Hector
For two straight hours everyone in the palace had been on the hunt for Andromache. The entire palace had been searched from kitchen to stables to father's private chambers. Soon I had half the army looking for my wife.
Once Paris returned from the market and found out she was missing he joined the search as well.
Of all the men and women who searched for my wife, a young boy found her. The little boy was escourted into the palace by Padme who found me. She spoke my name and for once I jumped, "Hector!"
I spun and turned, desperate for news.
Padme looked to a young boy in simple clothes and barefeet.
Shyly, without meeting my eyes he spoke, "Prince Hector, I've found the Princess."
I went to the young boy and knelt down in front of him. Gently as I could I asked, "Where is she young man?"
His eyes refused to meet my own. They wandered across the floor to Padme's painted toenails, "She is down on the beach, Prince Hector, by the Temple of Apollo."
Relief flooded my heart.
Andromache was safe!
I would be eternally grateful to the young boy. I put my finger under his chin and tilted his head. Shyly he met my eyes.
Sincerely, I told the boy, "Thank you. Padme will reward you."
At that I quickly left the palace.
The Beach...
Andromache was not in the Temple of Apollo, she was seated on the beach outside the temple. Both her hands covering our unborn child. She was seated in the sand as if she were a part of the beach. From a distance it looked as if she were just enjoying the sight of the ocean.
I did not believe that for a second.
I rode one of my horses down onto the beach, alone.
I did not want, nor need, a guard.
I rode the horse within feet of my wife and then dismounted. At the sound of my approach Andromache turned her head and watched me. She watched me dismount and walk to her without a word. Her sad eyes followed my every move until I sat down on the sand beside her.
Without a word she leant against me.
Her silent pain hurt me.
I wanted nothing more then to take her pain away. However, she wouldn't let me. All I could do was hold her and wait for her to let me. I wrapped a arm around her and pulled her even closer. I kissed her temple and whispered, "I love you."
Her dainty hand took hold of my robe. Her grip was desperate.
She buried her face against my chest and whispered, "I'm scared."
I held her closer.
I kissed her forehead, "Of what? I won't let anything hurt you or our child. I will protect you both, love."
She shook her head against my chest but would not look at me.
"Are you afraid of giving birth? I will have every midwife of Troy come..."
Andromache lifted her head, "No. It's not that."
With her beautiful hands she wiped her wet cheeks.
"Please tell me. I cannot stand to see you hurt. I will do anything...anything...so you won't hurt."
A small smile came over her face, "It's nothing that you can prevent."
I was confused.
Her smile dropped as she thought about it. She reached up and carressed my face with her hand. She traced a scar on my cheek with her thumb. "I do not want to loose you. You are all I have left."
The fear in her eyes of loosing me broke me. It hurt. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close to my heart. I kissed her temple again and again.
Against my chest she whispered, "I could not imagine loosing you."
I kissed her again.
I kissed her lips, her cheek, her neck, and her ear. Then I ran my hand through her long hair and kissed her again. Deeply, I tasted the tears on her lips and wanted to kiss them away. Against my own will I broke the kiss and begged, "Please...don't scare me again. If you want to leave the palace tell someone, don't run off. I was terrified that you were hurt or kidnapped."
Her brown eyes watered, she softly kissed my chest and told me, "I was not alone. Paris took me out. I snuck away from him."
