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She croons to the boy, a soft lullaby of a song as he sleeps within the circle of her arms. She had had to sing him to sleep with his colic, a condition that had all but brought her to tears along with her son. She keeps singing, hoping desperately that the sounds he so loves will send her boy's wails into naught but memory upon his waking.
That he will return to the bright, sunny child she adores. She loves him still, of course, but it pains her to see him cry and cry and be able to do nothing for him. Andromache ducks her head to press a kiss to her son's hair, a patch of sunlight streams onto them from the corridor windows at the same moment.
Scamandrius whines, curling away from it into her chest. She shushes him, bouncing the boy in her arms before continuing her song. She hadn't paid attention to which hallways she was entering, would have avoided this one if she had. But it's too late now that he's reacted to the sunbeam.
Either he'll fall back asleep, or he'll wake. He shifts again, waving one tiny fist in the air. Andromache knows what's about to happen even before his face scrunches up in a wail. Andromache bites her lip as she adjusts the babe in her arm, bouncing him and beginning to pace before the window. Oh how she wishes he was able to speak, so he could just tell her what he needed. So she could give her baby whatever he requires to feel better. She bows her head over him, blinking back tears.
"Oh darling please, please help me here. What do you need? What's wrong, my heart? You've refused food, sleep hasn't helped, oh, what is it? I just want to help you, child mine."
There's a call from behind her. "Andromache." It's Hektor's voice.
He's not normally inside the walls at this hour, and she almost slumps to hear him. In relief, but also in dismay that he will have seen her failure. But when she turns, he doesn't look at all upset or disappointed in her qualities as a mother. Simply furrows his brow at the sight of her face and beckons to her.
"Come, dear one." She doesn't need him to ask twice, just hurries over over and lets him wrap his arms around her and the squalling babe. "What's wrong, daimonie?"
She sniffs, fighting back tears of frustration. "He won't stop crying and I don't know what wrong. I'm a terrible mother."
A hand strokes at her bound-back hair. "No you're not, Andromache. Of course you aren't. You love him, and he loves you." He presses a kiss to her brow, then steps back so he has enough space to peer at the babe. "Isn't that right, Scamandrius? Are you being difficult for your mother?"
The cries stop. Scamandrius begins to laugh, shoving his arms up between them to grab for Hektor's face and beard. Both of them stare for a long moment before Andromache breaks into disbelieving laughter. All he had wanted was his father? Hektor too joins in after a moment, Scamandrius' gleeful giggles above them.
Hektor plucks the child from her arms, all concern vanished from his face and replaced with paternal joy. "Oh, my boy, all you wanted is me? You gave your dear mother so much trouble because I was not here? Shame on you," he says in a voice amused mock-anger. "Andromache deserves better than that."
She smiles at the sight, wiping away the lingering tears. "Don't lecture him too much, dearest. The boy is entitled to want his father's time. I only wish he had told me so."
Hektor laughs and shifts the boy to one arm so he can put the other around her waist. "Well he'll be pleased to know that I have you both for the rest of today."
Andromache beams, resting her head on his shoulder. "A walk, then?"
"That's just what I was thinking, my love. The courtyard looks quite inviting in the sunlight."
Scamandrius, of course, babbles away as his parents walk arm in arm down the corridor, detailing his day and every other detail he can to his father in his half-gibberish baby talk. Making the most of this time. Andromache hopes that the next time he's desperate for his father's return that she'll be able to grant his wish.
But today, today he can be happy in his father's arms, the three of them laughing in the warm sunshine. The baby, in childlike wonder. The parents, in relief that the problem was so easily solved. The joyful hours that follow are a relief to them all, laughter glowing as bright as the sun.