Thanks for all your reviews and suggestions! Keep it up, it really helps me to know what you all would like to read.
Notes: As suggested, I will be putting in some more adventure/crisis scenes. Last fic I wanted to focus on their falling love without some major catastrophe, but for this one I'm going to have a little more fun. Another few chapters to deal with half of Cassandra's fate (the other half will come later, towards the middle of this story) and then I'll have some fun with H/A. Still working on exactly what will happen to them, but I'll think of something.
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Andromache finished putting the final touches to her outfit and allowed Hector to lead her to the banquet hall. They walked in silence and Hector tried to gauge her mood, wondering if he should venture to speak. They'd not spoken since the fight.
"You look nice," he ventured cautiously. And it was true. Andromache positively radiated in a deep green dress laced with silver threads and she'd curled her hair to fall down from the top of her head. A silver headpiece completed her outfit and a matching silver arm band set off her slender shoulders.
"Thank you," she said, smiling at him.
"You're not angry?" he asked, noticing her mood.
"You have Cassandra to thank for that," she replied, offering no other information. But they'd reached the banquet hall and he led her in, taking a seat at the only table set up. It was a small feast, family members only, so there was no need for additional tables.
"Hector, Andromache," Priam greeted them from his seat at the head. The two suitors sat on his left and Hecuba on his right. Hector led Andromache over where they sat down next to the queen, leaving a seat immediately beside Hecuba free for Cassandra. Andromache sat beside the empty chair with Hector on her other side. She glanced down the table and spotted Briseis near, also in a position to see Cassandra's empty chair. Paris was near Briseis and was currently attempting to make her laugh. Andromache winked at her, making her smile, and Paris grinned as he supposed he was succeeding in his efforts.
The doors opened and Cassandra was announced. Everyone at the table stood up as she glided in, looking magnificent. Her dark brown tresses had been curled and were resting on her shoulders and flowing down her back. A dark blue gown adorned her body and she was wearing gold bracelets. She'd outlined her eyes in kohl and Andromache stifled a gasp. Cassandra rarely ever put much effort into her appearance, but tonight she looked stunning. And Andromache had even seen her just before the feast.
She smiled and sank down into her seat, nudging Andromache playfully as she sat down. Her suitors' eyes were wide and they both stammered a greeting. She graciously inclined her head but offered no reply and Priam signaled the feast to begin.
Throughout the course of the meal, Andromache was almost crying with laughter as she watched Cassandra skillfully outwit both her suitors simultaneously time and time again. It was painfully obvious to everyone there that Cassandra was far superior in intellect to both of them, though they themselves seemed to miss that fact. They were bewitched, and Andromache knew they'd match the bride price even if it killed them.
"I was not aware you possessed such beauty," Coroebus complimented her.
This was a lie and Cassandra knew it. Her reputation as the most beautiful of Priam's daughters was well known. "You are a brave man, then, to go seeking a wife who has no beauty to charm men. One would marvel that others had even heard of her, for ugly women are generally not spoken of," she murmured quietly, a devilish look in her eyes. "I wonder you even took notice of my existence."
Andromache bit her lip to keep from laughing and even Hector had to stifle a grin. Coroebus looked slightly taken aback and Othronus jumped in by commenting on women's modest reputations bringing them fame.
"Ah yes, I know what you mean. Such as Neolia the daughter of Teolamus and Lythia the daughter of Mirklides."
"Who?" Othronus asked.
"Exactly," she replied wickedly, taking satisfaction as seeing his face grow red with embarrassment.
Priam quickly intervened as Andromache turned a snort into a cough and Hector turned to the person on his right so as to hide his smile. Priam skillfully engaged them in conversation, entertaining them with tales of hunts and battles fought long ago.
Andromache grinned at Cassandra when no one was looking, who winked back.
"Will they even offer for you now?" she whispered.
Cassandra nodded. "They'll offer, but as I said, neither of them shall have me. I'll die a maiden, do not fear."
"So why bother acting like this?" Andromache's brow furrowed.
"For the entertainment," Cassandra replied, grinning. "Father will give me a tongue lashing later, but I promise you he'll laugh about it in his quarters. Apparently I'm very entertaining."
Andromache just shook her head. This is, without a doubt, the best feast I have ever been to, she decided.
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Late that night, as Hector and Andromache were preparing for bed, he turned to her. "What was Cassandra doing this evening?"
"I believe she was attending a feast in honor of her suitors," Andromache replied innocently, then ducked as a piece of fruit flew at her. "What a stupid question, Hector."
"Is she trying to scare off her suitors?" he demanded.
"Don't deny it, you were entertained as well," she accused.
"I never said I wasn't, but my question still stands."
Andromache sighed. "No, she was just having a bit of fun with them."
"It won't work, if she is trying to scare them off." A thought dawned on him and he looked at her suspiciously. "This isn't a plan of yours, is it? To scare them or some such thing? Because you were unusually pleasant to me today."
"I am just a spectator in this, as you," she replied.
"But an informed spectator," he argued.
"Well, that's my privilege, isn't it?" Andromache pointed out. "And you'll just have to settle for being just a spectator, for I promise you'll get no information from me."
"Fine," Hector shot back. "But I warn you, trying to scare them off won't work. They want this alliance too badly."
"Just watch and enjoy, my dear," she replied coyly. "Cassandra knows what she's doing."
He just watched her, a suspicious look on his face.
"But it was brilliant the way she trapped them, wasn't it?" Andromache laughed just remembering.
Hector couldn't resist a smile. "I almost choked on my wine," he admitted, joining in on her mirth. "Brilliant of her."
"I've never seen her so sharp," Andromache mused.
"You've never encountered her temper. She's a wildcat when she's angry," Hector warned. "And she's got a tongue sharper than any dagger I've ever wielded."
"Pity for her husband then," Andromache replied mischievously. "One wonder's why she's even getting offers."
"Because men are fools," Hector said. "And they can't resist a pretty face. Or the alliances that come with it," he added as an afterthought.
Andromache smiled. "I'd agree with that."
"And women are just as foolish, to suppose their wit can fool their husbands," he retorted. "Men are aware of what their women are up to."
"Then you know Briseis has fallen in love with a stable boy?" Andromache asked innocently.
"She's what?!" Hector exclaimed, then relaxed as he saw the teasing look on her face. He flicked her head and kissed her, extinguishing the torches as they climbed into bed. "Goodnight, Andromache."
"Goodnight, Hector."