A/N: At the end of the chapter.
Summary: It's your typical arranged marriage love story: Boy and girl do not know each other, but when they meet, things just spark. Usually. The whole storyline MAY have been picked up somewhere, but I tossed and ran with it.
Disclaimer: I tried to research more about Andromache's background, but I kinda came up with a bug fat blank. So please, if any of the info here seems inaccurate (in any kind of for, from customs to geography to names of the people), don't bombard me with flames. Just correct me. Nicely. Off you go! Oh, and I was listening to The Corr's 'Runaway' while writing this story. The music and somewhat simple lyrics kinda inspired me. Oh yeah, it's not mine either, okay?
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It was Thebe. She was sure of it. The people, the land, her family; they were all there. The people had their heads bowed down respectfully, as if in mourning. Her family were holding hands, and her mother, she saw her mother. Impossible. Her mother was dead for a long time now! She turned around and the scenery changed. No more was she in her beloved Thebe. She was in the walled city of Troy. She saw a faceless man, mocking her with his every laugh. She turned everywhere but could not seem to escape his visage. His laugh sounded vicious to her ears. He seemed to be controlling her, empowering her, making her bow down in submission to his every need. She ran through the roads of Troy, and when she could not resist him any longer, she curled herself into a ball. And screamed.
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"NOOOOO!!" Andromache screamed and sat up straight on her bed, sweating profusely through her nightclothes. She climbed out her warm bed and made her way to the window. She wrenched the cloth that separated her and the breezy dawn. She relaxed slightly when she saw the scene below that greeted her. She smiled slightly as she saw the already busy markets beneath her windowsill. The sights, sounds and smells reminded her of her childhood past.
King Eetion, her father, had informed her of her impending marriage to Prince Hector of Troy weeks beforehand. Although she trusted her father with her heart, she could not help but have her own doubts about this Hector that her father had spoke of so highly. From what her father had said, she pictured a man that was 30 years at the least. Who could blame her when all her father told her about was his extraordinary gift on the battlefields and abilities as a commanding general of the Trojan army. Where her father lacked in physical explanation of her husband-to-be, her brothers, Theseus and Archrest told her with enthusiasm. All she could gather was that he is not 30 as she had previously thought, but only older than her by 3 years. Well, she told herself, whatever it is, if they approve, then I would be in good hands. Her brothers were fiercely protective of their youngest sibling and only sister.
She sat on the chair facing the simple mirror and began combing her hair with the shell-encrusted comb that she had found too hard to resist. She sighed when she realized that today was the day that the party from Troy would arrive for 10 days, to celebrate her impending marriage to Prince Hector.
"Come in," she said when she heard the customary knock on the door of the maid, bearing a steaming pail of hot water for her bath. She pushed the dread to the back of her head and focused instead on getting ready for the events of the day.
"Good morning, Princess," the maid said respectfully. Andromache turned and saw Claudia, her personal maid and confidante. Although Claudia has seen ten summers more than she, she was wise beyond her years and was much more experienced than most servants Andromache knew. Andromache was puzzled as to why Claudia was here to personally groom her in the morning, as it was usually the task of one of the younger servants. Sensing her puzzlement, Claudia smiled gently.
"I am quite sure you are asking why I am here, and not Kora or Lillith, yes?" Claudia said, pouring the hot water into the tub that was concealed behind a screen before adding the bath salts and fragrance. Andromache nodded, still combing her hair to get rid of the tangles in her flowing hair.
"I will give you one guess," Claudia said, stepping from behind the screen while grinning. The wonderful smell of burning frankincense that Andromache burned filled the room while the bath smelled of lemons.
"Spare me the humour, Claudia. I am twenty and one now, thank you, not the bratty ten year-old I once was. Besides, I already woke up with a sour taste in my mouth," Andromache said, getting up and walking behind the screen. Claudia walked towards the bed as Andromache peeled off her clothes. She stepped into the bath and sank in deeply, letting the warm water cover her body. She sighed blissfully at the feel of the water on her bare skin.
"Well, I suppose the reason why I am here is the reason why you woke up with a sour taste in your mouth," Claudia said teasingly, straightening the bed covers. She heard a groan, and laughed.
"Why did I ever let Father talk me into this? I hate it, as he is the only person, other than Theseus and Argano, who can talk me into situations I would rather not be in. Why, for the love of the Gods, make me marry a man that I do not know, let alone love?" she said angrily. Claudia came into view with a faint smile on her face. She gathered up her skirt and sat on a stool behind the princess.
"If it is any consolation, I only fell in love after I got married," Claudia said, lathering up a piece of cloth and cleansing Andromache's back. She saw the other woman's shoulders sag.
"Yes, I know, but at least you knew who your husband was 6 moons prior to your wedding. Me, well, I am not even sure how he looks like! For all I know, I would be stuck with a balding and pudgy middle-aged man for the rest of my life!" Andromache said sourly. She began scrubbing her leg vigorously with a loofah, as if to rid of her excess early morning anger. Claudia laughed again.
"I do not think that you have anything to fret about, Princess. Prince Paris is Prince Hector's brother, and if you only you could hear the maids talking about Prince Paris in the servants' quarters! I have a strong feeling that if Paris is that good looking as they say, I have no qualms in saying that Hector is at least half as good. Maybe better?" Claudia said jokingly, only to have Andromache splash water in her direction.
"For the sake of my sanity, I hope he is," Andromache said seriously, getting up and drying herself off. She wrapped her body in a terry cloth and walked away from the screen towards her ornate bed. She found that Claudia had already laid out her formal clothes. The peach-coloured dress had white undertones and was delicately sewn with gold and sliver threading, creating a beautiful swaying effect when she walked. She frowned at the choice of clothes.
"The Trojan ship has been sighted not far from here, Princess. The royal nautical standers estimated that they would be here around high noon," Claudia explained before Andromache could ask anything. "Do not worry, princess. The dress is light and comfortable. You could go out under the sun and greet the Trojans at the docks, but King Eetion requests you stay here."
"I wonder why," Andromache said wryly. Claudia busied herself with the bathing tub while the Princess of Thebe got ready. Claudia heard the jingle of drawers being pulled out, indicating that her charge was looking for suitable jewelry. Claudia peeked behind the screen and saw Andromache looking pensive.
"Do you need any help, Princess?" Claudia asked, coming into view after scrutinizing Andromache for a while. Andromache sat on the edge of her bed and kept quiet for a moment. When she looked up, Claudia was startled to see tears in one of the mentally strongest woman she has ever met.
"Claudia, I'm afraid," Andromache confessed, a tear slipping from under her eyelid. Andromache lost her composure for a single instant but regained it as fast as she lost it. "I'm afraid of this marriage. I'm afraid of what will the man I have to spend my life with will be. I am afraid of leaving Thebes. I am afraid of losing my will that I so carefully built.
"But most of all, I'm afraid for myself. Will I be happy there? Can I survive without my family? Am I making any sense at all here, Claudia?" the princess asked, wiping her cheeks.
"Yes, you are. It is normal for you to feel this way, Andromache. You are filled with so many questions that leave you feeling empty, but I assure you these questions will be answered sooner or later. I am sure that your insecurity will not betray you, but you have to tread carefully. I was like this when I was made to marry Andros. Look where I am now: I am blissfully in love, I have a lovely daughter and son and I look forward to spending time with Andros everyday. Did I tell you I used to loathe him?" Claudia said, giggling wickedly. Andromache cracked a smile. She hugged her friend tightly.
"I'm going to miss you, Claudia."
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"You are looking quite the charmer today, brother. Care to share your thoughts?" Paris said jokingly to his brother, Hector, who was looking brooding. Even though they both knew the reason why Hector was looking somewhat forlorn, Paris just could not resist an opportunity to kid with his usually stoic sibling.
"No, not with you, little brother," Hector muttered. He peered out into the horizon and saw the Theban pier coming into view. He turned around and barked out a few commands to his first in command. He walked to the back of the ship, and Paris followed him persistently.
"Come on, brother, why are you looking so glum? You are about to meet your future wife and all you can do is sulk? I am quite sure you know better ways to express your feelings," Paris said.
"Yes, I do, and I am quite tempted to throw you off the ship if you do not cease your pestering," Hector said good-humouredly, but with a hint of intent underlying his tone. One can only put of with so much of Paris during a stretch of time, especially when confined to only 50 foot of wood.
"Ah, yes, well…" Paris said, trailing off. Although he knew that his brother would not throw him off the ship, Hector was a man of his words. No one in his or her right mind would want to cross him. Their father, King Priam, laughed at their little exchange from where he sat behind them.
"Watch what you say, Paris. As soon as I find a woman that can tame your wild philandering ways, you too, will be in Hector's footsteps," the King of Troy said.
"Which will be never," Hector joked, poking his brother in the arm.
"Very funny, brother," Paris said sourly.
"Truth be told, I wanted to pair you, Paris, with Princess Andromache. From what I heard, her inner strength and will matches most of the Theban armed forces. I was hoping for a woman like her to tame you, Paris, but King Eetion coaxed me to let her marry Hector instead," King Priam revealed.
"Why? Am I not good enough for her?" Paris said, his lips curving downwards in an uncharacteristic frown.
"No, not on that basis. He reasoned out that one, you are much to younger for her and two, he wants a man that can protect Andromache from any form of danger," the king of Troy said.
"And I can't protect her, can I?" Paris said, crossing his arms. Hector just guffawed.
"Tell me, my son, have you ever protected any one from harm?" Priam asked, smiling gently at his youngest son.
"Hardly," came in another voice. They turned and saw Briseis, cousin to Hector and Paris come into view with a smirk on her face.
"I beg to differ," Paris said stiffly.
"Prove it," Briseis challenged, crossing her arms and mocking Paris's defensive stance.
"Well, there was the time when, uh, well, um, when, oh never mind!" Paris exclaimed, failing to remember, or rather, make up a situation. His face reddened as his father chuckled. Briseis delicately covered her laughter with a cough while Hector managed to turn away to hide his mirth. Paris floundered and decided to retire rather ungracefully to the deck below till the ship was firmly tied up at the dockside.
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Andromache watched with a flutter in the stomach from her room window as the Trojan ship came into view and was securely tied to the dock. She watched her father and a few of her brother greeting old King Priam and his sons with an arm-clasp and a friendly embrace. She saw two young figures behind the King of Troy; one looked masculine with his rugged features that could be seen even from the distance while the other looked to be his brother. The brother had none of his brother's strong features, but spoke of charm and charisma instead. Not that the first brother had no appeal, but the second brother had a sort of engaging aura about him.
At least both of them are not old, paunchy and balding, she told herself wryly. And at least my sanity is saved.
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"Princess Andromache, King Eetion requests your presence in the receiving room," a servant said humbly after Andromache called her in when she knocked on the door.
"Thank you. Where is Claudia, Kara?" she asked. The servant looked up and smiled.
"Claudia says she will be waiting for you at the entrance of the receiving room, princess," the maid named Kara said. She left the room and waited for the princess of Thebe outside.
Here we go, thought Andromache. She got up from the edge of her bed, gave herself one last look-over at the ornate mirror that sat on her table and tucked away a loose strand of hair. Satisfied with the way she looked, she proceeded out of the comfort and security of her room and followed Kara to the designated room. She saw Claudia and hurried over to the older woman.
"Do I look presentable?" Andromache asked nervously, as she heard laughter eliciting from her father and King Priam. Claudia brushed of a piece of lint and adjusted Andromache's hairpiece and patted her shoulder comfortingly.
"If I had a son your age, I would marry him off to you, Andromache. You look radiant," Claudia said consolingly. She gave the princess a quick hug and pushed Andromache into the room.
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In the anteroom….
"Finally, Andromache! There you are. Come now, child, the emissaries are about to enter with your father," Queen Dido of Thebe said. Andromache hurried over to where her mother stood and she kissed her on the cheek.
"Do not be afraid, my child, he's only a man," she said, squeezing her daughter's hand. Andromache managed a weak smile.
That was what I was afraid of, she thought to herself. A man.
The trumpeters were blowing a storm outside, and as the Trojan assembly drew nearer to the intricately carved open door, Andromache felt her heart was beating in rhythm to the sound of the trumpets. As they moved closer, she saw a young woman, barely twenty years of age following the procession. From where she stood, she could see the outside, where her people were cheering the Trojans. They were waving and throwing flowers, and some maidens blew kisses to the younger but more charismatic brother, who accepted them eagerly.
As King Priam ascended the marble steps with her father, Andromache was positive that everyone within the vicinity could hear her errant heartbeat. She took a deep breath to clear her mind and calm her nerves, a technique taught to her by Claudia. She found it useful most of the time, but today was an exception. Heart still beating like crazy, she pulled herself together and tried to make herself look dignified as the party entered the anteroom. Her attention wondered for a moment towards the young men behind the two kings, but immediately snapped back when she heard her name called.
"Ah yes. Priam, I delight in presenting you my one and only daughter, Andromache," Eetion said, bringing the King of Troy towards the general direction of her and Dido.
"Your highness," she said respectfully, curtsying while managing to keep her eyes averted from the two young men that she had saw from a distance minutes earlier. Dignity in check, she held her head up high and smiled shakily at them.
"You have a beautiful daughter, Eetion. I am honoured that she will be a part of Troy one day," Priam said. He motioned behind him, "and these are my sons, Hector and Paris. That," – he gesticulated to the side of his sons,-"is Briseis, their cousin and, I hope, your friend when you arrive in Troy."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess," Paris said, coming forward and took her hand. He kissed it and smiled at the flustered look at was out of character for her.
"Pleased to meet you, too, Prince of Troy. And which prince might you be?" Andromache asked, knowing fully that this must be Paris, the younger brother.
"And if I were to say I were Hector?" he asked, a grin pulling at his features. Behind him the real Hector groaned. His brother, ever the charmer.
"Then I would most probably say that you are jesting, Prince Paris," she replied, returning his grin. At least she was already comfortable in the presence of one Trojan. Not a bad start, she said to herself.
"You wound me, Princess. How would you have guessed?" Paris asked, a look of hurt coming over him.
"Well, for one, you do not look like the commander of a battalion as you do not bear war scars and your brother just pulled a face at you behind your back," she said, slivery laughter ringing from her.
"Traitor," said Paris behind his back to his brother who just smirked back.
"Well, I think we should drink to this joyous occasion," Queen Dido said. She motioned to a servant, who went into another room and came out bearing a tray of wine with another servant. As the wine was passed around, Eetion raised his flute in speech.
"Today, the Trojans shall rest. But tomorrow, a feast shall be held in honour of the Trojans and to announce the engagement between our two offspring. A four-day festival will also be held in the streets of Thebe, and everyone is invited to participate in the merriment. I will have servants show you to your quarters where you can rest for the remainder of the day. Until tomorrow," he said, raising his glass in salute before drinking.
"Until tomorrow," the room murmured, also raising their glasses and drinking.
"Formalities aside, I invite you to the next room for a simple and informal feast. I am sure you are quite famished, so please, eat and you can retire after that," Eetion said. With Priam by his side and Dido behind him, they left for the adjoining hall leaving behind a leaving only a 'hurt' Paris, an amused Andromache, a fascinated Briseis and an uncomfortable Hector in the anteroom.
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A/N: Well, should I continue? I have not written fan fictions for over 7 months now, and I just got inspired to write some A/H fiction when I read some of the fictions here! I want at LEAST 10 reviews, or else I will not post up the next chapter. I swear. Review! No flames, please, just constructive criticism. Flames will go directly to the Underworld where Hades will gladly receive it. Persephone owes me a favour, you see….