Author's note: Ok, this is the chapter I've been dreading ever since I started writing and one of the reasons why I thought this story might deservea higher rating. I won't reveal anything, but there will be a bit of a "shocker" in the end and I want to warn sensitive readers.
I am of course very interested in your thoughts and opinions about this chapter. If you don't like it, that's fine and if you think I am mentally ill, I will accept it. But PLEASE take it easy with the flames until you have read the next chapter, ok? I suppose you can tell that I am a little worried about this; I even seriously considered changing the outcome of the story, but I decided to stick with my original idea, despite everything. (Sound of author ripping her hair out by the roots). Anyway, I am sorry for this rant. Just read it and let me know what you think.
Chapter 11 – An unexpected meeting
There was a grim atmosphere surrounding the great hall in the palace. The king of Troy, his wife, their sons and their future daughter-in-law all looked stiff and very bothered. They were discussing in tight, strained voices.
"It could be possible that she has gone to a temple," Hector said. "You know how interested she is in the gods."
Priam nodded. "I have already sent Tecton to check in both Poseidon's and Apollo's temple. If she has gone there, he will find her. But..." He glanced at his wife.
"I don't think she would leave the palace without permission," Hecuba said. "She has done it before, but then I warned her against doing it again. She wouldn't be disobedient another time."
"Wouldn't she?" Paris said, smiling bleakly. "She is a child, mother. They like to test their limits."
"Yes, you should know that," Priam said, glancing dryly at his youngest son.
"No, I think mother is right," Hector said. "She wouldn't be so foolish. But are you really sure that she is not still in the palace? Gods should know there are enough chambers and corridors here to get lost even for one who has lived here her whole life."
"Searching through the palace was the first thing I did," Priam answered. "There was no sign of her. Of course, you can never be certain, but if she was still here, then I think she would have appeared again by now."
"But no one has seen her leave the castle?"
"No," Priam said, frowning. "That is rather strange. No one has seen her at all for hours."
"Have you talked to her teachers? The nursemaids?" Hector asked.
"Yes, I have and the teacher was furious because she never showed up for her lessons." Priam sighed. It wasn't the first time Briseis found something more interesting to do than attend boring classes with grey-haired old men. "The nursemaid swears she hasn't seen the girl since this morning when she helped her get dressed. She said she was going to talk to you, Hector."
"Yes, she did," Hector remembered. "That was right before I went for a ride with Andromache."
"What did you talk about?" Hecuba asked.
Hector shrugged. "Nothing in particular really. She wanted me to give her some riding classes, but there wasn't time. And then it was the..." He stopped himself as he realized that Andromache was in the room. "Just some minor things, nothing more."
"Did she seem strange?" Paris asked.
Hector shook his head. "No, not at all."
A silence fell over the group. They were all deeply troubled. Something about this just didn't seem right and their concern was increasing.
Suddenly the door to the hall was opened and Tecton entered, followed by some men from the apollonian guard. Everybody stood up at once. Tecton had barely had time to bow for the royalties, before Priam attacked him like a hawk.
"Well?" he said sharply. "Did you find her?"
Tecton looked miserable. "No, my lord," he answered. "I am sorry, but there was no sign of the young lady Briseis, neither in Apollo's or Poseidon's temple."
"Did you ask the priests and the maids if they had seen her?" Hector asked him.
"Yes I did, my lord, but they I am afraid they could not help me."
The group was silent once more, Finally Priam raised his voice again. "I understand. Thank you, Tecton, that would be all."
Tecton bowed deeply again. "Your grace," he said and left.
The royal family were left alone with their concern. "Well, then there is just one thing to be done," Hector declared. "We have to start searching through the town for her. We better start right away."
Priam shook his head. "It's already dark. It's too late to start tonight. Better start at first light tomorrow instead. "
"But father..." Paris started.
"You better listen, son," Priam said coldly. "Going at this time could be dangerous." Paris was forced to accept, but there was a harsh expression on his face. "I'll let Glaucus send out the apollonians," Priam continued. "And I'll alert the city guards."
"I'll go with them," Hector said.
"And me," Paris said.
"Me too," Andromache added.
Surprised, Hector turned towards his future bride, who had barely spoken a word up until now. "No one is asking you to join us, my lady," he said. "We couldn't demand that from you."
"There is nothing to demand. Of course I want to participate."
Hector felt slightly embarrassed. "That is very kind of you," he started. "But this is a family problem and you don't have to trouble yourself."
Andromache turned her head and gave him a look that could have turned him into an ice statue. "Am I not going to be a part of this family?" she asked him coldly.
Hector blushed and realized that he had been stupid. "Yes, of course, my lady," he mumbled. "We are grateful for your help."
She nodded shortly and announced that she was going to retire for the night. Paris quickly offered to escort her, which she accepted. Hector thought he could sense his father's hard eyes on him. He was not happy with the way he had been acting towards his new bride.
Queen Hecuba declared that they had all better get to bed and her husband and son agreed. Before leaving the room, Hector and Priam had a quiet conversation. "Do you think Briseis has been abducted?" Hector asked. This was the question that had been eating his mind ever since he found out about her disappearance. He remembered his own recent experience and shuddered by the thought.
Priam sighed. "I guess it is the most logical explanation. I just can't imagine that she would ever run away from home."
"No, nor can I," Hector said.
"Then we'll probably have a message concerning a ransom soon."
Hector nodded. "Yes, but how could they possibly get into the palace and kidnap her? This place is crawling with guards."
"Maybe they didn't have to kidnap her," Priam said grimly. "Maybe they tricked her into coming with them. She is a trusting child."
Hector nodded. "Yes, you are right."
Priam was silent for a while. Then he suddenly hid his face in his hands. "Oh gods, Hector," he moaned in a voice that almost sounded choked. "If they have hurt her... or worse... Then I shall have to face my sister, knowing that I have betrayed my vow... In this life and the next..."
Hector hurriedly placed his hand on his Priam's shoulder. "None of this is your fault, father," he assured him. "And there is no need to assume the worst yet."
"But where is she?" Priam asked him, distraught.
Hector encouragingly pressed his father's hand. "We'll start searching in the morning. We'll find her. Somehow we will."
Andromache sat absolutely still as the servant girls prepared her for the night. Her eyes were aimed at nothing, her back was straight and her knuckles tightly closed. There was a storm raging inside her, but she told herself that she mustn't let any of it show. The girls could not know; a princess did not display her feelings in front of her servants.
The girls pulled the clasps out of her hair and started arranging her hair for the night; they washed her face and her hands and pulled her jewelleries off. She was quiet and didn't object, even though her hair hurt and she knew that she could have done it all by herself in less than five minutes.
When they had helped her into her nightgown, she had enough and declared that she could take care of the rest without help. The girls looked slightly shocked but left her without protests. When they left, Andromache let out a long, angry sigh and started to comb her long hair with forceful strokes.
Who did that man think he was? She asked herself furiously. Who did he think she was? Some silly little milk wench who couldn't even think properly? She couldn't remember when she had last felt so offended in her life. The mere thought made her want to slap him hard.
Did he think she was too stupid or too fragile to go for a simple ride in town? For gods' sake, a child had disappeared and he thought she was going to sit by and wait! Taking part in the search wasn't going to kill her.
But even worse had been his comment about a "family problem". He had talked about her like she wasn't counting. It had hurt her more than she wanted to admit. Did he really think so little of her? Didn't he think that she would care for his little cousin? She just couldn't believe that he would insult her like that, right in front of his father.
What kind of man was she going to wed?
Andromache had to admit that she might be a little bit unfair. She knew that it couldn't be easy for him either. Her presence clearly made him uncomfortable, but up until now, he had done his best to be polite and gracious to her. Maybe she hadn't appreciated it like she ought to. After all, he had not had anything to say about their arranged marriage either, no more than she had.
For the millionth time since Andromache came to Troy, she told herself that she had to be patient. Things would surely get better; she needed to look at things from the bright side. It could have been worse. At least Hector wasn't an evil man or a drunkard. He did not seem like the kind of man who took pleasure in causing other people pain.
The problem was just that she didn't want to marry. A bad lie, her mind immediately told her. Yes, she did want to marry. But what did her wishes have to do with anything? Nothing at all. She wasn't allowed to decide if she would be married or no. She wasn't allowed to decide who she was going to marry. But she wished she was, so much.
Her thoughts were interrupted when a servant girl knocked the door and entered. "My lady," she said, bowing. "The queen wishes to speak to you."
The streets of Troy were crowded as always. Merchants and peddlers were loudly offering their wares to matrons carrying baskets and screaming babies. Beggars and pocket thieves were lurking in the shadows, waiting for their moment. Horses and carriages tried to make their way through the masses of people.
Hector dried the sweat off his brow. He was starting to feel very hot and tired, but even more nervous and uncomfortable. The search for Briseis had started at dawn, even before the sun was up. Hector had taken a few men to search through the western side of the city; General Glaucus the eastern, Paris the south and Tecton and Andromache the north.
They had agreed on a signal they would play if anyone found anything, but so far Hector had heard nothing. No more than he had found anything. The whole day, he had been asking people if they had seen her; he had checked every building that even resembled a temple. He had even looked twice on every female child he had clapped is eyes on. But to no avail.
As much as he wanted to deny it, Hector's worry was increasing and he began to suspect that they had reasons to believe that something serious had happened to Briseis. And he knew that his father had been right; she would never run away from home. That just had to mean that she had been abducted against her will.
The thought made him furious. What sort of people would kidnap an innocent child? It was such an unbelievably coward act that he just couldn't believe it. If they hurt her... He didn't even want to think about it, but he couldn't help himself. In his mind, he visualized sharp knives, branding irons, he heard his cousin screaming.
He shuddered by the thought. "Well, keep looking!" he snarled at his men who were starting to look like dead lizards.
But the hours went and Hector was beginning to despair. The state of uncertainty was the worst of all. He knew nothing and there was nothing he could do even though Briseis could be hurt... or worse.
"My lord!" one of his men suddenly called out.
Hector raised his eyes. Three apollonians approached him, pushing a man before them. "The man had this on him." The warrior showed him a small bracelet in silver. Hector recognized it. It had once belonged to Priam's sister. "Didn't Lady Briseis use to wear this?" the observant man asked.
"Yes that's right," Hector mumbled and turned to the man, the warriors were holding on to.
His eyes went wide. The man was tall and stocky with a dark mane of hair and beard. He was familiar. Hector felt a shudder down his spine as he remembered the sensation of the whip hitting his bare back. The pain and the humiliation. And the man who had been behind it was the one standing in front of him now. The man known as Nikos.
The man smiled bleakly. "We meet again, my lord."
By the thought of Briseis, Hector felt a wave of fury and he quickly dismounted. "Where is she?" he snapped. "What have you done to her?"
"Who?"
Hector struck him hard with the back of his hand. "You know who I am talking about! My cousin, Briseis. You will tell me now where she is!"
"I don't think so," the man said, in a surprisingly smug tone of voice.
"You better talk right now if you want a quick and easy death," Hector warned him. "And if you have harmed my cousin, I'll fry your guts on a stick!"
The man just smiled knowingly. In frustration, Hector turned to his men. "We'll take him back to the castle. The dungeon should loosen his tongue."
The men had grabbed Nikos' arms and prepared to obey, when they were interrupted. "Wait," a voice said and a female form with a veil covering her hair approached them. "Let him go," she firmly ordered the apollonians and to Hector's surprise, they immediately obeyed.
"What do you think you are..." He stopped because the men didn't react. They were just staring in front of themselves, almost like they had been bewitched. The woman turned around and Hector's voice was caught in his throat.
The veil covered her raven hair, but he would have recognized her face and her eyes anywhere. Right in front of him was the woman he had thought he would never see again. And for once she was not looking at him with affection or admiration. There was a cold and determined expression in Lena's face which he had never seen before. She appraised him wordlessly.
Hector was going to open his mouth; he wanted to ask her what she was doing here, why she had come back again, what she was doing with Nikos, but he suddenly couldn't speak a word. Suddenly, he was unable to do anything else except staring at her. It wasn't just the expression in her face that shocked him.
Her eyes were as violet blue and beautiful as always. But there was something about them that he had never noticed before. The blue colour was sharp and almost piercing. It was as if its owner could see through anything.
Hector only knew one more person in the world who had such eyes. And that was his father, King Priam of Troy.
"Lena, I don't know... It is ridiculous... But sometimes you seem so familiar to me, like I have met you somewhere before. Why is that, do you think?"
In a complete state of shock, he mutely watched her as she slowly raised one of her hands. There was a sparkle of purple fire shooting from her fingers and she mumbled something inaudibly. Suddenly, Hector's throat felt constricted. His limbs felt like water and he was unable to stand up.
Who are you? He wanted to scream as he sank to the ground, but not a sound came from his lips.
And besides, he already knew.