that's what you said last night.
and the night before? helen continues removing the flowers from her hair but she cannot hide a half-smile.
do you want me to go? his hands are on her now, sliding down her bare neck, down her back, resting on her hips. his mouth is very close to her ear. helen closes her eyes.
where should i go? she kisses him back now and there's a hunger in her kisses, something close to violence in her desire. she lifts off his tunic and pulls him nearer.
i have something for you. from his tunic he pulls a necklace of baby pearls threaded with silver. he sits beside her in bed.
pearls from the sea of propontis. paris strings the pearls around her neck.
don't be afraid of him.
you don't have to fear tomorrow. helen watches him, unsure what he means.
come with me. for a long moment they stare into each other's eyes.
if you come we'll never be safe. men will hunt us and the gods will curse us. but i'll love you. until the day they burn my body i will love you. helen stares into paris' eyes, contemplating the impossible.
i have no trouble sleeping on the seas. the sea nymphs sing lullabies to me.
tonight? tonight was the fisherman's wife. a lovely creature.
he's more concerned with the fish. paris smiles and starts to walk away but hector holds him.
for peace.
what does this have to do with the fisherman's wife? hector seizes paris's face between the palms of his hand. not a violent gesture, exactly, but not gentle, either.
a beautiful morning. poseidon has blessed our voyage. hector looks at the blue sky for a moment.
do you love me, brother? hector rests his knife on the deck and smiles.
i need to show you something. paris walks toward the staircase leading inside the ship. hector watches him for a few seconds and then follows.
before you get angry with me --
hector -- hector is already out the door. helen looks at paris.
i don't want peace. i want you.
wait, wait. hector spins on his brother.
listen to me -- hector shoves his brother backwards. the older brother's physical power is obvious. sailors watch in awed silence.
i love her. the muscles in hector's jaw bulge against his cheeks.
may i speak? what you say is true. i've wronged you. i've wronged our father. if you want to bring helen back to sparta, so be it. but i go with her.
then i'll die fighting. hector laughs bitterly. he grabs the collar of paris's tunic.
no.
no. hector's face is flushed with anger. paris tries to look away but hector won't let him.
all the same, i go with her. hector releases his brother. he stares at the sea.
i won't ask you to fight my war. hector shakes his head, still staring into the waves.
father, this -- is helen. helen bows her head, paying respect.
helen of troy. if priam is disturbed by this revelation, his face doesn't betray it. he leans forward and kisses the former queen on both cheeks. helen didn't know what to expect -- she's flustered and gratified at the same time.
briseis! beloved cousin, your beauty grows with each new moon. briseis, cheeks flushing, dips her knees in deference. hector approaches her now, arms open. briseis's face lights up. she hugs the eldest prince. hector kisses the top of her head.
what if we left? tonight, right now, what if we went down to the stables, took two horses and left. ride east, keep riding --
away from here. i could hunt deer, rabbit. i could feed us.
you left your home for me.
we'll live off the land. no more palaces for us, no more servants. we don't need any of that.
we'd be protecting my family! if we're not here there's no need for a war.
he doesn't know these lands. i do. we can lose ourselves in a day. helen stands and kisses him on the lips.
then i'll make it easy for him to find me. i'll walk right up to him and tell him you're mine. helen wraps her arms around paris and rests her chin on his shoulder.
we're the same age!
there won't be a war. this is not a conflict of nations. it's a dispute between two men. and i don't want to see another trojan die because of me.
tomorrow morning i will challenge menelaus for the right to helen. the winner will take her home. the loser will burn before nightfall. paris leaves the room. the others sit in stunned silence.
father, i.  i'm sorry for the pain i've caused you. i --
you're a great king because you love your country so much. every blade of grass, every grain of sand, every rock in the river -- you love all of troy. that's the way i love helen. priam nods and contemplates the goddess of beauty.
the sword of troy.
i started this war. paris searches the faces atop the city wall. he finds helen. close on helen. the wind is blowing hard, ruffling her cloak, her hair. there is love in her eyes, and fear and exhaustion. paris stares up at her for a long time before turning away. a low, ominous rumble grows steadily louder. hector hears it first. he looks down the vast sloping field toward the sea. now the other soldiers hear it, and then the citizens atop the walls. all speech ceases. the trojans quietly wait. the rumbling resolves into the steady beat of war drums.
the sun was shining when your wife left you. menelaus draws his sword. he points it at the city walls.
there is another way. everyone watches paris now.
i love helen. i won't give her up. and neither will you. so let's fight our own battle. let the winner take helen home, and that will be the end of it.
hector! hector waits. paris opens his mouth but no words come out. he tries again.
if i fall -- tell helen -- tell her --
don't let menelaus hurt her. make him swear --
no. no.
you think i'm a coward. helen, concentrating on her stitching, says nothing. paris flinches as the needle pierces his skin.
i am a coward. i knew he would kill me. i knew it. you were watching, and my father, my brother, all of troy -- it didn't matter. the shame didn't matter. i gave up my pride, my honor. just to live.
i betrayed you. helen inspects her work. the black stitches are a little ragged, but they seem secure.
i wanted to make you proud of me. he grips paris' shoulder.
you're the best man i know.
i think we should burn it.
burn it, father. archeptolemus ignores paris and speaks directly to priam.
look at them. you'd think their prince had never died. helen takes his hand.
i stay.
my father will never abandon the city. i can't leave him.
what's your name?
do you know how to use a sword? aeneas nods. paris pulls out the sword of troy.
the sword of troy. i wasn't so good with it, but it's a fine sword. as long as it's in a trojan's hand, our people have a future. protect them, aeneas. find them a new home.
i'll find her. andromache kisses him. she turns and leads the way through the tunnel. the trojans follow. aeneas bows to paris and helps his father as their long journey begins.
go.
how could you love me if i ran now?
we will be together again. in this world or the next, we will be together. he kisses her hard, pushes her through the door and closes it. he kisses the wood, turns and runs toward the battle.