U.N.T.O.L.D

Chapter 10

"Achilles challenged me to a duel." Hector told me one day, several years later.

I shivered and looked at him. The moment I had been dreading for years would soon come...

"I'm not surprised, since I killed Patroclus in battle. Though, my word, I had no idea that it was him. He was wearing Achilles' armor and fighting with such intensity..."

Hector shook his head. He had been shocked upon finding out that he had killed Patroclus and not Achilles. Prior to the war, Patroclus had been our guest for some time and there had been rumors that he might even marry one of my sisters.

"Are you going to accept the challenge?" I asked pointlessly.

"I must. I am no coward" he answered.

"He's so angry that Patroclus is dead, he might... he might..." I whispered.

"Kill me? The gods shall decide my fate: if I am to die I will, no matter what. The inexorable Atropos will cut my thread when she pleases. I will do my best" he said.

After he was gone, I sat on my bed for a long time, wishing that the earth could swallow me.

There was nothing I could do to change this, there was nobody I could completely open my heart to. And my city, my rich, open, loud city, was becoming from day to day more miserable and poor.

Even in the temple I was alone: Laxani had died years before, Myrrhine had decided to leave Apollo's service and marry.

My life was nothing more than survival.

(3rd person pov)

The night before the duel, Apollo silently watched Hector's sleeping figure.

"It is time for you to know, prince" he said softly, entering Hector's dream "You are not meant to outlive this duel. But I know you will be brave as you always are and you will fight all the same. Go say good-bye to your sister, my priestess. She knows." That said, he disappeared into the night.

(Cassandra's pov)

I did not want to attend the duel because I had seen it so many times in my mind that the only idea of it turned my stomach. But Andromache might need me, besides not attending such an event would be frowned upon.

That morning I woke up after an almost restless night. I felt a strong desire to visit my brother, to tell him good-bye, but to what use?

I was wearing my cloak when I heard his voice from behind me.

"Cassandra"

Hector stood there and regarded me attentively, knowingly: I understood that he knew.

I looked at him for a long moment, trying to memorize the spark of his eyes, the slight curve of his mouth while he smiled, the way he walked, his voice.

I fought back the tears and hugged him silently, knowing what was to come.

"Take care of yourself, Cassandra. Promise me" he said.

"I promise." I answered. Hector left me without another word.

I headed towards the walls, expecting to see my family there. And there they were: my father, old but still majestic, my mother, whose life seemed entwined to Priam's, Deiphobus, pacing, Paris and Polyxena, who shot me equally disdainful glares, and Andromache, who smiled at me. Obviously, she didn't know: Hector was too generous to share such a burden with her.

Aside from the others stood Helen and, at a short distance, Aesacus and Helenus. Without even thinking, I went to stand between Aesacus and Helen - the way it always was in my nightmares. Helen caressed my arm while Aesacus looked at me with that piercing gaze of his, his blue eyes gently searching my soul.

Left to Aesacus, Helenus gave me that stern look of his and nodded in acknowledgement. I wasn't surprised to see him there: word had reached me that he had ceased his seclusion, much due to Aesacus' efforts.

Meanwhile, Hector had gotten out of the doors and stood in the plain, in front of Achilles.

The duel began. Hector was bold but it was clear to me that Achilles was stronger than him and more aggressive, furious for Patroclos' death. The Achaean constantly attacked while my brother did his best to defend himself.

Then Achilles lifted his spear over his head and I froze: that was exactly the same scene I kept seeing in my dreams. I knew what a terrible sight we were about to behold and I gripped Aesacus' hand so tightly that he turned to me with a gasp.

"Cassandra, what..." the question died in his throat as it happened.

The spear hit my brother's neck and blood spilled. Hector fell on his knees and Achilles towered over him, pushing the spear deeper.

I felt dizzy and the sounds and voices around me became an unintelligible hum. I couldn't take my eyes off Hector, coughing and gasping for air., until his body fell on the ground, still spilling blood. I could hear Helen's soft sobbing and Andromache's muffled cry as if it were coming from afar.

We stood there, frozen, as the Achaeans rejoiced and my brother died. We stood there as Achilles tied Hector's body to his chariot and started riding. Pain stabbed me like a knife, so violent that I felt Apollo whirling in my mind: apparently, my shock had reached him.

"My child" Aesacus murmured gently "don't look, don't do this to yourself"

I didn't tell him that I had actually already seen all of that. I just let him take me away, to my family, where my father was speechless while my mother and sisters were crying. I sat next to Andromache, stroking her hair, not knowing what to say. As much as I wanted it, I could not bring myself to cry.

"You are as cold as a stone, Cassandra" Polyxena hissed from somewhere. I didn't even bother answering or acknowledging her words. "You don't even shed a tear for your own brother!"

I wanted to hit her but I tried to restrain my anger, knowing that she was distressed. Polyxena believed what one shows and what one felt to be the same. She could not understand that one could be in pain and still not cry.

"Polyxena, please, don't do this to your sister" Aesacus' unsteady voice said from behind me. "Don't you know how much Cassandra and Hector cared for each other? Your sister is just shocked" and thankfully she kept silent.

I don't know for how long I sat there. Andromache didn't seem to have any tears left. My parents looked so shocked that they seemed unaware of what was going on around them. Helen was covering her mouth with her hand, gaze blank.

My mother suddenly came to her senses and suggested to escort Andromache back to the palace.

Andromache stood obediently, my mother and Helen promptly taking her arms.

I wondered whether I should follow them to the palace. Andromache might need help but I couldn't even bring myself to open my mouth right now.

Then I felt Aesacus gently tugging at my arm.

"Let's get you and Helenus to Hermes' temple"

The temple was fresh and quiet as it had been during my childhood.

Sitting at the old wooden table while Aesacus fetched something to drink, I realized that this time it wasn't a vision. This time, it was the real thing. Soon, my city's destruction and Ajax' r**e would become real too. I had grown so used to my vision over time that I had believed I was prepared for what was to come. But now that it was real, I was terrified.

I accepted Aesacus' words of comfort and his decoction, that made me slightly sleepy. But my mind was elsewhere.

While Helenus accompanied me back to Apollo's temple, I couldn't help but thinking about Hector's body. I knew they would not give it back to us so easily, but I honestly couldn't handle that too.

There was only one thing I could do:

"O Apollo, let him have a decent funeral, wherever it will be. This is all I ask of you.”