Sorry for the long wait! I don't have much to say about this chapter except enjoy!

Chapter Eleven

The Trojan War, as it would later be called, went on in the same monotonous way for the next six or so years. When I say monotonous I do not mean boring or dull. How could anything be dull when you spent days watching the man who held your heart fight for his life? No it was not dull, but it was the same anxious repetitiveness day after day. Nothing changed. My fear for Hector never went away. The Greeks didn't leave. Helen and Paris kept up their game of house and the next handful of years passed as though they were mere minutes.

I stood in the heat on the royal pavilion and watched the men ride out to meet the Greeks for what had to be the millionth time. The sun beat down on me, as I wasn't in the shade provided. I had never liked sitting back among the royals, they all seemed to calm about the fighting, and I could never be calm while Hector laid his life on the line time after time.

Hector weaved expertly through the masses of men. I would never understand his battle instinct, nor would I ever completely trust it. I was in constant fear that he wouldn't sense someone come up behind him and that would be the end of my husband. However, day after day he came back to me, for the most part unscathed.

The heat had been making me feel dizzy which I found odd. For nigh on six years I stood in the same place and had never felt so bad, but then I did. I felt dizzy and although I hadn't yet eaten anything I felt queasy, as though I might be sick.

"Andromache," Hecuba called my name from where she sat. "Come and have a seat. You aren't looking too well."

I nodded. I couldn't disagree and even if I was sitting I could still see Hector.

"Are you feeling alright?" My mother-in-law asked me.

I shook my head. "I think I must've caught something. I shall be alright though." I put a hand to my head and looked out over the hot sands to see the fighting continue.

When our midday meal was served Hecuba held me back, not that I was keen to eat. "Andromache, it isn't a something that you've caught, is it?" She asked.

I laughed. "Not in the usual sense I would say, but you could say I caught it."

Her cheeks colored at my crude remark. Since the first time I had shocked Hecuba I had found pleasure in doing so, just to see her reaction. However, she carried on bravely, despite her obscene daughter-in-law. "Does Hector know?"

I became more serious. "Not yet. Please keep it a secret. I want to be absolutely positive before I tell him such news. I would hate for him to have his hopes raised and then for something bad to happen."

Hecuba nodded. "Congratulations, Andromache. This is will make everyone's spirits a little brighter."

-ooooOoooo-

I waited for a half a month more before I finally approached Hector with my good news. I had paced around all day trying to think of the perfect way to do so. I finally decided that just being forthcoming with the news would be the best. Hector wasn't fond of mysteries or riddles and bluntness would work best.

Hector was late coming back from a council meeting and I sat and brushed my long hair before our burnished bronze mirror. I started to wonder if I would get to tell Hector before I fell asleep and had to postpone my good news. My dizziness and queasiness had finally gone away and most of the time I felt good, if not more tired than usual. I began to doze sitting at the vanity when I heard the door open.

"Andromache," Hector said. "What are you still doing up?"

He passed by me and went into the bathroom. I could hear him splashing the water on his face and arms.

"I was waiting for you," I responded laying the brush down.

"You should have gone to bed." He looked at me when I walked into the doorway. "Did you need something?"

Hector had begun to constantly ask me if I needed anything. I would never phrase anything to my husband as a want because everyone else needed something from him. The people needed him to defend their city. His family needed him to be the Golden Child. All of Troy needed him to bolster their spirits when they were at their bleakest. I would never say that I needed anything from him for I could not bear to put more on his already unbearably heavy load.

"No, I merely wanted to talk to you," I said quietly.

Hector sighed. I knew that he was tired and probably wanted to just fall into his bed, but I was putting all I had on the hope that my news would bring him joy. When he emerged from the bathroom I truly studied my husband for a moment. Someone might have thought that sixteen years had passed instead of six. Hector looked much wearier than when we were married. We weren't that much older but his face was lined and I could even see a few grey hairs at his temples, which should not have been there. He was older than I, that I was true, but he shouldn't have looked so much older. He carried new burdens and his mind was constantly being tried, not to mention his poor body.

"What did you want to talk about?" He asked as he came back out into the bedroom, brushing past me. Hector's moods had been foul of late and I couldn't blame him. As his wife I tried to stay out of his way when I could and be as untroublesome as possible when I couldn't. It was so hard for me to see him like that and I only hoped that my news would bring us back together. I couldn't go on living like we were, apart, but at the same time together. He pulled his blue tunic over his head and looked at me.

"I have news for you."

As soon as I said I knew I should have worded my announcement differently. Since the war had begun any news we had heard hadn't been good. For example, when my family was killed. It was hard, but we had moved on. Hector had been a pillar in my grief and I was so thankful that he was part of my life. It was news like that that I was sure he was expecting.

"It is good news," I assured him.

He sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at me. "Well let me hear it then."

I took a deep breath. I was nervous when it finally came down to telling him. My heart beat quicker and my palms became a little damper. I took a seat next to him and took one of his large hands in mine.

"I am with child," I finally said quietly.

"What?" Hector asked looking up at me. It was what I had expected at first. "You cannot be serious Andromache!" He pulled his hand away and stood up. That was definitely not what I had expected.

"Of course I am serious. I thought the news would make you happy," I said, not understanding his response.

"Happy? You think I should be happy to hear such news?" Hector looked down at me hard.

"And why shouldn't you be happy?" I asked.

"Because now I must worry about a child." There was an anger in his tone that I couldn't understand. "Tell me Andromache, how will we go about raising a child in a time like this?"

Tears stung my eyes at his words. I had only wanted him to be happy. I thought that nothing would bring him more joy than the prospect of a child. I had been terribly wrong. He paced back and forth in front of me, nearly pulling out his hair.

"I do not know," I answered quietly. "This war should not matter. We should be able to be a family still."

Hector laughed bitterly. "A family? When will I see my child? In between battles and council meetings? I could not be a father to this child."

I wiped the tears from my cheeks, trying not to openly sob from my place on the bed. I had been so happy when I realized that I was with child and the only thing I had wanted to do was share it with Hector. Then I only wished that I hadn't said anything.

Hector stopped in front of the window and looked out, his broad back to me. He didn't say anything and I could hardly catch my breath to speak. The pain at knowing that Hector didn't want our child was overwhelming. Finally, I managed to pull myself together.

"There is nothing we can do about it now, Hector," I said resolutely. "The gods have willed it."

"The gods?" Hector glanced at me over his shoulder before looking back out the window. "The gods have forgotten us, Andromache." Without another word he left. The door slammed behind him and I was left alone, sitting on the bed with fat tears rolling down my cheeks.

Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it! A little less fluffy than usual, but that's good sometimes! Let me know what you think!

Happy reading,

Avonmora