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Authors: Marion Zimmer Bradley
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her?”
“No,” said Penthesilea. “They were twins, which is always ill fortune. One was Klytemnestra; the other daughter, Helen, was the beauty. Agamemnon managed to inveigle Leda and Tyndareus—God knows how he managed it—into marrying Helen off to his brother, Menelaus, while he married Klytemnestra.”
“I don’t envy Menelaus,” said Priam. “A man is cursed who has a beautiful wife.” He smiled absently at Hecuba. “Thank all the Gods you never brought me that kind of trouble, my dear. Nor are your daughters dangerously beautiful.”
Hecuba looked at her husband coldly. Penthesilea said, “That could be a matter of opinion. But from what I know of Agamemnon, unless rumor lies, he is thinking less of woman’s beauty than of power; through Leda’s daughters he thinks to claim all Mykenae, and Sparta too, and call himself King. And then, I suppose, he will seek to gain more power to the north—and make you look to your own city here in Troy.”
“I think they are trying to force me to deal with them,” Priam said, “to recognize them as Kings—which I will do when Kerberos opens his doors and lets the dead out of Hades’ realm.”
“I doubt they will seek gold,” said Penthesilea. “There is gold enough in Mykenae—though rumor has it that Agamemnon is a greedy man. If I should make a guess, it would be that what Agamemnon will demand is that you give him trading rights through the strait yonder”—she pointed to the sea—“without the toll you charge.”
“Never,” said Priam. “A God brought my people here to the banks of the Scamander; and whoever wishes to pass beyond to the country of the North Wind must render tribute to the Gods of Troy.” He stared crossly at Penthesilea and demanded, “What is it to you? What has a woman to do with the government of countries and the payment of tribute?”
“I too dwell within the lands where the Akhaian raiders dare to come,” said the Amazon Queen. “And if they should steal one of my women, I would make them pay for it, not in gold or dowries alone, but in blood. And since you could not stop them from carrying off your own sister, I repeat: my warriors are at your service if you wish to lead them against those pirates.”
Priam laughed, but bared his teeth as he did so, and Kassandra knew that he was furious, though he would not say so to Penthesilea. “On the day when I call upon women, kin or no, for the defense of the city, Troy will be in evil straits, Kinswoman; may that day be far away indeed.” He turned round and saw Kassandra in her leather breeches and heavy cloak coming into the room. “Well, what’s this, Daughter? Showing your legs like a boy? Have you resolved to become an Amazon, Bright Eyes?”
He sounded surprisingly good-natured; but Hecuba said quickly, “You bade me send her to be fostered away from the city, Husband, and I thought my sister’s tribe as good as any.”
“I have found you to be the best of wives, no matter where you came from, and I have no doubt your sister will do well enough by her,” said Priam, and bent down to Kassandra. She flinched, half expecting another blow, but he only kissed her gently on the forehead.
“Be a good girl, and forget not that you are a princess of Troy.”
Hecuba took Kassandra in her arms and hugged her hard.
“I shall miss you, Daughter; be a good girl and come back to me safely, my darling.”
Kassandra clung to her mother, Hecuba’s former harshness forgotten, aware only that she was going away among strangers. Then Hecuba released her. She said, “I have my own weapons for you, Daughter,” and brought out a leaf-shaped sword in a green scabbard, and a short metal-tipped spear. They were almost too heavy to lift, but struggling with all her strength and pride, Kassandra managed to fasten their belts about her waist.
“They were mine when I rode with the Amazons,” said Hecuba. “Carry them in strength and honor, my daughter.”
Kassandra
“No,” said Penthesilea. “They were twins, which is always ill fortune. One was Klytemnestra; the other daughter, Helen, was the beauty. Agamemnon managed to inveigle Leda and Tyndareus—God knows how he managed it—into marrying Helen off to his brother, Menelaus, while he married Klytemnestra.”
“I don’t envy Menelaus,” said Priam. “A man is cursed who has a beautiful wife.” He smiled absently at Hecuba. “Thank all the Gods you never brought me that kind of trouble, my dear. Nor are your daughters dangerously beautiful.”
Hecuba looked at her husband coldly. Penthesilea said, “That could be a matter of opinion. But from what I know of Agamemnon, unless rumor lies, he is thinking less of woman’s beauty than of power; through Leda’s daughters he thinks to claim all Mykenae, and Sparta too, and call himself King. And then, I suppose, he will seek to gain more power to the north—and make you look to your own city here in Troy.”
“I think they are trying to force me to deal with them,” Priam said, “to recognize them as Kings—which I will do when Kerberos opens his doors and lets the dead out of Hades’ realm.”
“I doubt they will seek gold,” said Penthesilea. “There is gold enough in Mykenae—though rumor has it that Agamemnon is a greedy man. If I should make a guess, it would be that what Agamemnon will demand is that you give him trading rights through the strait yonder”—she pointed to the sea—“without the toll you charge.”
“Never,” said Priam. “A God brought my people here to the banks of the Scamander; and whoever wishes to pass beyond to the country of the North Wind must render tribute to the Gods of Troy.” He stared crossly at Penthesilea and demanded, “What is it to you? What has a woman to do with the government of countries and the payment of tribute?”
“I too dwell within the lands where the Akhaian raiders dare to come,” said the Amazon Queen. “And if they should steal one of my women, I would make them pay for it, not in gold or dowries alone, but in blood. And since you could not stop them from carrying off your own sister, I repeat: my warriors are at your service if you wish to lead them against those pirates.”
Priam laughed, but bared his teeth as he did so, and Kassandra knew that he was furious, though he would not say so to Penthesilea. “On the day when I call upon women, kin or no, for the defense of the city, Troy will be in evil straits, Kinswoman; may that day be far away indeed.” He turned round and saw Kassandra in her leather breeches and heavy cloak coming into the room. “Well, what’s this, Daughter? Showing your legs like a boy? Have you resolved to become an Amazon, Bright Eyes?”
He sounded surprisingly good-natured; but Hecuba said quickly, “You bade me send her to be fostered away from the city, Husband, and I thought my sister’s tribe as good as any.”
“I have found you to be the best of wives, no matter where you came from, and I have no doubt your sister will do well enough by her,” said Priam, and bent down to Kassandra. She flinched, half expecting another blow, but he only kissed her gently on the forehead.
“Be a good girl, and forget not that you are a princess of Troy.”
Hecuba took Kassandra in her arms and hugged her hard.
“I shall miss you, Daughter; be a good girl and come back to me safely, my darling.”
Kassandra clung to her mother, Hecuba’s former harshness forgotten, aware only that she was going away among strangers. Then Hecuba released her. She said, “I have my own weapons for you, Daughter,” and brought out a leaf-shaped sword in a green scabbard, and a short metal-tipped spear. They were almost too heavy to lift, but struggling with all her strength and pride, Kassandra managed to fasten their belts about her waist.
“They were mine when I rode with the Amazons,” said Hecuba. “Carry them in strength and honor, my daughter.”
Kassandra
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