U.N.T.O.L.D

Chapter 7

(Cassandra's pov)

A moment later – or so it seemed to me- I felt like I couldn't move or speak anymore. I didn't even know where I was and I could just observe what was going on in front of me.

The tall man called Ajax ripped my dress and touched my body with rough, calloused hands.

I fought back with fists and nails but he was too strong. "Don't be mean, princess! Remember, you are our slave now" Ajax exclaimed with a horrible laugh.

I was in Agamemnon's palace. I heard him scream from the bathroom. And then Clytemnestra's long figure entered the room, holding a knife. I tried to run but the tall, muscular Achaean guard stopped me so that I couldn't move anymore. The cold metal was cutting the skin at my throat…I couldn't even manage to scream. Only a moan escaped from my lips.

And more than that – Apollo was gone. I didn't feel his presence in my head anymore. I was so used to it that I couldn't bear his absence. I had wanted for him to get out of my head, forgetting that the links between Olympians and their priests are not easily undone. I felt like I had lost an arm. I would've preferred to feel his full anger. He had abandoned me, disregarded me.

After a long time I heard a quiet voice calling me from afar: "Cassandra, it's me. Don't be afraid, my child.

It sounded like Aesacus, his voice low and reassuring.

A warm hand took my own, cold one. This was certainly Aesacus: he had an old scar on his palm and I could trace it with my fingers.

I gripped his hand, not knowing whether I was still having visions or not.

"There you go, my dear, hold my hand. Now open your eyes, please." he cooed.

I hadn't realized they were closed. When I complied I was rewarded with Aesacus' blurred face and blue sparkling eyes in front of me. I blinked several times but I couldn't focus.

"It's alright, Cassandra. You were just dreaming." His quiet voice reassured me and I wanted him to keep talking.

"You have kept flailing and screaming for almost a day now. Now you should try to rest, you need…" I interrupted him with a whimper. He didn't know- and I couldn't tell him- that I wasn't able to sleep, that the visions would come back.

"Shh, Cassandra, listen to me. Try to sleep. I will stay right here and I will wake you up should you become agitated again"

I trusted him so much that I just closed my eyes, still holding his hand.

Troy was on fire. Achaean soldiers ran all over the city, killing men, women and children in the process, setting fire on the houses. I began to scream.

"Cassandra, wake up!" Aesacus said shaking me. I opened my eyes and found myself sitting on my bed while he was still holding my shoulders.

He looked at me face closely: "You are better now. I can see it."

"What… happened?" I asked with a hoarse voice. My throat felt dry like I hadn't drunk in days.

"Yesterday you had an epilepsy crisis. Laxani says he's never seen such a violent one. He wasn't able to wake you, no matter how hard he tried. Then you kept having visions or nightmares – Laxani tried to calm you but you fought back and wounded him, so he called me."

"Wounded… wounded him?" I didn't remember wounding Laxani at all - I didn't remember him being by my side, for that matter.

"Yes, you punched him and cut him with your nails, as if he were assaulting you". So it was Laxani and not Ajax I had tried to fight.

"But now you are awake and clearly better." He concluded with a warm smile, standing up to lit the candles.

I burst into sobs.

I couldn't quite come to terms with my visions and my destiny and with the fact that Apollo had abandoned me. Were Laxani and Aesacus going to reject me now? Would they force me to leave the temple? In my state, I wasn't able to foresee it.

Aesacus sat back on my bed and took me in his arms, rocking me and whispering quiet words in my ear. I don't remember ever crying in front of him before that. After some time I collected myself and I managed to stop crying. Whatever my destiny was, crying was not going to change it.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" I asked him.

"Not at all, Cassandra" he said immediately. "Apollo's priests often have visions and crises. This has been an unusually strong one, that's all"

I almost smiled at him.

The sun was already rising and I looked at him guiltily: "But Aesacus… have you spent the night here?" I asked.

"Yes, Laxani called me yesterday evening"

"I'm sorry for disturbing you. But now I feel better, you can go back to your temple. Thank you." I murmured.

"Should you need me, you know where to find me" he said before leaving.

I took a bath, dressed and went to the terrace, thinking. Soon I would've had to inform Laxani about Apollo's rejection. It would be a bad idea to overstay my welcome in Apollo's temple.

That terrible crisis had undoubtedly to do with his sudden absence. If he really intended to severe our link forever, that crisis would be the first one of a long list. I wondered how many of those crisis I could endure before losing my mind.

But when I didn't expect it at all, I felt him in my mind again. I could tell that he was very angry but at least he was there.

"I am disappointed, princess. But you have been consecrated to me, thus you are my priestess and I will not severe our link."

His voice in my head sounded cold like it had never been before, his anger so strong that it made me shiver.

But at least I was not alone.