6. Feeling safe.

He awoke to the sound of strangled screams. As if someone were choking, a woman. Andromache... He felt a sick kind of panic in his chest as he reached below his pillow for the dagger that he always had there followed by another wave of possessiveness, she was his to protect, to love, to have. If anyone was trying to hurt her he would gut them like a fish. He stayed still, looking over to her and saw that no one was there but him. She was thrashing around, writhing, grabbing the sheets gasping and choking trying to scream but failing, her eyes wide open but glazed. She was still dreaming, still asleep trapped in some terrible nightmare. He scrambled over to her dropping the knife as her hand shot out trying to grab onto something. He grabbed it in his and found it as cold as ice.

"Andromache." He said fighting her flailing limbs as best he could. She choked again, her hand flying to her throat as she bucked and moaned. A strangled cry sounded from her throat and he gripped her arms, pulling her up to him. "Andromache wake up." He said. She didn't respond to him and he shook her slightly. "Wake up, love wake up." His hand stroked her face and she blinked hard before screaming and taking in gulps of air. Her eyes held terror and fear, her face was wet with sweat and tears.

"Hector?" she whispered.

"Yes." He replied and she flung herself against him her arms twining around his neck, clinging to him. He held her close, stroking her back as she trembled. "You were dreaming, it was just a dream." He murmured against her hair. She was freezing, her hands and form were cold and clammy but she was drenched with sweat.

"Oh gods." She whimpered, gasping.

"Shhhhh, Andromache, it's all right now." He felt her nod against him before she buried her face in his neck.

"I couldn't breathe. I couldn't breathe. There was so much water and I couldn't.... I swam and swam... but there was too much water..." she whispered against his skin. He stroked her hair gently, overcome by a wave of tenderness for her. He wanted to hold her while she slept, keep her safe forever.

"It's ok now, you're safe." He whispered pressing kisses against her hair and neck.

"I couldn't call out, I tried...I....I couldn't scream... I wanted to... I wanted to call for you but... you weren't there and I couldn't scream it was as if my very voice was gone and it was so cold..." he squeezed her tighter and brushed his lips against her temple.

"I'm here now, you're safe now." She pulled away and stared into his eyes. The fear and vulnerability he saw there almost broke his heart. He cupped her face in his hands his thumbs stroking away the tears.

"I know... I know." She whispered.

"It was just a dream. A stupid dream." She smiled and nodded.

"Very stupid." She replied. He kissed her brow and then pulled her close again not understanding why he needed to have her close to him but unable to let her go.

"Shhhh, breathe now, you're safe, I have you." She held on even more tightly squeezing her eyes shut.

"Don't let go." She whispered brokenly, "Please don't ever let go."

"I won't love, I won't. I promise." She nodded and sighed. Eventually her trembling stopped, the warmth in her body returned, and she pulled away. "Are you all right now?" he asked.

"Yes, yes I'm fine now."

"Do you want to go up for some air?" he asked. She smiled shakily and nodded. He helped her to her feet and led her up to the deck. The wind was cooler up there and she breathed in deeply calming even more. He led her to the railing watching her closely. "Better?" he asked and she nodded. "Do you have nightmares often?"

"No. Not really, only when I sail. I have a fear of drowning." She said. He frowned.

"But you are an excellent swimmer." He replied.

"That doesn't mean anything." She said. "Poseidon could rouse waves that would kill Hercules himself if he saw fit."

"Have you angered Poseidon?" he asked.

"No, I don't think so." She replied.

"Then you are fine." She smiled and shrugged.

"I'm being silly, I know. I tell myself that all the time but... the dreams come anyway." She said meekly. He looked over at her and felt his heart flip over.

"I have a fear of crowds." He said sheepishly.

"But you are Crown Prince." She said confused. "I know." He replied sheepishly. "I always have to make these grand speeches, and appearances... I hate it." She laughed her eyes wide. "People stare at me...I get terribly nervous and I want to fiddle with things... my robes, my hair anything."

"You don't have enough assurance in yourself." She said.

"No. No I don't. I always fear that that I will commit some folly... some grave mistake that will kill those I love." He said his face grave.

"Have you ever done that?" she asked.

"No...no not yet." He replied with a laugh. "But I still fear it."

"Good. It is that fear that will keep you from being a bad king. You will be mindful of your actions and decisions, how they affect those who matter. Fear is good." She said. He looked over at her, still a bit troubled but starting to believe, her eyes could make him believe anything. Then she reached out and pressed her soft palm to his cheek, gently caressing his face. "You are a strong man with a pure heart. You will be a good King, Hector."

"Maybe." He said softly.

"You will be; I know it."

"I wish that I knew it." He replied.

"You will with time, you will see. People turn to you because they know your abilities and you do not fail them. To err is human Hector. Perhaps you will make mistakes, but learning from them and doing better the next time around... that is the true test." He stared at her silently wanted to pull her into his arms.

"I thought I was supposed to be easing you mind." He muttered. She smiled at that and his heart catapulted up into his throat.

"Yes well, we can take turns can't we?" she replied. He laughed, feeling lighter. Somehow, knowing that she believed in him made everything seem possible. He marveled that how different their relationship was now. Before she would have tried to kill him in her sleep but now here she was reassuring him. It was remarkable how much she had changed and now it wasn't so hard to imagine a life with her. "You should smile more often." She whispered. He stared at her, not knowing what to say. Her cheeks flushed and she looked away, pulled her hand back, wrapping her arms around herself. He peered at her knowing that she was thinking about something, wondering if to tell him.

"What is it?"

"I want to say something but..."

"Tell me." He said. She looked up at him, seemingly through him and he waited patiently.

"I feared you before." She said after awhile. "I didn't want to show it... but I was terrified. I thought that you would beat me, break me. Make me a slave to you."

"I would never do that Andromache. Not to anyone, let alone you."

"Yes. I don't think that you will. I hate the idea of not having a will of my own. I need to know that... no matter what-" His hand came up to cup her cheek silencing her.

"Andromache, your mind is your own. It is what make you, you. Why would I want to change that?" She bit her lip, her wide eyes unsure still.

"You don't mind how I am?" she asked.

"No."

"Even when I'm being difficult?"

"I can assure you that nothing you could do would make me want you any different." He replied. She smiled again.

"Do you promise?" she asked. He raised an eyebrow.

"I want to say yes but I'm not sure. Then again you could be a little less thin..." he joked. She rolled her eyes. "I jest, don't hurt me." She laughed and nodded.

"Thank you for being honest. I don't like people who lie."

"I am a man of my word, no matter what you may think."

"I think that you are. Do you have any brothers or sisters?" she asked.

"One younger brother. Parris he's about seventeen, beautiful fool."

"You would speak so of your brother?"

"When it is true. He is a wonderful person, I love him dearly, I would die for him without thinking twice, but he doesn't think sometimes. He doesn't consider the consequences of his actions and then he runs to me so that I can fix them."

"Do you?"

"Yes." He said with a wry smile. She smiled.

"Why?"

"Because...it's Parris. When you met him you will understand. He's a fool, but an honest fool with a heart of gold. You can't help but love him." He shrugged and shook his head. "I can't explain it."

"You don't have to." She replied. He looked down at her and sighed.

"Once, when I was around his age, he was seven or six... and father had gotten a new horse as a gift from your father as a matter of fact...Anyway when we saw him we were awe struck, he was so big and sleek, and strong. He was the most magnificent thing we had ever seen. He still had to be trained though, he was still wild. I remember Parris just stared, his mouth was wide open, his eyes so big. Father told us not to try to ride him because he was still dangerous... Anyway that night, I was asleep and Parris came clambering through my window. He was dirty and scared and he had a scratch on his cheek. I woke up and immediately I thought that he had been beaten and I was concerned, I pulled him to me, he was crying. I said 'What happened?' he pulled away and he looked up at me and he said 'Do you love me brother? Would you save me from anyone, anything?' and he seemed to desolate that I, in my foolishness said 'I would protect you forever Parris, you're my brother.' After that he told me what he had done."

"The horse?" she asked laughing.

"Exactly. He had put Zeus out of his thoughts and had tried to ride father's horse. The horse had thrown him and had ran off. Father would have been furious."

"Did he find out?" she asked.

"No. But I spent the rest of the night and the first part of the morning looking for the damned beast." He replied with a short laugh shaking his head.

"You helped him."

"I said I would." He said. "I was so angry with him for that but he promised never to do it again, and he didn't. He has a good heart. If he promises not to do something, chances are he won't do it. He doesn't lie, not really. You may find his company more enjoyable than mine."

"Why?" she asked.

"He is more carefree that I. Less inclined to brood." She laughed and tucked a wayward lock of hair behind her ear.

"I don't mind it over much." She said. "I rather enjoy your company when you aren't being a fool." He smirked and shook his head.

"Likewise. But um.... He's also a bit of a woman chaser. He loves women; bedding them, wooing them, courting them but never marrying them." She laughed.

"Has he ever taken someone you-"

"No. he would never do that. Ever. If he knows that I like a woman chances are that he would introduce us and try to get us together." He shook his head smiling and she felt herself start to fall in love with him.

"What are your parents like?" she asked.

"My father is a good king; he has the kindest biggest heart. He is a just man, strong when he needs to be. My mother is a quiet beautiful soul... people say that I am like her more...but I'm not sure... My cousin Breseis is a darling she's about Parris' age fifteen or sixteen...she has the freest, lightest spirit she loves to laugh and dance... she and Parris are inseparable."

"I think that I will like your family."

"Perhaps." He looked up at the sky noted the stars. "It's very late, do you want to try to sleep again?" he asked.

"Yes." She replied. "Thank you for staying up with me."

"Not at all." he replied. He took her back down and they went back to sleep. She didn't have any more nightmares for the rest of the night.