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„Hector.“
„I have to leave.“
„Hector!“
„Look around Andromache, look around. I need to lead my men.“
“I’m so helpless without you Hector, if you must go; I beg you, keep a low profile in battle, and don’t go into the leadership. I beg you.”
“They told me to lead. I must lead them, it is my duty as a honorable warrior to lead my men and defent the walls of Ilium at the front.”
Andromache gazed up to him from wet, bright eyes, tears streaming down the soft pink skin of her cheeks as she cradled their son in her arms.
Hector looked at her compassionately, took off the heavy helmet of his head and placed it on the ground next to him. He took a step towards his wife and their son, took the child in his arms and gently cradled it with a low hum; he smiled softly at him and bent down for a small kiss on the forehead of their son Skamandrios, called Astyanax by the Trojan people. He handed the child back into the arms of his mother, she held him close against her chest and placed her free hand on Hector’s arm, caressing her husband’s warm skin with her thumb.
“Look at where you are, the fact that you are alive is a miracle, just to stay alive that would be enough”, she whispered in a trembling voice.
Hector put his hand on her cheek and wiped away her tears with his thumb. Andromache looked up at him from bright eyes that looked at him with such honest love and such pain that Hector’s heart contracted painfully in his chest.
“Oh Andromache. Don’t make my decision harder than it already is. I have to leave. I have to go into battle, they’re relying on me. It is the fate which had drawn this for me. There is nothing I can't do against it”, he explained gently in a warm voice, in his tone lay a heavy sadness. "I need to protect Ilium. It's oure home, I want you to be safe here."
Andromache nodded and put her hand around his wrist: “Promise me not to make your son an orphan and your wife a widow that would be enough.”
“I promise you Andromache, as sure as I’m standing here, I’ll be back. Just wait for me here.”
Hector leaned down to her and put his lips tenderly on hers. Andromache kissed him back with bittersweet sorrow and closed her eyes.
Emotionally and lovingly their lips moved against each other, not wanting to accept the farewell as true and not wanting it to happen at all.
It took a long time for the lovers to separate from each other. Andromache chased his lips but Hector took a step back, smiling at her sadly but determinedly. He lifted his helmet from the ground and put it on.
Andromache knew at that moment that her husband had made a decision that would seal the fate and leave her alone.
The foreboding to their fate hit her hard as she realized it, she stepped forward, wanted to reach for him, but her husband turned around and faced her with his back.
He went along the corridors of the palace.
Away from her and their son.
About to leave the save walls from Ilium.
“Wait for me Andromache. I love you.” She heard him saying.
“Hector. No!” Mourning she screamed after him, not even trying to stop the tears falling down her cheeks anymore. Their son began to cry in her arms. It all has been too much for the baby and she couldn’t blame him, she could understand it so well.
She closed her eyes; her body trembled as she tries to hold back more tears.
"I am waiting for you, my love. Please come back to me. I feel so helpless without you in this cruel war. You’re all I have left, Hector. I love you.” She whispered and allowed herself to broke down.
History has it's eyes on you.