IMPORTANT ANNOUNCMENT: There is a contest going on, The Tragic Bliss Awards, for H/A fics. If you'd like to submit your own or nominate another, feel free to do so. Go to Lady Arwen's profile and there will be a link taking you to the site for more information. Pick a category if you're inspired, write a fic, and then submit it. There are too few H/A fics. March 31st is the deadline, so get moving! J

Glad you all liked the last chapters, I actually had #4 written for awhile, but FF wouldn't let me on so I finished #5 in the process as well as the two for Mirror. Thank you ALL for your reviews and remember, let me know what you want to see. This is my last fic in the H/A trilogy so this is your last chance to get things in there. I'll probably turn to one-shots afterwards unless anything else strikes my fancy, so speak up while you can. Anyways, here's the next one. It took me awhile to get through; it was hard. Enjoy!

…

Though night had fallen, Andromache still had to weave her way through the busy halls towards Paris' quarters. A servant brought her to the entertaining room and she waited while someone went to fetch Helen. The woman soon appeared, nervously following the chambermaid.

Andromache was stunned when she saw her. Helen was, without a doubt, the daughter of Zeus. Andromache had never seen someone who managed to look so delicately human yet breathtakingly divine all at once. "Queen Helen," she said, smiling warmly. "I am Princess Andromache, Hector's wife."

Helen smiled, though her eyes were tired. "I've heard much about you," she said, her voice sounding like the sweetest bells Andromache had ever heard. "And please, call me Helen."

Andromache smiled and nodded. "I wanted to introduce myself earlier but duties wouldn't permit it. I thought that if you're not busy I could show you around the palace, unless Paris has already done so."

"Paris received a summons from the king," Helen informed her. "So I'd be delighted to have you show me around."

As Andromache guided Helen around the palace complex the two women chatted nonstop. "And these are our quarters," Andromache said, passing the area of the palace dedicated to the crowned couple. "If you need anything don't hesitate to call on us. Paris can be quite negligent sometimes," she said, grinning.

Helen smiled and nodded. "But his heart is good." Andromache did not dispute that. She finally led Helen up to the highest point of the palace, a small room hidden away with a balcony that encircled the tower to allow for a view of the entire surrounding area.

"Helen, welcome to Troy," she said simply as she lifted the simple curtain and led her outside.

Helen sucked in her breath, her eyes staring in amazement. "I've never seen anything so beautiful," she whispered.

Andromache found herself amazed that this divine beauty could take pleasures in the simple joys of life when all she had to do was look in the mirror. "I'm glad you like it."

"Sparta never looked this peaceful," she went on, though hesitantly. She glanced at Andromache.

Andromache shook her head. "They're not going to send you back."

"Do you resent me for it?"

"It is the gods' will," Andromache shrugged. "You are just a pawn."

"Many would argue I am the player."

"I wouldn't."

"How is you don't hate me?" Helen asked, genuine curiosity on her face.

"I've no right to hate you."

"And why don't you?"

"Because I have not been through what you have. Unless I have suffered everything you have I could not pass judgment. It would not be right."

"Hector told you, then?"

"Told me what?"

"Of my life in Sparta."

Andromache shook her head. "Your eyes do the speaking, Helen. I do not need to ask my husband of what he witnessed."

Helen nodded, looking back out at Troy. Without turning her head she spoke. "I am cursed."

"Cursed or not, you still don't deserve to be treated like that."

Helen smiled and shook her head. "I've never known someone to be so forgiving before."

"There's nothing to forgive. You have not wronged me."

Helen sighed and smiled, not understanding Andromache but realizing she didn't want to. They remained in silence for a long time, each reflecting on the other's words.

"I must return to my husband," Andromache finally said, loathe to break the silence. "Do you remember the way back or shall I show you."

"I remember," Helen said. "I desire to remain here a little longer."

Andromache nodded. "You are welcome to stay here as long as you like." She left quietly and only then did Helen realize her words held more than one meaning.

Andromache returned to her own quarters and entered her chamber. Hector was there, tossing Astyanax gently into the air and catching him easily. The baby grinned and drooled down onto his father. Andromache stopped and smiled, watching the scene unnoticed.

"You'd never make a good spy, love," Hector said without even glancing at her. Andromache laughed and came over.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"You are too loud." He smiled then added as an afterthought, "And too predictable."

Andromache arched an eyebrow and pulled away from him. "Are you sure?" she asked challengingly.

He grinned but rose to the occasion. "I can predict exactly what will happen within the next hour."

"Try, my dear, but I warn you, I'm not quite so naïve as you think."

"I shall put Astyanax to bed while you wait out on the balcony. Then I'll join you, bringing two glasses of wine-" Hector paused and gave her a coy look. "I'll comment how lovely you look in the moonlight and how enticing your lips are looking."

Andromache cocked her head, acting innocent. "And then?"

Astyanax gave a squall of protest at being ignored and Hector laughed. "I'll finish later," he promised his wife. She laughed softly and went out on the balcony, looking out at the vast expanse of the sea. True to his word, Hector joined her a little while later.

She smiled and took the glass of wine from him. "I went to visit Helen today."

"And?" Hector asked, waiting for her to go on.

"Oh, Hector," she sighed, turning to face him. "I've never seen such haunting eyes."

Hector nodded. "I was struck by them the first time I laid eyes on her."

"She expects hatred."

"She's learned that."

"She'd barely speak to me at first, as though she feared I'd lash out at her for what she did."

"Many others will. She'll be hated."

"How could she have acted differently? You saw what he did to her."

Hector nodded slowly. "I did."

"Do you blame her?"

There was a long pause, then Hector sighed. "No, I do not. It was for that reason that I could not return her to her husband."

"You tried to make Priam, though."

"I failed to protect Troy; I hoped he would be able to."

"You protected a mistreated and abused woman, Hector."

"And in doing so I bring a war to Troy."

"I told you before, returning her would have been wrong."

"Bringing calamity to my city is a wrong as well."

"You do not bring it. Results of actions are not your concern. War will come, but you do not command the fleet that sails here. You do not fire the arrows that will fall upon our men. You do, however, offer sanctuary to a woman who has nowhere else to go."

"But Troy, Andromache, Troy."

"Troy is made up of individuals, is it not?"

"Yes," Hector said impatiently.

"Troy exists as a place where human beings can live in peace and just rule. The people are not subject to tyranny and hatred. Troy is not a place, Hector, is it made up of people. There is no difference between Helen and myself. We both have the right to happiness. Menelaus swore before the gods to treat her as his wife. If he'd kept those vows we'd not be in this situation. Hector, the day you stop considering the individual rights of people and start looking upon them as a whole is the day you lose everything I love in you. You've no right to deny Helen her pleasure, just as I've no right to judge her for being an unfaithful wife. No one here has that right. Yes, she'll be hated and despised, and Troy will resent her, but I swear to the gods this family will welcome her with open arms. We're not so haughty as to deny her the very love every human being craves," Andromache finished hotly, a determined look on her face.

Hector stared at her for a moment, a slight look of shock on his face, and then his face softened. He pulled her into his arms and held her, running his fingers through her hair. "I love you," he said simply. "I don't think any other man has been so blessed as I have."

"Promise me you won't resent her," Andromache said firmly, her voice muffled into his shoulder.

"I'll do my very best," Hector swore.

Andromache smiled up at him. "That's all I ask." She buried her face back into his shoulder. "And you were wrong."

"About what?"

"Your prediction," she said, barely audible.

Hector laughed and pulled her head back so he could look at her. "Have I mentioned how lovely you look in the moonlight?"

"Are you implying I look horrible by daylight?" Andromache asked saucily.

"And how enticing your lips are?" Hector ignored her.

"I remember a vague mention of some such thing," Andromache said, frowning as though deep in thought.

"And how smooth your skin is?" Hector said, slipping his hands under the smooth fabric of her dress to gently run his hands over the dips in her shoulders he knew so well.

She shivered. "And how cold your fingers are?"

"And how I'm sure you don't mind?" he said, his lips finding hers. His hands gently eased the fabric further along her shoulders until it remained by only the smallest bit. "And how vulnerable you are at this moment?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "You're incurable, Hector." But as she stared up at him, her eyes softened. His eyes held such depth and she smiled softly. "So many memories."

He cupped her head and ran his thumbs across her face. "Good ones?"

"Don't ever doubt it." She leaned up and pulled his face down to meet her lips. In a moment, her dress had lost its precarious hold on her shoulders and plunged to the floor. His hands traced her skin, finding its dips and curves with the familiarity brought on by years together.

"I win," he whispered, kissing her passionately.

She kissed him back, reveling in his familiar smell and touch. "I'm not complaining."

…

DON'T FORGET THE TRAGIC BLISS AWARDS! See the top of this chapter for info.