Hector.
"Is it true? Is Andromache with child? Are you finally going to give me a grandchild?"
I glanced up as I stormed down the hall of the palace.
Soaked.
Angry.
In no mood to socialize, until I heard my father. I turned and saw his excited and happy face. "Is it true Hector? Is it? Am I a grandfather? Tell me it is true!"
I narrowed my eyes, still in a fowl mood, I had just made sure everything was fine outside. All the precautions had been taken. Everything was ready as the storm assaulted out home.
"Who told you that?"
My father made a face, "I am King, Hector! Do you not think I don't know what goes on under my own roof? Don't you dare look at me that way! You may be Heir of Troy and Captain of the Army, but you are still my son."
I cocked a eyebrow, "Who told you, Father?"
He smiled at that last word, "Your brother was spying on your sister who was nosing through your bedroom. Paris realized what Cassandra was doing and what she was looking for and came and told me immediately."
That I more then believed.
"So is it true, son?"
I ran my hands through my wet hair, "Yes. It's true. But this is between me, you, Paris and Cassandra."
Father was less then pleased, "Excuse me? Andromache knows she is pregnant? We are not going to surprise her with this news? Are we?"
As I wrung out my hair I bit my tongue. Forcing the words out in a civil tone. "Yes, she knows she is pregnant. But she does not know anyone other then Padme knows she is pregnant."
Father narrowed his eyes then asked, "Does she know you know she is with child?"
"No," I all but growled.
Father sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Well this would certainly account for your foul behavior."
"I have not been foul!" I spat back at him, he lifted his eyebrows as if to prove a point. Which just angered me even more! Father leaned forward so no one heard him, "Son. There is a fine line between being patient and being stupid."
That did not improve my mood.
Father continued, "After she lost the child you were patient. You were patient when she didn't want to be intimate. You were patient when she didn't want to be touched. That was smart. But as a father of three children I can honestly say that I would never have given up a moment of the twelve months your mother was pregnant. I would never give up a day, granted sometimes she was almost mad, but it's a special time. If you wish to be a fool and miss out on it, I cannot stop you. But I won't miss a moment of my grandchild's growth."
I grabbed his arm before he could walk off, "Fine! Once I get a chance I will go up to our bedroom."
Father stared at me, "Hector. There is a wild storm outside. There is nothing to do but wait it out. Go upstairs and spend time with your pregnant wife."
I hesitated a moment, then quietly told him, "We had a fight."
Father was unimpressed, "Well go apologize to her."
I no longer cared who stared at me, "Me Apologize? Do you even know what she did!"
Father took my wet face between his hands and smiled, "Hector. You're a married man. It doesn't matter if you're right and she's wrong. Go apologize."
I pointed my finger at my father, "Fine. But you keep quiet about this until I tell you otherwise. And tell that to Paris as well."
Priam sighed as Paris did, "Fine!"
At that I turned and walked down the hall, heading towards my chambers. Father shouted after me, "Tomorrow she had better know that I know or I will throw you from the palace walls!"
I didn't dignify that with a response.
Instead I stomped off to my chambers, wishing I had worn my armor , which wouldn't have been so cold against my skin. Even my hair was wet and cold against my neck.
When I opened the door to my chambers I heard Andromache sobbing, hysterically sobbing.
I ran through my chambers and into the bedroom where my wife clung to one of the guards I had left with her. She was sobbing. Speaking inarticulate words as she wept. The guard stood stiffly, unsure what to do.
The other looked to me, horrified, "Hector. We didn't do anything, she was like this when we came back. She just……melted. She's been hysterical for the past fifteen minutes. She refuses to take off her wet clothes. From what I can understand she has worked up your being mad to you're going to leave her."
Oh Gods.
I nodded, "Ok. Thank you."
At that I walked to the other guard and peeled my wife off him, he was more then grateful. Both of them fled from our chambers.
Andromache looked up at me and began to cry and tell me something, she half spoke half sobbed, cried, and clung to my robe.
It broke my heart.
I kissed her cheeks, wiped her tears as best as I could, telling her softly, "Andromache, love, please stop crying. Please." I kissed her cheeks, nose, and forehead. She was just as wet as I, her clothes were cold as my own. Every time she could she returned my kiss. But still half sobbed and half spoke.
I began to undress her.
I took the cloak from her shoulders and dropped it, I took the pin that held her purple robe up. The wet robe fell and I dropped the pin on top of it. Goosebumps swept across her body as she trembled from the cold she was just as wet as I. I took her hand and led her to bed. I pulled the blanket back. I urged her into bed, once she was in I wrapped her up in the blanket and kissed her forehead.
I took her face between my hands until she met my eyes, "Andromache, love, I am not going to leave you and our child. I love you more then anything in this world."
Shock filled her eyes.
Softly I kissed her lips, "I love you."
It took her a few moments to calm down. During that I looked around our bedroom, which had been boarded up for the storm. Lamps were lit all around that provided enough light for me to make out her expressions.
It took her a few moments, then she finally hiccupped, "You you you know?"
Again I kissed her, "I know."
Immediately she began to cry, "I never went to that place for that reason! I went for the tea, for the morning sickness. If I knew what went on in that house I would have never even gone close to it! Hector, I want this baby more then I want anything."
I kissed her to calm her and sat down on the bed, "I know. I am so sorry I scared you. I'm sorry I screamed. I just….I hate that place."
She nodded, almost to tears. Then she scolded me, "Take off those robes before you catch your death! Get in bed with me. I'm cold."
Without a second thought I listened to my wife. I took off my wet robes and climbed in our bed with her. I lay behind her with my arms wrapped around her waist, she held my hands over her womb. We laid like that for what seemed like hours while the oceans storm attacked Troy.
