Author's Note:

Here, Helenus doesn't tell the entire truth. In my other fanfiction "she who entices man", Cassandra doesn't die at the hand of Clytemnestra. Helenus likely knows about that, but he doesn't tell Molossus.

-O-O-O-

Molossus looked down, not daring to talk.

It was strange to think that his mother, and the man that he now called father, had suffered so much at the hand of his own ancestors.

"It was a huge blow, for us and for the city. Hector was... loved" Helenus went on quietly. "His funeral looked like the very city's funeral"

"So... what happened after his death?" asked the younger prince, clearing his throat.

"Shortly after, Achilles was killed by Paris"

"On a duel, too?"

"No. Paris shot him with an arrow and managed to hit Achilles where he wasn't protected by the armor, on his foot. Achilles died at the Achaean camp, because of the wounds" explained Helenus.

"And was the city happy with just that? I mean, that he died at the camp instead of during the battle?"

"The Trojans would have preferred him to die in battle" conceded Helenus. "Probably, Deiphobus would have challenged him to a duel sooner or later. But Paris saw a chance and he used it"

"And... how were you doing?" asked Molossus, almost shyly.

Helenus was silent for a moment, then he spoke again.

"Until the funeral, I think... I didn't quite realize that he was dead. Many times, I wondered what Hector would think about something or thought that I should discuss a certain thing with him... and then remembered that it was not possible. There was a sense of... imminent demise, which never left me"

The older man made a strange sound, like a suppressed laugh.

"It is kind of ironic. If Achilles had lived, Andromache would have become his prey, because he had killed Hector. But since he died, your own father inherited his prey, including Andromache. If Hector had been killed by somebody else, if Achilles had lived... we would not sit here today"

"Don't tell me that!" cried Molossus, suddenly enraged. "Some people already say that I have red hair because I'm the son of bloodshed! And now you say that!"

Helenus turned to look at him. His usually stern gaze was kind.

"I didn't mean to imply that it's your fault. It would be ridiculous to resent you for something your grandfather did. Besides, it is really stupid to call you son of bloodshed. If you hear someone say that, make sure you punch their nose: at least there will be some blood"

-O-O-O-

The temple had already closed when someone knocked hurriedly on the front door..

Helenus stood with a sigh, putting aside the basket he was trying to make.

He was very surprised to see Deiphobus, who looked tired and grim-faced.

"I need to talk to you" said his older brother unceremoniously. Frowning, Helenus led him to the kitchen.

"Paris is dead" Deiphobus said as soon as he was seated.

"What...?" gasped Helenus.

"He was wounded a couple of days ago, by Philoctetes. Those wounds looked horrible, his arms were all swollen, he got a fever... and he died this morning"

Deiphobus sounded quite detached. It was no secret that he and Paris did not get along well and were often openly hostile to each other.

Helenus didn't know what to say. He had never been close to Paris - he had almost never spoken to him, actually. But the idea that yet another of his siblings had died sent chills down his spine.

"If I die, you will become the heir apparent" Deiphobus added bluntly.

"I am a priest" Helenus replied immeidately.

Well done. His brother suggested that he might die soon and he completely ignored that concern. He was always great at talking to people, wasn't he?

"You are allowed to leave Artemis' service. There is no obligation to be a priest forever" answered Deiphobus.

Helenus' heart was beating wildly. He didn't want to do that, he couldn't. He had done everything to avoid being a royal prince.

"I cannot go to war, Deiphobus" he said urgently.

"Then don't! If I die before the war ends, the city will need a heir apparent, Helenus. Hector's son is just a child, and I'm sure you know that we don't have other brothers. Our father is old, the last years have put a huge strain on him and Hector's death has devastated him. He cannot resist much longer!"

"Aeneas would be more adequate" he tried to reason.

"Aeneas is married to our sister but he's not a prince. He cannot become the heir apparent while a son of Priam is still alive!"

Helenus swallowed.

What was he supposed to do now? He knew that he couldn't just refuse. His family would feel betrayed and it would be a scandal. Besides, he would feel like a coward. But the very idea of becoming the heir apparent, and possibly the king, turned his stomach.

"I don't know what to do if you say no. And I have just a couple of other things to worry about" Deiphobus prompted him.

"Very well" said Helenus, defeated.

He felt sick.

"You are assuming that... both you and our father will die. It might not happen at all" he added after a moment.

"Please. The Achaeans know that there's just the two of us... they try very hard to kill me every time I go to battle, and one day they'll manage to do it. Anyway, if they don't kill us, we will become someone's slaves. All in all, I prefer to die in battle"

Deiphobus had clearly no illusions as to the outcome of the war.

"What should I do... if I really become the king?" Helenus asked.

Deiphobus grimaced.

"You will probably not have a chance to do anything at all. If we can keep fighting, we should; if we cannot, just limit the damage"

That night, Helenus couldn't sleep.

-O-O-O-

Helenus was working in the vegetable garden when he heard a familiar voice from behind his back.

"Hello"

Surprised, he turned around. Cassandra stood at a short distance, looking intently at him. She looked unperturbed as usual, clad in her white priestly robe, her auburn hair gently teased by the wind.

This was completely unexpected.

He stood, feeling very self-conscious in his working robe, his hands covered with dirt.

"Hello. I apologize for my state..." he replied. She waved her hand noncommittally.

He led her inside the temple and excused himself to freshen up.

Why was she here? She had never visited him before, he had never visited her. They had never met after Hector's funeral.

Maybe she wanted to tell him something, maybe she came from the royal palace... or maybe she came as a prophetess.

He quickly changed into his priestly robe and went back to her, his heart racing. He found her sitting in the kitchen.

"So... what is the occasion?" he asked cautiously.

"There is no particular occasion. I just wanted to visit" she replied. For a moment, it looked like she wanted to say something more, but then she stayed silent.

This was even more strange.

"Thank you" answered Helenus, unsure of what to say.

He considered asking her whether he was going to become Troy's king in the end. She would know, she was Apollo's priest. Yes, some people said that she was insane or weird, but she didn't look insane to him.

"You are going to survive the war" she said quietly.

"Oh..." he replied, completely taken aback. So that was the reason why she had visited.

He hadn't even thought of asking her that. Whenever he reflected on the war, he worried about having to be the king someday. He never thought about his own fate.

He couldn't say whether he was happy or sad to hear that. He didn't dare to ask what was going to happen to the rest of the family, or to Aesacus.

"What about you?" he asked then.

She smiled sadly.

"My suffering will be short-lived"