Chapter 26

Anama awoke the next morning with a dull pain in her neck.

"Ugh, I can't take this any longer." she said while she stretched her out.

"You won't have to." said a voice from behind her.

Anama strained her neck to try and see who it was. Odysseus walked slowly into the light and rounded in front of Anama.

"Who are you?" she asked with confusion and skepticism.

"I am Odysseus." he said.

"Oh yes, I have heard of you." she said.

"All good I hope." he smiled towards Anama. The smile instantly faded when he saw the look upon her face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked clearly annoyed.

Odysseus sighed and sat down on a spare stool in front of Anama.

Anama saw the saddened look upon his face and knew this pained him greatly to tell her.

"What is it? What is it that puts this grave look upon your features?" she asked.

"This morning," Odysseus said softly even Anama couldn't hear it.

"This morning, Achilles rode to the wall to challenge your husband, Prince Hector, to a duel. A duel to the death."

Anama gasped. She knew that Achilles would fight Hector, but not to the death. Tears began to form in her eyes, threatening to fall. Many questions began to form in her mind, but only one question seemed to remain dominant in her mind.

"Is, is he dead?" she asked quietly, fearing the worst. Odysseus didn't answer right away. He looked down hoping to avoid the question, but didn't prevail.

"Is he dead? Is my husband dead?" she screamed. "Answer me!"

"As far as we know, yes."

"As far as you know, what do you mean as far as you know. It is that simple, is he dead or isn't he?"

"Achilles has returned to camp only a few minutes ago. I did not get the full details of what was said. But, what I did see, there is no way he could have lived."

Anama let the tears fall freely as she lowered her head to the ground.

Everything that Anama loved was beginning to slowly disappear. The only thing she had left of everything she held dear was slowly growing inside of her.

She had been crying for what seemed like ages but was probably only a few minutes when a guard came rushing into the tent.

"My lord!" he yelled to Odysseus. "He is alive! Prince Hector, he lives!"

"What?" exclaimed Odysseus as he stood. He couldn't believe it. Hector should have been dead with the severity of his injuries.

Odysseus went to follow the guard when he was stopped by Anama.

"Odysseus, let me go. Please!" she pleaded.

"I can't. I'm sorry princess but we need to make sure Hector lives." said Odysseus.

"And I can do that! Please let me go!"

Odysseus seemed to ponder the moment at hand. He saw the pleading look upon her face.

"Let her go, sire." said the guard with sincerity in his voice.

Odysseus nodded and untied her. She gave him a hug of gratitude.

"Thank you." she whispered.

Odysseus only nodded. He grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the tent.

They followed the guard over to where Hector was being held. There was a large group of men surrounding the area.

"Move aside!" commanded Odysseus. The group moved aside as he made his way through the crows with Anama hot on his heels.

When the crowd moved aside and they were able to make it to the center, the sight before them made them both wish none of this had happened.

Hector lay upon the ground, covered in blood and sand. Agamemnon and his men stood to the right of him, looking down upon the crowned Prince of Troy. They looked upon him with disgust. Achilles stood off to the left, arms crossed, wondering why he still lived.

Anama went to go to his side when Odysseus held her back.

"Not yet princess." he whispered. Anama looked at him like he was nuts but was soon distracted by what Agamemnon was saying.

"We must make sure that Prince Hector here stays alive!" he said as he put a snarl on the word Prince.

The crowd went into an uproar. Agamemnon raised his hand as a signal to be silent. The crowd quieted down and waited for Agamemnon to speak.

"We need him to help us take control of Troy!" he yelled.

The crowd cheered as the thought of taking over Troy. Agamemnon raised his hand once more and the crowd went silent.

"Where is Comulus?" he asked.

"He's dead sir." said Odysseus. "He died in yesterdays attack."

Comulus was the Greeks healer. With him dead, there wasn't much of a chance to save Hector.

Agamemnon looked in thought. "Does anyone here know the powers of healing?" he asked.

"The Princess Anama does sire." said Odysseus.

"No." said Agamemnon without much thought.

"Sir, she is the only one here that can save him." said Odysseus.

Agamemnon seemed to be having an inner battle with himself. He looked over to Anama to see her clutching and unclutching her hands.

"Very well." he said defeated.

Odysseus grabbed Anama's hand and led her after Hector.

"Don't get to attached my dear for you are still mine when this is over." said Agamemnon with a lustful look towards Anama.

Anama gave him a look of disgust and allowed Odysseus to lead her to Hector.