A/N: Before I start off, I absolutely have to say sorry for updating really late. You see, I was quite ticked off with some of the reviews. There was a fine line between flaming and critical analysis of the chapter, and one in particular just stepped out of the boundaries. I was pissed, and my muses ran away as they feared my mood. Haha. Kalliope agreed to help me with this chapter, even though this is not an epic poem. Thaleia completely ran out on me, so this chapter might be quite serious with not much light moments. Thank goodness for Tepsikhore, however. :-P
The Mousai rocks!
Summary: She is a hard-willed woman, skeptic about the marriage thrust upon her. He was man who has seen enough hardships to last a lifetime, yet unsure of the arrangement. With the help of some impish Trojans, things might just go right... Or not.
The whole storyline MAY have been picked up somewhere, but I tossed and ran with it.
Disclaimer: History MAY have been chopped to pieces in some places. Characters that you recognise are not mine, but the rest are totally fictional and if there are any resemblances at all to those either living or deceased, it is purely coincidental.
On to the story!!
If there was anything he hated more than ever, it was formal state dinners. If it had not offended his hosts, Hector would have had his way and skipped the dinner. Actually, if he had his way, the Trojan party would have been resting for the journey back home tomorrow. But, as protocol calls, never offend the hosts.
Sighing deeply as he closed the door, Hector crossed the room to where his clothes were put. Selecting a dark blue garment, he hurriedly put in on, dragged a comb through his hair but had no effects whatsoever. He exited the room and made his way down to the courtyard where a simple feast was waiting. He saw people milling around with a plate in their hands and he relaxed slightly; this was not a formal sit-down type of dinner that he hated so much.
He walked over to the long table and a servant presented him with a plate so that he could fill it up as much, or as little, as he wanted. He saw Paris at the end of the table and he hurried over to join his older brother.
"Brother!" Paris said, an impish grin etched on his face. "I thought was going to have to eat your portion of dinner when you did not come down," he said, picking at his food.
"Paris, you could eat every single persons portion and still have room for more," Hector said, filling his own plate. Paris grinned still.
"Where is Briseis? And Father?" Hector asked, looking around. He caught sight of children running around, chasing each other and he smiled slightly. He had younger sisters of his own, and seeing the Theban children reminded him of them.
"Briseis is with Andromache at the other end of the courtyard. Father is in the palace with King Eetion. I think they are discussing about forming allies," Paris said. Hector nodded and Paris took it as a sign to continue.
"What happened to you and Andromache this morning?" he asked casually. Hector made a face.
"Quite honestly, I am not too sure myself," the heir to the Trojan throne replied.
"She is looking quite radiant, tonight," Paris said, picking at his food.
"I am not surprised," Hector murmured. Paris gave his brother a look.
"She IS quite a nice lady. She and Briseis have latched on like how you latched on to being a general. Briseis told me that the princess has a secret side to herself, but would not explain much further. And for a fact, she has quite a sense of humour. Not like some people I know," Paris said, his eyes laughing.
"I do not doubt that, Paris. However, I would like to find out these things by myself. It would make the relationship more… significant somehow," Hector said.
"She likes riding horses," Paris said, chipping in for the last time with a grin on his face. He ducked just in time when Hector reached out to pinch him. With a mocking bow, Paris ran away and left his elder brother to his own devices.
Sighing, Hector gave his now empty plate to a passing servant. He washed his hands in a nearby basin and decided to walk around and socialize. When he realised that most of his people had already retired for the night and that the occupants of the Theban House were busy with some other preparations (for tomorrow's engagement revelry, Hector assumed grimly), he decided to take a walk around the castle's vast gardens.
Walking around the perimeter, he saw high walls that were covered in creepers and numerous climbing-type plants. Towards the centre, he saw a fountain splashing merrily and neatly trimmed lawn and hedges. Flowers were everywhere in a myriad of colours: red, blue, violet and there was even a blossom in a lovely shade of orange-yellow. He found all these strangely comforting in a strange land. Troy was not what you could call the perfect place to grow foliage.
As he climbed up the steps towards the central yard where the king kept a miniature vineyard for his personal wine collection, Hector heard children's laughter. It made him smile, and only served him to anticipate going home even more as he was looking forward to introduce his (hopefully) wife-to-be to his kid sisters, namely Thera and Cleodoxa.
When he reached the top-most step, he felt a small figure bump into him. Looking down, he saw a girl that could be no more than 4 looking up at him. Her hair was threaded with flowers, circling her head in a makeshift crown. He thought she looked vaguely familiar. She put a finger to his lips, and said "Shhh."
Hector put a finger over his lips, nodded and bent down until he reached her eye-level. Women may be Paris' area, but Hector was better skilled with children.
"Are you who I think you are?" she whispered, scrutinizing him.
"Depends. Who do you think I am?" he asked her, wondering why he was also whispering.
"Are you, um, Prince, er, Prince Hec-tor?" she said, stumbling over his name.
"And if I were?" Hector asked.
"Then I am honoured to meet you, my lord," she said, still whispering. She gave him a cute curtsy, and he grinned amusedly. So young, but so well versed in royal etiquette.
"Now that you know my name, I think it is only fair that I know yours, little one," he said in a low voice. He saw her hesitate for a while, looking around and over her shoulders before beckoning him to come closer.
"I am not allowed to tell strangers my name, for my family fears the bad people will know my name. But you do not look like a bad person to me," she said. "I am called Lydia."
"Lydia. What a beautiful name," Hector said, giving her a smile.
"Thank you, my lord," she said, curtsying again. Then she giggled, "You do not look like your brother at all."
"What do you mean?" Hector asked, looking politely puzzled.
"He looks a bit… funny. Especially when-"
"Lydia!" came a voice from a distance, cutting her in her sentence.
"Oh no! She has come for me! Please, Prince Hector, tell her that I have been on my way," Lydia said, a look of dread overcoming her features.
"Tell who?" Hector said, perplexed. But before she could answer, a figure emerged from the shadows of the night. Lydia gave a shriek and hid behind Hector's tall figure. In full view before him, was Andromache. Her hair was braided in the same style as Lydia's, and Hector realised that they were the two figures he had saw earlier from his balcony.
She gave him a faint smile before saying, "My lord."
"Good evening, my lady. Lovely night, is it not?" he said, trying to strike a conversation and break down the walls that were put up around them
"Truly. Ah, I know that this might sound somewhat strange, but I would appreciate it greatly if you could turn around just for a moment," Andromache said. She looked pointedly behind him to where Lydia was hiding and he caught on what was going on. Behind him, he could feel Lydia gripping his robes.
"I would, my lady, if I could. You see, I seem to have something holding on to my robes and it is making it rather difficult to turn around," he said, grinning slightly when he felt the small hands clutch his robes even tighter.
"Well then, maybe I could just get rid of whatever it is that is bothering you," she said lightly. When she made a move to step around him, Lydia moved into view with a perpetual frown and perfected sulk.
"No! Please no, Andromache! It is still early!" she said, sullenly. The she turned her attention to Hector.
"You were supposed to say I was already on my way," she said, pouting and crossing her arms.
"Come now, Lydia. This is no way to treat a guest," Andromache gently admonished her.
"Do not fret, Princess Andromache. I am quite used to it; I have younger siblings of my own back in Troy," Hector said.
"That is good to hear. If you will excuse us, Prince Hector, someone needs to retire for the night," Andromache said, giving Lydia a meaningful look.
"No! I am not tired yet!" she said vehemently. She looked hopefully at Hector,
"Prince Hector, tell Andromache that I am not tired yet," she begged. When she gave a huge yawn as she finished her sentence, they both looked at the young girl; Andromache with a satisfied look and Hector with a grin.
"Alright, I am tired. But just a bit," she said, trying to salvage remnants of the mistake she made.
"Perhaps," Andromache mused. "But I shall still bring you back to your chambers, Lydia."
"Can Prince Hector come along?" Lydia asked wishfully, with the innocent air that only a 4 year-old could pull off. Andromache gave Hector a questioning look, and he shrugged.
"Why not?" Hector said. Lydia cheered up considerably and opened her arms towards Hector.
Hector picked Lydia up and she settled comfortably in his hug. She dropped her head on his shoulder, closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep. Andromache smiled
"Stubborn girl," she said, brushing a lock of hair from Lydia's temple.
"Is Lydia's quarters a distance from here, Princess?" Hector asked, careful not to drop the sleeping girl.
"No, it is not such a long way. Come, I shall lead you," said Andromache. She picked up the hem of her gown and crossed the gardens into the castle. She led him through the corridors, and Hector remembered that only a few hours earlier had he walked through the same passage with the same woman but she was in a absolutely different mood.
"Why are you smiling to yourself, my lord?" Andromache asked when she turned around to see them. She turned left, and he shook his head.
"Nothing of importance, my lady," he said, shifting Lydia to his other arm. Andromache did not pursue the matter further, and soon they stopped at an oak door. She pushed the entrance and beckoned for Hector to lay Lydia on the bed. As he was about to exit the room, she caught hold of his hand in a impulsively. He looked at her fingers grasping his forearm and she immediately let go. Andromache felt her face burn up.
"Um, would you please wait for me outside for a moment?" she asked him hesitantly. She was scrunching her brown locks, and he knew it was a sure sign that she was nervous.
"Certainly," he said. He went out of the room and she closed the door behind him.
Behind the door, Andromache let out a big sigh.
In the room
Andromache sat on Lydia's side on her bed and began pulling out the flowers from her hair. She made sure she was careful as to not wake up the sleeping child. Andromache got up and got a comb from the dresser in the room. She then proceeded to brush Lydia's hair, but inadvertently waking up the small girl.
"He is lovely, Andromache," Lydia murmured sleepily. Andromache stopped her actions for a while.
"Who is?" she asked, continuing untangling the mess of brown curls in front of her.
"Prince Hector, of course," Lydia said sleepily. "I think he will be good for you. You will not forget me when you go away, will you?"
"Never," Andromache whispered, gathering the child in her arms. She felt somewhat comforted by the embrace, but was hit with the veracity of her impending marriage.
"I will never forget you, Lydia."
"Thank you for waiting for me, Prince Hector," Andromache said, closing the door behind her when she stepped out of the room.
"It is not a trouble, princess," he said. He saw her walk up the corridor and pause. When she saw that he was still standing at the same spot, she gestured for him to join her. After they walked in silence for a while, he spoke up.
"Lydia, is she your sister?" he asked politely, not wanting to get on her wrong side again and striking the conversation again. Andromache smiled at the thought of her cousin.
"No, she is not. She is my brother's daughter, but her mother died in childbirth. I suppose she looks at me as some kind of mother figure," Andromache explained.
"A mother figure? How did that happen?" Hector asked, perplexed.
"Honestly? I am not quite too sure of it myself. Mother wanted to bring Lydia up as her own, but Lydia preferred me to Mother," Andromache said. They exited an ornate gate and found themselves in another palace garden.
"Perhaps you showed a tendency to care for her?" Hector suggested. He laughed when Andromache made a face.
"Hardly. I was only seven and ten when she was born. I was not the woman that I am back then," she said, sitting on a bench. He sat next to her, but put ample space between them.
"How so?" he asked.
"I was a bit, well, wild in a way back then. I used to steal the horses from the stabled and take them for a ride during the night. I defied orders, and I got punished for that. I played tricks on my brothers, and the played tricks back on me," Andromache explained. Her eyes danced with mirth as she recollected her childhood.
"So that was the 'other side' Paris was telling me about," Hector mused. She glanced at him.
"What 'other side'?" she asked.
"Paris told me earlier that you said you have a bit of a wild character in you," Hector said.
"I used to, but not anymore. Well, at least, I do not show it anymore," she said wickedly.
"Truly? Why not? You should at least have the freedom to express yourself," he said.
"Let's just say, Prince Hector, that I decided that it was time for me to grow up. Time for me to give up my childish behaviour and start acting like a young lady that I was supposed to be. I came to that decision when Lydia latched on to me and I did not want her to grow up as seditious as I did. I wanted her to grow up with grace, not like the hooligan that I was," Andromache said, looking off into the distance. The silence that followed left Hector thinking. After a while, he decided to change the flow of their first civilized conversation.
"Was there a reason why you asked me to stay awhile while you put Lydia to sleep?" he asked curiously.
"Truthfully, I just wanted to apologize for my indecent behaviour earlier in the day. It is not, how shall I say, proper for me to have done so," she said solemnly.
"Do not worry, my lady. I think it was quite understandable," he said wryly. She gave a nervous laugh.
"I do hope that that incident did not make you think any less about me," she said quietly.
"And if it has?" he asked teasingly.
"Then I believe I have to repent my sin," she intoned in an otherworldly voice. Hector's laugh was enough to tell her that she was forgiven.
"Do not fret, princess. I think you and I will get along quite well, hopefully," he said.
"That is good," she said. She hugged herself despite the fact that it was a warm night. She got up and walked over to the balcony full with potted plants. She braced herself and swallowed her ego for her next words.
"I think we should start over again," she said softly, desperately gazing anywhere but Hector's face.
"Do you want to? I do not wish to force you into doing anything that is not from your heart. I know that it will take time for you to get used to me, but I am prepared to give you all the time you need," Hector said.
"We need to begin somewhere, my lord. I do not wish to begin on the day of our marriage, as I would rather us get to know each other before we commit ourselves for life," she said, peering out of the jutting garden. She felt him stand next to her and shivered slightly.
'Where do you suggest we start?" he asked, looking at her. She hesitated for a moment, and looked up at him.
"Good evening, my lord. My name is Andromache. I am honoured to meet you,"she said, curtsying. Smiling, he caught her hand and kissed her knuckles, keeping eye contact with her. His smile widened when he saw her colour prettily; even though it was night, he could see her red cheeks through the soft light of burning torches in the garden.
"I am called Hector, my lady. And I do believe the pleasure is all mine."
"She's not that bad, is she, brother?" Paris asked slyly as he tried to conceal a grin. Hector had just entered the living room that connected to all the Trojan emissaries quarters. In the corner near the hearth, Briseis tried to stop herself from giggling, and immersed herself in a book of Theban poetry. Little did she realise that that her book was upside-down.
"She? Oh, you mean Andromache?" Hector asked, carelessly flinging his outer robe over a chair.
"No, the young girl that melted in your arms," Paris said, rolling his eyes.
"You mean Lydia? Oh, she was lovely… Wait, how do you know about her?" Hector asked suspiciously. He faintly heard Briseis mutter "Uh-oh" by her seat near the fireplace.
"Were you spying on me, Paris?" Hector asked, his voice getting low. Paris backed away when he heard the faint note of threat in his brother's voice. Hector was advancing on his younger brother now but Paris had nowhere to go, unless he could suddenly turn into liquid and slither away.
"Were you spying on me, Paris?" Hector asked again. Paris shook his head but Hector would not believe it for a moment. He had learnt along the way that Paris could be quite the liar when the moment calls for it.
"Are you sure?" Hector asked, still advancing. Paris nodded deftly and quickly slipped out of grabbing distance from his brother. At this moment, Briseis leapt out of her chair and proceeded to run into her room, giggling madly. Paris groaned. His partner-in-crime had just run out on him.
"I promise, in the name of the Gods, that I did NOT spy on you. I swear!" Paris said, fearing for his life.
"Prove it," Hector said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"If I did spy on you, uh, er, Artemis will come, and erm, shoot me in the heart with her golden arrows for, ah, well, taking away her precious maidens' virginity," Paris declared haltingly. They waited for a tense moment.
"There! No Artemis! I did not spy on you, brother!" Paris said gleefully and streaked out of the room, following Briseis's footsteps. When his footsteps no longer echoed around the empty room, Hector sank into the nearest chair and put his head in his hands.
"Why me?" he moaned.
"Hector?" a timid voice called out. He turned towards the source and saw Briseis standing uncertainly at her doorframe. He signalled for her to join him with and motioned for her to sit. She sat on the footstool across him and put her hands in her lap.
"I just wanted to say that…" she said, trailing off. She frowned, and looked away.
"Yes?" Hector said expectantly. He and Briseis normally got along well and they could hold a civil conversation, but lately Paris has been influencing her a little too much.
"Well, it is just that-" Briseis broke off. When Hector raised an eyebrow, she leaned forward. He, too, leaned forward towards his cousin.
"I was the one that was spying on you," she whispered, and was laughing her head off before he could comprehend what she just said. By the time he got his bearings, she had already dashed off, still laughing madly.
"Why me?" he moaned again.
There! All done! Again, I am VERY sorry for the late chapter. My computer broke down, and I some of my files, too. Gosh. Anyways, as usual, please please please203937573829 please review!! Reviews feed my soul, and brings the Mousai back to my side.
Thanks!!
Jamie Cullum's Pixie Wife – Dido is the legendary founder and Queen of Carthage. I found her name in and thought that it was a nice name. She is also known as Elissa.
Sandra - Thanks for the idea! Look out for it in future chapters!
To the rest, namely Cordy, R E Rakel, Queen Arwen, sarahw, phoenix-from-the-ashes, addicted2fanfics, yessy, Lady Discord, Jessica, Adania, Raynacch SilverMoon and Hector/Andromache fan, thank you so much for reviewing!
To those who put their thoughts in what I thought was quite a vicious review, I already gave you a piece of my mind.
That done, review!