Padme lay across from me, equally exhausted.
We'd spent our day together, which was no surprise. But the day was spent in the bath, vomiting, swearing, sweating, and sleeping. A first for the both of us.
Padme lay on the other side of the bathroom, a hand over her head, "I spoke to the chef earlier today and you know what she told me?"
While I was unsure if I even wished to know, I asked, "What?"
My throat burnt, I was tired, on the verge of sleep, and didn't wish to hear gossip. But I would just to be a friend.
"After your with your husband, you should stand on your hands." Padme told me, with a straight face.
That made me lift my head. "Are you mad? You stand on your hands after.......you know, and you can tell me how it feels. Why on earth would I stand on my bloody hands after I'm with Hector?"
"It helps make a child," Padme spoke in a knowing tone.
I simply rolled my eyes and laid down.
"You've lost all sense. You must have thrown up your mind along with your stomach."
Padme groaned at me and reached for her bucket.
I pushed myself up and waited, if she were to vomit again I'd hold her hair. Padme didn't vomit, she instead fell face first in the empty bucket, exhausted.
Well, I knew how she felt.
I watched her still form breath. The rise and fall of her chest beneath the red silk robes. When I was convinced she was not dead, I laid back down. Sleep quickly took ahold of me until I could fight it no more. I do not know how long I laid on the floor, asleep. Only that I woke once at the sound of someone in the bath.
Even then I was half awake, unable to wake myself, I watched Hecuba's round friend come in the bath. For a moment I wondered why. Until I saw the four men who followed her in, and then sleep claimed me.
Some time later.....
I woke to someone poking me.
For a moment I thought I was still in the bath, until I smell wood. Until I felt pain in my wrists, a gag in my mouth. When I chewed on the rough cloth I woke up. To see Paris looking in my eyes with a worried expression.
Quickly, I looked around, to see I was in a covered cart!
I moved my sore fingers, but found my hands were bound far too tight.
"Sister! Your alive, thank the Gods!" Paris whispered, he hugged me and then untied the gag in my mouth. I looked around the empty cart and asked, "Where is Padme?"
Paris's face went from ecstatic to shocked, "Padme?
My heart fell, had they killed her? I prayed silently to the Gods they hadn't.
"We'll look for her later, I have to get you out of the wagon before they come back. They went to dig you grave, Andromache!" Paris cried.
My grave, someone had dug my grave. I was to shocked to even think about that, Paris pulled me to my knees, across the rough wooden floor. Till he came to the back of the cart, he peered out then climbed out. I followed, with my hands still bound behind me.
Paris held onto my arm while I put one leg out. Still in my nightdress from last night! A cool breeze caught my bare leg. No sooner did I put my legs down, did Paris scream and let go. I fell face first from the wagon! Onto rocky hard ground!
It was dusk, with a quick look around, I noted we were on the cliffs. Below were the beaches of Troy. When I looked up Paris and a man fought! Paris was valiant, but he could not fight to save my life. I quickly looked around and saw we were alone. For now atleast.
Grateful for my many brothers, and all the times they had tied me up, I rolled onto my barefeet. With his attention on Paris I was able to get behind him. I put my foot firmly in the back of his knee! Which sent him to the ground. Paris screamed, I yelled at him, "Get a rock!"
Paris was not sure why, but did.
I kicked the man in the back of the head while he was down. Suddenly very grateful for my long legs. I jumped back as he pitched forward. Paris stood there with a rock in his hand. I knew by the look in his eyes he wouldn't strike the man. So I kicked him as hard as I could, right between his legs. It hurt my foot, quite a bit. But when he curled up I kicked him in the face.
Then I swore! His nasty teeth had cut the top of my foot! Damn him! I kicked the limp man again out of anger!
"Andromache!," Paris shrieked, he still held the rock.
I turned and saw several men come running. They had obviously been in the woods, which were not too far off. One man had a axe in his hands!
I looked to Paris, we could not stand against those men, as I was unarmed and bound. Paris met my eyes and knew we were doomed. He then looked over his shoudler at the cliffs. Then back to me, "Can you swim?"
Could I swim?
I could, I looked back to the men as they came closer.
Damn, I would have to swim. I thanked the Gods I was able to swim with my hands bound. It was something I learned as a child. My brothers had taught that to me.
I followed Paris to the side of the cliff, where he promptly stopped. He turned pale as milk when he peered over the side. I looked and saw water. Lots and lots of water. The tide was in and it was rough. "Can you swim," I asked.
"I've swam, once," Paris confirmed.
I looked back at the men, then at the sheer drop. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and jumped.