A/N: This is so much fun. As a long time fic reader I know how annoying it is for authors to always ask you to review but if you don't I will stop writing. To everyone who did review and are asking me what pairings I'll make we'll all have to wait and see.

Chapter 6 – Hopes and Dreams

Hector lay on top of the noblewoman, invading her mouth with his. His hands were fixed on each side of Briseis making escape near impossible. There was a part of her mind that wanted him to continue but another, a stronger, part that cried for Hector to release her. Finally the latter won.

After a moment he gasped for air and she found her chance. Briseis pushed him off of her and he rolled to the stone floor. She stood up and walked to the opposite end of the platform. Her hands were planted firmly on the balcony edge but she didn't turn away from the prince.

"Hector What do you think you're doing?" She wanted to scream it to his face but she didn't, lest the entire city hear. "We aren't eighteen anymore. You cannot do that whenever you feel like it. You have commitments, to your wife and your family and I thought you had commitments to me but obviously I was wrong."

"Commitments to you?" He sputtered.

"Hector you had the chance to marry me and you didn't. When you wed Andromanche do you remember what you said?" She let him think for a moment, when he didn't answer she replied for him. "You promised me that we were over. That there was nothing to do but simply be friends and for eight years I have never once even thought of doing…that. And there was a time when I thought Ioved you and I knew you thought you loved me but, Hector, things chance. Circumstances change and you have a wife that loves you." She sighed and walked back over to him. "I know that I promised her I wouldn't tell you this but you need to know." She rubbed her temples furiously. "Hector, Andromanche is with a child. She hasn't told anyone but me and I gave her my word I wouldn't tell anyone else, you have to wait for her to break the news to you herself. You cannot tell another person on this earth, if Andromanche finds out I abused her trust..." She buried her head in her hands.

"Don't worry I won't. Briseis I am so sorry about what just happened. It's the Greeks and Paris and-"

"Hector I won't tell anyone if you won't. However you cannot try anything like that again or else I won't be so…short of memory." Briseis smiled at him, She leaned close to him and whispered. "No one in the court will hear of this from my mouth."

They both sat for a moment in the silence. Finally Hector spoke. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Briseis retorted warily.

"Forgive me so easily. I know you Briseis you've hardly forgiven anyone in your entire life." She sighed and walked towards the stairs.

"Don't make a big thing of it or I may have to change my mind about screaming so loud the whole city would hear me." Briseis gave him a wry smile that disappeared so quickly it may as well not have been there. "Goodnight Prince Hector, sleep well." And she vanished down the stairs.

"Hector?" Andromanche questioned loudly into the darkness. "Hector is that you?" The princess gripped the torch tightly in case it wasn't her husband and she needed to defend herself. When Hector appeared in the hallway he looked exhausted. "I have missed you so much I thought it was…someone else." She eyed her husband carefully. "You look tired, you should rest." She smiled openly and Hector couldn't help but return the grin.

When they were both lying in bed Hector could tell his wife wasn't asleep. She could never know about what happened between him and Briseis; he felt tainted just lying there thinking about it when Andromanche lay beside him.

Why did he do it? Hector couldn't answer the question himself. There was absolutely no reason why Briseis was in any way more appealing than Andromanche. Other than the way she didn't force herself to laugh at everything anyone said or the way she made up riddles no one could figure out and then tell no one the answer or the way she could make any man fall in love with her with a single smile from those perfect lips.

Hector shook his head. If he wanted redemption thinking about how perfect another woman was not the way to do it.

"Andromanche, are you awake?" The princess tossed for a moment and she turned to face the prince.

"What is it Hector? Are you alright?" Her eyes widened with concern. He nodded with a smile. "Then what is it?"

"You seem…tense, as if there is something bothering you." He knew perfectly well what was bothering her but she needed to tell him herself. "Is there anything you want to tell me Andromanche?"

She avoided his gaze for a moment and blurted out. "Yes, there is something I need to tell you but I do not know how you will…bear the news."

"Andromanche, I love you. There is nothing you can say that will make me fall out of love with such a beautiful, intelligent, caring, lovely woman." He kissed her between each word and she laughed.

"Hector that isn't really what I was worried about." She looked her husband in the eyes and paused. "Maybe you should ask Briseis. I don't think I am ready to tell you."

"I did, that's why I asked her to stay behind." Hector lied; his wife seemed to believe him though. "She can keep her mouth shut if she puts her mind to it."

Andromanche laughed. "Yes, but she can be brilliant. However this isn't about her. I am glad she didn't tell you though, I did make her promise." She looked towards the balcony. "Hector I am with a child. I told Briseis last night and I wasn't expecting to tell you for a short time but-"

"How long were you expecting to keep it a secret?" He asked quietly. "We will have to make an announcement to the court, and then to the countrymen."

"Are you disappointed in me Hector?"

"What? Why would I be disappointed in you? It isn't as though you planned this. If you did you perhaps could have planned it at a more opportune time but if you are as good a mother as you are a wife this child will have the most amazing parent in Troy." Tears of happiness began to fall from Andromanche's eyes and Hector embraced her tightly. "I will speak to my family tomorrow about how to tell the people, with any luck in a weeks time you will be more popular than Briseis with the countrymen."

Andromanche snorted in a very unprincess-like way. "I would have to go to Hades and back to gain that kind of adoration. And as long as I have you I don't need it." She settled into the linen sheets and fell asleep in moments.

'As long as I have you." Hector thought over and over. 'And from now on I will never let you go.'

"Briseis?" The word echoed between the walls that surrounded the gardens of Troy. "Briseis what are you doing out here so late?" The old king did not look so surprised as he sounded. "Do not tell me. You could not sleep."

"Correct my lord." It sounded strange coming from her mouth but even she had her limits. Her parents had always taught her to respect her superiors, even though it sometimes slipped her mind. Briseis could toy with the princes as much as she wished but even she knew not to provoke such power held by a king.

"The same was with your father. I suppose that is where you received it, the constant lack of sleep that is." He smiled and sat on one of the benches. "Do you wish to sit down?" She shook her head. "You miss them don't you?"

"Miss who?" Her voice was wavering slightly.

"Your parents. If it is any consolation, I miss them as well. They were good people Briseis, you and your brothers were lucky to have such loving parents. Sometimes I wish I could have been there for my children like your mother and father were there for you." He looked at the young woman and smiled. "Theyodus and Paroname were good friends, they always knew what to do. I am glad Hector and Paris have you and your brothers to confine in."

"Thank you, but your words are not entirely true. Paris and I do not agree on many things and-"

"-And you should have heard him speak of you after he first met you. It was like you were Aphrodite come down from Olympus. All he spoke of was Briseis this and Briseis that. For a short time I seriously considered banning the name to get some peace and quiet." She laughed quietly. There was definitely Priam's humour in the crown prince and the twinkle in his eyes that made her smile. "I regret spending my youth worrying about being King. I am glad Hector did not, he is happy being a prince. My only sadness is forcing my sovereignty on him."

"He will make a wonderful King some day," She sighed and added. "And Andromanche will make a wonderful Queen."

"I know what you think about yourself. That you are imperfect, that you could not make a spectacular Princess or Queen, but ask anyone else and they will tell you otherwise. Briseis, being a ruler is not making decrees and treaties and marrying your children off to make alliances. You have to have the trust of everyone you rule over. You must have strength and courage, intelligence, wit, endurance. You have all of these things and more. What people love about you is not your beauty or grace, they love that if one person is unhappy you would give everything to change that. If one child goes without food or shelter you would give yours without a second thought. Your parents would have been proud of such a daughter."

"Would they have been proud of the tongue that came with the daughter?"

"You cannot have a person without some slight flaws. Not that your words are your downfall Briseis. You are one of the most charming women I have ever met; Zeus has made a divine being in you. Do not change your ways for every person you meet simply because they tell you to, you are perfect the way you are." Priam smiled warmly at Briseis. "What do you want the most in the entire world Briseis? Name one thing and I will give it to you."

She thought for a moment. "What I want the most is simple. I want to be remembered as a symbol of imperfection."

"Imperfection? That is a strange wish, certainly the strangest I have ever received. Women have asked for jewels and gold and silver. For husbands who will protect them from the trials of the world. For loveliness beyond measure. Never have I heard a plea for imperfection. Surely you know I am unable to fulfill this wish that this would be your doing." She nodded slowly and the old king sighed. "One last question Briseis before I retire for the night. Why would you want to be imperfect? Why do you not wish to stand out from every other imperfect woman?"

She didn't answer for a long moment but rather stared at the stars. "Because the gods are perfection. Were I to be completely unflawed I would be a deity, an immortal being incapable of doing wrong, and thus I would not be Lady Briseis. And I may complain about hardships sometimes but being myself is more entertaining than sitting on Mount Olympus all day I would think. I love mortality more than I could ever adore being everlasting." She looked Priam in the eyes, a gesture which was utterly forbidden. "That is my answer and it may not make sense to most but it is not their dream, all that matters is that it makes sense to me."

The monarch stood beside the noblewoman. "Never could your father have wished for a better child, Briseis. Would you like to know my one wish?"

She shook her head. "No," Briseis looked back to the stars, aware that she sounded completely arrogant. "It is a personal thought."

"You shared your wish with me." He replied softly.

"I know that but I do not want to be burdened with the hopes of others." She smiled at him warmly. "Not matter what you say, I do not share your abundance of strength."

"Someday you will make a man very happy Briseis. Your husband will be the most joyful man to ever walk this earth. Goodnight Lady Briseis, get some rest. You will need it in the future."

A/N: I know the chapter was short but I am really sick right now and I have listened to the 'Evita' soundtrack 7 times (I am not kidding you). I can't write for a while because I am wallowing in a pit of despair. Why? You may ask, for two very good reasons. 1) School work. For any of you who don't have homework on a regular basis, I will kill you (Once again kidding, or am I?). 2) I just dumped my cheating son of a bitch boyfriend (Two words Häagen Dazs). Otherwise speaking you may have to hold out for an update.