Disclaimer: I only own Alana.
A/N: First, I want to say that I was warned about something, and I want to say thanks to Complicateazngur because she was right, Andromache can't go back home because Thebes was destroyed. So I had to modify last chapter a bit.
Chapter fifteen.
Hector entered his room and saw his wife sitting on the bed, with tears in her eyes. He sighed. He couldn't understand what was wrong with her, but at the same time, his instinct told him the answer. Sitting down next to her, he placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Andromache, tell me all what worries you.. I can't help you if you go on acting like this.." He said, and she looked up at him.
"You know what is wrong, Hector.. and I can't change it.. this is why I want to leave for some time, until your mind will be clear again" She sighed, and he frowned.
"How can you think that I love Alana? I barely know her!" He said, angrily, and she started to cry again.
"See? You already knew what I was talking about.. I even don't need to mention her, you have her inside your mind" Hector became pale, he had spoken without thinking. But he didn't love Alana, he thought. Standing up, walked towards the window. "You keep silence.. you're giving me the answer I feared" She commented sadly.
"No, Andromache, please.. listen to me" He said, watching at her, but she looked down.
"No, we don't need to talk.. I don't blame you.. it just happened.. you must know her, and if when I'll return nothing changed, then..." She approached him and took his hand. "Then I'll leave"
"Andromache.." He said, sadly. But didn't discuss it. Shocked, he realised that his wife could be right about that. Something was happening to him and he wanted to make sure. They hugged in silence. "Take care" He whispered.
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After taking a bath, I walked in the palace, trying to relax. Too many things had changed and I needed a break, I needed to be alone for a while. Andromache was leaving, I had told Paris that I loved Hector, and he hadn't believed me. I had thrown the jewel into the hole and I had to stay in Troy , waiting for the war. What else could happen?
I felt pain in my arms, after swimming in the stormy sea. Clouds could be seen in the sky, and distant thunders with their lightening illuminated the horizon. I leaned against the glassless window, looking at the landscape. I didn't know what time was it, I didn't know what to do.. I didn't know anything. I just wanted to stay far away from the bedrooms, avoiding the two brothers.
"Alana?" I turned around, shocked. Hector was standing there. He looked sad, tired, his dark eyes, usually shiny, showed a worried light.
"Yes?" I took a deep breath, wishing that Paris hadn't told him anything about what had happened minutes ago. Hector walked and stopped beside me, also looking through the window.
"Andromache left.. "He murmured.
"I'm so sorry, Hector.. it's all my fault" I said, but he smiled and shook his head.
"I don't know if I should tell you everything.. maybe this would calm you down a bit.. and at the same time.." He sighed and looked at me. "At the same time , if I tell you.. situation can get complicated and right now we need all our forces.." He turned his head again, and observed the stormy sky.
"As far as I know.. I didn't do anything bad, so nothing could leave me without forces.." I said, frowning. Maybe Andromache had been telling lies to him.
"Of course you didn't do anything bad, Alana.. but this is not easy.." He made a pause, and I wished I hadn't spoken. I felt his dark eyes on mines. "Do you remember what Andromache told you about me?" I swallowed, blushing, and nodded.
"You mean that she thinks.." I said, hoping he would end the phrase, but he didn't. "That she thinks you love me?" He nodded, slowly. "This is why she left? But I told you that if you talk to her you can solve this big misunderstanding! Come on, Hector, this is childish, she will believe you!" I said, but when I saw his gaze, I knew something else was wrong.
"This is the problem, Alana.. I already spoke with her" He said, and I felt anger towards his wife.
"And she didn't believe you? How can she do something like this?" I was half shouting, and he made a sign with his hand.
"Stop, Alana.. don't talk about her like this, she's an honourable woman.. she knows me well" His voice sounded strange, and in that moment I wanted to escape. I even preferred to meet Paris and have an argument with him, instead of being there, trying to hold Hector's gaze.
"But if you already talked, if everything is clear.. why is she leaving? " I asked again.
"And here comes the complicated part" His statement made my heart beat faster. "Alana.. my wife is giving me time"
"Time? For what?" My voice was just a whisper. He went on looking at me.
"For making things clear inside my head." I was starting to understand, but didn't want to believe what I was hearing.
"About war?" I tried to move to another subject, but he smiled again.
"Don't pretend to be stupid because you're not.. "He said, kindly.
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand you.. listen, I hope you'll solve things with her, whatever she will do.. and now.." I left the window and walked some steps "I have to go.. I have to.. well.." I couldn't find an excuse, and nerves were betraying me. He came next to me, and stopped few centimetres away from my body.
"I told you that telling you the truth would complicate things.. "He whispered, and I looked away.
"Which truth? I already knew that the war is keeping you busy and she has to leave.." I felt his hand on my arm.
"Why don't you want to listen to me? I'm telling you that my wife left because of me.. and you.. because I can't say that you're indifferent for me" I looked at him, shocked.
"No, you take care of me, because I'm your guest, nothing else.." As I was saying this, he was shaking his head. "Hector, listen to me.. you're confused, but .."
"I'm sure that something is going on, and I know that I can't change things telling you"
"Then, why are you telling me?" I asked, and he kept silence for a while.
"Because maybe my instinct tells me that there's a big change waiting for me" I didn't know what to reply, and I just walked away. "I spoke with Paris" His voice had changed into a sweet tone, and I blushed deeply.
"About what?" My hands were shaking and I crossed my arms over my chest.
"I know what you told him" I froze when I heard him. "See you, Alana"
I stayed there for minutes, trying to wake up from that kind of nightmare. Paris wasn't a reliable person, why did he have to tell Hector? I felt tears in my eyes, tears of shame, because of all the things I was causing. If destiny had brought me there, sure it was an evil destiny.
I walked fast in the halls, and when I turned around on my left, I realised I was lost. I had never been in that part of the palace. The ceiling was lower, and I heard the sound of water. A big golden door appeared in front of me. It was decorated with the shapes of the gods and goddesses, and it was half opened. I walked slowly and looked inside. It led to a huge inner garden, with the biggest fountain I had ever seen in my life. The plants and flowers formed a corridor, and the path led to the outside, near to the beach.
It was the most amazing place in Troy, a place where I wanted to stay , and think, and get lost. The sun was gone, and the thunders were filling the sky. But even in a storm, the garden didn't loose the charming look. I walked in the path, and sat on the edge of the fountain. From that position I wasn't able to see the exit, but nothing worried me, not even being lost.
Small drops of rain started to fall, and the thunders were stronger. I stood up and walked back, but the door was locked. Great. I looked around, and thought of the possibility of following the path that ended on the beach, and then go back to the castle. Because I wouldn't start to beat the door and shout.. no, I had to solve that situation by myself.
The path was longer than I had thought at first, by then I was completely soaked, and for the first time, scared. It was so strange I hadn't seen a person in the whole time, as if everybody had disappeared. I only walked, turned on the left, on the right.. among the high plants, and trees.. desperation was coming, and I stopped, trying to calm down. It was raining stronger, and small lakes were forming on the ground.
I started my journey again, I didn't know how many time had passed, but it was getting darker. Finally, a big arc showed me the exit. Smiling , I crossed it, and the sandy beach was there. Happy, I ran outside, and looked around to place myself and take the path that led to the castle again. But more fears came to me. I didn't know that part of the beach, and when I looked back, I only saw trees.. the palace must be so distant that it couldn't be seen .
I was totally lost. Another option was to go back and try to open the door. Yes, this was what I was going to do. But first I had to rest. I laid under a tree, and closed my eyes. It seemed I was always getting into troubles, without looking for them. If the war didn't take place, I was sure I was causing a kind of war as well.
"What are you doing here?" When I heard someone speaking behind me I shouted. I stood up and looked at the stranger, who wasn't a stranger at all.
"What's wrong with both of you? You're always appearing behind me like ghosts!!" Paris frowned when I said this.
"And what are you doing here? How did you discover this garden?" He looked at me with a strange expression. He was also soaked, but he didn't seem to care.
"It's raining.." I said, stupidly. As if he didn't know. His dark eyes opened in surprise.
"I do know it's raining, look at me.. I had to follow you and now I'm completely wet"
"And why did you follow me?" I asked, in the same angry voice as him.
"You crossed a forbidden door, this is a private place"
"The door was opened.." I murmured, and he nodded.
"But if a door is opened it doesn't mean it invites you to come in.." He took a deep breath. "Come on, we have to go back to palace" I didn't realise how happy I was by then.. his presence made me feel safe, I wasn't alone nay more. For a while, I looked at him, absent minded. "What?" He asked.
"Nothing.. it's only that it seems I always find you in the most strange places.. I mean, on the beach when I went for a walk with Hector's son.. and now here.. but now you followed me.." When I saw his gaze, and then avoiding mine, an idea came to my head. "Were you also following me when I was in charge of your nephew?"
"What are you saying? Of course not! Come on, walk!" He replied, pushing me. We came inside the gardens, in silence. Thunders hided our voices, and rain was so strong that we couldn't see in the distance.
"Is always like this? The rain in Troy?" I asked, shouting. He looked at me and shook his head.
"It's just a storm" A ray fell somewhere, near from us, and yellow sparkles shone. "We must hurry, this is dangerous!" He took my hand and we ran, avoiding trees, flowers and small lagoons of water. After what seemed to be a century, the golden door appeared in front of us. Paris touched his clothes, looking for the key. Finally, I would be able to get dry and eat something. I was starving. Seconds passed, and the door was still closed. Paris looked at me, slowly. His dark eyes narrowed. "Do you like rain?" He said.
"What?" I asked, and he leaned against the door.
"I lost the key" I didn't feel the water falling over me in that moment. He had lost the key.. what did that mean?
"And there is not another entry to palace?" When he looked at me, I knew the answer was a negative answer. "Great.. we have to walk again, go to the beach and then walk again to palace?"
"This part of the beach is.. complicated.." He said, removing the wet hair form his face. "It's a disconnected part, so when the tide is high, nobody can leave it.. now it's full moon, this means the tide is high at nights.. we'll have to wait until tomorrow in the morning"
"What?" I repeated. "But people will miss us, they'll come to look for us, I'm sure!"
"They won't look in this part of the castle, Alana.."
"How can you know?" I started beating on the door, but soon felt Paris hands on my shoulders.
"Alana.. calm down.. we can't do anything.. it's raining heavily.. we must go to the beach"
"To the beach? "Our eyes met, he looked so confident that I felt a bit better.
"There's a small cave in the rocks. We can stay there, and tomorrow, when there will be sand where there's water now, we'll walk back to the palace" We stared at each other for a while.
"Well, lets go.." I said, and saw a sincere smile on his face for the first time.
We walked in silence during minutes and minutes. I was so tired that I couldn't think of a possible conversation. From time to time I looked at him, but he was absent minded. My situation with Paris was undefined.. I didn't know if he hated me or not, if he wanted me to be dead or alive.. I was sure that his feelings towards me weren't good, after what had happened with Helen. And I knew he would never forgive me for that.
We finally reached the beach, and there , inside the rocks, there was a small cave. He led me there and we threw ourselves on the sand. Time passed and he still kept silence. It was already getting dark, and the storm was passing. I could see some blue parts in the sky, with the first stars. And then, I had the need to laugh.
"What happened? "Paris asked. "What is so funny?"
"Everything.. all my life.. my situation.. being here.. Hector thinks he loves me, and now I'm here, prisoner with his brother, who hates me.." Paris stared at me, shocked. I went out of the cave, to breath fresh air. I could see the full moon already. "I'm not going nowhere.. this mission doesn't have an end.. I'm locked in this time.." I was talking to myself, but Paris had been listening.
"Hector.. loves you? "He asked, still shocked. So it seemed that part of my speech had caused a special effect on him. I looked at him in the moonlight and felt the usual strange feeling in my stomach.
"He's not sure.. but he thinks so.. oh, why am I telling you this?" I sighed, looking at the sea.
"And I don't hate you" His voice sounded sweet behind me. He stayed beside me, and our eyes met.
"I don't believe you" I said, with a smile, and he smiled too.
"But this will be our secret. I think your arrival here brought too many shocks for us. But I could get used.. "w sat on the sand. My head was still spinning. I looked at him, and he was looking at me. "What about you?"
"About me?" I replied, and he nodded.
"What do you feel about my brother? You told me you loved him"
"Yes, and you told him, and then he came to talk to me" I remembered about the meeting and became angry with Paris. "How could you tell him so?" His eyes shone.
"So you were lying?" Now I felt my face blushing. I avoided his gaze. "Why?"
"I was defending myself" He smiled.
"From who?" I gathered forces to look up at him.
"From you" We stared at each other in silence, his eyes looked shocked.
And it was then when something had changed.. in all senses, because I felt a new presence in front of us. And I only had to give one look at him to recognise his identity. I froze. Behind him, a group of soldiers who carried weapons stopped as well. Paris stood up and I imitated him. I started to shake, knowing the meaning of that arrival. We were lost. For real.
"Look what we've found here, Achilles" Achilles looked at me and nodded.
"She's the girl"