Heopened it the rest of the way and his eyes darted across the beautiful writing.
"Dearest Paris,
As I read your letter, my heart filled with joy and agony, longing to see you again, tell me when will you come? Paris my love, I must warn you, I cannot live this secret any longer, It has come to close to Many times! And If you come...and if Menelaus knew. He would kill us both. I do not want to risk your life, nor mine. Please. Stay in troy. It would be too hard to have to let you go again.
-Your Love always, Helen Of Sparta."
He read it 3 times just to be sure. He didn't know what to say or what to think. The letter seemed to contradict itself. First Helen said she loves him and wants him to come and then she said that he should stay. Why had she ended the letter that way? "Helen Of Sparta." Had she meant that she was learning to love Menelaus? Or just didn't want him to come because he could not be safe? Whatever it meant he was still coming That night he would sail, nothing could keep him from her. He wasn't asking for her permission, besides, he would die rather than to not risk seeing her again. He lived for her and these letters. He heard a thud on the door.
"Paris! Breakfast! Now!" Hector shouted through the door. "You haven't fallen asleep again have you?"
"No!" He groaned getting up away from the door quickly and silently. He put the letter under his pillow and opened the door to see his brother standing there angrily.
"What?" Paris asked although he knew exactly what was coming.
"Why was the door locked? What is it you're hiding from us?" Hector asked angrily.
"Nothing, why would I hide anything from you?" Paris exclaimed
"I'm sorry, I was wrong to say that. Itjust seems as if I'm not getting through to you lately. And Paris. Our trip has been delayed"
"Trip?" Asked Paris blankly.
"To Sparta. Yes. Delayed" Hector continued. "It will be at least two months before we go. I'm sorry little brother. I know you wanted to travel."
"It is the will of the gods," Paris said with difficulty. Two months? Before he saw her again two months? "Why may I ask? Why is the trip delayed?"
"Our ship has been ruined." Hector said plainly.
"By wind?" Paris asked, if that was the case, then clearly the gods did not want Paris to see her otherwise...
"No, A clan of merchant sailors. They are being tried for treason as we speak." Paris knew that whenHectoris going to be king, he will not stand for this. Hector loves his country too much.That is his one weakness, andParis' isHelen.
"Oh I see" Paris said coming out into the hall and shutting the wooden door behind him. They started down the hall to the dining room.
"Paris. These things happen. Father is more upset than you'll ever be,"
yeah, right, Paris thought thinking of Helen.Hector took a short pause and continued
"but I am more so than him, if possible. I love all of Troy and they have destroyed this ship. Apollo will punish them, if I do not." "Why?" Paris asked and kept his rage (from not seeing Helen) get to him.
"Well you see, he needs allies, even if Greek. Besides Troy needs peace with Sparta. Even more so, the other way around.You do not understand but you will. One day. Come eat" they had walked into the dining room. A magnificent breakfast awaited them.
"But hector!" Paris said stopping and pulling his brother aside. " Are there no more ships?"
"None that are repaired." Before Paris could say another word. Hector had already said down beside Andromache. He sat down beside his brother and Callia (the servant girl) sat beside him. She whispered something in his ear.
"Paris, You are troubled? No? Let me tend to you."
"Callia, please, yes things trouble me, but I do not need a beautiful woman always to tend to me and besides what would me father say if he found out about us?" what would Helen say was more like it.
"Do you not remember those nights, those cold dark nights, with me cuddled against you resting my head on your shoulder. Waiting for a better world. Love instead of hate. Do you not recall?At all. If so, I can make you remeber." She kissed him on the lips gently but long.
"I do" Paris cringed at the kiss. She was trying to get him. No she wouldn't succeed. He loved Helen. Helen. Only Helen.He pushed her off.
"Did they mean nothing?" she asked on the verge of tears.
"Shh, do not weep, of course they meant something. But I have changed. You too have changed." He gulped"I am loyal now." He could not very well tell her that he was only loyal to Helen.
"Then show me this loyalty you speak of" She said moving her lips close to his wiching her would kiss her like he used to.
"Callia, No you know not who I love. Nor will you. Let me be" She was about to hit him or insult him as much as she could but Hector turned to Paris and said :
"Brother eat, rejoice, who knows, maybe the ships will be fixed." Andromache ran off at this. Hector had no choice but to follow after his weeping wife.
Callia at this point also ran away crying from Paris who could do nothing more than eat a boiled egg.
He sat at his room. With Ink-pen in hand, pondering what to write to his beloved. He stared at her letter.
He finally dipped it in the ink and wrote.
At last he jotted down the date (January 17) and sealed it.
