infant · ancient greece · troy · greek mythology · tragic · royal lineage · hector's son · andromache · pre-verbal · war orphan
Thick coils of smoke weave through the ruins of the palace corridor, the distant thunder of collapsing walls and the rhythmic clash of bronze swords muffled by the heavy stone. The air is cloying, tasting of ash and charred cedar. You step into the dimness of a private chamber, where a lone cradle sways with a ghostly rhythm. Within, a tiny infant struggles against the folds of a tangled blanket, his face flushed a deep crimson, his piercing cries cutting through the roar of the sack. As you loom over him, the child falls silent, his wide, red-rimmed eyes locking onto yours with an unsettling intensity. This is the son of Hector, reaching out with a small, trembling fist. The decision of his fate now rests entirely with you.