Chapter Five...Wedding Jitters (continued)
It showed that, as unalike as they both were on the surface, neither of the sisters screamed. Instead there was a
moment when they both tensed and froze in place. As if surprises were common and not generally pleasant. And
then they were both turning, eyes wide and matching for just a second.
Eleni made a squeaking noise, grin wide enough to produce dimples and bounced in place, hugging the brush.
Andromache's face shifted through more, washed with joy and relief and pleasure and welcome and a light
bloomed through her dark eyes. Nervousness and uncertainty fled completely and she was across the room and in
his arms in the single heartbeat it took to find her place there.
"Gods... I've missed you." she exhaled, raising her face to his even as Eleni giggled and stated, entirely lacking in
firmness, or even seriousness for that matter:
"You're not supposed to be here! You'll contaminate the bride!"
Hector enveloped her in his arms as soon as she came over and kissed her upturned lips, then had to chuckle at
Eleni's pronouncement.
"Stupid tradition if you ask me." He said to his future sister in law. "After all, aren't I supposed to 'contaminate' her
later? So I figure what's the difference between 'contaminating' her now or 'contaminating' her later? Besides, if
Paris can do what he wants all the time, I should at least be able to do what I want once in a while, right?" That
statement held no malice, that's just the way things were, and it actually amused Hector in all honesty.
"This was the first moment I was left unsupervised." He said to Andromache. "Along with you. Well, mostly
unsupervised. Eleni won't tell, right?" He asked Andromache, but looked at Eleni for verification with almost a
pleading look to the younger girl to please not.
Eleni was delighted to be included in what she found a dashingly romantic situation. Even if it was as the sister and
not the woman in his arms.
"Kiss me and I won't tell." she danced over to tip her cheek to him. She couldn't wait to tell Dori and Cassia about
this. They'd never believe their stolid older sister had a prince that climbed buildings to sneak time with her.
Andromache, wrapped safely in Hector's arms rested her head on his shoulder, arms wound around him and
grinned at her sister's bubbling.
"And think, moments ago she was plotting your doom." she teased. Eleni made a face at her sister and grinned
cheerfully at her new brother in law. She liked him much more than the others. But she thought Andromache
deserved much more than the others too.
"Only if you don't make her happy." Eleni admitted without guilt. "Then I get to push you off a wall. And I'm going to
poison any other wives you marry too." she added with relish. Andromache turned her face into Hector's shoulder
and muttered:
"Not if I push them off the wall first."
Hector chuckled as he loosened his embrace of Andromache long enough to plant that demanded kiss on Eleni's
cheek. Then he raised an eyebrow at Andromache. "I thought you were supposed to push me off the wall?" He
asked with another chuckle. He had been standing out of sight on the balcony since before his mother left after all.
But she had nothing to worry about from other wives. His father might make a hobby of marrying every desirable
woman he saw, but Hector wasn't his father, and he wasn't his brother. He was his own person. And he'd decided
on Andromache and that was that.
At least that was that once he convinced her to go along with his grand plan! "Me AND other wives?" He asked with
a smile. "Guess I should stay away from retaining walls and rails then." He pulled away a bit so he could look into
her dark, deep eyes. "You have nothing to worry about, my love. I did not chase you around the world to have my
attention so unfocused."
Her eyes met his and the vulnerability was there. The silent 'truly?'. She had no right to ask. Men took multiple
wives all the time. Especially rulers who could afford to. Who needed multiple heirs and had their pick of the
beautiful women of their kingdom. Her own father wore out wives faster than horses. King Priam fell in love with
someone new every time he turned around. She should be content to simply be Hector's first wife and know that
that place would always be hers no matter who came after. A woman could have a great deal less. Looking up at
him... held safe in his arms... seeing that look in his eyes... Andromache wanted more.
"Promise?" she asked quietly, watching his face. "Promise me that forever?"
Hector held her eyes with his just as strongly as he held her in his arms. "I promise." He said seriously. After all, if
he was going to be a serial marrying man like his father, he would have been married at least several times
already, right? And he wasn't.
"I promise you whatever you want, just name it." He said, starting to completely forget her sister was there.
Andromache's smile spread, soft and intimate. Just for him. Warmth flushing through her, making her heart ache in
her chest. How could he love her that way? Nothing she had ever done or would ever do deserved his love. But he
had her. All of her. For the rest of her life and the next. She nuzzled her face gently against his, breathing in the
scent of him, soaking in the perfect feel of him. Heart light in her chest.
"Love me forever?" she murmured, lips still curving, eyes starting to dance. "Always and always?"
"Forever and always. From this world to the next, this life and beyond, and I will spend the rest of this life
convincing you that I mean that." He said, and kissed her again, Eleni's presence completely forgotten about, poor
girl. But she (Andromache) had become Hector's whole world and he was not afraid to admit that either.
"Promise to believe me?"
"Yes." her lips smiled against his as she touched his face gently with her fingers. "Anything." A foolish promise to
make but Hector could tell her the sky was red and she would believe him. He held her heart in the palm of his
hand. After that how could she not trust him over something less? If he promised her this life and the next, his soul
would find a way to give her that. No matter what it took. Because he loved her and she'd never known anything as
simple and strong and determined as his love. And she trusted that completely.
"I love you." she murmured it, brushing her lips against his. Heart in the touch and her voice. "I haven't gotten to tell
you today. I love you."
Eleni, forgotten as their world formed with only the room for two, gave a sniff. Sappy stories and romantic ballads
always made her cry. Seeing her sister so happy made her cry. She realized she was just going to spend a lot of
time crying today. She didn't mind crying. If it was because she was happy. She'd never cried for her husband. No
matter what he'd done to her. But she could cry for her sister and her newest brother and how perfect it was that
they'd both ended up together.
Right where they belonged.
Silent, she retreated and let herself out of the room. Thinking of ways to stall Hecuba when the queen returned.
"I love you." He said, kissing her again and again. The actual ceremony couldn't come quick enough, where they
wouldn't have to sneak around and have her sister run interference. At least that's what he hoped she was doing
when she discreetly left the room.
If he could have figured out a way to run off and elope, he might have tried to talk her into that. All these traditions
were killing him! "I can't stay long, soon they'll be looking for me I think. Glaucus thinks I'm taking a walk."
Well, technically he did, he had to walk here after all.
She made a quiet sound, lips against his. Answering his touch with her own. "Nice walk..."
Weddings were supposed to be about keeping people together not making them stay apart. There was still at least
an hour until the wedding and then the ceremony was probably going to go on forever so that the priests could
flaunt their importance. And then the celebratory feasts afterward would go on all night. Gods have mercy...she
hated being away from him.
"We should have been farmers." she sighed. Lips still against his. Needing him or she wasn't whole anymore. "Our
parents would have traded cows already and I could stay in your arms." She wound her fingers in his thick hair.
Stole another kiss.
"Well, we can still trade cows, run off and elope." Hector suggested, also in between kisses, his hands tangled in
her hair and down her back. "Course....problem is...by the time we find a priest...not involved in all this.....we could
have already been married....."
That was the downfall to being a royal in Troy. Whenever something extraordinary like this happened, like the
crown prince everyone was sure would die a bachelor finally finding the love of his life and marrying her, everyone
knew about it.
"gods..." Andromache breathed it out. But whether it was commenting on the way the wedding had spawned into
the huge multi-headed beast it had or the fact that Hector was making her knees weak and her mind fog over with
his touch was indistinct.
He could do that. So easily. Make her body hum, make it glow, send all the nerves to the surface of her skin
begging for his touch. And she was so tired of waiting and doing things 'properly' and missing him... She hated
missing him...
"find cows." she managed blurrily. Hands starting to knot in the fabric of his tunic against the wide back of his
shoulders as her mouth found his again. "skip priest... "
"Means....I'd have to leave...." He said, which was the last thing he wanted to do, even if he would have to soon. But
right now he was just enjoying having her body pressed against his, his mouth on hers. It was his idea of Elysium.
"You have to anyway." Hecuba said in a stern voice, which had an undercurrent of amusement, Eleni behind her
with an expression of 'well, I tried!'
She should have known, Hecuba thought, calmly holding the small clay jar of oil she'd gone searching for. People
thought Hector was the well behaved one. But she was his mother and she knew better. Paris was a sweet,
tractable boy who was more interested in pleasing the people around him. Hector...her oldest son had a mind and
a will that had always been his own. And, if he decided something, there was no standing in his way.
So she should have realized that he was being far too quiet and submissive about this entire holiday being thrown
in his honor.
To her credit, her new daughter in law didn't jump back from him and act guilty. The girl had simply pressed her
face against the side of his neck, arms still around him, and, if she wasn't quite mistaken, was trying to look like she
wasn't silently laughing. Eleni, behind her and all together ineffective when it came to guile, looked more guilty.
"I think we're going to have to redo that entire elaborate hairstyle now." Hecuba commented regally. Amusement in
her eyes despite the fact she kept it underground in her tone of voice. "And I believe Glaucus is looking for you as
well, Hector."
"Maybe he and Father can run circles around each other and be nervous for me?" Hector suggested. "Then they
can throw the city into a panic when they can't find the bridegroom." he found that thought amusing and didn't look
one iota guilty about being caught like this. And if they did start a search party for him, well, he wouldn't have to
worry about Andromache being freaked, because she at least would know exactly where he was!
He stroked her hair when his mother mentioned it, winding a long lock around his fingers. "I'll leave that up to you
women." He said about the hair and hair styles. "but does that mean I have to move?"
Hecuba even looked exasperated with her oldest son. "Hector," she said patiently. "You will have the rest of your
life. You can spare an hour or two, can't you?"
Hector looked at Andromache, amusement on his features and dancing in his eyes, his mother's eyes which were
also amused. "do I have to?" He asked her.
Her body held close to his, his strong arms around her safe and warm while his long fingers played with her hair..no
woman should be asked to give that kind of thing up, Andromache thought, raising her face to look up at him,
edges of her lips twitching upward. She loved that light in his dark eyes...
"Yes, Hector." his mother answered, seeing the way the world was threatening to turn into just the two of them
again. "You really do have to go now."
Andromache's smile went soft and a bit crooked as she looked back up at Hector.
"If they take too long we can always go back to the cow idea." she slipped her fingers through the hair against the
back of his neck. Smile spreading bright. Still not moving away from him or unwinding her arms from around his
shoulders.
"Hector." the queen said firmly. Apparently assuming Andromache was going to be no help or at least not at
anything resembling speed.
Andromache met Hector's gaze with her own, seeing the love and the laughter and the life ahead of her in his dark,
dark eyes. She could bear a few more hours for that. Just barely.
"I love you." she silently mouthed to him.
Hector was completely entranced by his bride to be. His mother was right, their world was threatening to close down
to just the two of them again. His mother's words barely penetrated his brain as he looked at his mother.
"Hmm? Sorry, did you say something?" He asked her, looking for all the world like a guilty child caught awake far
past his bedtime.
"Hector." Hecuba said patiently. "Out." Though it did warm her heart more than she could say to see her oldest son
definitely and defiantly not following in her husband's footsteps. She didn’t have to worry about settling disputes
between several wives with Hector. But her son was still not budging. "Now." She said, nodding her head to urge
him.
Hector chuckled at his mother and turned his attention back to Andromache. He released her, but cupped her face
in his hands. "I love you. And I'll see you soon. But if I don't leave, there will be no wedding because my mother will
toss me off the balcony herself!" He kissed her. "Okay. I'm leaving." He said, though he didn't make much of a
movement to do so.
"mm" Andromache agreed with the kiss, drawing his face back down to hers again for another. Tonight was too far
away. Hecuba cleared her throat meaningfully and Andromache stated to smile against Hector's lips.
"Go on" she urged, twining her hands through his to take a few backward steps toward the route he'd taken to get
up here. It wasn't the first time he'd come that way, after all. And there was no way she was going to risk him
walking out the door and one of the priests getting wind of it and making her start the whole ritual all over again.
Besides, it was off to the side and they could steal a few more moments.
"Can we sneak out early tonight?" she asked, putting her hands behind her back so his arms were around her.
Raising her face to kiss the underside of chin. "Really early?"
"Right after its officially over." He promised, as she kissed along his chin and jaw. Between getting her alone or
listening to priests talk pseudo importantly, he'd pick the former each and every time.
There was a knock at the door, and Priam poked his head in and saw his chief wife. Hector pulled Andromache
further onto the high balcony so the king wouldn't see him.
"Now, there's no big problem," they could hear Priam say, since he thought Andromache wasn't there at all. "And
don't be alarmed....but we can't find Hector."
Hector had to put his hand over his mouth so he wouldn't laugh out loud.
"Indeed?" Hecuba seemed to find a 'missing' groom only a minor bump in the wedding plans. "Well," she stated her
smooth clear voice carrying. "I'm sure he'll turn up. He's a very responsible young man. He would never
intentionally cause a fuss on his wedding day. Which would lead to things like calling out the guards and putting off
the actual ceremony even longer."
"You think we should?" Priam asked, already wondering if he could hire more street performers for the palace
gardens to entertain the arriving guests. Hecuba shook her head slightly.
"I'm sure it won't come to that." she stated clearly. "Hector would never do anything that might mean the priests
would have to re-observe their signs and decide on a more propitious date."
"He has been very good about all this." Priam said, first hint of suspicion starting to sneak into his tone.
"He's in love." Hecuba stated, calmly shooing her husband out the door. "He won't miss this."
"Yes." Priam's romantic nature was even worse than Eleni's and he chuckled. "He is, isn't he?"
Andromache, snuggled close in Hector's arms again, looked up at him with laughing eyes. Delighted. Grinning and
holding back laughter. "Very responsible young man." she mouthed silently, teasing.
Once the door was closed, Hector finally laughed out loud. "Okay, now I have to go before he does call the guards
after me." He said, finding the whole thing funny, that he was 'missing' and all. "I'm going. Really." He said and
kissed her once more. "Okay, really." And kissed her again, then finally released her and stepped away so he
really could go and get the proverbial show on the road. "Bye Mother!" He called into the room, hearing her light
laughter at the whole situation. "And I will see you later. Less than an hour." Then he went over the railing, flipping
down to one of the storage rooms below her rooms (one of the reasons he had insisted she have this room, easy
to get to, more or less, if one knew how) and headed back to his rooms to finish getting ready.
Andromache watched him go. Thinking there wasn't a man in the world that moved the way he did. Then, heart
sighing, laughter still inside, she went back into her rooms. But Hecuba didn't scold her. Or even look disappointed
in her unladylike behavior. Instead the older woman came forward and wrapped her arms around the taller girl.
"I think you belong here, dear." she stated. "I like the sound of both of you laughing."
Andromache, not used to female approval, bowed her head into her mother in laws shoulder, shutting her eyes.
She did belong here. She belonged to Hector. But - but maybe she could belong to this family and this city too.
Maybe she belonged here for herself.
Eleni, never good at standing on the outside, danced over to wiggle her way into the hug as well. Pretending
innocence, the younger sister stated:
"Look what happens when I leave you alone for just a moment! Sneaking boys into your room when I'm not looking!"
"Only one." Andromache protested, laughing. Thinking of tonight. And the rest of her life. Heart glowing in her
chest. "And he's worth sneaking."
"Yes, he is." Hector's mother agreed. "I'm glad he's finally found someone worth breaking the rules for."