Chapter Two:

The next day was just as bloody and horrible as every other was. Hector could not even begin to start counting the number of Greeks he slaughtered by the minute. But he was more distracted than usual, more distant. In a way this served to pull him away from the disgusting brutality he was forced to commit, in another he was becoming clumsy. He had gained more cuts and bruises than any other day combined, but he was ever aware, every careful to look out for Odysseus. Some how he knew he wouldn't be able to bring himself to kill him, not after the friendship he had showed Hector last night, so he had to be sure Odysseus wasn't around to get killed by accident. At the same time Hector's heart leapt every time he thought he saw Odysseus, brave and cunning, in front of him cutting down his fellow Trojans. He was so confused today.

Odysseus leapt forward, ducked the sword of a Trojan to the side of him, cut one of his legs off and stabbed him as he fell, turning to the one now in front of him he slit him across his chest. He wiped his brow and breathed deeply as he plunged himself once more into battle. Ajax was at his side but Odysseus was ever watchful and worried about what Ajax was doing. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to find and attack Hector. Odysseus suddenly paused as his realised his own thoughts as if for the first time. What was he suggesting? Turning against his own people for a man he had spent moments with last night? Some how it felt as though he knew Hector a lot longer than that and he wondered what he would do if he were confronted with Hector face to face in battle. What would Hector do? What would the other Greek soldiers think if he did nothing? Thankfully Odysseus did not have to answer this question today as he did not see or come anywhere near to where Hector was fighting. He only hoped that Hector would still be alive to see him again tonight...

As night fell Odysseus washed the grime from his face and sat down with the other Kings to supper. He spoke little; unusual for him as he was usually quite outspoken when it came to voicing his opinions and ideas about the war. His mind was once again on Hector and escaping the company of his men to spend time with him. Strangely he felt now that he couldn't speak to anyone about his feelings for the day. He always felt the dreaded pressure of being a leader and making war plans with his fellow Greeks but in the company of Hector he felt that he could relax without worrying about the war. He finished his meal swiftly and excused himself, walking out into the dusk along the dark bays of the Aegean Sea.

He began to think very deeply, so deeply in fact that for the first time he couldn't do two things at once and had to sit in the sand in order to think more clearly. He thought of everything: all that had happened that day, wondering what Hector had been thinking that day, whether Hector had paid a thought to him at all that day, and whether he should really be thinking this way about Hector at all. He did not care that the sky darkened and that the tide was coming in and the cold sea was creeping up around his toes, then his ankles until he was sitting in the sea, all the while thinking about Hector. Then dismissing him knowing that he would only make trouble for himself by consorting with the enemy. But that smile, and that face... secretly he wondered in the very back of his mind if Hector liked him. 'Nonsense!' The other half of him told him, 'he's just a Trojan who I happen to get along with. He's not even my friend, I doubt I shall see him again tonight.' But then suddenly a new thought occurred to him: Hector had not killed him. Even though he had been at his complete mercy and Hector had promised that he would, regardless of whom he was.... And he had smiled at him... Just the smallest tweak of his lips in response to a witty comment he had made. What he had noticed about it most of all was the way it had made his dark brown eyes sparkle so... he sighed.

Then he sneezed, realising how wet he had become as a result of sitting in the bay. He had probably got himself a chill now and that wouldn't have been the smartest thing he'd done. He should go back to camp now while it was still light enough to see clearly, but for some reason he felt like he had to at least make an appearance at the overturned chariot in case Hector was there. There he was thinking about Hector again, he chastised himself. What was his problem? He was beginning to act as though he loved the man! His heart jerked at this thought. He couldn't deny it; something about the thought of loving Hector had made him feel a strange emotion. But it couldn't be love. He had only met him yesterday and that had been hardly romantic. Odysseus chuckled to himself, 'Yes the world is mad,' he thought and made his way towards the city of Troy.

It was dark by the time he arrived at the chariot and Hector was already there. He stood up to greet Odysseus who was snuffling slightly as the wind had picked up as he left the bay and he had definitely had a chill now.

"It is good to see you here, Odysseus. I was waiting for you. I wondered if you would come." Hector said as he waiting for Odysseus to sit down than took a place near to him.

"Well, it is still early yet. Much earlier than we met yesterday, but then we hadn't specified the time had we?" asked Odysseus and followed it up with a big sneeze.

"Excuse me," he said a little embarassedly as he rubbed his arms in an effort to get some warmth back into them. It was then that Hector realised that Odysseus was soaked and smelling very salty.

Odysseus chuckled at the surprise and concern on Hector's face as he registered his state of being.

"Yes. This is my excuse for being slightly late," he said. "I decided to have a bit of a swim, or rather the sea decided to have a bit of a swim up to me!" he finished this off with another, more restrained sneeze.

"You must be freezing!" said Hector, "it is hot here at day but the cold comes quickly here at night. Come, take off your armour... it will make you more cold than warm... and put these blankets around yourself. I decided to follow your example this time and bring some blankets to put round us."

"Thank you," said Odysseus as he gratefully received the warm, blue stained, Trojan woollen blanket. He noted also that Hector moved a little closer to him as he passed the blanket over. There was a pause, then Odysseus once again took the initiative and asked a question that had been eating at him for some time on his walk to the chariot:

"Why did you not kill me?" he asked suddenly.

Hector's eyes widened and he looked surprised as though it had only just occurred to him that he hadn't. Now the thought of killing Odysseus was a shock to him and did not agree with his heart.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully.

He had fully intended to, to cut down a key leader of Greece. It wasn't until Odysseus had made him smile by teasing him gently that he had lowered his knife and the thought of killing him vanished from his thoughts. He wondered at this. All of a sudden he was grateful he hadn't killed the Greek, he proved to be good company.

Odysseus continued to search Hector's face for clues to his feelings even as Hector let his head drop as he looked down in thought. Odysseus had a skill for reading into people's thoughts and feelings and he knew that Hector had not lied. He genuinely did not know why he had not killed the man next to him, and seemed to be trying to seek for the answer himself. Satisfied Odysseus looked away and murmured:

"I'm glad you did not. I like being alive."

Hector could not help himself but laugh softly at this simple comment and laughed a bit harder when Odysseus exaggerated this statement by breathing in deeply and sighing, then shivering.

"You are still cold." Hector stated, "I shall remember next time to bring a little tinder so we can light a fire. I do not think we shall be seen from our bases this far out. The nights are getting colder and darker."

Odysseus nodded slightly and his teeth chattered, almost unconsciously he leaned closer to Hector. Even though he was covered with a blanket he could almost sense the warmth coming from the other man. He longed to be closer to him. He saw Hector's arm and wondered what it would be like to feel it wrapped around him. As though he had read his mind, Hector looked to him and raised his arm, putting it around his shoulders and pulling him closer. Then he began to rub his shoulders and back vigorously, trying to work up a friction of heat to warm him.

"You will become ill if you do not take better care of yourself." Hector said as way of an explanation for this sudden physical contact between them.

"Maybe you could care for me better?" Odysseus whispered to himself, obviously not realising he had spoken aloud.

Hector heard the sentiment and almost froze, as his blood ran... not chill but hot. Incredibly hot. He blushed as he realised the innuendo was not intended to be heard. So now he knew what Odysseus felt for him, and in realising this he finally understood his own feelings. He wondered how and when Odysseus had felt like this and what he should do in response.

For a while he just kept rubbing at his back, now becoming intensely aware of his attraction to the other man now that he recognised it for what it was. Even through the thick wool blanket he could feel the muscular frame of the other man, not as broadly framed as he was, but lithe like a cat. Hector realised the blanket around his shoulders was feeling much too hot now as hot blood flushed through out his whole body and he felt himself harden with lust as thoughts about the other man's body under that bronze armour began to torture him. Still he felt his lust now mingled with something else, a fear. Fear of what may happen if he acted on his feelings, feelings that now he was just able to hold back. What would happen to Troy and Greece if something did happen? This was probably why Odysseus had done nothing after this statement... he was wiser than he, and knew the dangers of what may happen and was rightly declining. But he could not help but feel that Odysseus had given him a silent invitation. Should he accept? Was it right for him? It was then that Odysseus pulled away from Hector a fraction and he stopped rubbing at his shoulders.

"Thank you Hector, I am much warmer now."

He said it as though he had said nothing before. Maybe Hector was just imagining things; but then again he hadn't imagined the response he had felt to those words that he thought he heard.

"Think nothing of it," he replied; sounding distant, confused and just a little disappointed.

Odysseus noted the way in which he had replied.

"Are you alright Prince Hector?" he ventured.

"Yes fine," he answered a little too hastily.

Odysseus thought hard. What had he done to make Hector so distant from him all of a sudden? Hector seemed to shiver as Odysseus tried to read him, piercing his brown eyes with his own sea green. This was odd, Hector couldn't fear him. Why then was he seeming so frightened all of a sudden? He decided an apology was best in order.

"If I have done something to upset you, I am sorry," he said slowly.

"No! No, you haven't. You haven't done anything wrong but... maybe you should go back to your men now and get into bed. You want to get warm soon and stop this chill of yours."

"Yes. You're right Hector," he frowned. He was sure he had done something wrong and he wanted to find out what it was.

"Are you sure I have not angered you because if I have –"

"No! No! NO!!!" Hector lost it again startling Odysseus, then he calmed down. "I'm sorry. It is most definitely not you; I just need time to think that's all. You should go... and get warm," he said then picked up Odysseus' still cold wet armour to give it to him.

"Very well. Thank you again Hector for your kindness," he replied and turned to go.

"Odysseus!" he suddenly called again. And he turned back.

"Yes?"

"I will see you here again tomorrow night, if that's alright." Hector said smiling cautiously.

"Of course. Tomorrow night. I shall look forward to it," he said comforting Hector with a big smile of his own. "Goodbye Hector." He turned and made to leave, glad that it seemed that he was in fact not at fault.

"Tomorrow night Odysseus!" came the call.

TBC