A/N: Thank you to Queen Arwen, Lady Hades and Kcrane for reviewing, I really appreciate it, so thank you!! :)

In answer to your question, Queen Arwen, I only saw Podes mentioned on page 425 of my version of the Iliad (translated by Robert Fitzgerald), and he's only mentioned because he is killed by Menelaos, but is said to be a son of Eetion and a man whom Hector honored most in all the realm as his convivial friend :)

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Andromache burst into her chambers and slammed the door behind her. She looked around her room, in hopes of finding some form of comfort. As her eyes quickly scanned the room she spotted her cloak and quickly picked it up, then left her room and made her way to the stables.

It was rare for Andromache to ride at night, but tonight she needed the comfort of riding and decided to ride to the lake, and watch the stars for a few hours before returning to the palace.

She was just preparing Alexandros to leave, when she saw a figure enter the stall she was in with Alexandros. Andromache looked to the door of the stall and instantly tried to run out of it, but the figure caught her arm. She turned to look at the person and saw that it was Hector; he loosened his grip on her arm when he saw the fear in her eyes.

"I knew you would come here," said Hector, "I suppose we do have something in common. I wanted to apologise Andromache, I spoke wrongly to you and I'm sorry."

Andromache looked into Hector's eyes and knew that he spoke the truth, that he really was sorry. "Your apology is accepted, Prince Hector, thank you."

Hector's mouth relaxed into a smile. "Were you planning on riding this evening?" And Hector looked over to Alexandros and to his saddle which Andromache had put on only moments before he had entered the stall.

Andromache sighed and nodded, she knew that Hector already knew the answer to his question and she didn't wish to anger him by lying.

"Where is your escort?" asked Hector. "I can understand you would like to ride alone during the day, but at night it's a different matter. I would be happy to escort you on your ride."

Andromache looked up at Hector once more and wondered why he was being so kind to her, why he continued to be kind to her when she was only horrible to him in return. She knew it wasn't Hector's fault that she was arranged to marry him, and that he didn't have to be nice to her, yet he was. "Thank you, Hector." Then Andromache smiled to him and returned to Alexandros' side.

Hector nodded and helped Andromache prepare Alexandros for the ride and then the horse he would ride, but said nothing because there were no words for him to voice, whichwould ever justify how he was feeling now that she had smiled at him. He had never seen a more beautiful smile, and it awoke new feelings within him that he had never felt before.

Soon Andromache was riding Alexandros with Hector by her side who rode Pode's horse, Hades. Andromache led the way to the lake and gasped aloud when she saw it, she had never seen it at night before.

"This is where I first saw you," said Hector and jumped off Hades and tied his reins to a nearby tree, then helped Andromache off her horse, and tied Alexandros to the same tree as Hades.

"Yes, it was," said Andromache and looked up to the sky and gazed at the twinkling stars above. Then after a moment she looked down and turned to look at Hector who watched her. "Do you wish to marry?"

"Do you?" asked Hector and laughed.

"Of course," said Andromache and thought for a moment before speaking again. "Although I never wished to be arranged in marriage, I wished to marry for love. Now tell me, do you wish to marry?"

"No," said Hector and turned away from Andromache and looked across the lake. "I've never wished to marry, I hadn't even thought of it until my father told me of my marriage to you. I suppose neither of us is getting what we wish out of this marriage."

Andromache nodded sadly and sat down on the grass and then looked out to the lake and imagined what it would be like to swim in it, if Hector wasn't with her then perhaps she would have swam in it.

"I'm sorry for being so uncivil to you today," said Andromache suddenly, "it was unfair of me and I'm sorry."

Hector's eyes widened with shock, he had never expected Andromache to apologise for her behavior towards him. He sat down on the grass next to Andromache. "Don't be sorry, I understand this is difficult for you."

For what seemed like hours they both sat there, neither one of them speaking, instead they simply looked out to the lake and up to the stars, both within their own worlds of thought.

"It's getting late," said Hector and stood up and went to untie Alexandros.

Andromache turned her head around and looked at Hector. I should count myself lucky, she thought, not many maidens can say they will have a husband like Hector appears to be. She then stood up and walked over to Hector and allowed him to help her onto Alexandros, even though she didn't need it.

In silence they returned to the palace, riding side by side. Once they had dismounted their horses, back at the stables, they returned them to their stalls, and Hector had insisted upon escorting Andromache to her chamber.

They were just about to turn around the corner leading to Andromache's chamber when she spotted her father at the end of the hall, he was obviously drunk but he was not alone … he was with Xanthe. He kissed her passionately and she returned the kiss, Andromache looked at them both, her eyes widening in alarm. She had always known that Xanthe was her father's mistress, but she had never thought, she had never imagined them actually kissing one another, which she knew they obviously did but she never actually imagined it. Andromache was then pulled away from that corner by Hector, in case her father saw them.

"No," said Andromache slowly, "that's the only way to get to my chambers."

"It's ok," said Hector, who had also seen and recognised King Eetion, with a girl Hector presumed as his mistress, "I will take you to mine until they go, I don't think the guest hall is too far away from here, or is it?"

"No it isn't," answered Andromache, "but I can't go into your chambers. Don't worry, I will just wait here until they go and then return to my room."

"But what if you are caught alone?" asked Hector, he felt partly responsible for how late he and Andromache had stayed by the lake.

Andromache sighed. "It'll be fine."

"I will stay here with you then," said Hector and stood next to Andromache with his back against the wall.

"You're too kind for your own good," grinned Andromache.

Hector laughed quietly. "I shall take that as a compliment."

"I meant it to be taken no other way," smirked Andromache and then her smirk suddenly faded as a laugh was heard by her father down the hall. "I always knew my father had a mistress and that she was Xanthe, my handmaiden. Everyone knows, even my mother. Although, I'd never actually imagined them together, even though they must be, it's silly I know. I suppose I must get used to seeing men with their mistresses, my poor mother bears it well."

"What are you implying?" asked Hector, trying to keep his tone calm and not angry, like he felt inside.

"I know you will have mistresses," said Andromache, plainly, "it's to be expected."

"I'm not a man to take on mistresses," said Hector sternly, "I will be a loyal husband to you, Andromache. Marriages are for two people only, and even though I've never wished to marry, I've always looked upon it as a scared bond between a man and a woman.And as I'venever liked the idea of mistresses, I'll not have any."

Andromache remained silent, she believed that Hector was lying to her because of the current situation; she never dreamed that he would stand by his word.

Hector looked around the corner and saw that King Eetion and his mistress had left. "They've gone."

"Thank you for waiting with me," said Andromache, quietly, "I'll be fine to return to my chamber on my own now, goodnight." With that Andromache left and returned to her chambers.

Hector returned to his own chambers and was surprised to find Paris already there; he had expected Paris to be enjoying the company of young maidens. "What are you doing here?"

Paris laughed; he knew exactly what his brother meant. "I've been waiting for you, dear brother. I saw you leave with Andromache, hours ago I might add, and I thought you would come back to the feast, but you didn't so I returned here andwaited for you to return. So, where were you for hours on end?"

"I was with Andromache," said Hector and tried not to grin when he remembered how Andromache had smiled at him.

"She tolerated you for hours?" asked Paris, who didn't attempt to conceal his shock.

"Yes, she did," replied Hector, happily, "you were right Paris, on closer acquaintance Andromache is certainly a very nice young lady. I think she is still nervous around me, it will take time before we are completely comfortable with one another, but today's events have proven to be successful."

"I hope it lasts," said Paris, sincerely.

"What do you mean?" asked Hector, bewildered.

"Andromache may be civil to you now," said Paris, "but when we set sail for Troy … I think she will be rather less than civil."

Hector sighed aloud, he knew Paris was right and cursed himself for speaking so positively of their meetings. Of course Andromache would not behave like she had today when she was on the ship sailing for Troy. She will most likely be distraught and say nothing to me at all, thought Hector, she was probably only being nice to me this evening so I wouldn't reveal that she rode alone.