The distinct cry of her son awoke Princess Andromache from her light slumber and she stumbled out of the bed and to the bassinet that stood at the end of it. She reached into the bassinet for her son, Astyanax, and carefully scooped his body into her thin arms.
Andromache slowly walked out onto the balcony with Astyanax securely in her arms; she moved from side to side gently to soothe her son to sleep once more and watched the rise of the sun.
The sun rose high up into the sky and allowed mere mortals to bask in her beautiful and glorious sunlight. The rising of the sun signaled ten years since the war between Greece and Troy had begun, ten long years of war that had plagued the city and beaches of Troy.
Astyanax, now two years and three months old, outstretched his arm and grabbed onto his mothers long hair and began to chew on it. Andromache laughed at her son's behaviour, and gently prised the strands of hair from her son's grip.
"He has the firm grip of a warrior," said Hector proudly as he wrapped his arms around Andromache's slender waist. He had woken at the sound of his son crying out to the morning light.
"Hmm," mumbled Andromache, unwilling to discuss the future of her son when it seemed so bleak to her eyes. She tried to ignore the feelings she felt, but it was nearly impossible to ignore the vicious thought of her son dying in the war that had remained outside of Troy's gates for ten years.
"I'll take him now," said Hector and held his arms out for his son, "you should sleep. You've been woken by Astyanax every night for weeks."
"No I'm fine," said Andromache and shook her head, as if to dismiss the offer away. She balanced Astyanax on her hip, as he was ignoring her soothing motions she performed for him to sleep, and walked back into the chamber.
"Andromache, I can take him," insisted Hector and followed his wife back into their chamber. He watched as Andromache lay their son down on the bed and began to dress him in a day robe.
"No!" said Andromache sternly, and then laughed awkwardly. "We have a nurse to care for Astyanax if need be, I'll call for her if I need sleep."
Hector nodded and said no more on the subject. He knew full well that they had a nurse, but that she was rarely called.
Andromache preferred to care for Astyanax herself, and she wasn't entirely alone as Polyxena and Hecuba often offered to spend the day with him. The truth was that Andromache wished to spend as much time with her son as possible; she couldn't bear to be apart from him for too long as she feared for him constantly. She couldn't bear to be separated from her son because she was terrified by the thought of the Greeks suddenly concurring against the Trojans and stealing her darling child away from her.
With the distant cries of war echoing through the city of Troy, Andromache sat beneath a tree in one of the royal gardens with her son by her side. She sat him on the grass and smiled as she watched the expression on his face when he felt the grass tickle his toes.
Astyanax mumbled loudly, and salvia dribbled down his mouth. He cried loudly when Andromache tried to wipe his wet chin.
"Hector would always hate to be cleaned," said a voice Andromache knew.
Andromache looked up and saw Cassandra standing in front of her; she was startled to see her sister-in-law because she hadn't even heard her footsteps.
Cassandra sat down in front of Andromache and gazed at Astyanax with a mixture of wonder and love. She was reminded of Hector as a small child when she saw her nephew pick at the grass in front of her, but as she watched him closely she saw that he had Andromache's eyes and nose.
"He looks even more beautiful than the day he was born," whispered Cassandra.
"Yes, he does." Said Andromache and looked at Astyanax also.
"Do you think he knows who I am?" asked Cassandra quietly and gently tickled Astyanax's feet. She had seen little of her dear nephew since he was born because she often felt weak and ill.
"Of course!" said Andromache. "And you're always more than welcome to see him, whenever you wish."
Cassandra raised her eyes to look at Andromache; a look exchanged between them … a look that expressed the torment they both felt. Cassandra suddenly rose to her feet and quickly said goodbye to Andromache and Astyanax before backing away and returning into the palace.
Later that evening King Priam, along with his relatives and dear friends, sat in the feast hall and dined once more. He greeted his family and friends happily and even held Astyanax in his arms and kissed his forehead before returning his grandson to Andromache.
Hector had been held at the armory with some of his generals as they discussed a plan of attack against the Greeks.
Andromache took her place in the hall, with Astyanax sitting on her lap, and she was struck at how lonely she felt without Hector by her side. She attempted to feed her son some of the fruit that had been brought out, but he was reluctant to try any and instead began to squish the grapes in his clenched fist.
"Hector used to do that," said a familiar voice.
Andromache jumped slightly and turned to watch as Paris, the owner of the sweet voice, took Hector's place beside her. She rarely saw or spoke to Paris now, only speaking to him if necessary and appropriate.
"He looks so like Hector, doesn't he?" said Paris, and a distant gaze fell across his face as he looked at Astyanax.
"Yes," replied Andromache quietly.
"Don't hate me Andromache," said Paris suddenly, but he continued to stare at his nephew. He valued Andromache's opinion and behavior towards him almost more than he did Hector's, and couldn't bear to think that she felt such hatred for him.
"I don't hate you Paris," stuttered Andromache nervously, she was unaware of what else to say. She looked to those near her and saw that they were all eating and talking contently to one another, even Helen who was conversing with Polyxena.
Paris nodded sadly; he couldn't blame Andromache for hating him for all he had caused.
"Paris," Andromache said softly when she saw the look on his face, "I do not blame you because …," she then stopped and was silent for a few moments. "I've always thought that you fell in love with Helen because you were looking for a replacement for Oenone."
Hearing the name 'Oenone', Paris sharply turned his head to look at Andromache. He felt a slight flutter in his heart when hearing the name he had restrained from speaking aloud for years, although the name had always remained in his mind.
Andromache didn't know if it was her place to speak so plainly to Paris, but she proceeded regardless. "You may indeed love Helen, but I know you loved Oenone and perhaps you were looking for what you had lost."
Paris suddenly stood up from Hector's chair and left the hall after muttering a quick goodbye to Andromache. He ignored Helen's obvious and confused looks at him as he left.
Helen slowly rose from her chair gracefully and said goodbye to King Priam and Queen Hecuba, a fixed grin on her face. She then swiftly left the hall and after Paris.
Andromache watched as Helen went after Paris, and then it dawned on her. He still loves her, she thought, Paris still loves Oenone. Andromache had always assumed that Paris had somehow stopped loving Oenone and transferred his affections to Helen; she didn't think that he still loved Oenone.
Hector did not return to his chamber until the dead of the night, when there was complete silence through the palace except for his quiet footsteps. He entered his chamber and saw Andromache asleep on their bed, for which he was glad because she had had trouble sleeping for weeks.
A quiet mumble came from the bassinet, and Hector smiled fondly when he saw Astyanax wide away and wriggling about. Hector quickly removed his armor and changed into a dark blue robe before picking his son up and taking him into his arms.
"You were definitely blessed with your mothers beautiful eyes," whispered Hector, as not to wake his wife. He smiled when a large grin spread across Astyanax's face at being picked up.
Hector walked out to the balcony with Astyanax in his arms. He gently rocked from side to side, and pointed at different stars to his son.
Astyanax showed no interest in the stars and instead pointed down to the beaches of Troy which were barely visible from where he sat in his father's arms.
"I told your mother I loved her there," said Hector and looked at the beaches, a faraway expression on his face. He remembered the time when he professed his love to Andromache, and remembered when Troy's beaches were not tainted by the Greeks.
"Mama," mumbled Astyanax, his letters tumbling over one another.
"Yes," said Hector happily and kissed his son's dark brown hair. He then pointed over to the palace stables. "And there I gave her Hermione, do you remember Hermione?"
Astyanax nodded a little and outstretched his hand to point at the stables. He had been shown Hermione by his father a few months ago, and was taken there at every spare opportunity Hector had.
"Do you see the blue water there, Astyanax?" asked Hector and pointed to the distant sea.
"Water," repeated Astyanax slowly and pointed to the sea.
"I kissed your mother for the first time somewhere on that sea," said Hector and smiled.
"And there Astyanax," said Andromache, as she stepped out onto the balcony, and pointed to a royal garden that could partly be seen from where they all stood, "was where I told your father that I was going to have you!"
Hector laughed and turned to kiss his wife. Astyanax was wedged between them for a few moments, but then protested mightily and his parents sprung apart.
"I thought you were asleep," said Hector, a grin on his face.
"I was," replied Andromache, smirking a little, "but I was woken by the sound of your loud voice!"
Hector laughed and turned so Andromache could stand beside him. Astyanax, Andromache, and Hector looked up to the heavens above and to the twinkling stars that decorated them.
A/N: I don't know if I'll be able to get another chapter up this week as I'm really busy, but I'll definitely try to :) Thank you once again for the reviews, and please keep reviewing :)
Queen Arwen – Thank you so much, I'm really thrilled that you enjoyed the last chapter. Daddy Hector is certainly hot! Thank you for the review :)
Kcrane – Thank you for the review, and I'm really glad you loved the last chapter! I'm sorry you had a sinus headache when you had this, but thank you for continuing to read anyway and I hope you're better now :)
Idun03 – I'm not sure if Helen will meet Hermione again in this, but thank you for bringing it up as I hadn't thought about it :) Thank you for the review, and I'm glad you liked the last chapter!
Starrysky – Thank you, I'm really glad you like the story! Thank you for the review too :) Helen and Paris are definitely characters that are easy to hate, and very selfish.
Kitera – I'm really glad you liked the last chapter, thank you :) There will be some Achilles and Polyxena, and I'm afraid what you think will happen to Astyanax will happen in this.
Priestess of the Myrmidon – I'm thrilled you thought the birth scene was realistic, that was one of the main things I was worried about, thank you! And I'm really happy that you like my story, thanks :) Thank you for the review!