A/N: This is my favorite part of the story.

Chapter 6

Lucia's eyes fluttered open as she tried to adjust to her new surroundings.

"Lucia?"

She focused on the face and the voice; they sounded familiar. "Mother," she cried out in a raspy voice. A dog's bark made her smile when she saw Max wagging his tail happily. Lucia tried to sit up but a sharp pain to shot through her entire body and she groaned.

"Don't move too much. You've lost a lot of blood," her mother said.

Lucia breathed in a lungful of air and realized she did not die instead she was in a strange room. Her chest was covered with blood-soaked bandages.

Her mother gave her a gentle hug. "Thank the gods. You were asleep for many days."

Looking around the room, she asked, "Where am I? How did you get here?"

"You're in Captain Tyr's house."

Lucia paled as she stared at her mother.

"He knows."

"Oh."

There was a knock on the door and Captain Tyr appeared. Upon seeing the captain, she wanted to explain herself, "Captain, I…" but the captain held up his hand.

"You needn't explain Lucia. Your mother told me everything. But I feel there is another person who would very much like to meet you. He has asked about you everyday."

Lucia's heart sank – she knew he could only be Prince Hector. He had known her as 'Lucanus' and a friendship had been formed out of deception. She wondered how hard he took the news of her real identity.

"He will be here soon," the captain informed her.

Lucia swallowed nervously and nodded. Turning to her mother, she said, "Can I have a mirror? I'd like to look nice for the prince when he arrives."

"Of course."

Her mother used a wet towel and gave her a sponge bath. She rubbed fragrant oils on her stiff limbs and then taking a brush, she gently smoothened the tangled hair on her head. The water in the bronze basin had mixed with blood by the time her mother had finished changing her bandages. "There you go…" she said, standing up to look at her handiwork. "Now you're ready to meet your prince."

Lucia blushed at the double entendre. "I just hope he is not angry with me."

Max was snoozing at her feet when a brief knock on the door alerted him as he growled -- Prince Hector had arrived. Lucia felt a surge of panic but her mother squeezed her hand assuring her as she took her leave. "Max, come with me," she said and led the dog out of the room.

Prince Hector strolled in, dressed in a blue and gold tunic, looking every bit the royal. He stood near the door and waited.

"Your Highness," she greeted him.

"Luca…Lucia," he corrected himself. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel as if I've been hit by a huge thunderbolt." She laughed nervously. He didn't smile.

She could feel the tension in the room. Their relationship had changed somehow. They used to able to joke and tell each other stories but now he was cold to her, not in actions or words, but she just felt so...isolated from him. And while she was ecstatic to see him, his indifferent attitude towards her pained her heart.

"Thank you for saving my life. I heard the others had perished that night," she said in a trembling voice. Closing her eyes, she could still see the horrifying images of her dead compatriots.

"Nine of my best warriors…" The prince's expression was hard and his tone bitter. "If only I had known sooner, they would still be alive."

"It wasn't your fault," said Lucia as she tried hard to keep the tears from falling. "It was mine…if I had not chosen this path, none of this would happen and those men would not have to die. He hated me so much that he was willing to betray his country just to see me dead."

Prince Hector looked as if he wanted to tell her something but hesitated. She was saddened that he had withdrawn from her -- to a place where she could not go. Instead he muttered brusquely, "If we knew what was going to happen in the future, we all would do things differently. You will continue to stay here until you are well again. I'll see to it."

He was about to leave and she knew it was too late to salvage their relationship but she had to try. "Wait, please."

He paused for a moment without looking at her.

"I'm sorry I deceived you. I had tried to tell you my true identity but I didn't know how you'd react," she muttered. "Please don't hate me..."

"I don't hate you," he said with a sigh and left the room.

Lucia stared at his retreating figure and burrowed into the pillows, weeping softly. She felt as if she had lost a dear friend.

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It had been a while since Hector saw Lucia. He had missed their conversations in the courtyard and he found himself thinking about her. She had hidden her true identity so well that even the great Prince Hector himself could not have known until that fateful day. It was all clear to him now -- the clues were obvious as he pondered in hindsight.

"I'm tired of talking about the war. Tell me about your lady love, Lucanus…what's her name? Is it Lucia?"

"Lucia is my cousin and she has gone to the temple of Athena to become a priestess."

"You must have been devastated by the news."

"She was rather unique – despite her tomboyish surface, she has a good heart…"

Hector smiled despite his disappointment – she had actually described herself.

"Then you have not wooed her enough. Let me give you a hint…Women may be impressed by heroic acts and deeds but once in a while, they love to hear poetry."

"Huh?"

"Yes, poetry praising her beauty, intelligence and wisdom... It is not merely reserved for the gods. Tell her how beautiful her hair looks when the sun shines on it, how flawless and smooth her skin to your touch and how her smile could light up your day…"

Hector stiffened and realized now the words held new meaning to him. He was worried sick when she was injured and perhaps in his own selfish way, he did not want to lose a friend who had become someone he grew to care about. He had been taught to detach himself from all emotions in battle -- it became his shield against the reality and the pain. But Lucia wasn't even supposed to be there at all...

He looked down at the empty courtyard and felt an ache in his heart. Growling in frustration, he returned to his chambers and tried to sleep.

The next morning, Hector was riding back from the armory and he decided to visit Lucia. As he approached his destination, he heard the clash of metal in the backyard. Carefully, he dismounted and walked to the back of the house and saw Lucia practicing her sword fight with Tyr – for the past few days, Tyr seemed to be in a hurry to get home. Now Hector knew what he was up to. He could also see that Lucia looked a little happier now and her eyes had regained their special sparkle. They were sharing idle banter and Lucia was laughing. Hector's chest tightened at the sight of them together -- they looked good for each other.

He watched them, his face impassive as he lingered for only a brief moment before turning and walking away.

At least, she has found her happiness…

The war with the Greeks had intensified and Hector had to be present at council meetings that spanned long hours. Whenever he came back to his chambers in the wee hours of morning, Andromache would be fast asleep. In the stillness of the night, he never felt lonelier than this moment.

One day, he came back and saw a few women had gathered outside his chambers. "What's the matter?" he asked one of them.

"It's your wife, Prince Hector. She fainted in the hall this morning…"

Hector immediately pushed through the crowd and rushed to Andromache's side – he felt angry that he wasn't there when she needed him most. Guilt gnawed at him as he saw how fragile and weak she had become.

"I promise I'll make it up to you, my love," he whispered to her, his voice quivering with determination.

Andromache's her eyes snapped open and a smile appeared on her face. "Hector, I thought it was you."

He sighed with relief and hugged her. "I shouldn't have left you alone. I'm sorry."

"You had your work to do and a war to fight. I should have taken better care of myself," she said sheepishly.

Hector stared at Andromache -- the woman he had married and the mother of his son. He should have thanked the gods … the dedication she had put into her duties as future queen of Troy and the devotion she had showered on her family was astounding. And all this while, he had yearned for something that could never be his.

Lucia was…Lucia was only a girl who could never love him… a wishful thought that could never come true. They were two different people thrown together in the worst of times. He should forget her, put all the niggling thoughts behind him and focus on his family.

Hector bent down and kissed his wife. "Rest my love. I'll tell Father that I will not attend the council tonight."

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Early one morning, Lucia wore her greaves and put on her armor while Max looked on. The wound on her shoulder had barely healed and the pain added to the discomfort but she refused to think about it. All she could think of was going back into the field again. She heard Captain Tyr talking to his men outside the house and rushed out with her sword and spear, followed by her dog.

Captain Tyr cocked an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

"With you to the battlefield," she replied calmly and looked around. "Where is my horse?"

"Lucia, I have my orders. You cannot come with me."

"But…but…my wounds are completely healed."

"I'll speak with you when I come back," he said and rode off to join the other riders.

Lucia paced her room like a restless panther, ready to pounce on anyone who dared come in her way. She kept looking out the window hoping the captain would return soon. Her mother looked at her and shook her head. "Lucia, please stop your pacing. It's giving me a headache," she said.

"I'm sorry," she muttered and sat down uneasily. It didn't take long before she exploded, "Why hasn't the prince called for me? Why hasn't ANYONE called for me? Am I not needed any more?"

"You've just recovered from your injuries, Lucia. Have patience," said her mother.

"Patience!" she shouted in frustration. "Trojan soldiers are dying out there!"

"Lucia calm down. You're going to aggravate that injury of yours," Captain Tyr said with a weary voice as he stepped in.

She whirled around and smiled, her mood improved significantly. "Tyr, you're back!"

He merely nodded and went to the basin and washed off the blood and dirt from his hands and face. Lucia quickly brought clean towels for him and poured him some wine. The captain took the goblet from her and smirked. "I think you'd do quite well for a warrior's wife."

Lucia quickly withdrew her hand from his. "Don't start!" she warned him angrily and flounced up the stairs, her feral scream echoed through the house.

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"I love her when her fires are stoked," Tyr muttered to Philippa as he watched Lucia with mild amusement. "She's certainly something."

"She can be quite a handful sometimes," Philippa replied.

Later that night, he found her sitting on the roof gazing emptily at the city lights below —she had calmed down somewhat. He climbed the roof and sat next to her. "Forgive me, Lucia. I only meant it as a joke," he apologized.

She sighed. "Every night, I keep hearing the war drums in my head, beating so loudly it's bursting my ears…"

"Please understand. It's hard on a man's pride if they had a woman fight for them," said Tyr.

She stopped and stared at him, disappointment evident in her eyes. "So that's it. I'm not allowed back on the field because I'm a woman."

Tyr quickly added, "I didn't mean it like that, Lucia. You know the law -- women are forbidden on the battlefield." Seeing her deep frown, he sighed. "I'll speak to Prince Hector. Perhaps he will be able to convince you."

She looked away without a word; the once confident Lucia had become insecure at the mention of the Trojan prince. He knew they had shared a deep friendship and the bond was shattered when the prince had found out that she was a girl. Tyr had recalled the prince's words clearly.

"I don't want to see her hurt again."

The next day, Tyr rode to the palace and found the prince sitting in the temple while the priests chanted prayers. The frown on his face disappeared when he saw Tyr.

"Offering your prayers to the gods today?" Prince Hector asked with a wry grin.

"My prayers are for another time, my prince. I've come because of Lucia," Tyr answered.

The prince suddenly jumped up in alarm and gripped his arm. "What has happened to Lucia?"

Tyr was surprised by his reaction. "N…nothing."

"I see." Prince Hector released him and leaned against a pillar.

"In spite of her injury, she wanted to join us in battle yesterday. I'm afraid that I may not be able to prevent her from going to war much longer. You have to talk to her. She'll listen to you," said Tyr.

Prince Hector seemed hesitant but in the end, he nodded. "I'll see her tonight."

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It was getting late and doubts were beginning to form in her mind as Lucia waited for Prince Hector's arrival. Her mother had already gone to bed and Tyr was out with his friends. The candles were fading and the wind grew cold as she shivered.

He would never come…why would he be concerned about her?

"Lucia."

She recognized the voice immediately and quickly opened the door. Her heart fluttered at the sight of Prince Hector, standing at the doorstep dressed in a simple grey tunic. But bitterness came over her as she could guess what he was going to say.

"I suppose you're here to say the same thing – I'm a woman and I'm not supposed to be out there. Well save it. I've heard enough." She turned and left the door open.

"Tyr believes that you will listen to me but apparently, he was mistaken," Prince Hector said as he let himself in and stood by the fireplace.

"Do you have wine?" he asked, attempting to change the subject.

"Yes, Tyr keeps some in the cabinet," she replied dully. Lucia brought out a bronze goblet and poured some wine for the prince.

"Thank you." The prince drank deeply and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Tyr knows good wine."

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

"The good captain seems very concerned about you – I dare say he's quite fond of you," he observed.

Unnerved by his question, she rose from the table and snapped, "I have no feelings for him."

"Tyr is a good man. He could provide for you and your mother," he pressed on.

"Why are you saying all this? You know I can fight like any other soldier on the field…Let me fight for you. Let me fight for Troy!" she pleaded. "And if it's the will of the gods, then let me die on Trojan's shore!"

"No."

"I am not afraid of the punishment that the council would mete out on me if they found out who I am. What I fear most is being left behind, when all is lost and there is nothing I can do about it," she said, wringing her hands in desperation.

But Prince Hector did not yield to her pleas. "I cannot allow it."

Lucia shook her head in denial as she staggered back. Even the prince of Troy would not allow her to fight, would not allow her the vengeance she sought. She saw Tyr's dagger on the shelf and grabbed it.

"Lucia!" The prince froze in horror.

"Stay away from me!" She wielded the dagger and brought it to her neck. "If you don't let me fight then I'm useless. I may as well end my life right here!"

Prince Hector swiftly grabbed her wrist, pried the dagger from her hands and flung it away with such force that it became embedded in the wall. "Stop it! You think this is all a game, don't you?" His words were harsh as he nearly throttled her.

She had never seen him so furious before and it frightened her. All of a sudden he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. "I'm sorry," he whispered with a gentleness she was not accustomed to. "I won't be able to live with myself if anything happened to you." He held her for a long while and almost reluctantly, he released her.

Lucia stared at her prince, puzzled by his actions. What exactly was he trying to say? Could it be true?

Leave it unsaid, she prayed. Unspoken words were the safest of all -- you aren't my type, you're years older than I am, and you're a prince and future king of Troy. Why should an arrow and three months make a difference?

"I have to leave now," he told her curtly and before she could reply he was gone.

That night, she was unable to get any sleep as she tossed and turned under the covers. The signs were all wrong? How could Prince Hector be in love her? Only a fool would think so. He had always regarded her alter-ego as a 'brother', a comrade in arms. The war was supposed to harden her heart and make her incapable of feeling but she couldn't understand why she felt this way. In the back of her mind, she remembered the words of the oracle, "Follow your heart and it will lead you to your destiny."

She sat up and gazed at the moon outside her window. It was fate that brought Prince Hector into her life but was it fate that they would fall in love?

TBC