Captivated
Chapter 9: Hector's Mourning
The fires licked away Hector's body to ashes like a pack of savages. Much like the savage that killed Hector while Paris was away. Tears always welled up in Paris' eyes when the thought reached him again and again. While he was enjoying the most bliss of pleasures, here his brother was dragged by the wagon of Achilles across the entire plain.
Eris brought him back into his room from the spot where they left. When her presence was gone, so was the happiness that the world seemed to lack. Everybody was crying, but for what Paris could not tell. It was Helen who told him that his brother died in battle; and Paris wished she were just lying.
"No he didn't." Paris cast a threatening look towards Helen. She's just mad that I wasn't comforting her all day. How dare she make such a thing up?
"Paris, please. You must understand!" She tried to take his face in both her white hands, but he pushed them away. He still believed that she was lying. Helen went on in specific detail of how it happened.
"Achilles challenged Hector before the wall. Everyone was there. He slashed him in the throat and dragged him along his chariot." Her sobs were surfacing not because of her brother in laws death, but of the heart ache in Paris' face.
She was in too much detail to make any of it up, and everyone was crying over something. But it couldn't be his Hector! The same that sheltered him through all his life. Maybe the only true sibling that loved Paris. Yet, it was true....Hector was dead.
The fact echoed in Paris' ears before he collapsed screaming at the top of his lungs. Helen lunged to hold him, to die away the pain by her warmth. But it only muffled his screams. His cries came before the endless river that dripped from his eyes. The prince didn't respond to Helen's embrace, her body now was cold to him and so was everything else. He cursed Eris in his mind to burn in hell, alone. If she didn't take him away, then maybe this would never happen.
He knew if he stayed, he wouldn't cry so loud because he would have done it already at the wall; only this time cursing Achilles. The prince hated the thought of Eris it made him even weary. He screamed for his brother to come back until his voice was hoarse. Helen informed Paris that his father was bringing back Hector's body as they speak and would come back any minuet.
If there was anyone that would comfort him better then Helen, it would be his father. He remembered when he was a child, how the smell of his father's wool clothes and the tickle of his beard felt. The memories quieted him down and wrap his arms around his devoted wife. He will make it better. Paris thought. He will fix the pain, as he did when I was young.
It was almost dawn when Praim the king returned from the Greek's camp. His escort drove the horses through the dark, with Hector's dust matted body behind them. The father wouldn't dare look at his son in such a state and the first orders of their return were to clean the body for cremation.
"Out of all the father's in the world, I have suffered the most." He said quietly to himself as he entered his throne room. Praim demanded to be left alone, and only the god's wisdom was welcomed. As always he climbed on his cushioned throne, but it felt cold and hard under his feet. The fine furnished garnishes were no more to him then the floor his walked upon. All the word that was once fine lined became blurry in his eyes as the tears of sorrow came upon him.
Paris demanded to see his father and shoved the guards and council members out of his way. They warned him dearly to let his father be, but Paris was in too much of shock to listen. He found his father crunched up on his throne mumbling words that didn't make sense. Praim was just next to Paris when the prince collapsed at his feet, tugging on his long robes as a child.
"Father...please help. Never have I been so torn." The words almost drifted away from his tears. Praim didn't care. He didn't have the slightest interest on the words his flawless son was mumbling about.
When Paris slowly looked up, wondering why his father wasn't on the floor with him, he was addressed with the most hateful wallop his was given. He was knocked on his side and Praim finally stood from his throne. His usual weary calm self was long gone and in stood another man that Paris never seen.
"OUT OF ALL OF THEM!!!!!" he thundered. "OUT OF ALL MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS...I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ALL OF THEM UP JUST FOR HIMMMM!"
Paris crawled to kneel before his angered father, begging him for his forgiveness.
"Father...please......I never wanted-'' The words chocked in his throat, unable to be fully heard by his father.
"IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN HECTOR WOULD DIE. I WOULD CAST YOU BACK TO THE GREEKS WITHOUT A MOMENTS THOUGHT!!!!!! OUT OF ALL THE MEN THAT DIED, IT IS YOU THAT DESERVED THEIR FATES, ONE BY ONE!!!!!!! YOU AND THAT WHORE YOU BROUGHT ALONG!!!!!!! NOW I HATE MYSELF FOR NOT ONLY WELCOMING YOU BOTH INTO MY LAND, BUT TO HAVE MADE YOU...... CURSE YOU PARIS!!!!!!! CURSE YOU!!!!"
The words whipped across the torn prince a thousand times in his soul. He came to be rejuvenated by his father's love. But now because of all that he has done, their love diminished. As was his love for Eris.
The guards had to carry Paris away and calm the cursing king down for there to be peace in the halls once again. Paris couldn't control his sobs and shivered untamable when he took a breath to calm him down. Those that had always despised the prince or once cursed him behind his back now pitied the sobbing boy.
During the funeral as they watched Hector's body lie still while the fires burned his already dead body, all that stole glances at the sad prince felt sorry. His face was still tear stained from his first misery. All of Troy was thankful that Helen was there to squeeze the young man's arm just to make him hold on to his life. Now that there was no father Prince Paris can call for, he only had Helen. And he treasured her even more then ever.
How was that? Was it good to your liking? If not or it was, then please, you must review you thoughts. If you don't know how to review, then press the Submit Review button below and say something about this chapter. All of this was going on when Eris was calming Apollo down. Next chapter, Eris will try to warn Paris but will he listen to her? Review what you think will happen next.