U.N.T.O.L.D

Chapter 2

"Cassandra, are you ready? We shall go to the temple!" Hector shouted from the gardens.

"I'm ready!" I shouted back, approaching him and smiling widely to my beloved older brother. He was our family's joy and my favorite brother, always ready to share a joke with me but always to give me advice should I have needed it.

Hector tried very hard to be close to all of us, both brothers and sisters. It was consistent with his friendly attitude but there was more to it: as the heir to the throne, it was important to him to be influential and listened to in our family. Even if he wasn't a man yet at that time, none of us dared to disobey him.

"This place is always so quiet, but you feel such an awe…" Hector murmured once we had gotten into the temple. From some time I had noticed that I didn't belonged to my family. I loved Hector dearly and I felt affection for my parents and siblings but that palace just wasn't my place. I only felt at home in Apollo's quiet temple.

"As with Apollo…" I answered without thinking, and Hector turned swiftly to me.

"What? Have you seen him?" he asked, bewildered.

"No. I… how to say that? Felt him"

"Felt? What does it mean?"

"I heard his voice and a sort of warm aura around me… but I was alone" I knew that it wasn't clear and that I seemed crazy but that was.

"And how do you know it was him?"

"I know, Hector."

I regarded him seriously, then murmured into his ear: "If I tell you a secret, do you promise you'll never tell anyone?" with the conspiracy tone that only a eight years old child could have.

"I can't promise anything like that, Cassandra" he smiled "if you told me that the city is in danger, for example, I ought to tell it to our father"

"The city in danger? Why should Troy be in danger?" I asked with a laugh. "No. I want to become his priestess. Do you think they will let me?"

"Yes, I think they will" he said confidently and I felt reassured: if Hector said that, then it was true.

"Has he asked that of you, Cassandra?"

"No. But I know that I belong here."

"And what did he say to you?"

"He said my name, several times. Then…" I was about to tell him about the snake but I hesitated.

"Yes?"

"You will not believe me" I said doubtfully.

"Come on, tell me!"

"In a corner there was a snake. He told me to caress it" I confessed, peeking at him.

"You did that?"

"Yes! I couldn't resist his voice"

"Weren't you afraid?" Hector sounded incredulous.

"Not at all! That was Apollo's snake, he wouldn't hurt me! Look" A snake lied in the corner and I approached it.

"Cassandra, are you sure you are allowed to do so?"

"Yes. Apollo told me that I must never be afraid of his sacred snakes because they have known me from a long time. I didn't understand the last part, though" I added, still confused by Apollo's words. Shrugging, I sat on the floor and gently caressed the snake. With a slow, sinuous movement the animal encircled my arm until he licked my ear, then he went back to its place in the corner.

"You see?" I smiled at Hector.

He was speechless and gaping: we went back to the palace without a word.

"Hector" i murmured as he polished his spear.

"Yes, Cassandra?"

"I want to ask our father's permission… to enter Apollo's temple. Would you accompany me? Please?"

I felt it was time. Some days previously I had had an epilepsy crisis – they had told me because I didn't remember it at all- and from that moment on I had been feeling Apollo's presence in my mind all the time. He didn't talk to me, he didn't seem to interfere with my thoughts but I knew that he was there. Occasionally I would feel a burst of emotion that came from his mind and not from mine. I just knew that I had to enter his temple.

"Of course!" he took my hand and we headed to Priam's quarters.

My father wasn't surprised to hear my wish:

"My daughter. Now the time has come for you to know that. Soon after your birth you were chosen by Apollo. One night, while you were sleeping in his temple as is the custom for newobrns, he sent a snake to lick your ear. From that moment on we have known that you would one day become his priestess. So yes, I give you my permission. You will enter as soon as possible"

So at twelve years of age I entered Apollo's temple.

The high priest, Laxani, was as old as Aesacus but they were completely different; while Hermes' priest was playful, extroverted and sweet, Laxani was serious and a bit grumpy. But he taught me about snakes and healing as well as about the rituals. Knowing what it meant to be chosen by a god, he wasn't awkward with me like other people were. Soon I understood that his grumpiness protected a somewhat fragile soul and I came to terms with his strange personality.

Soon after my arrival another girl came to the temple as a novice; her name was Myrrhine and she was just a bit younger than me and more shy and reserved. At first she treated me with awe because I was the king's daughter but after some time I managed to befriend her.