Chapter Sixteen...Empire of Three (continued)
"It's a very nice sounding empire." He said. "Your mother," he said, at last ready to confess to that worry. "tried her
best to scar me in some way, since I wouldn't let her use her nails on either one of us. She had to resort to words
and threats. Empty threats it turns out. Her big agenda to make sure I paid for what I did to her was to make sure
you never had my child." He exhaled at that, a weight lifted off.
"My love, she has no power. Over either of us now. Do you at last fully believe me?" He asked, he knew there were
some doubts, there had to be, Triantifilla had worked too hard and too long on her daughter for Hector to simply
erase all that with one day.
She laughed, ducking her face to press it against his shoulder.
"It was a very nice trip." she agreed. They'd had time to themselves. So much more than they could get away with in
Troy. Their only responsibilities as guests was to show up. Granted it had been on a fairly regular basis but there
had been no need for them to be involved in the general running of everyday life the way they were here. She
didn't regret coming home to Troy at all. This was where she belonged now. But the excess of time to themselves
had been nice...
She seriously doubted she was even half as beautiful as her mother. Too much of her father made her long boned
and tall and Triantifilla's beauty was almost unearthly. It was her gift that Hector loved her long bones and freckles
and dented chin. But what soothed her heart the most was that - he was right. She didn't fight like her mother. No
matter how angry or frustrated she was. There was always the need to understand why over any desire to cause
pain. And she'd never thought of that before. But if anyone knew the difference between her bite and her mother's -
it would be her husband. Shifting on an elbow to look down at him again she gently stroked a hand over his cheek.
He set her right inside as if straightening broken bones to heal. Without the pain. Leaning low, she kissed him softly.
"So wise." there was a smile in the next warm kiss. "Thank you."
"I'm glad you think so." He said, and with long fingers moved her hair out of her face as s he leaned over him. "But
you need to get some sleep." He said gently. "I promise I'll be here until you're fast asleep, dreaming of sugared
onions or whatever it is that pregnant women dream about."
After all, they were back in Troy. Which meant he had an army to command once more. Not to mention confirm a
pregnancy. For all of Troy would know by now that Andromache was snuck back into the city, ill. And the way
rumors progressed, she'd be more than half dead by sundown according to the gossips.
Andromache drew back enough to make a face at him.
"You don't want me getting sick again when I'm leaning over you that way." she warned him. But she settled down
with her head on his shoulder again, tucking her body against his into the perfect fit. Wouldn't be able to do that
soon enough, she thought, the only thing, short of her food, that she'd begrudged the new baby yet. But, like the
food, it would be worth it. Because it would end. And they'd have a new son or daughter in their lives. With a smile
she shut her eyes and rested a hand over his heart for its steady, comforting rhythm.
"You need your sleep too." she murmured, finger tapping gently against his chest. She knew better than to try to
keep him with her now. Too much they'd both shirked already in their arrival. But it didn't mean he hadn't weathered
a trip every bit as difficult as hers. So instead she asked hopefully:
"Come back soon? When you can..."
"I'll be back as soon as I can." He promised. "Besides...what are the choices? Hanging out with smelly horses or my
vomiting wife? Actually..that's a pretty tough choice right there..." He teased. He kissed the top of her head.
"Don't worry, I'll be back before you wake up." He assured her. Between the water, the food and knowing she wasn't
dying, she should be pretty exhausted. He knew he was. He was just used to going without sleep more than she was.
"That would nice." She agreed, relaxing against him. Not about to demand it because she knew for everything he
thought he'd have to take care of three more would spring up. And his family, his mother high on the list, would want
time with him as well. Sleepy, she realized that she should join him. Sick or not, she could still play the roll of
distraction and take some of the demands for attention off of him. She would, she decided, spreading her fingers
wide across his chest. Once she'd gotten just a bit of sleep, she'd get up and see what she could do without him
finding out. She didn't think it would be much, whatever it was, but she could make things a little bit easier at least.
"Of course, the horses won't kick you out of their bed if you show up too late," she warned with a soft smile. "Your
wife might." She wouldn't of course and they both knew it. But it would give him an excuse to come back to her
sooner.
"Well, all you need to worry about is relaxing and sleeping and eating and drinking." Hector said. "Let me handle all
the rest." This was one ting he wouldn't mind taking care of. As she had prevented people from bothering him in the
past, now it was his turn. Course, he could go at it from an entirely different, possibly less polite way than she did.
"And horses love me, not as much as my wife, but if she kicks me out, they'll let me room with them, I'm sure." He
teased back. "Besides, she hates sleeping along, she told me so herself."
She smiled, eyes still closed. Thinking - only Hector would think of threatening to sleep in the stalls with the horses
instead of another woman's bed or a couch somewhere.
"My husband comes back to me smelling like horses, he might wish he was sleeping somewhere else," she
murmured with a sleepy laugh. Not with the way she'd been picking up on smells of any kind at all lately. Except
Hector's, she thought, snuggling closer with a sigh. The simple smell of his skin was enough to make her feel safe
and comforted.
"But you're right," she agreed, voice soft and drowsy. "Your wife hates sleeping without you. Fatal weakness you
should exploit unmercifully. Being an evil tyrant and all..."
"I almost forgot that part, thanks for reminding me." He said, taking to stroking her brow again as he sensed her
relaxing into a drowsy state. He chuckled at her comment about the horses. She had married the Tamer of Horses,
crown prince of a kingdom of horsemen. She couldn't mind it THAT much.
He hadn't thought of using another woman, made up of course, against her. Didn't cross his mind, though he knew
his father used that threat to keep all his wives in line. 'Well, then, I'll just go see one of my other wives then,' or
something to that effect. Worked for Priam, wouldn't work for Hector. Andromache would surely throw both him and
another woman over the walls if he ever entertained the thought of a mistress or another wife.
"My job" she murmured with a sleepy smile, starting to drift under his soothing touch and the steady, reassuring
warmth of his body. "Reminding you of important things..."
Just for a little while, she told herself. She'd sleep for just a little while. She'd feel better when she woke up. No floor
moving under her feet. She'd pick up her duties again. In just a little while...
She hummed softly and her smile softened.
"Father of our child."
Hector waited until she was fast asleep and carefully eased himself out of the bed, it took longer than usual
because he knew she was sensitive to movement right now. Then he quietly dressed and just as quietly left the
room to attend to the rest of his duties, hoping to get them done as soon as possible.