Hey everyone, I know it's been awhile, but if you look at some of the reviews I've recieved for the first chapter of this story, I'm sure you'll all understand why it's taken me so long to put up more chapters. Regardless, I'm gonna try my luck again. I hope that by putting up more chapters, you guys will see where I'm going with the story. Big thanks to everyone who has supported me, and to those of you who don't, well, I can't stop you from feeling what you feel. If you don't like this story, all I ask is that you give me constructive criticism on how to improve rather than simply flame my story. (What have I ever done to you to deserve being flamed? I've never flamed anyone, and quite frankly, I don't understand people who flame others.) After all, I'll like to believe that this site is a nourrishing and stimulating environment for all writers.
To Cybele and anyone else who's confused, let me explain: Hector owns and runs a film production studio, Troy studios. It is one of the biggest in L.A. (As you will later find out.) In fact, his films (Trojan productions)are so big that they usually star very famous actors such as Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom (Having said this, don't see Orlando and Paris as the same person, or Brad as Achilles. In my story, Paris is his own character, as is Achilles.) And in my story, the studios all produce films that are related back to Greek myths (I don't know why, just for fun, I guess.) Does that help?
One more REALLY IMPORTANT detail: for the sake of simplicity, Briseis is Hector and Paris's sister in the story, not their cousin. In here, she is the middle child between the two brothers.
Anyway, enough talking. On with the story. Enjoy!
xoxo, nat
Chapter 2
"Where have you been?" Andromache demanded as Hector stepped through the front door. "You said you'd be home by six!"
"Work, woman, work! A man's gotta make a living to support his wife and child, hasn't he?" Hector grumbled.
Andromache came forward and kissed him. "Look, I'm sorry, honey. I was just worried about you."
Hector nodded as he held his wife close, pulling her deeper into his arms. He pushed her hair back and nibbled on her ear.
Andromache smiled in contentment but said, "Later. Your brother and sister are here already. We're all waiting for you so we can have dinner."
Hector groaned. "I almost forgot they were coming tonight! You distracted me," he whispered lasciviously, a wicked grin growing on his face.
"Hector! Later! I promise!"
"You promise?"
Andromache nodded. Many of her friends had lost sexual interest in their partners after marriage, but Andromache never found that to be the case with Hector and herself. She could never be bored of Hector. She would never cease to love him and to be amazed with him.
"Where's Astyanax?"
"Asleep in his room."
"Okay. You can tell Verna to start setting up dinner and tell Paris and Briseis that I'd be with them in a bit. I just want to go check up on Astyanax."
Andromache nodded and smile, watching with adoration at her husband's backside as he climbed the stairs to their son's room.
---
Paris was telling his sister and sister-in-law about the scholarship that he had just received when his older brother came into the dining room.
"Sorry, I'm late."
"Hector!" Briseis shouted as she ran up to hug her older brother.
"Hey, Bri." Hector kissed her cheek. "You're looking good." He turned to Paris who had stood up as well. "Come here, Paris! Give your big brother a hug!"
Paris smiled timidly and hugged Hector. "It's good to see you, Hector."
"It's good to see you too, Paris. You've been breaking the hearts of the female population at Princeton?"
"Not quite." Paris grinned ruefully.
Hector patted him on the back. "You're probably doing it anyway by paying more attention to the books than to them. You have my looks and charms too. You know, that's what got me my lovely wife here."
The two brothers both flashed startlingly identical grins at Andromache.
"Oh, sit down before your mouth gets you in trouble," Andromache chided teasingly.
Hector immediately sat down. "Gotta listen to Andromache tonight. She might back out on a promise she made me earlier tonight if I don't," he said with a wink.
Paris grinned as Briseis said, "Too much information there, Hector. We don't want to hear about your sex life, especially not at the dinner table."
Hector grinned ruefully. "Sorry. So what have you two been up to?" he asked as dinner was brought out and laid before them.
"I just finished business school," Briseis replied. "Graduation is in two months. Are you guys going to come?"
"Of course!" Hector exclaimed. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."
Briseis smiled.
"So now what?" Hector asked.
"Oh, I don't know," Briseis shrugged as she cut off a piece from her salmon fillet and squirted a pinch of lemon juice on it. "Haven't quite figured it out yet. Thought I'd come to L.A. and see if there's any prospects for me."
"You're going to stay in L.A.?" Hector asked.
"Yeah, unless I can't find a job."
"I can give you a job," Hector said. Then seeing the hesitation on his very independent sister's face, he added quickly, "I mean, at least something to get you on your feet until you find something you like better."
"Hector, that's so sweet of you to offer. I'd love to work for you."
"Great. That's settle then. We'd work out the details later."
"Yes, boss!" Briseis saluted him with a broad grin.
"What about you, Paris?" Andromache asked. "Are you going to stay as well?"
"No, I don't think so. I still got a few years at Princeton."
"Are you doing alright moneywise?" Hector asked with a hint of concern.
"Yeah, I should be fine. I was just telling Andromache and Briseis before you came in that I've received a scholarship that covers my tuition, books, and living fee."
"That's wonderful. How are you liking Princeton?"
"Love it!" Paris replied enthusiastically waving his fork in the air. "Actually, I'm only here for a few days. I'm taking summer courses and they're starting soon."
"Bookworm," Briseis teased knowing that her baby brother was secretly fond of that name.
"Night owl," Paris shot back, referring to his older sister's habit of staying out late.
"Nerd."
"Wild child."
"Geek."
"Enough," Hector said sternly trying to suppress a smile himself as Andromache giggled at the sibling rivalry.
"Sorry," Paris and Briseis both mumbled.
"Sneak!" Paris whispered.
"Paris!" Hector exclaimed.
Paris lowered his head and bit back his smile. "Sorry. We'd stop. We're even now."
"Oh, no, we're not!" Briseis threatened. "That was uncalled for."
Hector raised an eyebrow at his wife. "Now, this sounds interesting. I want to hear about this."
"No you don't!" Briseis said quickly, but not quickly enough to stop Paris from telling Hector.
"She was fooling around with Alana's boyfriend."
"I thought Alana's your best friend, Briseis," Andromache said.
"Not anymore," Paris replied for his sister with glee.
Briseis threw a cherry tomato from her salad at Paris who caught it neatly in his mouth. The small, red, round vegetable displayed between his teeth as he grinned at her.
"Don't try to talk when you're eating," Briseis retaliated tartly.
"I wasn't talking and I wasn't eating," Paris replied putting on his most cherubic smile after he ate the tomato.
"Well, for you, Paris, I don't think you should talk whether you are eating or not. In fact," Briseis said, "it's best if you don't talk at all."
"Make me!"
"Paris, Briseis, please behave your age. I already have Astyanax, I don't need two more babies in this house right now," Hector reprimanded them lightly.
Paris grinned having said the last word in their little argument, and he knew that Briseis realizes it too when he caught her shooting him a deadly look.
---
Briseis followed Hector into the study after dinner. It was a library that would make the White House proud. Composed mainly of red mahogany and brown leather, the shelves that reached the ceiling of the circular room was filled with leather-bound first editions and original scripts. In six large cabinets on the adjacent wall were filmstrips of every movie imaginable, waiting to be viewed from the silver screen and projector that were carefully tucked into the ceiling.
"Where's Paris?" Hector asked.
"He went to his room already. He said that he was tired."
"You want some coffee?"
"Sure."
"Plain or something fancier?"
"Something fancier?" Briseis raised an eyebrow. "What do you have?"
Hector smiled. "Whatever you want," he replied in a smug tone. "Lisele, bring us some coffee please."
The maid who had been dusting the shelves obediently came towards them. "What will you have, sir?"
"Black coffee."
"And you, madam?"
Briseis thought for a moment, eyed her brother mischievously and began her order. "I'd like a tall cappucino made from Jamaican Blue Mountain beans, topped with a spritz of whipped cream, a sprinkle of Godiva dark chocolate shavings and…um, a maraschino cherry. Is that doable?"
Hector laughed as he watched her from where he had sank into the soft leather of an armchair.
"I think we can manage that, madam," Lisele replied, hiding a small smile as she left the room.
"Did you really wanted that?"
Briseis shrugged and grinned. "Just wanted to test the validity of your words," she replied as she sat down on the sofa opposite Hector.
"I wouldn't lie to you." Hector shook his head laughingly. "A maraschino cherry? What, couldn't think of anything else?"
Briseis smiled. "No, unfortunately not."
"God, I've miss you. You and Paris. I'm so glad that at least you are staying in L.A."
"I tried convincing Paris to stay too, but you know how stubborn he can get."
"Let him stay at Princeton. He's doing well there. He's in his element."
"Paris is in his element anytime he has his nose buried in a book," Briseis retorted. "He's only twenty, he needs to go out and have fun, meet some people, get a girlfriend. The last time he dated was years ago and he practically ignored the poor girl."
Hector laughed. "I remembered that."
"I'm sure you did," Briseis replied. "You dated her too."
"Oh yeah," he mumbled. "I think I did now that you mention it."
Lisele reentered with their coffees. Hector thanked her and bid her away.
Briseis leaned forward and put her hand on top of Hector's. "Now that we have some privacy, Hector. Tell me what is bothering you."
"Why would you think anything's bothering me?"
Briseis rolled her eyes. "Hector, who do you take me for? I'm your sister. I've known you since I was born. And I know when something's on your mind."
"I thought I hid it well," Hector mused, more so to himself than for her benefit.
"Perhaps to everyone else you hide your anxieties well, but never to me, big brother."
Hector smiled slightly. Briseis had always known him better than he knew himself. "Refresh my memory, have you ever met Achilles?"
"Your best friend from college? No, never. But you've talked a lot about him."
"He's working for me now."
"Is he?"
Hector nodded. "He's my right hand man."
"Okay, so what does this have to do with what's on your mind."
Hector hesitated as he took a gulp of the scalding bitter liquid. "I think he's betraying me."
"How so?"
"I don't know how. I don't know what he's doing or if he's doing something at all, but I know when Achilles is up to no good, and he certainly is up to no good right now."
Hector's words hung in the air between the siblings and slowly settled in on their respective minds. The silence that ensued was profound, charged with the energy of thought. Briseis ate the cherry and tied the stem into a loose knot. She stirred the whipped cream into her cappucino thoughtfully. Finally she said, "I'd like you to introduce me to him."
Hector narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
"Oh, no reason," Briseis replied innocently.
"Don't give me that, sis. What crazy idea have you spun in that brain of yours?"
"You know me too well, Hector."
"Like you said before, I'm your brother. I grew up with you and I've raised you. Now tell me."
"I'm just going to do a little undercover work."
"Bad idea." Hector shook his head. "Achilles will know what you're up to before you even start."
"Hey, give me some credit, will you? I know what I'm doing. Now, when am I going to meet Achilles?"