Author/Banshee Queen: "Yay! Reviews make me happy! (Laughs) Thank you for your reviews guys! Okay in all seriousness, you're gonna' like this chapter. This chapter is the longest by far in this little fic, and it's also the most jam packed with angst/humour/yet more lovely brotherly banter/and storyline, etc. Read on my pretties! You shall kneel before me yet! Mwahahahahahahahaha! (Disappears in a flash of black smoke).

Disclaimer: "I don't own Troy…but I wish I did Eric Bana." :D


Chapter 4: A Whirl of Events

Upon the Prince's arrival there was much feasting upon endless arrays of beautifully tailored banquets- the finest Troy had to offer. Garbed in a toga of glittering gold, Andromache ran towards the eldest of the Princes of Troy, arms open wide and a jovial smile upon her face while the rest of the court looked on fondly.

All thoughts of the Spartan Queen departed from Hector's mind as he captured the radiating beauty that was his wife's form in one glance.

"Come, I have something to tell you", Andromache whispered into his ear as she led him away from the feast which was well underway.

Husband and wife strolled out onto an open balcony, both greeted by the night sky littered with luminous stars.

"So what is it?" Hector inquired warmly, taking her hands into his own and smiling all the while.

"II", the Princess exhaled slowly, as if pacing her breathing, "IHector II", tears suddenly appeared in Andromache's eyes as she looked down at the ground.

A look of concern contorted Hector's features as he slowly raised Andromache's chin upwards to face him, "Why do you cry these tears of sadness my love?"

The Trojan Princess firmly shook her head and sniffled, "These aren't tears of sadness Hector", the Prince frowned confusedly, "these are tears of happiness."

"Happiness?"

The stunning brunette nodded as a weak smile curled her lips.

"Hector"

"Yes?" The Prince bent his knees slightly, coming down to Andromache's level in an attempt to search her eyes for an answer.

Andromache smiled again, this time wider than before, "I'm pregnant."

A combination of shock, surprise, exhilaration and pure bliss emerged from the Trojan Prince's dark features.

"Wha-, I-, how-

A short string of jovial laughter rippled from Andromache's throat as she silenced him with a finger to his lips, grinning broadly all the while.

"I found out only a week ago and have been in a whirlwind of emotions just waiting for you to return to me", the lines of her smile suddenly disappeared as she took on a mask of seriousness, cupping Hector's jaw line with her right hand, "I'm a month and a half along. I would've wrote to you, but I thought it best to tell you in person."

Seriousness clouded Hector' face as he released Andromache's hands from his and walked a few paces away from her.

"Was I wrong to tell you my love?" Andromache softly inquired, moving forward one pace.

The Trojan Prince exhaled deeply and spun around to face his wife. Abruptly a wide grin reached his lips and in the blink of an eye he lifted Andromache clear off of the ground and spun her around in his arms, his lips meeting hers in a fervent kiss. Minutes passed before the two surfaced for air, and Hector still holding his wife tightly within his arms, grinned again.

"We're going to be parentsI'm going to be a father!" He stated with delight.

The Trojan Prince pressed his forehead closer against Andromache's as they looked each other in the eye deeply, all the love and compassion they had held for one another resurfacing all over again at the joy of a new life they had created together.

Later that evening when the two walked back into the feast hand in hand, there was much celebrating and shouts from the city as Priam's herald's declared the news long anticipated by the people; the city of Troy would be graced with the presence of a new addition to the royal family, Prince Hector and Princess Andromache were expecting a child.

Late into the night the festivities continued, and the very next day the preparations for the royal family's next child were in progress- and would be for the next two months or so.

"So I'm going to be an uncle now am I?" Questioned Paris languidly as he and Hector walked the palace corridors.

"Thrilled as much as I am?" Hector asked with a bright smile.

"Actually yes, I was waiting for the day when you'd tell me but I didn't think I'd have to wait this long", Paris threw his brother a sly grin before receiving a punch to the arm.

"I'm going to be a father, a father Paris! I can't even begin to grasp the concept properly", Hector stated with a sigh as they took their places at the stone carved table for the morning meal.

"Well just think about how I feel", whined Paris as he popped a grape into his mouth, "I mean, if it's a boy then I'll teach him everything manly there is to know", Hector rose an eyebrow in question, "and don't give me that look brother, you know who's the better man out of me and you", Hector snorted in mock sarcasm, "I'll take him hunting, teach him how to prank the servants, and when he reaches sixteen I'll find him the most beautiful girl in the land", again Hector rose an eyebrow in question.

"Paris, don't you think that I'll be quite able of doing these things myself? I mean after all I will be his father."

"Aaah but you don't know that my dear brother", Paris continued with a gleam of mischief in his eyes, "that's what an uncle is for. That's what I'm here for."

"Oh the joy", Hector sighed, signaling for a servant to pour him some water.

"Of course she'll have to be a temple maid of some sort if we want her untouched", continued Paris, oblivious to his brother's newly found boredom in the conversation.

"If she's a temple maid you idiot", the younger of the Prince's glared at his brother sharply, "she won't be willing to give up her innocence, she'll be celibate for the rest of her life because she's a temple maid!"

"Well that's something that I'll have to remedy, now won't I?" Questioned Paris with an evil glint in his eye.

"Paris!"

"What?" Inquired the Prince, innocently.

"Never mind", Hector trailed off, finding more interest in the food on his plate.

The two proceeded to eat in silence until Paris' eyes lit up suddenly.

"What if it's a girl?"

Another frown crossed Hector's face as he rolled the thought around in his head.

What if it was a girl? What then?

"Well what about it?"

"You know what Hector, and it would be a curse if you had a daughter."

"Paris…"

"Always worrying where she will be every moment of every day, then will come the day when you'll have to find her a worthy suitor for marriage and even then", Paris shook his head and ate another grape, "but never fear Hector, if worse comes to worse", another evil grin touched the Prince's lips.

"PARIS! Do you even know what you're saying?" Hector bellowed.

"At least we know that I'll never neglect the poor girl", laughed Paris.

"Or shower her with too much unwanted and not needed attention", retorted Hector.

"You really should be cursing the Gods for the gift they've bestowed upon me. I sit blameless in the matter than I can love as many women as I do."

"Paris that's enough don't you think?" Priam suggested-more-than-questioned as he suddenly appeared in the doorway of the hall and seated himself at the head of the table.

"Father", Paris began with a grin, "I was just about to-

"Hush please, Paris. I've heard enough for one morning."

Both brother's looked at each other from underneath, grinning broadly at their father's mock anger. Priam could never really be livid at his sons' feeble attempts at starting an argument between themselves, but rather he found it refreshing and found himself reliving that proud feeling of fatherhood every day that he awoke.

My dear boys, Priam smiled as he watched his sons banter continue, how much you'll never know how all the riches in the world could not fill that place in my heart if ever you were taken from me- be he Hades or any other.

The old king smiled again, thinking that beyond his thoughts and knowledge of the world, there was nothing that could seize the joy from his life- his family.

But Priam too- along with his eldest son- was wrong in thinking contentment could last forever.

o O o

Five months had passed before King Menelaus' formally bid King Priam and the two Prince's an invitation of his annual tour of Greece. This was mainly to reestablish his power and also to see how the economy was faring.

"Will you go?" Andromache softly inquired as she pressed herself up against Hector's back and wrapped her arms around him.

"I must", replied the Trojan Prince with a sigh, "father has respectfully declined the invitation, and I can't very well leave Paris to his own devices. It would look bad on my account and worse on father's."

Against his back Andromache sighed, and kneeling on the coverlet of their bed, gingerly planted a kiss on Hector's left shoulder. The Prince instinctively twisted around, and gathering his wife into his arms, settled her onto his lap and positioned her slender legs one on either side of his waist. Grasping her shoulder's resolutely, Hector buried his face into Andromache's neck and sighed joyfully as his fingertips brushed the large bump still-forming on her stomach.

"I don't want you to go", Andromache whispered into his hair as he began a trail of kisses down her neck and along her collarbone.

The Trojan Prince exhaled deeply- partly in frustration, partly in grief- and halted the onslaught of affection on his wife.

"Neither do I my love, but this must be done, as much as I wish it were Paris who were the eldest Trojan Prince than I, it cannot be helped."

Worry plagued Andromache's face as she cupped Hector's jaw and made him look at her, eye to eye. "Promise me you'll return sooner Hector, promise me."

"Whatever for?" Hector frowned in bewilderment, "You know I try regardless of the events which consume my time and duties."

Andromache's dark eyes flickered Southwards, reflexively rapt with the life growing within her belly, "Whenever you leave, it feels like more than a year than a month or less. I want you to be here when I deliver our child Hector, even if it means you are to be in the next room."

"And I want those things too Andromache. You have another two and half months to go, and I will be back before then. And even if I am still in Greece, I will pardon my absence, because I am not going to miss his or her birth, and nothing is more important to me than this child right now", the Trojan Princess' eyes were moist with tears as she clung to Hector need-fully, "Andromache", Hector whispered as he brushed away a coil of her hair, "Nothing is more important to me than you and this childthan us."

Andromache's tears came now in full flood, and as her raucous sobs filled their chamber with such a woe too complex for even the Gods to comprehend, Hector pulled her closer within a comforting embrace and wrapped his arms tightly around her sobs of anguish.

"Promise me", Andromache began as her sniffles began to die down, "that you'll be home sooner."

"I promise", Hector whispered into her hair and enveloped her entirely within his secure embrace, "I promise"

o O o

"Poseidon has blessed our voyage", stated Paris as he strode towards his brother who was leaning on the railing of the ship.

"You can't be sure of that yet", said Hector, scanning the horizon, "Poseidon might just award me and the crew with a sudden squall for bringing aboard an ass by the name of Paris."

The younger of the Prince's beamed amusedly, looking too out at the horizon.

The Trojan Princes along with their crew had been aboard the ship nearly three days, this marking the third as the sun had just passed two hours since midday and already the Yithion coastline to the Northwest was already coming into view.

"So I'm guessing it'll be me who's going to be doing the honours this time, right?"

"Right you are", nodded Hector, "and what do you mean 'this time'? You did the honours last time we were there anyway", Paris smiled, "and by the looks of it I'd say you quite enjoyed it."

"Quite right", said Paris smiling, "but we both know I'm just trying to get on Menelaus' good side."

Both brother's shared a laugh before turning silent and looking out over the deep, dark waters of the Aegean.

"How did Andromache seem before you left?" Inquired the younger of the two brother's after a few minutes of silence had passed.

"Distraught", Hector sighed as he scrubbed a hand through his curly hair, "as always."

Paris shifted his feet momentarily and nodded, "And I'm guessing she's more than anxious at you not being there for the birth? The look on her face tells all."

"More than ever", continued Hector, "she even made me promise to be there, which I will, no matter what the issue is while we're in Greece. I'm not missing that for anything", the Prince turned to his brother and stared directly into Paris' eyes, "anything Paris, I mean it. Menelaus will have to make do with one Trojan Prince for however long I am away."

"Well if that's the case", began Paris, turning around and folding his arms decisively, "why did you come at all? Andromache needs you more than I, and I'll be just fine on my own."

"Really now?" Hector inquired mockingly, "Paris, I one-hundred percent doubt that, and as I was saying to Andromache, I can't very well leave you to your own devices, who knows what mischief you might get up to and grief you might cause, not only to father, but to our whole country."

"Well then", began Paris, grinning immensely as he clapped Hector on the back, "I'm glad to have my big brother here to look out for me and watch my every move, even if its means you have to watch me shower a vast amount of affection upon a certain dancing-girl."

"Paris", Hector started with a stern raise of his voice.

"Say no more, say no more Hector, rest assured that I'll treat her with all the dignity she deserves", his brother threw him a questioning look, "never mind then."

The younger of the Prince's chuckled enthusiastically before clapping his brother on the back and striding away down the length of the deck, shouting commands to the sailors to 'look lively', as the palace of Sparta was rapidly emerging before Hector's eyes.

All at once a startling flashback roused the memory of the first encounter more than five months ago between him and the Spartan Queenand suddenly it all came flooding back into Hector's mind as he restlessly scanned the sea cliff, seeking out the girl's trademark form.

Helen…will we meet again? Was it chance that I met you at all? And in the shadows of that hall no less…will we meet again?

As the ship progressed closer towards the Spartan dock, the Queen's small garden of blooming flowers became more visible. Flowers the shade of red, pink and white sprung out at him. Hector quickly skimmed the area and seeing no sign of the girl, disembarked the dock with a lamentable sigh.

o O o

In her abode of blooming flowers, the tranquility of her garden abruptly shattered into a million pieces.

What now?, the voice in Helen's head grumbled as she staggered to her feet, careful that her skirts did not tear.

She had been tending her garden all afternoon, weeding, watering and trimming the leaves off some of her Gardenias and other specimens. It was the only enjoyment she had in her life, and the only one she could escape to in great times of need, or whenever her solitude became too much. Even then the irony would sometimes force a obligatory laugh from her throat, and the Spartan Queen usually found herself pacing the garden and asking herself whether she was going mad or not.

Today however, she had no patience for the sailors and fishermen ranting noisily quite vulgar notions and nearly sent one of her handmaidens to comply with a complaint to the guards, before she made her way over to the cliff side and looked down.

A ship with prominent blue sails sat tied to the dock, sailors in their trademark blue uniforms unloading and loading wares onto their ship and shouting orders to one another at the same time.

Helen softly gasped with recognition.

The Trojans.

But they weren't expected to arrive until the next day.

Helen quickly scanned the area, finding a confirmative sight. A stout man in court uniform with a short red braid stood talking with what looked like the first sailor and then turned away, proudly walking down the length of the dock.

Glaucus wasn't it? The man's name?

Helen pushed the thought away as another immediately replaced the former.

Hector was here.

Hector is here.

The memory of their first encounter replayed in Helen's mind as she clutched her skirts firmly. He was so chivalrous, charming, even humorous, everything that Menelaus wasn't and more. But the one thing that she esteemed him highly for was the fact that though he was awed by her beauty- anyone could've seen so plainly- he treated her respectfully and as the rightful Queen of Sparta and not just an object of desire, there for the stripping of eyes.

There was something special about him, and the more Helen found herself thinking about him as she lay in bed each night, and remembering standing on the cliff side watching that ship sail away down the Spartan river with the morning sun, she couldn't help but admire his integrity and smile warmly at the memory. He had shunned the services of the dancing girl, when even she could see how attractive the girl was, how alluring her actions were and how she could snare men with her charm.

The Spartan beauty sighed indolently as she twirled the stem of a flower in her fingers dreamily.

Hector Prince of Troy…will you never know these feelings of mine which I keep pressed to my breast each day that I live?

Helen never heard the Prince's astoundingly noiseless footsteps come up behind her as she stood inert and alone with her pirouetting thoughts.


Author/Banshee Queen: "Oooooooh, how'd you like that cliff-hanger? (Grins devilishly) Oh the cruelty of a wicked imagination…but I live for it." :D