To all my reviewers, especially the nice ones; sorry for the delay! This is the last chapter. Read all the way through-I like the end.
And I'm running.
I'd run faster if every tree didn't seem to conceal a guard, a shadow to jump out at me, to peel back my cloak, to-
"Soldier!"
I inhale so sharply it might be a scream. One of the shadows has come loose, and is approaching me with clipped strides.
"What are you doing out at this time of night?"
I grope for the first answer I can find. I'm a terrible liar. But if I can somehow get to Hector, I'll conjure enough falsehoods to put Odysseus to shame.
"Achilles..." I say, hoping his name won't get me in trouble.
The guard barks out a laugh. "Achilles again? He's having the time of his life tonight. I thought he was satisfied with that Trojan whore, but no..."
"You mean Brisies?"
"Is that what her name is? The little Trojan slut?"
I grit my teeth to prevent myself from doing something stupid.
The guard seems to lose interest in me after this. "Go on."
I sprint, stumbling into the trees that look so different tonight.
I have to lose myself for no one else to find me.
And finally I stop, out of breath, out of panic.
I inhale finally, realizing how narrow my escape was. If the guard had chanced to look under my cloak, I would have been a dead prince by now. Throat slit, blood pooling on the ground...
I shut my eyes, trying to block out the images.
"Soldier!"
I jump backwards as another man appears not two feet in front of me. His voice is cut with hostility, and something that sounds like
fear.
I freeze as his blade wavers toward my neck. But my tense, cramped hands have twisted around the sword of Troy, and I swing it upwards. It repels the stranger's sword with a crash of metel that echoes in the trees.
Now the soldier halts, listening to the metel echo. The moon catches my sword, and I realize too late how conspicious my blade is.
"Troy?" The stranger whispers, laughing. And with a flip of his sword, he brushes back my cloak.
"No!" I raise my sword again. If I can get out of here, I can find Hector, I can run...
"Paris!"
The man pulls back his own cloak, dropping his sword in the grass.
"Hector!"
My brother.
He's here.
"Paris, gods, I was-"
And then he cuts himself off because I'm hugging him too tightly. He's hugging me too, and I think he's crying. And I know I'm crying, because he's safe and I'm safe and I will never, ever have to look at him dying again...
We run over the yellow sand, to the gates of Troy. The doors open, and torches glow over the roads.
If I remember Hector's face it will be on this night. He is smiling because he forgot that he could, and his face is bright and clear in the glow of the road. For once there is nothing torn and conflicted in his eyes, no ghosts of guilt and fear hinting at hurt that I could never imagine.
"You were brave." Hector says, as we walk down the street.
No. I was desperate. I'm no warrior. I'm still shivering as we enter the castle.
"Not really. I knew you'd be there."
"Still..."
"Have a sense of fun." I poke him. "I'm alive, and it's amazing. You knew I'd find you."
"Right."
"Seriously. I always will."
It's wonderful to hear what was a never truth until now, when it will be forever so.
AzNnEgGrOePnOi (whose penname I still can't spell): Thank you! Even though your ch. 4 review was kind of mean, in a funny way. I can't say I like Achilles either; he killed Hector, and is quite possibly the biggest BRAT in literature—but at the same time, he fascinates me. So he comes through pretty nuance in my stories. Thank you for being a faithful reviewer!
Andromache: Hector is my favorite character too, even though he doesn't show up much in this story. Glad you like how I'm developing Paris though—he's fun to play with, because if you change him, you change a lot of the war (And Hector survives! Whoop-di-doo!).
BoBi: Paris is not being tortured. I'm not quite sadistic enough to do that—at least not in this story. Glad you like the angst though ;). It was fun to write.
Murphysbaby: Thank you! Yeah, I haven't found many other Paris fics myself. Obviously I have not updated soon, but I hope you liked this bit anyway.
Shelli: You know, the Hector lover's have to start a Hector fanclub, to stop the Troy board from being taken over by Achilles nutters. The bits in Paris's head were very fun, but Paris doesn't have too many issues I can see. If I were in his place, I'd be scared shitless. Anyhoo, I also agree about Clytemnestra; if I had Agamemnon as a husband, I'd do away with him. Odious meglomaniac.
Fanfiction Guru: But of course I fume when I get your reviews. Let me be frighteningly candid with you; most writers, myself included, tend to think to themselves "Hmmm. How many characters can be faced with improbable amounts of angst-producing overkill in the first few minutes of this story?" Or, "How long and boring and ridiculously overreacted can I make this all be?" Once this is done, they may murmur approvingly to themselves and poise another question for thier own enjoyment. It may go something like this: "Nice plot device, eh? God I am brilliant".
On another note, please do not post racist or homophobic comments on my review board. "Better tell her what I said or you all will be sorry." If you truly live Brazil, I cannot see how you would make me sorry in any way, shape or form, unless you came to the US and threatened me with a weapon.
Kisses from NYC!
Serenity56424: Thank you! Reviewers like you are lovely.
Tireseis: I think Paris figures out courage in this chapter, if not completely conciously. Thanks for the encouragement; I'm basing this mainly on the movie, so there are contractions. Sorry I didn't update for a while; keep reviewing! By the way, I like your penname.
Juuhachi-gou, Goddess of Death: I'm not worrying about my grammer, and I don't plan to. Awesome! Another person who likes Paris. I tried to portray him in a nice way—so many people are tough on him, but in his place, I might've done just the same. To tell the truth, in the movie, he's the character I identify with most.
Keeping it up.
Mirwen Sunrider/Elrondiel: Horray! Someone who admits that they'd be scared out of their mind if they faced Meneleus too. I certainly would. Good minds think alike; glad to hear someone else had the idea.