Andromache
The beach was beautiful as always.
I loved the ocean, it was always so soothing and beautiful. Well, it was usually soothing and beautiful. Unless a little spy sent by Priam followed my every move to be sure that I did not give birth to the royal heir early.
"Are you sure you should walk? Why don't I call for a horse?"
"How are your feet? Would you like to stop?"
"Do you need water?"
"Is the baby still moving? You can still feel it moving? Can you feel it moving?"
"Are you hungry?"
"You look hot. Lets stop and rest."
"Andromache slow down, I do not want you to hurt yourself."
"Tarus! Come carry the princess. She looks exhausted."
"Andromache. Get out of the water. There could be sharks in there! Andromache! It is rude to ignore people! Get out of the water! I'm telling Hector!"
Paris was unable to swim. That was what saved him from an early death. He waded out into the water. In fact, Paris waded out till the water was at his chest and then she remembered he could not swim. Or swim very well. Paris had never been a fan of the ocean.
He stood where he was yelling at Padme and I while Tarus stood ashore, Tarus did not like the water. Yet, if I were in danger he would come in. If I were in a lot of danger he would come in the water.
I swam out till the water was over my head.
I enjoyed the feeling of the warm salt water. I kicked my feet and found I could easily stay afloat, even with a large stomach.
A few feet away Padme floated on her back. She sunned herself and kicked her feet every so often to avoid being pulled out to sea.
"Andromache! I am serious! Come back ashore, now, that is an order!"
Padme turned her head towards me, using her arms as paddles to push her towards me. In no hurry at all, "Is he allowed to order us around?"
"Nope. Only Hector."
I then looked over at Paris to see he was still in the water. He was pointing at me, "I know your can hear me! I am serious Andromache! You could get eaten by a shark!"
The hot summer sun was beginning to burn the back of my head. I splashed my face and my neck, and then looked around the crystal clear water and saw little more then sand and shells on the ocean floor. "Do you think it would frighten him if I went under the water," I asked Padme.
She gave me an evil smile.
I took a deep breath and went underneath the water.
I did not open my eyes and it was just for a few seconds. I did not want to hurt my child. When I came up I took a gasping breath. Then I heard Paris screaming at me from shore.
"When Hector hears of this! You are going to be in so much trouble!"
I pushed my hair from my face and noticed a turtle swimming along the ocean floor. It was a beautiful turtle. I watched it swim towards Paris. Then heard his screams and watched him run ashore. Much to his horror the turtle swam towards the shore. Paris quickly ran and hid behind Tarus, screaming and pointing towards the turtle.
Padme let out the breath that she had been holding and went under the water, a moment later she came up. Pushing her dark hair from her eyes. It was then I felt an ache in my stomach, followed by a sharp pain. I winced and stopped kicking my legs.
"What's wrong Andromache?"
I shook my head, "Nothing."
Padme narrowed her eyes, she looked at me and knew I was lying. So I told her, "A small pain."
"Where?"
"It is gone now. Don't tell Paris."
She made a face and looked down through the water, "I don't see any blood…lets go back to the palace and call a midwife."
I nodded, I waited for another pain but it never came. I let Padme help me swim to shore. All the while I waited for another pain that never came.
Later that day…
The midwife was a woman twenty years my senior. She wore her hair pulled tightly away from her face. Paired with her flowing robes and bare feet, she seemed more like a housewife of Troy then a midwife.
She examined me in a private room.
Only Padme and Cassandra knew and they were the only others in the room with me.
When she finished I was allowed to sit up on the bed. She washed her hands in a bowl of water and looked to me, "You are not in labor."
I was partly relieved, but then I wasn't also. I wanted the baby out. I was tired of carrying my child around in the hot summer. "Then what were the pains?"
She wiped her hands dry on her robes, "Have you eaten yet today?"
"It's too hot," I told her.
I could see Cassandra glare at Padme in response to my answer. Padme ignored her and stared straight ahead at the back of the Midwife's head.
"They could have been hunger pains. Heat exhaustion. A number of things, but, you are not in labor. I would give you a month still."
With a groan I fell back in the bed.
The midwife sighed and clicked her tongue, "Princess, many women would be grateful to be with child, with the child of the crown prince at that."
I glared at her from where I lay, "Well then let them carry his child in the middle of summer!"
