My hands throbbed.

My head throbbed.

I was still throwing up, but this time it was salt water. Paris had almost drown me. But I pulled us both to the rocky beach and collapsed. I slept till now. As Paris dragged me along the damn rocks, over the damn rocks. With my hands still bound! Thankfully Paris stopped and rolled me on my side when I threw up.

I opened my eyes to see the nightsky.

I could hear the bloody ocean, I was cold, wet, and my back had been tore to hell. From where he dragged me across the rocks!

"Until my hands," I begged, my face in a mess of seaweed. It was pitch black, I could hardly see a bloody thing. I prayed my face was in seaweed.

"With what?"

I took a calming breath so I would not scream at him, "A rock."

"Oh."

Oh? Oh, oh I'd kill him one of these days.

Paris got on his knees beside me, he had found a rock after a brief hunt. Then he began to saw at the binds on my wrists. I bit my lips everytime he scraped my skin. I prayed that Padme was alive, I prayed I wouldn't kill him, I even prayed for Hecuba. As soon as I saw the wench I'd tell her it was her friend! I just hadn't decided whether that would be before or after I beat her.

"AHA!" Paris sang when he cut my hands free. A warmth filled them.

"Thank you," I spoke softly.

Paris simply patted my wet head.

Carefully I rubbed my tender wrists, and found they were slick. Blood. Tears began to form in my eyes. Quickly I wipped them away and looked around, "Where are we?"

I heard Paris stand, "On the beaches of Troy........possibly six hours from the city gate."

With a groan I fell over. Paris sat down beside me, "Andromache, do not worry. I'll lead you home. Once we are home we can tell father it was Coco who was behind the threat, that Cassandra's dream was correct."

So Cassandra knew, why was I not surprised?

Paris patted my arm, "Come on Andromache, if we start now we can be home by dawn."

It took all I had not to hit him. "Why are you so eager? Why can't we just stay here? And simply wait for someone to save us? I'm tired Paris."

"I know, but I've never been the hero before."

I stared at my brother-in-law in the dark. Apparently his eyes were better then mine. "Do not look at me like that Andromache. I have to prove that I am not useless, that I am capable of greatness."

For a brief moment I was too stunned to speak.

Until I asked, "So you only saved me for glory?"

"No! Heavens no Andromache, I love you as I do Hector, not in the same way. But your my friend, I'd save you no matter what."

A smile came across my face, "Fine...just walk slow, I can't see a bloody thing."

Paris helped me to my feet and led me across the rocky beach. For the longest time it was nothing but rocks. In some places we had to climb over them. They cut the soles of my feet apart, but I said nothing.

For several miles the beach was nothing but rocks, then slowly sand came. Sand and water, which I walked in. The sand hurt my feet too much, as did the salt water, but it was the lesser of two evils.

As the sky lightened I let go of Paris's hand.

Though I followed him closely.

Till the city was just barely visable. Sadly, I never could cheer as Paris did. Instead I swore and fell in a heap on the cool sand. With a piece of coral in my abused foot. My swears came out in a steady stream as I pulled my foot into my lap. Sure enough a piece of coral was lodged in my heel.

My foot was covered in scrapes, cuts, blood, sand, and a piece of seaweed. Which I immediatly picked out. Paris cried out when he saw my foot. With ground teeth I picked the piece of coral out. Blood flowed swiftly after.

Only then did my swears stop.

And that was because my leg itched from the water.

"Paris I can't walk any further," I told him. I met his kind brown eyes.

Paris nodded, then said, "I'll carry you."

For a moment thought he spoke in jest, and when I realized he was serious, I asked, "Carry me?"

"Hector carries you, how hard could it be?"

I thought about laughing. Hector carried his horse when the beast wouldn't listen, and Paris was about my size. But I was not about to walk, and he offered. So I slowly and carefully got to my feet.

Paris knelt over, so I climbed onto his back and wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms around his neck. It took him a moment to stand up, and when he did, he did so slowly.

"Am I too heavy?" I asked.

"Not at all, just do not move."

I listened to my brother.

Paris walked with me perched upon his back. I say walked lightly, the poor boy began to wheeze and gasp after a half mile. His steps became shaky and he tripped a few times. I remained silent and still upon his back.

Until he came to a stop and promptly dropped me in the sand. "I'm sorry, dear sister, but I cannot carry you much further. I am not heroic....there is no shame in admitting that is there?"

I shook my head from where I sat.

Then took a look at both my feet. I showed a particularly bloody one to Paris, "Does this look too bad?"

Paris turned a shade of green and sat down in the sand.

"Perhaps I am a lover, not a fighter?" Paris mused as he looked at the looming city.

"Perhaps," I agreed.

Paris turned his brown eyes back to me, while I carefully examined my foot. A smile grew upon his young face. "What?" I immediatly demanded.

Paris said nothing but pointed over my shoulder.

I turned and looked, Padme stood on the beach, along with half of Troy's Army and my husband.