I Became a Slave to a Mythical Shepherd

Episode 109. family (3)

Occasionally, the whispers of the attendants can be heard, but soon stop as the important time approaches.

And silence descends lightly inside the palace.

Silence settled not only in the spaces between walls and walls and between columns, but also over our trembling hands and lips.

The Trojan royals gathered in front of the gate. Priam and Hecuba, followed by Hector and Priam’s children.

Hecuba’s sons and daughters, and children from other wives.

All of them armed and lined up in silence.

And on both sides of the ranks were surrounded by soldiers and attendants who would guard them.

At the forefront, the main characters of this moment are seated and standing.

so we

Paris, son of Priam, and Ino, daughter of Kevren.

We held hands and stood right in front of the gate. waiting for the right time to come.

While I breathed in the nervous air and looked at the annals of the gods engraved on the bronze gate, Ino quietly muttered something. It was the tune of a song she and I had sang in the woods since childhood.

And, when even her singing stopped, an even deeper silence pressed against my shoulders. I couldn’t stand it and turned to Ino. Unknown sweat dripped from Ino’s hand.

And I met eyes with Ino.

Sometimes a small sigh, a passing glance, or a short murmur says more than a speech that lasts over ten hours.

“Paris.”

“Ino.”

From nob le mt l. co m

Like our names we whispered to each other now.

As we call each other by name, a bell rings through the door, announcing that the time has come, that the city is ready to receive us.

The gate opens.

Suddenly, a cool, cool breeze from that city blows at us. The hem of Ino’s tunic fluttered lightly.

Again we face each other.

Take the first step.

Everyone in the city shouts.

“hurray!!!”

At that dizzying shout, Ino closed her eyes and spoke to me.

“Paris… hold my hand tight.”

I did as Ino said. It felt like they were more entangled with each other.

Every time we walked, we could see that a dizzying number of people, a crowd of a size never before seen in this era, was filling the road.

This is an impossible sight with the population of Troy alone. It was clear that countless people from nearby cities had gathered to await the prince’s wedding and the festivities that would follow.

Right in front of the palace on both sides, kings and princes, chiefs and their successors, nobles and influential people from each region and each kingdom gathered and bowed lightly to us.

In response, we bowed lightly to them and hurried our steps as we passed them.

“Long live the beautiful prince!!”

“Long live Troia!!!!”

The direction we were heading to was clear, so our gait did not waver either. Tension is slowly dissipated, leaving only a sense of what the event was for.

The ranks lead directly to the Temple of Artemis. Just like the blue moonlight in the distance, I see a marble temple decorated with a cool cloth exterior. In front of them, the shamans are waiting for us.

They opened the doors of the temple so that all could see inside, and placed an altar and brazier in front of it.

We washed our hands on silver plates, offered sacrifices, and recited prayers. Close by, Priam was watching us, and beside him, Hecuba was weeping at me.

“The time has come.”

And at the priestess’s words, I take a step back.

This moment is only for the bride.

Ino is left alone on top of the temple and receives numerous gazes on her body. After looking back at me for a moment as I descend the stairs of the temple, I nodded to the shrine maiden as if I had made up my mind.

Have you talked about it before? In ancient Greece, hair was cut at an important crossroads in life.

When you leave your hometown, when you pay someone’s funeral, and when you get married.

The shrine maiden slowly walked toward Ino. As I stroked my hair that smelled like fresh grass for a while, I smiled as if my mood had improved involuntarily.

“Then, I will cut.”

“···huh.”

Cutting your hair symbolizes disconnection.

break with the past.

Hair is offered to the virgin goddess Artemis as a token of gratitude for protecting and taking care of herself as an unmarried virgin.

After that, the bride goes to the temple of Aphrodite to ask for new protection and offers sacrifices.

As much as the shrine maiden is well aware of this fact, she carefully grabs a few strands of Ino’s hair and cuts them off with a knife.

Then, he put the cut off hair into Ino’s fist.

“…”

Ino held his black, wavy hair tightly for a moment, then threw it away.

In an instant, the flame of the hearth changes to a blue color like moonlight and rises greatly.

The blue color stretched out like a tongue and swallowed every strand of hair that was flying in the wind.

and···

[Yes… Bride, but…]

whisper.

But the clear voice of God is heard.

It was so small that no one could hear what it was about, but Ino himself must have heard it clearly, his face turning red, and he quickly came down the stairs and hugged me.

Of course, Hector sighed when he saw Ino breaking five or six of the manners he had taught him in an instant.

Other than that, nobody cared.

The moment I held Ino in my arms, the cheers I heard from around me covered everything.

“…what did the goddess say?”

“Ah… just that?”

Ino giggled, then brought her mouth close to my ear and whispered.

“They said you had a good marriage.”

As the wind from Ino’s mouth touches my ears, my face turns red. And Ino said as if he remembered something.

“Ah, uh, I’d like to give you a crossbow or something more.”

“okay.”

…even if it’s a million.

“Paris? Are you Oh? I don’t have time. Let’s go for a walk.”

“Yes, Father.”

“···yes.”

Priam smiled and said to the two of us who were hugging each other. With difficulty separating our bodies from each other, we hurried our steps again.

Today’s itinerary includes not only a visit to the Temple of Artemis.

Up to this point, it was a rather public schedule with the public, but from now on, a somewhat secret (?) schedule that only VIPs and their families attend will begin.

We also had to go to the Temple of Apollo. The guardian spirit of the city had to be informed that the groom under his protection was leaving.

…Honestly, I don’t know if I’m a Trojan citizen, but in the eyes of our friends, I should have been. This was all for political reasons.

Dispersing the crowd, Ino, members of the Trojan royal family, and guests from afar headed for the Temple of Apollo, the center of the city.

Again, similarly, there was a furnace in front of the temple, and this time it was my turn.

“older brother.”

“Ah… Helenus.”

Yeah, for some reason, one person was missing from the ranks.

Helenus came to me as calmly and quietly as he had at the Battle of Penthesilea.

“I will cut my hair.”

Before I can answer anything, I hear a snip. Helenus says, holding out the threads that were once part of me in her hands.

“The god Apollo favors you.”

“···okay.”

“You love me so much that even if my sister, who had offended you, wanders in front of your temple to attend your brother’s wedding, you won’t drive her away.”

At that, I involuntarily turned my head and looked in Cassandra’s direction. Cassandra, as if sensing what her twin brother had said, glared at Helenus and turned her head away.

“…”

“Anyway, that doesn’t matter now.”

Helenus quietly puts my hair in my hand.

“Throw it into the flames. Announce that you will be freed from the protection of this city and from the protection of Apollo, who protects this city.”

At those words, as if I was bewitched, I threw it toward the flame that fluttered like seaweed in the furnace. The hair that flew through the air goes straight into the furnace as if being sucked in.

and became ashes.

When I turn around, Priam proudly grabs my arm and lifts it up.

For the kings and princes, chieftains and elders of every country to see.

“My son!”

Ino came up the stairs and took my other hand.

“Paris!”

Holding their hands, I looked down at countless kings and heroes.

Those who threw petals at me with words of congratulations.

Heading to Antandros soon.

There I will show them that I, my city, are a trustworthy neighbor.

···and.

I glanced at Cassandra, who was still averting her gaze. The daughter of Priam, who had stayed at the court of Troy, as if I had been noticed or not.

Occasionally, the princess vomits out prophecies as if possessed by something.

It bothered me a bit.

***

Returning to the palace, not our mansion, Ino and I were washed in the water that floated the flower petals and changed into clean clothes.

It was for faith rather than hygiene. Those who stand before God must purify themselves.

I went out to the garden of the palace for a while, leaving behind Ino, who had fallen asleep first, probably tired. Cloth is wrapped around the pillars, and the grass has traces of being stepped on by countless feet.

I looked at the moon rising above it. And the morning star that fades away beside it.

As I look at it for a while and relax my nervous mind, I hear the sound of footsteps approaching. In case you are a guest at the wedding, straighten your posture and look back.

“Brother.”

It was Cassandra.

I hadn’t spoken a word to her yet, but I could see why she had come. It must be because of the minor happenings in the Temple of Apollo.

“…The banquet will continue for a long time from tomorrow.”

She walks beside me without saying a word, and looks up at the moon, as I did earlier.

“I like moonlit nights.”

Words spoken out of nowhere.

But I listened without panicking.

“…you can’t see the sun.”

The ‘year’ is not visible.

Apollo’s chariot.

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I turned my head to look at Cassandra, and she smiled at me with a somewhat sad face.

Although it is originally a myth, there are two explanations for Cassandra’s ability to prophesy.

One is that Apollo, who loved Cassandra, gave her the power of prophecy as a gift to seduce her, but when she did not change her mind, he cursed her so that no one would believe her curse.

The second is that when the twins, Cassandra and Helenus, fell asleep while playing in the temple of Apollo when they were young, a snake licked their ears and gained the ability to prophesy.

The first story explains Cassandra’s powers and the accompanying curse, but does not explain why Helenus also had prophetic powers.

Conversely, the second story explains how Helenus also had prophetic powers like hers, but does not tell why Cassandra was cursed.

Therefore, in order to know about her, about Cassandra, who cried out in agony and died after learning of the curse of Troia, you have to dig into the matter yourself.

What is the secret hidden in the contradictory and shrewd stories?

As I looked at her in deep thought, Cassandra gave me a weak smile.

“Believe it or not, I see my brother’s past and future. Not just my brother, but other people’s too. I don’t look closely, just like broken pieces, some scenes enter my eyes and ears.”

“…”

···for a moment.

‘past’?

Instinctively, I knew that now was the time to keep my mouth shut. Cassandra thanked me for my silence and continued.

“But when I see my older brother, it feels strange.”

“It’s strange.”

“yes. What could be weirder than a crazy girl who claims to be able to see the future…”

Cassandra smiles bitterly at herself.

“In one eye, I sometimes see my older brother’s childhood. A brother who cleans up goat manure, a brother who runs around with a new sister, and a brother surrounded by blacksmiths. however···”

A smile escapes Cassandra’s lips.

“Other eyes see a completely different landscape.”

Cassandra now completely takes her eyes off the moon and looks back at me.

“My older brother…is a different person. With a completely different face and a different identity than now. Another person with only the same soul.”

“…”

Also, she sees something.

I contemplate how to explain the phenomenon to her, or whether to laugh and dismiss it as nothing.

In the meantime, strange words are heard.

“In that fantasy, my older brother was a warrior. Confronting an enemy clad in a black armor never seen before and a solid shield.”

what?

I?

Cassandra continues to speak to me who is momentarily confused.

“My brother and comrades wore navy blue or red sleeveless garments, and some…the leaders, probably, shaved their heads like the ferocious warriors of Egyptos.

Also, you and all of your comrades in arms wear bands on their foreheads.”

···for a moment.

“Wait, wait.”

“I’m wearing a red belt. Countless flags flew, and soon everyone shouted.”

“I, I, I can explain everything.”

can not do it.

how do you explain that

“It was a language I did not know.

Min···State···Noh··············?”

“…”

“Brother, I can tell by looking at your face. do you know something? Do you know something that other people don’t know? Can you tell me?”

“…”

“What were those warriors? There are so many things I want to ask. Inside the steel wall, my brother stood up like a god and evacuated his comrades in the pouring water. while singing war songs.

What is it all about? What is the graduate student union? what is farming? Everything is, so… so confusing.”

“…”

There’s no answer.

“Have I gone crazy, as others say? Trapped in God’s love and hate? Surrounded by strange images that no one, not even the gods, can see?”

Cassandra is having trouble now, and I’m in the mood to do that too.

This is far beyond the level of being able to run away with flippers. I barely held on to the reason that was trying to get far away, and pondered for a long time.

And he opened his mouth.

“…a long war has been raging in the Far East.”

“…!”

Cassandra stops worrying in an instant and freezes. Like I can’t believe the words that come out of my mouth.

“I am not a warrior. was just a fugitive. I was someone’s slave, and my master didn’t like the ‘war songs’ I sang.”

“Oh, brother…?”

“So I gave up being his slave. everyone is dry Saying that if you endure a little longer, you too will be able to become the master of other slaves.”

I spit out word by word, chewing on the age-old metaphor of graduate school.

“So I became a wandering fugitive. I became a clown.”

“…”

“But that is a story from another world. I forgot all about that. I am Paris He is the son of Priam and the prince of Troy.”

Now it was Cassandra who was silent. When I looked back at her, the silent drops of tears glittered like pearls on her face.

“You are not crazy. I wanted to let you know.”

I comforted her and slowly slipped out of the moonlit garden.

Hearing Cassandra sob.

…

…

Back in the room, I cried too.