eghèlasse patèr te phìlos kai pòtnia mèter

[gwenchan]

 

Fandom: The Iliad

Characters: Hector, Andromache

Prompt: Invisibile meraviglia

Rating: General, Safe

Andromache had said the baby had started moving and kicking. Careful, Hector placed his palm, big, calloused from the sword and the spear, on the soft flesh of his wife's belly. It creased and gave in a little under his touch. 

"I don't feel anything."

"A little lower."

With gentle fingers, she took his wrist, pulling his hand just below her navel. "Here," she murmured, "can you feel our son?"

She was certain it would be a boy. The prospect filled Hector with joy and anticipation, a new, strange and thrilling feeling he had never experienced before; stronger than anything, stronger even than the ever present dread. 

A son. His firstborn, growing day by day in the warm darkness of Andromache's womb. A miracle. 

He pressed a little more onto Andromache’s belly and something pushed back against his hand, quick and tiny but unmistakable. Hector jerked his head up.

"I felt something."

 Andromache' dark and tender eyes crinkled with a small laughter, love and affection in every wrinkle. "Yes, I felt that too." She scrunched her nose in a little grimace. "And pretty clearly I must say. Our son will be strong."

"Our son," Hector repeated, voice filled with awe and devotion, bending over to press a kiss on Andromache’s womb.

Their son. It still sounded unreal, like the day she had taken him aside, as soon as he had returned from battle, and with a trembling voice told him the news. 

Still in bloody armour, Hector had twirled her around with such intensity to lift her from the ground, laughing brightly like he hadn't laughed in weeks. 

"I can't wait to meet him,” he murmured against Andromache's skin. "You heard that, baby? Your dad is impatient to meet you."

"And you won't if you aren't a little more careful out there."

Hector stilled, Andromache's accusation cutting through him worse than a blade. In seconds, the room went glacial like the sea in winter. 

"Andromache, we've been through this already."

His wife had always worried for his wellbeing but since the pregnancy it bordered on paranoia. The maids said she spent most of her time at the walls, anxiously checking the battlefield for any sign his beloved spouse may be in danger.

"Not enough apparently," she uttered, bitterly, adjusting better against the bed headboard. "What was that number you did today?"

"The men needed a little boost."

Charging with his chariot into the front line of the Achaiaens' troops had seemed a good way to lift back some spirits. 

"You could have died," she insisted. "It was foolish."

"Andromache ..."

He understood her, of course she was worried for him, war a strange and scary thing for her; because war wasn't her business and he would have appreciated a little more faith. She didn’t agree. 

“Don’t “Andromache” me. You want to make this child an orphan before he is even born?”

“Of course not.”

“Then be more careful.” By now it was a plea and her grip on his hands iron-like. She was crying but her gaze was unfaltering. “Promise me.”

“I -”

He couldn't. He couldn't stay in the rear, no matter how desperate the circumstance, leaving the fight to other men, not when he was the crown prince. Not when all the people in Ilium relied on him, their stronghold. It was his duty and he couldn't escape. He tried to free his hands to get up. Andromache prevented him.

“Promise me. At least until our son is born.”

Their son, for whom Hector prayed to the gods, and offered them rich sacrifices, for whom he was fighting each and every day. And he truly, truly wanted to meet him. Sometimes he dreamt of taking Andromache and leaving the city behind for somewhere safer. Then he caught himself and shame fell on him.

"I'm not asking you to not fight," Andromache's voice became gentler, her thumbs soothingly stroking the back of Hector's hands. "Just to not repeat an exploit like today. I may know little of war but there's a difference between being brave and being reckless. Your men, our people need you alive."

By the fire in her eyes, she wouldn't give up until he yielded. He hung his head.

"I promise."

"Thank you."

With a tired sigh, Andromache let herself fall into the pillows. Her hands cupped the baby-bump, protectively. 

“Please don’t be as stubborn as your father,” she breathed out in an exaggerated manner. “I already have enough worries.”

Hector huffed a small laugh. 

“Don’t listen to your mother. If there’s someone stubborn between us, that’s her.”

“Your mother simply wants your father still alive when you arrive. You agree with me, right, sweetheart? One kick for no, two for yes.”

Shaking his head, Hector indulged in his wife’s little bet. “What about no kick?”

“Of course. Now he decides to stay quiet after moving around all afternoon.” Then, lower, but not so much that he couldn’t hear. “Hey, little one, I’m the one carrying you. Don’t abandon me now.”

“I think he doesn’t want to be involved in our silly quarrels.”

“Then he’ll be wiser than the both of us.”

“Probably, my love.” Hector agreed, brushing a kiss against her lips before getting up. A dark cloud shaded Andromache’s beautiful face. “You have to go already? Stay here a little more.”

To see the ever present sadness come back in her eyes was heartbreaking. “Of course,” Hector wanted to say, “of course, I’ll have a bath and then we can spend the rest of the day together. I’m not going anywhere.”

“It’s only a war council,” he said instead, moving a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Grabbing his hand, Andromache pressed it to her cheek. “Try to be quick at least, would you?”

Hector kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to keep it short. Just pray that Polydamas isn’t in a disagreeing mood.”

“Polydamas is only trying to preserve some Trojans life. On that we are in perfect unison.”

“Alas, betrayed by my own wife,” Hector lamented, but jokingly,  the way he knew would make Andromache smile. She granted him a small one. 

“Your wife would sooner cut her own throat than betray you. Now go, I’ll be here when you come back.”