That was the day that I became a woman in body. My mind would follow in years to come. There was a hopeful apprehension and then, only later did I think that now I could be married and wondered who would appear to fill the role. Though Priam had many young daughters, there were just as many young or widower chieftains with empty beds to fill and kingdoms all their own. Aeneas, it was whispered was a contender. I did envision my wedding, for what young girl can resist the temptation to? I hoped for a spouse of fair mind, near my own age, or not to be wed at all. I coudl gladly offer my eternal maidenhood to the service of a god. I never considered that one would desire me in any carnal regard, for I was not pink of flesh nor golden haired as were some of my more lovely sisters. My looks were something my siblings were certain to make fun of me for. It was part of what made me so strange, and they did not hesitate to tell me so. They said that I looked at everything far too intensely, that my eyes never managed to have the proper focus, I was either staring off into the ether or focusing so sharply that I looked as if I meant to rend the object of my attentions with my eyes. So they said. I remember when my twin brother Helenus said, "She came first, and in her everything is exaggerated, but me, I am just part Priam and part Hecuba a temperate mixture of the two." It was not the first time my parentage was called into question and that harmless joke started to bear quite the sting as time wore on. How they mocked me when I raged at them that it was no longer funny! I wanted them to know that I did belong with them! Oh Polyxena and Deiphobus were the worst, the most ruthless. Again, I digress. When I woke up that night of the first vision, I could feel the keenness of my own gaze, at the edges of every corner of furniture, of the window panes, of the doorway. The vision was of my brother, Alexandros: a prince in shephard's clothes. He was as handsome as a godling, and he lived in the countryside at that time. This was as much as anyone knew about him from common palace gossip. My father had sent him there to avoid a prophecy that would destroy our city. It was a prophecy that could have been averted if the gods did not move.
Though I had never seen him, beautiful Paris had been in my dream. He was being hounded by an immeasurable flock of raptors. The hundreds of them varied, but chiefest among them were the four at the lead. Two eagles flew nearly neck and neck the larger one was golden and just behind him was a smaller black one with shrewder eyes than any eagle I had ever seen. Just behind them were twin hawks with mottled russet plumage smoothed back by the wind they sailed upon. The sky was black with them and they all called, "Stop Thief!" Finally, on the plain that opened before the Skaian gate, right before the towering height of our city's most fortified though least beautiful barriers against marauders, Paris stopped his running. From his eyes poured a silver mist hat quickly formed itself into the shape of the most shining and beautiful woman I had ever seen, or ever could imagine seeing. Her pearl adornments in her hair seemed as natural as the deep pink glisten of her lips. I thought she had to be a nymph at worst and at best a vision of Aphrodite herself. To possess such shining pale golden hair, to encompass so much... grace as she danced on her nimble golden feet. This creature danced with my brother into the gates. His dancing was lovely to look upon, defiant and seductive, but also dreamlike and almost obscenely boastful. She was enchanted, tossing her head this way and that. Their eyes were ever on each other's bodies and it was from seeing them in my own mind that I first understood what lust meant. While they danced the birds of prey had been otherwise occupied, flapping their wings against a strong wind that had blown them off course. But they seemed to pick up his scent again just after he made the gates with her. I could see them in the distance: eagles, hawks, falcons and even a few old owls coming steadily closer. Then I woke.