Night slowly fell like mist over Troy, and the stars began to appear across the enormous blanket of sky. A gentle wind breezed through the wide windows in the hall of Priam, where he and his two sons, along with the Elders of Troy and select generals of the army, had gathered earlier that day.
The Trojans were eager for the war to end, they had been since the day it had started, but now things were becoming even more difficult for the Trojans. Gold was quickly running out, as well as food and armor for the soldiers.
Those gathered in Priam's hall knew that the war would have to end soon and to their advantage, and so proposed for Prince Paris and King Menelaus to duel one another the next day. Whoever won the fight would win Helen, and the Greek armies would leave the shores of Troy, regardless of whether or not King Menelaus won.
Paris sat in his chair and stared down at the marble floor, his eyes wide and frightened. He knew better than anyone that he lacked true ability on the battle field, but yet he was bound to fight as he had begun the war.
Noticing his brother's reluctance to fight, Hector spoke loudly to Paris in the hall. "Are you too cowardly to fight with King Menelaus even though you wronged him? You would soon learn what kind of fighter he is, like I have, if you fought him."
A gentle murmur flowed through the room, and many agreed with Hector. They all fixed their eyes on Prince Paris, eager to see how he reacted and if he would accept the duel between him and King Menelaus.
Paris rose from his chair and looked upon the faces of all those in the room, including his father and brother. His gaze lingered over Hector for a brief moment and then he turned to face the Elders of Troy.
"I will fight tomorrow," he said proudly. His breath quickened and he hastily sat down in his throne once more.
Priam lowered his head sadly, he did not want Paris to fight but saw no other way for the war to end. He knew Paris was not skilled in war, but perhaps the gods would protect him and end this war for them.
Hector was one of the last men to leave his father's hall, and he walked through the halls slowly. His heart thumped against his chest angrily, and he clutched a hand to it for a slight moment. He felt guilt for shaming his brother into fighting, guilt that raced through his body furiously.
The truth was that Hector did not hate Paris, despite all that he had caused. Hector wasn't able to hate his brother, no matter how hard he tried. He hated the things Paris had caused, but not Paris himself. Even though Hector treated Paris in a way that suggested he hated him, he didn't … he merely tried to, but couldn't.
Hector entered his chamber and saw that Andromache was on their balcony, and that Astyanax was asleep. He walked out onto the balcony and leaned onto the walls of it, gripping onto it tightly.
"Polyxena has already told me that Paris will fight King Menelaus," said Andromache quietly, her tone was unreadable; "she heard the news from your mother."
Silence ensued Andromache's words, and she looked across to Hector. Her eyes scanned over his pale face and she simply stared at him for a few moments before clasping his face within her hands and glaring into his eyes miserably.
"Don't allow Paris to die because of this," she said sadly, 'this' being the war. "You will never forgive yourself if he dies tomorrow Hector, why allow him to go through this now?"
Hector tore himself away from Andromache, breathing angrily. Andromache told him exactly what he was feeling, but he was determined to deny it.
"I hate what Paris and Helen have done," persisted Andromache, "but don't allow him to die. King Menelaus is a trained warrior, Paris is …,"
"Paris is a handsome boy who beds different women each night," spat Hector, "if he is to learn anything in this world, then he will learn it tomorrow!" He then stormed into their chamber.
Andromache remained on the balcony, and was silent for a moment but then chose to speak, not caring if she angered her husband. "If Paris dies, then it will be you who feels the most pain, I hope you can live with that!"
Hector spun around and marched to where Andromache stood. "He deserves to die; if I were not his brother then I would have done it the day he returned with another man's wife!"
Astyanax suddenly woke at the harsh words and began to wail loudly.
Andromache tore herself away from Hector and hurried to her darling son. She carefully picked him up into her arms and kissed his forehead before rocking him gently from side to side.
Hector watched Andromache and their son together, his eyes wide with fear. He looked upon them now and feared for their lives more than ever.
Paris awoke at dawn the next morning. He had barely slept through the blisteringly hot night; instead he had tossed and turned almost continuously. He rose from his bed and walked over to his balcony and looked at the scene that lay before his eyes.
From Paris's balcony, he had a perfect view of the Greeks and their camps on the shores of Troy. Paris thought of Menelaus now and wondered if the King was as scared as he was.
This duel was the true test, the test that would show who was the better man, either Paris or Menelaus. This fight was a matter of honour, a chance for Menelaus to revenge the shame that had been placed upon him and his household.
"Let me help you with your armor," said Helen, as she walked bare-footed to Paris's side. Her voice held no emotion, nor did her face, but her clear eyes betrayed the fear she felt.
Paris hadn't even heard Helen rise from their bed, and turned to look at her beautiful face. A white robe flowed down her and it stopped only at her slender ankles. Helen's golden hair hung perfectly at her sides, and seemed to be even smoother than silk.
He was somewhat surprised that Helen offered to help him, especially considering they had been arguing for hours the previous night because she didn't want him to fight. Paris didn't wish to fight either, but he knew he must.
"Thank you," said Paris quietly, unsure of what else to say.
Helen closed her eyes in pain at the sound of her lover's voice. She loved Paris more than anything in the world, he was everything to her. After a few moments Helen opened her eyes once more and smiled weakly. She then helped the man she loved into his glittering royal armor.
Hundreds of Trojans now gathered on the walls of Troy. Many young women huddled together for support, no doubt mere conquests of Prince Paris. Old men looked upon the soldiers that had marched out of the walls of Troy, and they successfully contained the horror they felt within themselves.
King Priam sat on his throne on the wall, with his dear relatives and friends surrounding him. To his right sat his wife, Queen Hecuba, and she was sobbing quietly into a small dark cloth, and to his left sat Princess Andromache with small Prince Astyanax sleeping in her arms.
Andromache looked over to Astyanax's nurse and beckoned her to her. She feared that the sound of war would wake her child and she didn't wish Astyanax to see the battle that would soon commence.
"Please take him to my chamber and tend to him there," Andromache said to the nurse. She had only brought Astyanax onto the walls at Hector's request, because he liked to feel his family close by, but she knew the fighting was not fit for children's eyes.
Helen sat beside Andromache, and was shaking terribly. She wore a dark purple robe and had covered her hair with a veil of a similar colour. The goddess-like woman was beginning to feel responsible for what she had caused, even more so when she saw Paris ride out onto the plain with Hector and the generals following him.
"If only death could have taken me in Sparta, grim death, on that day I followed Paris to Troy." Helen muttered, thinking she was speaking to only herself. "I forsook my husband, my kinsmen, and my child…,"
Andromache sharply turned her head when she heard the bitter words gush from Helen's perfect mouth. She looked at Helen and actually felt pity for her, but that quickly faded when she caught a glimpse of Hector on the plain from the corner of her eye.
The Trojan army had severely decreased over ten years of vigorous fighting, but they continued to stand proudly in front of their walls that were now scorched with fire marks, after the Greeks had attacked during the night through the many years.
Hector steadied his uneasy horse and then turned to Paris who was near him. "You don't have to do this Paris." He then heard the Greeks draw closer and could see the Kings of the Aegean racing towards them on either horseback or on chariots.
Paris was surprised by his brother's words and sighed heavily. He shook his head at Hector's words, knowing that he had to fight. "I do have to fight, I started this and I must end it … with my life if need be."
Hector felt a swell of pride in his chest and nodded. He knew men who would sacrifice their honour in exchange for their lives. "You are a good man Paris … a good man."
The glittering chariots of the kings of the Aegean led the way across the plain; their armies marched heartily behind their kings, all eager for an escape from this war that had lasted too long already.
The mighty kings of the Aegean suddenly stopped, leaving a large gap between themselves and their armies, and the Trojan army. King Agamemnon, King Menelaus, and King Odysseus stepped off their chariots and walked up to Prince Hector and Prince Paris who had dismounted their horses.
Knowing the procedures of dueling, Hector and Odysseus walked next to one another. Odysseus placed a bronze helmet onto the plain, and Hector dropped two stones into it. They were casting lots for who would be the first man, out of Paris and Menelaus, to hurl their sphere at the opponent.
A few Trojans and Greeks closed their eyes briefly and prayed to the gods. They prayed for the war to end, a victorious end.
Hector bent over and shook the helmet and Paris's lot leapt out of it. He quietly breathed a sigh of relief and looked at his brother who looked nervous, but also relieved.
Paris was already fully prepared for battle, but he insisted on making sure his helmet, with horsehair flowing from the top of it, breastplate and greaves were securely in place on him. He turned to the young Trojan soldier who stood beside him, and the soldier carefully handed a spear.
Menelaus also secured his armor and then glared at Paris through his helmet. He could feel his heart race with apprehension and excitement, he was eager to have Helen returned to him and to seek revenge for the shame that had been placed upon him. He licked the sand, which had blown onto his face, from his lips and felt grim pleasure at seeing the frightened look on Paris's face.
Paris and Menelaus stepped away from the safety of their armies and began to walk closer to one another. They walked slowly, carefully choosing each step.
Then Paris suddenly hurled his spear at Menelaus, but the spear only hit the edge of Menelaus's round shield, which he had held in front of him when seeing the soaring weapon.
Menelaus then sneered and tightened his grip on the spear that had been handed to him by his brother, Agamemnon. He lunged forward and threw the spear with all his might at Paris, and the spear shot through the center of Paris's shield and into his breast plate.
Paris quickly pulled the spear from his breastplate and a few drips of blood came out with it. He gritted his teeth in pain and looked down to his right side where he had been hit; it was a small wound and would heal easily if given the chance.
Anger swept through Menelaus now, he withdrew his sword from his side and raced towards Paris. He then launched it down on Paris's helmet but the blade smashed and fell in pieces to the floor.
Without being visibly hurt, and only suffering from slight dizziness, Paris tried to withdraw his sword in time, but Menelaus dropped his shield and lunged at Paris. Menelaus succeeded in grabbing onto the horsehair, atop of Paris's helmet, he then pushed him down onto the floor and started to drag the Prince to the front line of the Greek armies.
The chin-strap holding Paris's helmet was beginning to strangle him, he fumbled with it and tried to release Menelaus's grip from the helmet but couldn't.
It was said that the goddess Aphrodite snapped the chin-strap that day, but the Trojans and Greeks only saw that the snap suddenly broke and Paris's head fall from the helmet and onto the floor safely.
Paris clambered to his feet, but Menelaus was yet again too quick for him. Menelaus snatched Paris's sword that had fallen to the ground, and placed it in his own hand. He swung it up into the air and down upon Paris's thigh, which only lightly slit it.
Upon the walls of Troy, Helen clasped a hand to her mouth and tried to stand but stumbled. She couldn't bear to see Paris hurt by a man like Menelaus, Paris wasn't even Menelaus's equal in size and skill and she couldn't see him die.
Andromache, with tears in her eyes as she watched the duel, turned and helped Helen in her throne once more. She took the hand of Helen and held it within her own, knowing how she felt because she had felt it all before. There was nothing Andromache could say to help Helen; there was nothing to comfort a woman when she saw her lover fighting in war.
Then suddenly the Trojans and Greeks saw Paris flee from Menelaus. A gentle murmur of shock carried across the walls and through the armies, and many turned their attention to the walls of Troy and to King Priam, even though they could barely see him.
King Priam gripped onto the sides of his throne and his eyes grew wide, he then whispered, praying Paris would feel his words. "Fight him, son. Fight him!"
King Menelaus, panting for breath, watched as Paris crawled like a beast to the front line of the Trojan army. He dropped the sword to the ground.
"Is this what you left me for Helen?" he yelled. He looked up to the walls of Troy and scanned them for Helen, his eyes then stopped on the thrones but he could barely see those on them, yet he felt the eyes of Helen on him.
Hector closed his eyes in pain; he couldn't bear to watch the scene that lay before him. He then opened his eyes when he heard the malice in Agamemnon's voice.
"Hear me now Trojans!" roared Agamemnon, and he rode to the side of his Menelaus on his chariot. "Victory goes to Menelaus! You must pay us the reparations of war and surrender Helen at once!"
A loud cry of agreement erupted from the Greeks and they banged their swords against their shields. The Trojans, however, did not return Helen or give the Greeks any war reparations, instead the war carried on.
A/N: Sorry I've taken so long to update, but I've been really busy and will continue to for a few more days. I'll try to put another chapter up as soon as I can. I also used some things from both the "Iliad" and from "Troy" in this chapter. Thank you so much for all of the reviews!
Queen Arwen – Thank you for the review! I'm glad you enjoyed the writing in the last chapter, thanks :) I have to admit that I don't want to kill Hector, but I have to even though it will be horrible :(
Ithil-valon – I'm really glad you enjoyed Hector spending time with his son! I'm also glad you felt sorry for Paris, because I feel sorry for him at times too. Thank you for the review :)
Priestess of the Myrmidon – You're definitely not boring in your reviews, I appreciate and love all the reviews :) To be honest I don't know how I've managed to write fast, lol! Thank you for the review and I'm glad you liked the last chapter!
Kitera – Oenone will make another appearance later on in this, although I'm not sure which chapter as I've not written beyond this yet. Thank you for the review, and I'm really glad you liked the last chapter :)
Miss-Andromache – Andromache is definitely ahead of her time with how she acts as a mother and I'm glad that you like that. And I'm really glad that you like that I included Oenone, as I had doubts of how to bring her into this. Thank you for the review :)
Lily – Thank you, I'm really glad you loved the last chapter. Thank you for the review, and I hope you take care too :)
Little Lady Eowyn – Thank you for thinking that I've taken some of the guess work out of the "Iliad", and that you feel privileged to read this! I'm surprised at the amount of reviews I've had too! I've not heard of the "invisible man", is it good? Thank you so much for the reviews, and welcome to – I'm not sure when you'll see this as you last reviewed for chapter 8 and may not have read till chapter 45 yet, but thank you for the reviews :) And I'm really glad you like the story, thank you!