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It won't be long until the sun sets, and though Hektor trusts Eetion's household to care for his horse, it does not stop him from wanting to check on Xanthus himself. One of the stable staff directs him towards the pasture, saying they won't be bringing in the animals until sundown. It's a bit of a trek to the field, bright with springtime lush grazing grasses. Hektor finds all the horses clustered together.
A herd, perhaps, but they're packed far more tightly than they should be for something natural. And Xanthus is among them, his head tossing high. The motion is followed by a bright laugh, the sound of sunshine itself. Hektor's attention is drawn to the form of of a girl sitting astride another horse like the dappled clouds. She laughs again, reaching for something in her hiked skirts to feed to Xanthus and his fellows.
"Enough, enough! Wait your turn, all of you!"
It's clear that the horses adore her, even Xanthus who has only just encountered the girl. He is nosing at her hand still, searching for more morsels. The girl laughs again, just as the wind captures a few of her loose curls and lifts them just long enough to gild them in the sunlight. She leans forward to stroke her horse's neck - a stallion, Hektor thinks from this distance - and as she rises, her head turns, just slightly. Just enough to catch sight of him on the edge of the field.
"Oh!"
It's just barely loud enough that Hektor can hear it. And loud enough for her horse too, which reacts to the sound. Hektor would almost think it had startled, if not for the fact that he swears the animal had looked at him before racing off in the opposite direction, taking the young woman with it. She flashes past, hands fisting into her horse's mane in a desperate attempt to hold on.
If any of his sisters had been in such a situation, Hektor would fear for their safety, especially if they were to fall. So he launches into action, calling for Xanthus and swinging himself onto the horse's back in heartbeats. The girl is still in sight when he begins to race after her, pushing Xanthus into a gallop.
Her horse is fast, at a canter but almost too quick for Xanthus to catch up with the pair. But he does, and Hektor calls out. "Are you alright? I did not mean to startle you!"
"I am just fine, thank you! Leave me be!"
"I cannot until I am sure of your safety, milady! Please at least allow me to help get your horse under control!"
She flashes him a dark look over her shoulder. "Podargus is already under control, sir. This is part of his training." But she does slow her horse to a walk.
If not for his lingering worry, Hektor would laugh. "Running off in a mad dash is part of his training?"
"No, of course not. Taking me from a potentially dangerous situation is. Courtesy of my brother."
"Your brother?"
She lifts her chin, eyes flashing. "Podes, son of Eetion."
Of course she is the sister his friend had spoken so fondly of. "I know him. I am Hektor, Prince of Ilion. Friend of Podes."
She makes a considering hum. "I am Andromache. You should go back. They will be waiting for you."
"At least let me escort you back." She opens her mouth to refute his plea. "Please."
Andromache remains silent for a long moment, watching him. "Very well. If you insist. And …" A pause. "If you can keep up."
She makes a short, sharp vocalization and then her stallion launches into motion, wheeling back around the way they came. A thrum of delight races through Hektor. Clever woman. He'll say as much when he catches up to her. And then he urges Xanthus into a gallop as well. If the Princess wants to race, he'll race.
She glances over her shoulder at him, laughing brightly. He grins back at her. "My sisters would love you, Princess!" He has to shout to make himself heard with the distance and the pounding of hooves, but it's worth it. "That was bold of you!"
He doesn't know what it is he said to make her react so, but she stops short with a tug on Podargus' mane. Within moments, Xanthus has stopped at her side and Hektor twists to look at her. She's looking down at her hands.
"My apologies, Prince Hektor."
He frowns. "For what?"
"That is not how a woman of my status should behave. It is unseemly. I should not even have spoken with you without my father or brothers present and aware of it."
"You have nothing to apologize for. And if you worry for what anyone might say, we need not speak of it. It can be a secret between us. Not as royalty, but as two people fond of horses."
Andromache tilts her head. "I think I would like that. Now you really should go on ahead. It is no surprise to anyone that I am with the horses, but if you were to return at the same time as me it may cast suspicion upon us. I do not need an escort from here, we are within sight of the estate."
Hektor dips his head. "As you wish. I trust your judgement within your own home. Until the next time, Andromache, sister of Podes."
She flushes pink and Hektor chuckles, even as he clicks his tongue to encourage Xanthus forward.