Achilles&Briseis: A Novel

Chapter 12

Andromache lounged on a low bench covered with wide, fat cushions. Her swollen belly jiggled as the babe inside moved. The expectant mother smiled and laid her hand softly over the top of her stomach. Hector had married rather late in life for a prince at the age of forty–one, his bride was much younger, closer in age to Briseis rather than to her husband. The couple had been married for three years and this was their first child.

Briseis smiled but a lump formed in her heart. Back in Pedasus Lavda would be nearing her time and Briseis felt guilty for not being there. With Lavda's history of miscarriages Briseis would have felt much better being by her side. Not that her presence would force the babe to come out with no complications but it was nice to think. By the time Briseis got back to her city, Lavda would be waiting with a baby or needing much comfort.

"I can't wait to present Hector with a son. Just three more months before I see my son!"

"You're confident it's a son? Hector would be no less pleased with a daughter; after waiting so long for the right bride waiting for a son shouldn't be any trouble." Briseis smiled as she mopped the morning sweat from Andromache's brow, the heat was rising steadily as summer approached.

"I am," she laughed. "I had a vision the day I married Hector that I would give him a son."

"You are lucky to hear from the gods." Briseis dipped the cloth in the cool water.

"Are you seeking an answer from them?"

"I am. In my case they are silent."

"Go to the temple of Apollo. We have the best priests for miles."

"Perhaps I will," Briseis said while thinking she'd had her fill of priests.

"I've heard of the wall you're building back home. Such an ambitious project; I don't know how you could do such things. My father would beat me for even suggesting I do something so unbecoming of a princess."

Briseis decided to change the subject. Her time in Troy let her see how different she was from the other royals. Especially the women, as the sole heir she was given a degree of freedom, even for an illegitimate daughter, which others could only dream of. "Tell me of the lost prince. Was he kidnapped? I never paid much attention to dynamic of the Trojan family. Not even when I was engaged to one of its sons."   

Andromache picked a grape up off her plate and popped it in her mouth. "King Priam was told by the head priest of Apollo that the new baby would bring the destruction of Troy, and the only way to prevent this was to kill him. To the people it was told the boy was kidnapped but those in the palace, servants and family alike knew the truth. Priam couldn't go through with it of course so he came up with a different solution. He gave the babe to a man they pulled off the street and told him to do the deed. This way Priam wouldn't have his son's blood on his hands even though at the time he truly believed in the prophecy. As you can see the man to whom the babe was given raised him instead."

Briseis scoffed. "How could one man bring about the downfall of the greatest kingdom the world has ever known? It's ridiculous."

Andromache took a sip of wine. "Exactly! It would take more than that to ruin this place. The king and queen have even less patience with priests since the doom never happened. About ten years after he'd given away his son, Priam had the priest who'd given the prophecy banished."

Brisies motioned for a servant in the back. "More cool water for the Princess." She handed off the old bowl and the servant hurried away. "How did they reconnect? Surely the prince didn't know his true identity."

"No." Andromache took another drink of her wine. "Of course not. It was a trick of fate really. Alexander came back into the family at the festival nearly a year ago which many of the bull herders in the kingdom attended. Whoever presented the best bull would be put in charge of the king's own herds since the last master of the cattle died. Anyway Alexander and the man who raised him showed at the feast with the most worthy offering. At first the king didn't recognize the man he'd charged with disposing of his son so many years ago. The man had lost an arm and an eye, the passing of time hadn't been kind to him at all. The man was barely recognizable visually but he had a very distinctive voice. One day Paris–I'm sorry, Alexander, the royal family prefer he be called by the name they gave him and not the common name the bull herder did. He still prefers the common name though. Alexander wasn't around to speak to the king and the false father was left no choice but to answer his questions and then King Priam made the connection." 

"So he invited Alexander back into the family then and there?" Briseis asked.

Andromache shook her head. "No. King Priam is a cautious man. He's had to be since he came into the kingdom in such ghastly circumstances. The baby prince had a very distinctive birth mark on the side of his head, a reddish mark in the shape of a dove. A perfect dove too, not just a vague impression so the mark would be impossible to fake. The king ordered Alexander to shave his head before him and the mark was there. From then on he was welcomed back." 

"What of his character? Is he much like Hector or his father?"

"In some ways like both and in others none," Andromache sighed but it wasn't out of weariness. Her eyes also changed, to what though Briseis couldn't say. "Let's just say that many members of the royal family and palace staff would rather the lost prince stay lost. Not the king and queen of course and they very much dislike anyone saying so but..." the Princess of Troy chewed her lip.  

"If you are worried about telling me you need not speak of it longer. When Alexander returns I can judge his character myself."

Andromache looked grateful for Briseis dropping the topic. Her stomach moved as the baby kicked hard.

"He will be a strong one," Andromache smiled while rubbing her stomach.