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Jul. 24th, 2007 03:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hippodamio"Sir," said the servant, who stood swaying at the door-frame as he tried to catch his breath, "you must come quickly. It is your sister."
For all that Hektor had many sisters, the servant could only mean one, and he knew it. Hektor nodded once and gestured for the other man to go about his business. He could find his way to her bedside of his own- but she was not there when he arrived, to his surprise. It was only a lucky glance out a window into the high-walled courtyard that kept him from wasting further time. Two of the princess's serving-women had taken her outside on a dark cornel-wood litter, perhaps to catch the slanting rays of the afternoon sun. Certainly the litter sat in the exact center of the golden light that came streaming over the walls. It was as good an omen as any they had had lately; and when Hektor saw that the figure in the litter was sitting up, it was all he could do not to leap for the window itself.
By the time he reached the courtyard, Kassandra was sitting up in truth, holding her twin Hellenus' hands in a death-strong grip. The boy's hands were white as cheese where she squeezed them, though that was no more pale than her face as she struggled with some great thing that wanted saying. Hektor looked a question at his brother, but Hellenus had eyes only for Kassandra; when Hektor lifted his gaze away he caught the eye of his father, dressed still in his best things. Someone had summoned him away from the audience-hall for this.
A short, croaking gasp split the evening quiet. There was no more question of looking away. Kassandra's moon-pale face creased with terrible effort, and she spoke; but there was no sense in it, no word Hektor had ever known. Only a string of sounds, the words falling to ruin like a cracked earthen jar. The gibberish paused, and he thought of a Median he had seen in fits in the marketplace, but she had sense yet in her eyes. . .
"She says it was Apollo who struck her," said Hellenus, voice hushed.
Priam came forward a half-step. "She speaks nonsense, boy-"
"I say that she says Apollo struck her, father!" snapped Hellenus, his words too sharp by far for a boy his age. "I know what she is saying! This is a thing between us, and has been since we two were born- would you send her silent again after all this time? She speaks, I tell you!"
The king drew himself up, shoulders squaring and dark eyes blazing. Hektor touched his father's arm, pointing in silence to the serving-women. One had her hand up in the sign against evil; the other, older by far and Phrygian-born, clutched at the little bronze Goddess she wore always about her neck. Priam bit back his reprimand and looked to the struggling Kassandra with such gentleness as he could muster. It was not much, but it was enough; she drew a great shuddering breath and spoke again, meaningless rattling syllables.
There was meaning enough for Hellenus in them. As his sister spoke, he said, "Apollo offered her a great gift, if only she would vow him her service always, him and no other. Three times he offered, in a dream she had three nights running." Kassandra swallowed, nodded; there were tears in her eyes. "She says that the vow was very great, and too heavy for her. But she wanted the gift."
Hektor sucked in a hissing breath. It did not do, to reach for a god's gift and not repay them according to their desires.
"She says she got a slave-girl, and dressed her in her own clothes, and offered her to the temple instead," relayed Hellenus. "And she thought the god was pleased enough. But when the priests took the girl away, the god struck her down with a great clap of light. She cannot speak to anyone else now, for having spoken false before the god."
The prickle of holy fear that raced up Hektor's back was not alone; he knew, without looking, that his father and the assembled servants were doing much the same. It was not every day that one saw the hand of the gods revealed so plainly. Kassandra turned pleading eyes to her father then, and then to Hektor. With a shudder, she spoke another string of meaningless sounds before sagging limply back against her litter. Hellenus dropped her hand, staring at his sister's form, his eyes wide with horror.
"What is it, boy?" Priam said when he found his voice. "What did she say?"
"The gods will call again," said Hellenus, his words thick and slow. "Before the son our mother carries is grown to manhood. . ."
He looked to his father and brother, just for a moment, before looking back to his sister's still form.
"And it will not be Kassandra that they ask for."
For all that Hektor had many sisters, the servant could only mean one, and he knew it. Hektor nodded once and gestured for the other man to go about his business. He could find his way to her bedside of his own- but she was not there when he arrived, to his surprise. It was only a lucky glance out a window into the high-walled courtyard that kept him from wasting further time. Two of the princess's serving-women had taken her outside on a dark cornel-wood litter, perhaps to catch the slanting rays of the afternoon sun. Certainly the litter sat in the exact center of the golden light that came streaming over the walls. It was as good an omen as any they had had lately; and when Hektor saw that the figure in the litter was sitting up, it was all he could do not to leap for the window itself.
By the time he reached the courtyard, Kassandra was sitting up in truth, holding her twin Hellenus' hands in a death-strong grip. The boy's hands were white as cheese where she squeezed them, though that was no more pale than her face as she struggled with some great thing that wanted saying. Hektor looked a question at his brother, but Hellenus had eyes only for Kassandra; when Hektor lifted his gaze away he caught the eye of his father, dressed still in his best things. Someone had summoned him away from the audience-hall for this.
A short, croaking gasp split the evening quiet. There was no more question of looking away. Kassandra's moon-pale face creased with terrible effort, and she spoke; but there was no sense in it, no word Hektor had ever known. Only a string of sounds, the words falling to ruin like a cracked earthen jar. The gibberish paused, and he thought of a Median he had seen in fits in the marketplace, but she had sense yet in her eyes. . .
"She says it was Apollo who struck her," said Hellenus, voice hushed.
Priam came forward a half-step. "She speaks nonsense, boy-"
"I say that she says Apollo struck her, father!" snapped Hellenus, his words too sharp by far for a boy his age. "I know what she is saying! This is a thing between us, and has been since we two were born- would you send her silent again after all this time? She speaks, I tell you!"
The king drew himself up, shoulders squaring and dark eyes blazing. Hektor touched his father's arm, pointing in silence to the serving-women. One had her hand up in the sign against evil; the other, older by far and Phrygian-born, clutched at the little bronze Goddess she wore always about her neck. Priam bit back his reprimand and looked to the struggling Kassandra with such gentleness as he could muster. It was not much, but it was enough; she drew a great shuddering breath and spoke again, meaningless rattling syllables.
There was meaning enough for Hellenus in them. As his sister spoke, he said, "Apollo offered her a great gift, if only she would vow him her service always, him and no other. Three times he offered, in a dream she had three nights running." Kassandra swallowed, nodded; there were tears in her eyes. "She says that the vow was very great, and too heavy for her. But she wanted the gift."
Hektor sucked in a hissing breath. It did not do, to reach for a god's gift and not repay them according to their desires.
"She says she got a slave-girl, and dressed her in her own clothes, and offered her to the temple instead," relayed Hellenus. "And she thought the god was pleased enough. But when the priests took the girl away, the god struck her down with a great clap of light. She cannot speak to anyone else now, for having spoken false before the god."
The prickle of holy fear that raced up Hektor's back was not alone; he knew, without looking, that his father and the assembled servants were doing much the same. It was not every day that one saw the hand of the gods revealed so plainly. Kassandra turned pleading eyes to her father then, and then to Hektor. With a shudder, she spoke another string of meaningless sounds before sagging limply back against her litter. Hellenus dropped her hand, staring at his sister's form, his eyes wide with horror.
"What is it, boy?" Priam said when he found his voice. "What did she say?"
"The gods will call again," said Hellenus, his words thick and slow. "Before the son our mother carries is grown to manhood. . ."
He looked to his father and brother, just for a moment, before looking back to his sister's still form.
"And it will not be Kassandra that they ask for."
