Disclaimer: If I owned Troy then I would be dead by now, just kidding! Thanks to Homer for the Iliad and merci beaucoup to Warner Brothers for the fabulous movie!
Author's note: Enjoy!
"Wake up, Prince Hector." The crowned prince of Troy, Hector woke to the voice of his favorite servant and milk-mother. The five-year-old blinked rapidly to get the sleepiness out of his big brown eyes and flopped back down into his warm blankets. Herona gently shook Hector's shoulder, "But prince," She lamented, "Your mother has given birth to a new prince, a brother for you!"
Hector opened one long lashed eye and sat up, "A brother?" He squeaked, realizing that was why his mother did not sing him to sleep last night with her melodious voice. But then his confused expression turned into a frown. "But I don't want a brother! Mother and Father already have me, why would they want another one?" Herona reached for the light yellow tunic that lay at the bottom of the bed, and pulled it over the struggling prince's curly brown hair.
Hector pouted as he was dressed against his wishes, he never did ask for a brother, how could his Mother get one without asking him first? He decided that he was going to pretend that this new prince did not exist; yes that was a great plan!
"I'm sick." Hector announced to Herona and flopped down onto the hard floor, "I got sick from playing on the beaches."
Herona raised an eyebrow, "Really?" She asked, bemused. "Yes," Hector answered defiantly, then turned away from the nurse, "I'm tried, please leave me." Herona sighed, before walking from the room, leaving her disgruntled charge behind.
Hector flipped over on his side and reached over for the carved statue of Athena that his father painstaking carved for him from wood when he was but a child, Athena stared up at him sternly with her large eyes that held so much wisdom but yet prophesized so much doom. Hector sighed slowly, letting out a breath that he didn't know that he was holding in.
"He is adorable." Queen Hecuba whispered as she held the newborn prince in her arms, her husband stood near her, smiling broadly at his new son. "He will grow up strong," commented the seer, looking at the baby fondly. "But with him will bring sadness," he added, almost silently. Hecuba sat up suddenly and looked around, "Where's Hector?" She demanded, flipping back her long, damp dark hair. "He has to see his brother!"
Priam helped Hecuba lean back, "I sent Herona to get him about half an hour ago, he should be here soon." Hecuba nodded before handing the baby to a servant, and closed her eyes, "I suppose I would rest for a while now, please tell Hector to see me before the dinner feast." And then she drifted off into a light slumber.
Herona ran into the birthing room and was met by Priam, who grabbed her arm, "Where is Hector?" The king hissed in her ear, trying not to wake his sleeping wife. The servant looked fearfully into Priam's eyes, "He is still in his room, my lord." Priam frowned, "But why? Did you not wake him?"
"Indeed I did," Herona bowed down, "But he doesn't seem to want to come." Priam narrowed his eyes and then headed out the room when he was met by his seven year old daughter Cassandra. The princess was wearing a torn toga that was stained with blood and dirt, her long loose hair was uncombed, her eyes wild and driven to the point of madness.
"Kill him, Father! Kill him, he brings doom to everyone he touches!" She cried, nearly hysterical with her tears. Priam knelt down in front of the princess and grabbed her shoulders. "What did you say?" He asked sharply.
"Kill him, Father!" She screamed out as if being tortured, "His existence would mean the end of ours, please, Father, kill him!" Priam felt as if he was being ripped in two, his daughter was indeed blessed, or cursed with being able to see what the future held. But then again, her last two predictions had proved rather the opposite, so Priam did not know what the Gods wanted. Priam tore back into the birthing room and grabbed the seer and dragged the man over to Cassandra.
"She says that Prince Paris would bring doom." Priam said, his voice shaking. "Tell me, would it prove true?" The seer glanced at the king and to the tearful princess before answering slowly, "The newborn prince would indeed bring sadness, but not doom, but he would also bring happiness to all around him." Priam felt a wave of release before letting go of the seer and then glanced at her daughter, "Don't you dare repeat what you just said to anyone." Cassandra frowned before nodding slowly, heading back into the great hall, tears still falling unstoppably from her eyes.
Hector walked slowly through the halls; he kept his hand behind him and twisted his fingers nervously behind his back. He was trying to keep a brave face on even though inside, he was extremely anxious. A crying form bumped into him as it ran blindly through the halls, Hector blinked before taking in the form of his older sister. "Cassandra!" Hector exclaimed in surprised, staring into the wan and listless face of the princess. She glared at him angrily before pushing him aside and ran, weeping into her room.
Hector tiptoed into the birthing room, and slowly walked over to where his mother laid on the bed, sleeping serenely with a gentle smile on her beautiful face. He thought about waking her up but instead slowly tiptoed over to the cradle where the newborn brother slept. He leaned over the crib and saw a little baby boy with the faintest gold brown curls that hung down his face with the fairest features. Hector slipped his fingers in the baby's delicate fingers and marveled over this newborn being. Suddenly, Paris opened his light chocolate brown eyes and blinked up at Hector, who smiled in spite himself. Paris blinked as if not really seeing and then went back to sleep, his pink tongue sticking out a little. Hector ran his fingers down the baby's delicate skin and then tore himself away from the crib to sit by his mother, who surprised him with sitting up and smiling at him.
"Come here, baby." She cooed, holding her arms out to Hector, who did not really enjoy being called a baby but didn't mind resting in his mother's sweet embrace. "How do you like your brother?" She asked anxiously. Hector surprised them both by saying earnestly, "I'll protect him against anything, Mother." Tears of joy came to Hecuba's eyes as she held her first born son close and then retrieved baby Paris from the crib.
Author's note: Ok, so that was the prologue, I'm actually thinking of skipping over to when they are older in the next few chapters, should I? hint hint for reviews.