2. The bride.

Hector sat beside Arimedes. All the nerves that had melted away with a bath and rest were now back in full force. He was dressed in formal robes of black inlaid with gold, his hair was being mostly submissive and he wore golden bracelets on his wrists and a thick intricate golden chain around his neck with an obsidian setting. He looked the part of Crown prince but he felt like a backwards ten years old. All these people, every single one of them staring at him, asking questions...and she still hadn't show up. He had yet to see her and it was driving him wild. Where on earth was she? She should at least have had the courtesy of showing up once. He would have done the same even if it had killed him. Arimedes glanced over at him and smiled in sympathy.

"She will come." He said. Hector looked over at him and smiled back weakly.

"I doubt it." He replied as he went back to his meal. It was rather spectacular, almost as good as food in Troy, but then again he was a bit biased... Torches and lanterns were lit, dancers were everywhere and he was positive that his goblet had been empty a few minutes ago... needless to say it wasn't anymore.

"Andromache! You're alive!" Theseus said.

"Indeed brother, I am." A smoky, alluring voice replied. Hector looked up and his heart all but stopped. There she stood in all her radiant glory, closer scrutiny revealing that she was not skinny at all but merely particularly slender, eyes still full of that hostility but now he could fully see her face. Her features were exotic and a bit contradicting; full lips, prominent cheekbones, smooth, pale, golden skin and a stubborn pointed chin, with a strong jaw. Her cinnamon brown hair was half piled onto her head with exotic golden clips showing of the slender line of her long neck, her dark captivating eyes were lined with kohl and golden powder was sprinkled across her prominent cheekbones. Her gown was a deep dark crimson, with golden trim and a long train that showed off her tall, willowy form to it's advantage. A necklace of thin, golden, seashells encircled the base of her throat and long matching earrings dangled at her ear lobes.

"Well don't you look particularly lovely this evening?" Eetion said as she took her place between Hector and Euklides. "Even if you did take half the evening to arrive." She smiled sweetly at him.

"Father if I am to look my best for my future husband, you have to expect that it will take some time." She replied. Hector swallowed and glanced over at her and her eyes locked on his. She smelled of frankincense, heady, alluring and earthy and he breathed it in deeply. "Prince Hector what a disagreeable surprise." she said, her smile cold. He stared at her for a moment fighting down a smile. Finally one who had back bone, if she wanted to be surly then he could match it. He smiled back just as sweetly and nodded. If she thought that he was a spineless, brainless, push over then she had entirely another thing coming.

"Princess Andromache the stars darken with your very presence." He replied, pleased that his voice was steady and deep, and that his stomach was finally behaving and he could finally eat.

"I hope your journey was as unpleasant as possible." She said still maintaining her supposedly amiable expression as she served herself.

"I am so sorry to disappoint." He replied. She glanced over at him. "It was quite wonderful."

"Pity." She replied.

"Not at all, I quite enjoy sailing on a sunny day." He said. She gave him a glare the assigned him to Hades and then went back to her meal. He relaxed and managed to enjoy himself. She was beautiful which was nice, she wasn't a simpleton which was good, and she had spirit and that was even better.

"How is your wine?" she asked.

"Remarkable."

"Not poisoned?" she inquired.

"Not to my knowledge." He said.

"Hmmmm." Against his better judgment he glanced at his goblet suspicious for a moment and she smirked drinking some of hers. He rolled his eyes and continued with his meal. 'Wench.' He thought. He stole another glance at her as she ate. Even though she seemed horrible he could sense that there was no evil or malice in her. She simply didn't like him, and to be honest he couldn't blame her. In just a few days he would take her away from everything and everyone that she had ever known. He felt slight guilt at the thought but pushed it away. It wasn't his fault that they were betrothed. He had no control over the fact that he had to take her away from her family, her life. It wasn't his fault, he drilled it into his head but the feeling still nagged. Eetion rose and the table fell silent. He smiled at Hector and Andromache and then raised his goblet.

"My friends, my guests, tonight we dine in honor of my soon to be son; Hector of Troy, and he marriage to my beloved daughter Andromache." A thunderous applause arose and Hector glanced at her. Her eyes were fixed on her plate, her back straight, her shoulders back, and her face blank. But then he looked down at her hands and felt a stab of pity for her. They were shaking violently as she worried them intertwining her fingers, knotting and unknotting them; she was terrified. Beneath all that pride and anger and bitterness was real fear, apprehension. "I know Prince Hector to be a good man, a just man; honorable, strong of heart and of mind. A man who respects the gods, and protects and loves what belongs to him. ecI rest easy knowing that she will be his. May all the Gods and Goddesses smile on your union with my daughter, may they grant you prosperity and love, fertility and peace, courage and happiness till the end of your days! To Hector and Andromache." He cried raising his glass in a salute.

"To Hector and Andromache." The guests replied in unison and together they drank to the toast. Hector smiled and nodded in gratitude and then minstrels began to play and dancers came out. He watched as she picked up her goblet and took a slow, long drink of wine as if to fortify herself. As she swallowed she closed her eyes, bit her lip and let out a shaky sigh seemingly to force back tears. In that moment he understood and felt humbled by her, for with all his courage and skill in battle he would never know the terror of leaving his entire life behind for a new unknown, unwanted one with someone he didn't know let alone trust, yet to whom he was forced to give fealty, obedience, respect, body and heart. He looked down at his plate and felt no joy from the lively music and dancing and laughter. She closed her eyes again and he saw a small tear start to fall down her cheek but her slander hand came up quickly to stop it.

"Andromache." He said turning to her. She looked at him wearily and suspiciously.

"Yes Prince Hector?" she replied.

"Do you wish to retire?" he asked.

"Yes." She said. He rose and began to take her arm.

"Don't touch me." She snapped, yanking it away from him before she rose as well. He sighed and stepped away, respecting her wishes. She started to walk away and he followed her to her chambers where she stopped and turned to face him. Although she was rather tall, he was a fair head above her and she was forced to look up in order to meet his eyes. "What do you want?" she asked in annoyance

"I wish to speak with you." He replied

"What on earth do we have to speak of?"

"Very many things, our marriage being one of them."

"I do not want to speak of it." She said turning to open the door. A rare flare of anger born of frustration and nerves had him pushing it closed and she snatched her hand back before it was crushed by the slamming door.

"I'm not giving you a choice." He said. She grabbed the handle and attempted to open it again anyway but his hand came down again and stayed there keeping it effectively shut as she struggled mightily. Finally she accepted defeat, took a deep breath, let it out and waited giving him her back. "I know that you dislike me-" He started.

"Despise is more to my liking." She cut in and he rolled his eyes briefly considering how slender her neck was and how easy it would be to break it.

"No matter. I can't help that, you will feel what you will but I want you to know that this marriage it is not of my doing. And even though I do not particularly want it, I will not let it affect my feelings or actions toward you. I will try to be a good husband. I will try to be considerate and caring toward you and your feelings." Her head turned and he knew that she was listening. "This is difficult for you and I understand that."

"You will never understand it." She whispered shakily and he sighed knowing that she was right.

"Perhaps not," he replied, his voice gentling, "but either way I will love you Andromache."

"Love out of duty is cold, I do not want it." She replied.

"I offer you love because you deserve it, not because it is expected."

"You don't know what I deserve." She said turning around enough to look at him.

"I feel that I will. I don't ask the same of you, it is too much. But I will hope that you will at least try." She stared at him for a moment, her eyes unreadable before turning back around.

"I'm tired, I wish to go to bed." She said. Sighing he lifted his hand from the door and allowed her to open it and escape.