Each night since Hector had died, Andromache would dream of him. She would lay awake at night in the bed they had shared, waiting for sleep to come to her so she could dream of him once more.
As she slept, Andromache dreamt that she was standing on the beach of Troy in her wedding robe. She felt the sparkling sea lap against her bare feet and smiled broadly when she saw Hector walk towards her and wrap his arms around her. He brushed her hair from her eyes before telling her that he loved her, that he would always love her.
Astyanax woke in his bassinet at the sound of the war horns echoing throughout the city. He sat up and cried for his father, outstretching his arms because he still expected his father to leap out of bed and come to him, but Hector never came and Astyanax cried louder.
Andromache awoke with a start, and went to Astyanax and picked him up into her arms. She kissed her son's head and rested him against the robe she had worn for the feast in honour of Hector, even though that had been on the day of his funeral two days ago.
She had not eaten during the feast in honour of Hector, she had taken her place and remained silent all night as she bounced Astyanax on her knee and tempted him with fruit and meat. Paris and Priam had remained quiet through the feast also, both absorbed within memories that they had shared with Hector. But Hecuba could not help but succumb to her grief and she had cried constantly as she held onto Hector's crown, until Cassandra helped her to her chamber.
Andromache sat down at the table with Astyanax and carefully helped him drink fresh water from Hector's cup, Astyanax had insisted upon using it since his father had gone. She then called for a servant to bring her son some of the fruit that had been collected when the men had left Troy to collect wood for Hector's pyre.
As Astyanax ate and played with the wooden horses and lions Hector had carved for him, Andromache sat at the table where she would keep her few remaining jewels that she had not given to Priam for gold to be spent on the war. She then looked across to her robes and decided that she would change today.
The robe she had worn for Hector's feast and funeral had almost become a sanctuary for her. She would walk through the palace and everyone would avoid her gaze, including Priam if she was to see him and she preferred that rather than them rushing up and pitying her.
She inhaled deeply and called for Astyanax's nurse to care for him, and then she picked up the robe she had worn when Hector had said he loved her for the first time, even though it was old and fraying at the sides, and went to the wash rooms.
Andromache was not aware of how long she spent bathing in a bath filled with an assortment of oils, or how long she spent scrubbing her skin raw. She rose from the bath and dried herself before allowing Xanthe, who had gone with her, to help her with the robe and with her hair.
When Andromache left the wash room she did not return to her chamber, instead she decided to walk through the palace to clear her mind. She still felt the tears in her eyes that had crept upon her when she dressed in her robe, and didn't want Astyanax to see her now.
As Andromache neared the entrance hall she saw Hecuba clinging on to one of her handmaidens while sobbing. She turned her head slightly and saw servants helping Paris with his armor, and Priam and Helen begging him to stay in Troy … and not fight.
She was about to turn away, not wishing to be seen, when she heard Hecuba call out for her, having noticed her daughter-in-law.
"Andromache, please come and talk some sense into Paris," cried Hecuba, "he wishes to fight, but I couldn't bear to lose another son, not now."
Paris turned to where he saw his mother's attention fixed and smiled sadly when he saw Andromache. He had not seen her since Hector's funeral and had wished to see her but he had always been sent away when he went to her chamber by one of the servants.
"You can't fight, Paris," said Priam, he sounded exhausted from a lack of sleep and grief. He looked at his son sadly and knew that he was adamant to fight. "Please don't fight, my son. Your mother and I couldn't bear it if we were to lose you too."
"I have to fight," said Paris and he glanced briefly at Andromache. "Troy's army is leaderless, and until another man is appointed to lead, I will." He then took his bow and quiver of arrows from his servant and kissed his mother and Helen before leaving the entrance hall and going to the chariot which waited for him at the end of the steps.
Helen watched as Paris rode away on the chariot and then returned to her own chamber, deciding to lie down before watching him fight as she felt unwell.
"Go after him, Priam!" said Hecuba and she pushed away from her handmaiden and went to her husband.
Priam tore his eyes away from his city and turned to look at his wife. "Paris is allowed to make his own decisions; I can not step in his way." He then stepped away from his wife, offering her no comfort, and walked away from the hall alone.
Andromache watched Hecuba for a few moments before walking to her and taking her arm. She admired her mother-in-law for showing her grief; it was something she rarely did because she felt as if each time she did, she was accepting that Hector was dead.
"I'll help you to your chamber," said Andromache softly. She dismissed Hecuba's handmaidens and walked with her mother-in-law in silence.
Death hovered over the plain of Troy like a scavenging vulture. The foul stench of blood and sweat overcame Paris as he rode out into battle on his chariot.
Paris had been on the battlefield before when fighting Menelaus, and had watched war commence from the safety of the walls, but now he saw the war from the perspective of a warrior, and immediately thought of his brother, Hector.
Greeks charged at Paris's chariot and he killed each of them with a shot of his arrow or with a swing of his blade. He felt as if the spirit of Hector was near him, telling him how to win each fight, when really it was a god whispering in his mind to aid him.
The sight of blood had always repulsed Paris, but today he fought on with only the thought of Troy and defending it echoing through his mind.
A whirlwind of thought had surrounded Achilles after he had left Polyxena and returned to the Greek camp. Polyxena had once again helped him leave the city by giving him a horse and the armor of a Trojan soldier. He had worn the armor out of the city and until he reached the Greek camp.
The Greek soldiers knew it was Achilles and did not attack him; instead they praised him because they thought he had stolen the armor of a Trojan he had killed. It never crossed any of their minds that he had been given the armor by a Trojan princess.
Achilles walked along the shores of Troy and stared off across the sea, thoughts spinning in his mind. He had decided not to fight and would stand by that, but he could not help feel restless with wanting to see Polyxena again.
He looked at his fellow countrymen, all consumed within their own desires for the war to end favorably to them, so they could return home.
It was then that Achilles knew what he had to do; he was determined to not become one of those men who lay awake each night at war while they thought of loved ones. He had found a woman that he loved, and that was Polyxena. He would not be parted from her when she was so near to him … yet so far.
Achilles quickly returned to his tent where he once again dressed in the Trojan armor Polyxena had given him.
As he left the tent, a selection of his myrmidons sat outside their tents, drinking while cleaning their armor because they had been ordered not to fight by him. They looked up at Achilles in unison and laughed.
"The Trojans will think you're once of them," laughed Alcaeus, one of Achilles's myrmidons, "especially if you go onto the plain again in that!"
Along with his fellow myrmidons, Alcaeus appeared confused when he saw Achilles mount a horse and ride off onto the plain. None of them dared to question their leader and so continued to clean their armor, allowing the thought to fade from their minds.
As if the gods had made him invisible, Achilles rode across the plain while Trojan and Greek soldiers fought valiantly against one another. He steadied his horse when he reached the gates of Troy and ordered for them to be opened, with no fear of being recognised.
The blazing sun glared down on the eyes of those that controlled the gates. They shielded their eyes against the sun and allowed Achilles to enter, after seeing only his armor and not his face.
With the wind by his side as he rode, Achilles raced towards the palace. His horse passed through the city so swiftly that Achilles and his horse were little more than a blur.
The stairs leading to the entrance hall of the palace soon came into view and Achilles once again steadied his horse. He could see the guards in the hall already staring suspiciously at him before they could clearly see his face, and he dismounted his horse.
A mixture of fear and shock spread across the guards' faces as they stood at their posts and saw Achilles. A few hurried to notify King Priam and gather more men, while the rest descended the stairs and walked to Achilles, their fears now concealed.
"I did not come here to fight," said Achilles and he tore the Trojan armor from his torso, leaving only a few layers of oxhide covering his chest, and dropped his sword to the ground to show he spoke the truth. "I only come to speak with King Priam."
Confusion quickly filled the eyes of the men who surrounded Achilles. They drew in closer around him, not wanting to believe that Achilles actually spoke the truth.
Feeling somewhat better and wanting to watch Paris fight, wishing to comfort him by being on the halls, Helen entered the entrance hall to leave and go to the walls. Her head was bowed in thought so she did not see Achilles until she heard guards rush past her and down the steps.
Achilles looked up to the hall at the sound of more guards approaching and saw Helen. He gasped quietly, shocked to see her when he had not seen her since she lived in Sparta and had attended her brother's funeral.
Hatred for Helen freely oozed from Achilles's eyes and he could feel his blood begin to boil as he looked at her. Since the beginning of the war he had blamed Helen for it, knowing that she did not care what pain she caused others as long as she got what she wanted.
"King Priam will see you," said one of the guards and stared at Achilles, "follow me."
Achilles ripped his eyes from Helen and followed the guards that led him to Priam. He did not meet Helen's eyes as he passed her and continued to walk on with the guards surrounding him.
Priam had been in a meeting with his councilors when he was notified that Achilles had come. He had felt his heart race with anger when he heard, but he gained control of his emotions when Achilles entered the hall.
A deadly silence filled the hall as soon as Achilles entered. He saw the guards, who had surrounded him, leave and return to their posts, but he saw even more guards stationed in the hall.
Achilles knelt down before King Priam as a sign of respect and then stood to his feet, fully feeling how vulnerable he felt with each eye upon him in the room as he stood virtually unarmed.
"I shall not ask how you entered my city," said Priam, he could already imagine from the news of his guards, "but why … why have you come?"
Priam's councilors remained in their places in the hall and watched as Achilles searched for words to speak. They were all shocked and confused as to why he had come to Troy; some even expected that he had come to slaughter them all.
"I wished to speak with you, King Priam," Achilles obediently answered.
"Then speak," said Priam, his voice was low but everyone could feel the anger that surrounded his words.
A still silence consumed the room while Achilles chose his words. He finally gathered them and looked at Priam.
"I wish to marry your daughter," answered Achilles, choosing to speak plainly and avoid speaking in riddles because he knew it would annoy Priam even more. "I wish to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."
Whispering suddenly broke out in the hall between the councilors; they could not believe what they were hearing. They had never imagined Achilles would come to ask for the hand in marriage to one of Priam's daughter, and it appeared that Priam felt that way also.
Disbelief spread across Priam's face, he thought he hadn't heard Achilles correctly but he then looked to the members of his council and saw that he had. "You wish to marry my daughter?" He instantly thought Achilles spoke of Cassandra as she was commonly known away from Troy, it didn't even cross his mind that Achilles spoke of Polyxena.
"Yes," Achilles answered clearly.
"You have never met my daughter Cassandra, why would you wish to marry her?" Priam asked suspiciously. He knew that many men and women did not meet before they were married, but he also knew he could not trust a man such as Achilles, a man that had killed his son and countless Trojan lives.
"I do not wish to marry Princess Cassandra," said Achilles, a hint of confusion in his voice. "I wish to marry Pol … Princess Polyxena."
Priam rose to his feet and glared at Achilles. "You sail to my shores and fight against my army, you then kill my son and heir, and now … now you wish to marry my daughter too?"
Achilles lowered his head, unable to look into the eyes of Priam. He suddenly felt his conscious, which had awoken when killing Hector, return to him and felt foolish for ever believing Priam would grant his request.
"Why Polyxena?" asked Priam and lowered down into his throne. "Why do you wish to marry her when you've never met or seen her before?" He could not believe that Achilles simply wished to marry his daughter because he had heard of her.
"I have met her," said Achilles quietly. He then raised his head and looked into Priam's eyes. "I met your daughter on the night of Hec … your son's funeral." He could not speak Hector's name when the image of his body burning had returned to him.
"What?" Priam exclaimed incredulously. He looked to one his guards and summoned him. "Bring my daughter to me immediately."
The guard quickly left the hall alone and went to Polyxena's chamber to collect her.
Priam stared at Achilles, breathing heavily. His eyes were wide and narrowed with anger and shock as he glared at the man who had taken his son away from him, and now wished to take his daughter.
The doors to the hall soon opened and Polyxena, standing proudly despite shaking vigorously, entered and walked up to her father without looking at Achilles. She kissed her father's cheeks and knelt down before him and took his hands within her own.
"Leave us," ordered King Priam to his councilors. He then turned to his men and instructed them to take Achilles to a spare chamber and guard him until he sent for them.
As the councilors quietly left the hall, one of them, Solon, walked up to Priam and freely whispered to him: "The influence Achilles has in the Greek camp could be of use to us if we were to grant his request, King Priam. Perhaps the war could end by him marrying Princess Polyxena."
Priam turned to Solon, his eyes glaring madly. "Leave us!" He then turned to look at his daughter once everyone had left, including the guards. He knew that she had heard what his councilor had said, and that her face remained unreadable.
"As a child you would often sit on my knee while I sat on this throne," said Priam softly, while reminiscing of times past. He smiled at the simple memory and looked down to his beautiful daughter and saw that she was no longer a child, but a woman.
"I am sorry, father," said Polyxena and she kept her head lowered. She could feel tears creep into her eyes but she was adamant not to release them.
"WasAchilles in the city for Hector's funeral?" asked Priam quietly. "Did you see him that night?"
Polyxena could only nod. She felt consumed with guilt and shame and could not bear to look at her father; she did not want to see the disappointment in his eyes.
Priam was silent for a few moments while he thought. He could see that more had happened between his daughter and Achilles than them just meeting, he could read his daughter well. "Do you love him?"
"Yes," Polyxena lied. She knew she did not love Achilles, but she also knew that marrying him could end the war because of his influence in the Greek camp.
Priam closed his eyes for a few moments and took his hands away from his daughter's grasp. He rose from his throne and looked out to his city.
"I'm so sorry," cried Polyxena and she scurried to her feet. She went to her father and knelt down before him once more. "Please, father, please look at me!" She stared up at his face, now desperate to see her father's reassuring eyes.
Priam bit his lip as he tried to gain control of the tears that had gathered within his eyes, and then slowly turned to look at his daughter.
"Solon is right," said Polyxena and she felt tears cascade down her face, "if I were to marry Achilles then the war would end."
"I've already lost Hector," said Priam, his voice shaking as he tried to gain control of his grief, "I will not lose you as well."
"You wouldn't be losing me," said Polyxena. She ceased crying, even though she could feel a river of tears desperate to flow from her eyes.
"After all that man has done … you can love him?" asked Priam and he turned to look away from his daughter and look to his city once more.
"Yes," said Polyxena, her voice almost inaudible.
It felt like a knife had struck Priam's heart when he heard his daughter and he closed his eyes in pain. He felt as if his daughter had been possessed, he knew that she could never love a man such as Achilles, and it was then that he knew what had to be done.
"If you wish to marry him," said Priam and he helped Polyxena to her feet, "then you … can." He kissed his daughter's cheeks and looked into her eyes, and for a flicker of a second he saw that she did not love Achilles, but as quickly as he saw it, it disappeared. He returned to his throne, saying nothing to Polyxena, and ordered for Achilles to be brought in.
Polyxena took the throne beside her father, her heart beating so furiously against her ribs that she felt as if they would break. She watched, her face again unreadable, as Achilles entered the hall and saw the loving glances he gave her, but she did not return them.
"I will accept your request, Achilles," said Priam and he paused to look at his daughter before continuing, "you may marry my daughter."
Achilles breathed in happily, a smile beginning to spread across his face. He felt that his life could begin, a life with Polyxena.
"However," said Priam sternly, "you may only marry my daughter if you agree to use your influence with the Greek armies to end this war." He was silent while he read the face of Achilles and then spoke again. "Do you agree?"
"Yes," answered Achilles quietly. He inhaled deeply, a smile no longer across his lips, and he looked at Polyxena. Instead of seeing the woman he had seen the previous night, he saw Polyxena as a Princess of Troy and no more. It was as if she wasn't the same woman, but he ignored that, assuming she acted differently with her father present.
"Good," said Priam slowly and he glared at Achilles, hatred freely flowing from his eyes. "You may leave and return to your camp, my guards will escort you from the city."
Guards immediately surrounded Achilles and they watched him with hawk-like eyes.
"Return to Troy tomorrow, Achilles," said Priam. "My daughter and I will greet you at the gates."
"Thank you, King Priam," said Achilles and he bowed his head slightly in respect. He was then escorted out of the city, but before leaving the hall he glanced one last time at Polyxena, but she was no longer there, having left from another door at the side of the hall.
Priam remained in the hall, deep in thought. He had seen the hope within his peoples' eyes fade when Hector died, and for the first time since then he could see hope for his people once more. Hope that would be gained when Achilles was killed…
A/N: This is quite a long chapter because I didn't want to break it up into two. Thank you for all of the reviews; I greatly appreciate each of them :)
Gaby – Briseis was mentioned in chapter 46 of this as the concubine of Achilles, which she really was in the myth. I'm afraid Achilles will die in this, I'm not sure when but it's soon. Thank you for the review and I'm really glad you liked the last chapter :)
Kitera – Thank for reviewing both chapter 52 & 53 :) I'm really glad you liked the last chapter too, thank you!
Priestess of the Myrmidon – I'm really glad you liked the interaction between Polyxena and Achilles; it was something I was worried about. Thank you for the review :)
Aesya – Neoptolemus and Andromache will be covered in this, although not to a great extent I don't think. Thank you so much for the review, I'm really glad that you love this, thank you :)
Idun03 – I'm glad that you like that I'm going with the Iliad version, and that you find that the relationship between Achilles and Polyxena is getting interesting, thank you! Thank you for the review :)
meistsiwong36 – Oenone will make an appearance in the future, in the next few chapters I think. I'll probably begin the next story when I've finished this, and I'm really glad you're looking forward to it, thank you! Thank you for the review too :)
Cozzy – I'm really glad you liked the last chapter and thank you so much for the review :) If you're considering writing something then you should give it a go, it's great to have more writers in the Troy section and I would be happy to read it.
WriteAway – Thank you so much, I'm really glad you like this story. It's really nice of you to say you would buy my book if I wrote one, thank you :) And thank you for the review.
Topezgrl – Thank you for reviewing for both chapters 52 & 53 :) I'm really glad you liked the chapters and that you like how Achilles has been added into the story. I'm sorry that this story is slowly coming to an end, but it won't be for a few more chapters yet.
mountaineer143 – I'm really glad that found the character's emotions to be real and that you feel for the characters, it's really what I was aiming for. Thank you so much for the review, I'm so glad that you like it, thank you :)
Lily – I'm glad you liked the last chapter and that it might be your favourite, thank you! I like Achilles too, and thank you for the review :)