The sun rose slowly above Troy, signaling a year since Prince Hector had married Princess Andromache. A year since Hector had taken Andromache from the path of maidens and watched her blossom into a woman. A year since Andromache had given herself to the man she loved.
Since Hector had returned from Thebe and told Andromache of the death of her family, their lives had passed quite happily, although Andromache still grieved over the loss of her beloved family. Andromache had accepted that her family would never return to her, she no longer cried when she saw or heard something that reminded her of them, but she'd always have that feeling inside of her, that pain.
As the sun began to shine through Hector and Andromache's chamber, Hector rose and dressed himself. He kissed his wife who slept on, and his eyes wandered over her face. Hector was always reminded of how delicate and innocent his wife was when she slept; when she was awake she never dared to show her emotions to anyone, except from a few people she trusted dearly, but in sleep she was vulnerable.
Andromache moved slightly, and her eyes slowly opened. She smiled when she saw Hector hovering over her. "Good morning."
"Good morning," replied Hector and kissed his wife. "Happy Anniversary, my love."
"Happy Anniversary," said Andromache, and smiled widely.
Hector lay down on the bed and Andromache cuddled up next to him. She placed his hand in her own and began to gently caress it.
A thought had long been circling around Andromache's head, and only now had she gathered the courage to speak about it with Hector. "Are you upset that we've been married for a year and that we have no children?"
Hector looked down to his wife, an odd expression spreading across his face. He had barely thought about children since he married Andromache. "I'm not upset, are you?"
"Yes," said Andromache quietly, "but only because I fear that you and your family are upset that I've not provided you with children."
Hector sat up, causing Andromache to sit up also. "Never fear that you'll grieve me or my family for not having children. We've only been married for a year, there's more than enough time for us to have them. The gods will honour us with children Andromache; we just have to wait until they do."
Andromache nodded and embraced her husband. "I do not deserve you Hector."
"I often feel I don't deserve you," replied Hector, and smiled. "Now, what would you like to do today?"
"Shall we have breakfast in the gardens now?" suggested Andromache.
A knock was heard on the door; Hector turned away from his wife and walked over to the door to answer it. Andromache was about to step out of the bed, but realised that she was naked, and decided to remain in the bed. She smirked as she remembered the previous night with her husband.
Hector sighed aloud when he opened the door and saw that Paris stood outside of it, grinning madly. "What is it Paris?"
Paris tried to enter the room but Hector stood in his way, Hector knew that Andromache was undressed and didn't wish for his brother to see her.
"Father wishes to speak with you," answered Paris, and once again tried to enter the chamber. "Why won't you let me in? I'll keep Andromache entertained while you speak with father."
"Andromache is undressed and she'll be fine by herself while I talk with father," said Hector.
Paris smirked, and tried to look into his brother's chamber. He didn't wish to see Andromache undressed, he only wished to tease his brother. Hector scowled and pushed Paris away from the door.
"Paris!" warned Hector, his tone growing dangerous.
"I'm going!" cried Paris, and laughed before walking down the hall.
Hector stepped into his chamber, closing the door firmly behind him. He turned to see Andromache dressing and sighed heavily. "Father wishes to speak with me; I'll try and return quickly."
Andromache groaned. "You never return quickly from speaking with your father."
"I know," said Hector, and walked over to his wife. He helped Andromache with the last clasp of her robe and then kissed her. "He'll know what day it is, and if he doesn't then I'll remind him, so he won't keep me long. Why don't you order food to be brought out to the gardens and I'll meet you there?"
"Very well," said Andromache, and kissed her husband. She watched Hector leave and then began preparing her hair. Andromache rarely called for Xanthe to help her in the mornings with her hair or jewelry now.
As soon as Andromache had finished with her hair, she stood up from her chair and left the chamber. She walked down the hall leading to the kitchens, and had almost reached them when she saw Cassandra lying on the floor, unconscious. Andromache raced to her friend's side and tried to wake her, but she remained lifeless.
No servants walked down the halls, which surprised Andromache at first, but then she realised that the route she had taken to the kitchens wasn't usually used as it longer path to them. She looked around madly, and then she screamed for help because she didn't wish to leave her friend, but when no one came she realised that she must look for help.
Andromache clambered to her feet and began to run down the hall from where she had came, although when she turned to look at Cassandra again she saw that she was moving. Andromache turned and returned to her friend.
"Andromache what are you doing here?" asked Cassandra, startled to see her friend. She tried to stand to her feet but couldn't obtain the energy.
"I found you unconscious on the floor," answered Andromache. "What happened?"
Cassandra tried to step onto her feet once more and succeeded. "Nothing, I just fainted." She looked to Andromache but quickly turned away, she bit her lip to hold back the sobs that wished to be realised from her mouth. Cassandra quickly calmed herself, and turned once more to Andromache. "I think the heat affected me, I often faint in the summer months."
Andromache nodded, although she didn't believe her friend, but decided not to press Cassandra on why she had really fainted. "Would you like me to help you to your chamber?"
Cassandra nodded. "Thank you Andromache."
After Andromache had escorted Cassandra to her chamber in the women's quarters, she walked to the kitchens and ordered for food to be brought out to the gardens for her and her husband, and then she walked to the gardens. She was surprised to see that her husband already sat at a table in the gardens, he smiled when he saw Andromache nearing him.
Hector stood up to greet his wife, and kissed her softly.
"Andromache!" shouted a voice, which surprised both Andromache and Hector.
Andromache turned to see who had called her and was shocked to see Polyxena running towards her. "What is it Polyxena?"
"Cassandra is ill," panted Polyxena, with tears streaming down her face, "she keeps screaming for help. I didn't know what to do, I tried to find my mother but I can't."
"I'll come now," said Andromache, she then turned to her husband. "Try and find your mother, perhaps she can soothe Cassandra."
Hector nodded and hurried to find his mother, while Andromache and Polyxena rushed to Cassandra's chamber.
Cassandra lay on her bed with her eyes tightly closed and she turned constantly on it. She screamed so loudly it sent shivers through Andromache and Polyxena's spines. The screaming soon ceased but was instead replaced by heavy breathing. Andromache looked to her sister-in-law, shocked to see her in such a state.
Andromache went to Cassandra's side and felt her forehead, her temperature was quickly rising. "Get a cloth and some water, she's burning up."
Polyxena nodded and looked around the room for a basin full of water and a cloth; she quickly found what Andromache had asked for and gave it to her.
Andromache dipped the cloth into the water and then wrung it before dabbing it across Cassandra's forehead, hoping it would soothe her somewhat. She then looked to Polyxena who stood at the end of Cassandra's bed, looking terrified. "Hold her hand, try and calm her down."
Polyxena rushed to her sister's side, then held her hand tightly and began to stroke it. "It's alright Cassandra, everything's alright." Her eyes then met with Andromache's, neither of them had seen Cassandra like this before and they didn't know how to calm her.
The door suddenly opened and Hecuba burst into the room, Andromache was shocked to see that Hector was closely behind his mother. Hecuba hurried to her daughter's side and ushered Polyxena out of the way, she then held her daughter's hand within one of her own, and then with her other hand she gently caressed Cassandra's forehead.
"It's alright my dear," soothed Hecuba, and released a few tears, but quickly gathered her composure. She then noticed Andromache and Polyxena's worried expressions, and smiled sadly. "This has happened before, though it hasn't happened since Paris was born. She'll calm down soon."
Andromache looked to Hector for an explanation to Hecuba's words, but he shook his head a little.
"You may go now," said Hecuba, to her children and Andromache, "she'll be alright."
Hector took his wife's hand and they left the women's quarters together and headed for their chambers. Neither Hector nor Andromache spoke while they walked to their chamber, but as soon as they had entered their chambers, Andromache looked at her husband with bewildered eyes.
"The same thing happened to Cassandra when Paris was born?" asked Andromache.
Hector sighed and nodded, he then brushed his right hand through his hair. "Cassandra dreamt, just before Paris was born, that he would cause Troy to fall. Then when my mother was in labour with Paris, Cassandra ran through the palace shouting death to Troy."
Andromache sat down at the table and rubbed her forehead. "Paris knows?"
"He does," answered Hector. "Paris never speaks of it, not even to Cassandra. My father told Paris, all of us actually, that Cassandra was only jealous that another child was being born into the family and was merely seeking attention."
"Do you believe that?" asked Andromache.
"I do not know," replied Hector, quietly. "We don't speak of what Cassandra said, or her visions now. Please don't speak to Paris about what happened today or that you know it's happened before, he's older now so he may be more awkward with the situation."
Andromache nodded. "I won't. Do you think Cassandra will be alright?"
"Yes," replied Hector, "she'll be fine." He then walked over to Andromache and sat beside her. "This will be an Anniversary to remember."
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A/N: I know that Hecuba dreamt that Paris would be the cause to the downfall of Troy, but I changed it to Cassandra having a dream/vision just before Paris was born, instead.
Thank you for the reviews!! :) I hope everyone has a great New Year. Also, just a little note to Donna Lynn: I commented in the reviews as to why I switched some chapters of the fic, I just wanted to mention it here in case you hadn't seen it.