Uncharted: The Cursed Love

The Spartan Queen

They trudged back to the castle, the silence so thick that not even the Fates' shears would be able to cut it.

About ten paces from the palace doors, Cassandra speaks. "What is the prophecy he spoke of?"

Laocoon looks back, weariness on his face. "He declared the matter closed, Cassandra. Let it go."

"No," his younger sister held her ground, glaring daggers. "If it's about Troy's future, I wish to know."

The older of the two looked up at the sky as if the answers were written in the clouds, before mumbling a single sentence that drives a stake into the princess's heart. "For Troy to live, Paris has to die."

"Black blood..." she trails off, but it is enough to have the priest freeze. "That's what it means."

"Yes. Come now, we shan't keep them waiting any longer." Laocoon trudges onward, and Cassandra follows dejectedly. "I bid you keep silent." He drops his voice as they approach the gates, the guards standing at attention. "The king and queen should not know their son still lives."

An incredulous look is given. "They don't know?"

"No, now be silent. If you still have questions, find me in the palace gardens midday tomorrow." He looks sideways at her, eyes flickering to the laurel wreath still adorning her brow. "Unless you have something you need to tend to?"

Cassandra shakes her head. "Not unless Helenus wishes to go hunting, no."

"It still amazes me that you've kept it from the king for so long," he laughs as they make their way up the small hill to the palace doors, nodding at the guards who open the doors for them. "I would have thought he would have found out long ago, what with you not privy to keeping secrets when you were younger."

She glares at him and he takes off running, a split second before she chases after him, screaming obscenities. "Cassandra!"

She stops short as she hears her name being called. Turning slowly, she sees Laocoon freeze. "Yes, my king?" Their faces glow in the torchlight, one with an eyebrow raised while the other is passive.

King Priam's gaze flickered to the wreath in her hair (she was still amazed it hadn't fallen off with all the running), before letting out a harsh breath. "So it's true."

She feels the slap before she can register his hand raised. "Father!"

"How dare you?" The king stares his daughter down, ignoring his son's futile attempts to calm him down. "You knew they were coming and you go and do this?" He growls, running a hand through dark chestnut curls. "And you send your mother to tell me?" He raises a hand again, possibly to slap her again, but is intercepted by Helenus, who had come out of the throne room just then.

"My sister was in the right, father." The second prince steps up to his twin, bypassing the priest with a nod. "Or is she not to give in to the calling of a god or goddess to satisfy your whims of keeping Troy and her inhabitants safe? It is her choice and her choice alone."

Priam's face flames as the heat from the torches washes over the four. Minutes pass in silence before he relents. "Fine." He speaks, shaking his head. "But the next time something like this happens, I expect to be directly told. Not through the queen. Am I understood?" He glances at each in turn.

"Yes, my king." They chime as one, before Priam turns on his heel and leaves through a door leading to the main part of the palace.

"He took that calmer than I expected..." Cassandra shook her head. Turning to her twin, she raises an eyebrow. "And where are Troilus and Deiphobus?"