"Evangelia."
Evangelia whirled. "Father!"
Hector shut his bedroom door and opened Evangelia's door. "You're soaked!"
Evangelia smiled at him. "I went swimming."
Hector shook his head and smiled. "The things you do."
Evangelia looked at him for a moment. "What's wrong?"
"You must speak to Paris."
Evangelia stiffened and all the happiness instantly left her eyes.
Hector regretted his words as soon as they had left his mouth. For a moment, Evangelia looked like the daughter he had left. She had been smiling and her eyes had danced with fun.
"I shall not," said Evangelia. She turned and headed for her wardrobe.
"Evangelia," begged Hector. "Please."
Wet clothes came flying from behind a screen and Evangelia reappeared, unbraiding the thick braid she had hastily braided while in the fountain. "No," she said firmly. She picked up her brush and began brushing it.
"You must forgive him. Evangelia, do it for me."
Next morning, Evangelia bowed before her grandfather.
"Come, my little Evangelia," said Priam. "Come and talk to me."
Evangelia sat down next to him.
"You are angry with Paris?"
"Yes."
"Why?" asked Priam.
Evangelia's eyes filled with unbidden tears. "You don't know what doom this war holds, Grandfather. We will loose much and in the end, we may loose all. All for Paris's lust."
"He claims to love the girl."
"But does he not also love you. Me. His own brother. Did he give them any thought before he took Helen? No. His only thought was for himself."
"But why should you show malice to Helen for this?"
"Helen willingly came with him, bringing war on her very heels. She is no woman of virtue. She left her husband. That is against even our laws."
"Now Evangelia…"
"What would you do if your wife had run off with another man?"
"Hunted the man down…and destroyed him…"
"Exactly."
Two months went by and then…they came.
Hector bounded from bed at the sound of the bells sounding.
Evangelia sat straight up. The bells where ringing. She ran from her room, nearly crashed into Hector, got ahead of him and ran for the roof.
Priam stood on his balcony, calmly. He had been watching the tiny specks for some time and by five in the morning, he knew without a doubt that Menelaus and Agamemnon had come at last. It was now about two hours past dawn and the bells where sounding.
He sighed. That meant no more peace for Hector. Or Evangelia.
Evangelia threw the bolts on the door and burst out onto the roof. She ran to edge, facing the sea, and stopped. She stared at the horizon. And a feeling of cold fear swept over her and she shivered.
Hector stood behind her. "They've come at last."
"Oh Paris," whispered Evangelia. "What have you done?"
"They'll reach the beach by noon."
Evangelia stood calmly at the middle of the room. She had a short black leather tunic fastened on. The maid had braided her hair back and it hung in one thick braid down her back. Her black sandals where fastened.
She took one more look out the window and then left her room.
Paris met Hector on the porch. The two brothers simply stood there, looking at each other, saying nothing.
A gentle breeze blew up and ruffled Paris's dark hair. "The weather is good," he said softly. "The gods have blessed us."
"Sometimes the gods will bless you in the morning and curse you in the afternoon," said Hector. He looked at Paris for a long moment and both of them thought back to the time when he had said it once before under different circumstances. Then he went down the steps without a backward glance.