Chapter Twenty....Escape (continued)
Hector appreciated that his people would keep his secret, at least until he and Andromache were safely outside the
gates. After that, he was almost positive the news would spread. two stories. One that he was up and around and
able to be on a horse. And two, that his wife would let him in the first place!
Once they were outside the gates, and unfortunately in open view on the flat ground surrounding Troy, especially to
the ever present look outs and archers, he spurred the horse into a full gallop, fully appreciating the freedom of the
wind in his hair, and Andromache's hair blowing back around him.
"Where should we go?" He asked into her ear, holding her protectively to him.
The day, threatening to for so long, suddenly went blindingly perfect. The feel of the horse's legs tearing up the
ground, its long neck stretched as it took advantage of its freedom. The feel of the wind and the rush of the fresh
air. The feel of her husband's arms around her, his body protectively sheltering hers. His rich voice, laughing, in her
ear. If the horse had grown wings, it couldn't have made this moment more perfect.
"Anywhere." she answered, shaking her head lightly against him, turning her face to laughing answer. "How far can
the horse run?"
Quite a ways she guessed and she'd promised him as long outside as he wanted. And she didn't mind. Couldn't
mind in this moment. She'd wondered if he'd had anywhere in mind, the fisherman's shack they sometimes snuck
out to, a spot on the river under the trees... but those were all close by. And the wonderful feel of her husband's
freedom woke her own too. Wanting to be away. To see what there was. To fly like this forever.
Hector steered the horse towards the beach, but farther down than he had taken her previously until finally the
horse needed to rest. It could only run at full speed for so long, though perhaps, like its rider, it pushed itself
beyond. When the horse slowed to a halt, he smoothly got off the horse and helped her off the mount.
"Look, no temples to Apollo. Can't even see Troy from here," He said with a smile. While Troy could see them, or at
least that stretch of the beach, it was hidden by dunes to the lowly mortals like themselves on the ground. And even
from Troy they themselves, Hector and Andromache, would barely be seen.
Andromache had stayed within the circle of his arms when he'd gotten her down and she turned now with a bright
smile before leaning up to kiss Hector.
"Its perfect." she agreed. The beach here wasn't flat. Instead it rolled in its own sandy waves up into tall grass
covered bluffs with only the blue sky and the sleepy, wisped clouds to be seen no matter what direction you looked
in. A nice breeze blew off the water too, stirring their hair and the horse's tail playfully before it moved inland. Even
Mount Ida was only a distant hazy suggestion. She slipped her hand into her husband's as they started to walk the
horse so it could cool down.
"I don't think I've ever been this way before. Does it go on forever?"
"Close enough for us." Hector said.. "Three weeks ride before the beach changes, then about there some forest
starts to intrude." He would know these things, his campaigns took him up and down the coast, into the mainland
and into other lands. "These waters start to get shallower, so, unfortunately for you...not very good fishing waters.
Means no de facto chaperones."
He breathed in deep of the sea air, for the first and only time in his life glad to be out of Troy. Of course he had
been forcibly 'imprisoned' long past the time he thought he should be.
"no chaperones?" she asked, sounding worried as she leaned down to take off her shoes. The horse had cooled
down and she rested a hand against its shoulder while she slipped her feet free. "Just about anything could happen
to a girl on an empty beach like this."
She casually dropped her shoes to the side.
"Or at least it could." she lifted the edge of her skirt to free her legs as she looked back over her shoulder at Hector.
Laughter starting. "If her husband wasn't too slow and infirm to keep up."
And then she ran.
"She just called me infirm, didn't she?" He asked the horse with a chuckle. The horse, if possible, looked downright
amused by the goings on of the humans around him. "Well, we'll certainly see, won't we?" He gave the horse a pat,
who neighed and headed over to a dune where grass was sprouting up as Hector took off running after his wife, in
response to the hidden dare and challenge there.
It didn't take him long, his legs were longer and he was trained more for running than her, as he grabbed her by the
waist and swung her around as he slowed. "I think you have some explaining to do about this slow and infirm
husband you have." He teased.
She laughed delightedly as he caught her up, tipping her head back. His voice was fuller and she could almost feel
the expanding going on inside his chest. Hector, Tamer of Horses, needed his freedom too. And there was nothing
wrong with his legs.
"Well," she began, loving the feel of his arms around her, the feel of his body holding her close. She twisted her
face to look up at him. Smiling brightly. "If he catches us like this he'll probably come to all kinds of the wrong
conclusions."
"Really?" Hector asked with a grin, feeling oh so much better just being out without anyone constantly worrying over
him or monitoring his every movement and breath. "Maybe then we should give this guy something to come to the
wrong conclusions over?" He suggested. "Think I could take him?"
"He's very fierce." she told him, grinning. Loving the light in his eyes and the laughter in his voice. Loving him. "And
strong." Still trapped by his arms, she tipped her face back. Brought her lips to less than a breath from his but
refused to finish it. Whispered, teasing: "Are you sure you want to risk it?"
"I'd risk anything for you. You know that." Hector said, with a hint of seriousness in his voice, even though the mood
was still light. He would risk anything for her. "So just point out this guy and I'll take him out for you." He laughed at
that, then finished the distance himself and kissing her.
It had been... a while, Andromache thought, heart melting open under his. His words, that thread of seriousness that
barely gruffened his tone... he melted her. He could melt her with a single crooked smile or the laughing light in his
eyes. But he could melt her with a single phrase and look from his dark eyes too. Held the way she was she couldn't
use her arms but she let her head fall back against his shoulder and drew him deeper with the kiss. Down into the
first layers of warmth and welcome, where they only belonged to each other.
Gods... she loved him...
"He's a jealous man." she warned in a murmur against his lips. "You should see how he gets after he's been cooped
up inside for a week and a half."
Hector chuckled a bit. "I was not that bad." He said, shaking his head as he put her down for the sole purpose of
turning her around, where then he pulled her back to him. "You are my complete life, you know that, right?" He
asked her, stroking his face. "You and Astyanax." And they truly were. This...incident had just reminded him of
exactly how precious and fleeting life could be. So as he healed, he decided that there would be nothing left unsaid
between the two of them.
Just in case.
Her eyes softened before she shut them and turned her face into his palm. How had she ever lived before him? How
would she ever live after...
"I know." she whispered it against his palm, raising her own hand to curl around his as she pressed a kiss to it.
Looking back at him with deep, loving eyes. Here, in his arms, held tightly against him with the light and life shining
in his impossibly dark eyes, she was whole. Heart, body, mind, and soul. She would never be complete again if it
wasn't by his side. She wound her other arm around his shoulders, long fingers moving against the hair at the base
of his neck. Eyes warm, almost hiding the glimmer of fierceness in their depths.
"I will always love you. No matter how far you go." She rested her forehead against his, fingers stroking through his
curling hair. "I will always wait for you."