority. The older sibling just smiled up at her never loosing contact with her eyes creating a chilling affect on Kalare.
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"You know I don't like horses!" The young girl shouted as she was hoisted onto the back of a black stead.
"Look, this should be exciting for you, Kalare, you're going to a palace full of young, strong, impressionable princes. Will you relax?" Dysis grabbed the reins of Mestor's horse and heeled the horse in to a swift trot as Kalare latched her arms around her sister's waist.
Mestor was laughing cockily from the black and brown spotted horse to Dysis left; his brother sat half asleep in front of him on the horse. They rode the back streets to the garden entrance of the palace whereupon Mestor stopped and opened the gates for them to ride in without trouble.
"Mestor, I hope you don't mind me asking but why in the name of the Gods are we not entering by the front of the palace? We are expected, right?" Kalare picked at him stubbornly.
"We're sort of expected." He replied sheepishly with a crooked grin plastered to his face.
"What does 'sort of expected' entail?" Dysis questioned abruptly.
"Sort of means not at all." A voice announced sternly from inside the stables, the footfalls of the man coming closer to the halted horses. "Mestor, I told you not to bring her here!" Hector stepped out of the shadows and into the fresh moonlight.
Dysis climbed off of the horse slowly walking up to the Crown Prince as she removed her hood from her face. Kalare still sat frozen on the back of the beast afraid to move a muscle. "Dysis come back here, where are you going?" At her voice the horse stirred and Mestor latched his hand on the rein, holding the stead steady.
"Prince Hector," she knelt on one knee properly admiring his supremacy, "please forgive your brother, he was only concerned for the well being of your lonely wife, Andromache." Her eyes turned skyward to gaze the intensely intimidating man in the eyes. He was more influential up close more so than he was when she had seen him on the rooftop.
"Rise, there is no need for you to bow to me, daughter of Darrius. I know my brother's intentions and they are and were not as noble as you may believe. I know my brother may seem charming and honorable but he has learned from Paris the ways of charming women into his bed." He spoke regally though his comments were insulting.
"If I may speak freely, my lord?" He nodded to Dysis, "you appear to be only knowledgeable of warfare and bloodshed, even kingship but that does not mean you are only that. As I am sure your brother is not only a snake charmer." Dysis concluded hoping that her tongue did not cause more of a problem than the one they were presently in.
Hector's grim face shifted into a minute grin, "A girl with wit and the courage to use it? My brother, I would watch out for her for she might best you at your own game." The regal prince gave thought to her words and, going against what he had said earlier, decided that it was not wise to send them home at this hour with the vagabonds still on the streets. In deed it was amazing that they had made it here without any trouble. "You and your companion have my permission to stay this night and this night only at the palace. Tomorrow afternoon my brother and I will escort you back home and pay for any damage done."
If this was a compromise Hector was offering than Dysis was willing to except it, as she would expect Mestor to do. "Thank you, my lord." Dysis lowered her head to show appreciation before returning her hands to the reins of Mestor's horse and easing it and her sister into the stables. As Mestor and Polydorus slowly edged their way up to their eldest brother, Hector noticed the large lump on the side of his youngest brother's head.
"What happened to Polydorus?" Hector questioned, worry and anger seeping back into his voice.
"Oh, that. He tried to 'touch' Kalare and she didn't like it." Mestor heeled the horse to easily trot into the stables leaving his brother with only half of an explanation.
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Dysis braided her hair out on her balcony seated on the ledge just gazing at the night sky with wonder. She had always been fascinated with the Gods' and their powers and how they could see you at every breathtaking moment of your life without even alerting you. This acknowledgment of their presence caused the young woman to think back on the past two days and the previous situations she had been placed into.
Her mind quickly traced to yesterday morning when her and Galen were setting up the tavern for the afternoon crowd. "When are you going to finally swallow your pride and marry some bloke?" Galen had shouted at her from behind the bar as he pulled out a tray of goblets to take inventory of.
"And I suppose that bloke would be Philander? Forgive me for my failure to find interest in that scrawny piece of swine!" His sister retorted as she pulled the stacked chairs down from the tables.
"Well you have to marry at some point, you know this. Besides it's the proper order of things."
Dysis had one hand on her hip and the other one clasping a damp cleaning cloth, "the proper order of things, eh?"
"Yeah, you know a woman's duty is to marry, stay loyal, have kids, raise the kids, and clean house." Galen announced with pride not knowing what he had gotten himself into.
"Why you!" Dysis hurled the rag at his face causing it to splatter droplets of water as it smacked into his cheek and plastered itself there. The young woman wore a cheeky grin on her lips, "well I must ask, dear brother, if that is the proper order of things, then why is it you haven't married yet?"
Galen peeled the soiled cloth from his flesh, "I'm waiting for the right girl." The rag dropped to the ground as he reached behind himself and grabbed two eggs from the basket. The man jumped over the bar counter and sprung his trick on his turned sister, egg oozing from her hair. "Which is a liberty you'll never have."
After recovering from the shock of the surprise attack Dysis shot back, her venom seeping deep within his veins. "And it is a liberty I neither desire or deserve! I will live my life alone if I must; helping father with this tavern and in raising the little ones. A duty that is far more important than marrying ones' self off!" With her fingers she wiped some of the goo from her hair onto Galen's new shirt and watched him reach for grapes as she grasped a hold of the blackberries. She remembered the free feeling of being alive and capable of breathing in the fresh sent of that day.
Dysis pulled herself out of the memory still sitting and watching the stars and moon as a light haze filtered over the horizon. "Oh Galen, how I miss you and your childish ways. I only wish I knew where you were." Out of the corner of her eye Dysis noticed a cloaked figure heading straight for the stables. The young woman climbed down from the ledge and quietly dashed to her chamber door wrapping herself in her cloak before carefully unbolting the locked door and stepping out in the hallway.
This was certainly a different situation for Dysis, she had never been prowling around in the palace before and wasn't truly sure if she knew her way around. She made a dash down the hall and straight to the steps, the woman stopped just behind a pillar as she watched two guards pass by the bottom of the staircase before taking off again. Her feet were bare and therefor making little to no sound as she thumped around on the stone pavement; she raced out to the garden.
Where she halted suddenly as she noticed Prince Hector heading for the stables as well. This provoked Dysis curiosity and as soon as she unfroze from her stopped state she cautiously jogged over to the corner of the palace just barely looking over it to see the events taking place. It was a woman; a woman was in the cloak! Her hair was fair and although she was a sight to see she was most definitely troubled. Hector spoke to her with a concerned disposition and although words were not audible she knew there was a discussion about the woman's leave. Could this fair lady be Queen Helen of Sparta? Was she trying to run away?
But there was something else looming in the back of Dysis mind and she knew she was not alone. There had been another cloaked body wondering that night; she had seen him upstairs as she watched the guards. Though it was only a glimpse it was that cloaked person she feared for she had seen that person before on the street in front of the tavern. As she made her way back to her chamber she couldn't help but wonder if that person was following her, watching her every move.
That night Dysis had trouble finding sleep as she tossed and turned in the soft bed linens only one dream would come to her. The horrible nightmare from earlier haunted her night and kept her awake in the early hours of day with no explanation to its utter chaotic stance.
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AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter's mischievousness for there is more to come! In the next chapter I will bring out more of the back-story and the like so that more suspense can be filtered in! Woot Woot! Thanks again and please leave a review there's a free autographed sandal by Orlando Bloom if you do. (By the way, Paris will be stepping in pretty soon in the story)