The House of Karmen

The journey to the lair of the Krakens was long and tedious. They passed many hills and valleys, barren lands, roads flanked by forests on both sides, and villages. At last, they reached a valley, with a very narrow pass where they had to snake through it. After crossing the pass, they found themselves on a wide-open ground with forest in the far backdrop.  Little straw huts were scattered everywhere. Women were tending fires in front of each house. Upon each fire was boiling little pots of porridge. Children were playing and the atmosphere here was different than any other Greek villages they had known. Each woman carried a dagger tied around the waist and each of the children they saw was lithe and strong. They weren’t delicate and childish like a child ought to be. 

Two men came forward and took their horses towards the stables on one side. They followed the Krakens to the largest structure at the end of the village, from where the forest began. It was a wooden fort, with spikes on the terraces and trenches cut underneath. They realized it was the house of Karmen. His house was fully protected from outside attacks. Little did he know that the only one from whom he should protect himself was his only son. Often people tend to underestimate the powers and capabilities and intentions of their near and dear ones. We make walls outside our houses, whereas the enemy lies within. 

‘ welcome! Welcome to my humble abode.’, Karmen spoke in a loud voice. 
‘ After you have eaten and freshened, I want you to tend my injured brothers’, he continued, ‘tomorrow we are going to have a little celebration to mark the day I was born. You will stay here and enjoy it while you can. Then on the next day early morning, before Helios rides his chariot, my daughter will show you the route to Delphi’. 
Argus bowed low and agreed to the proposal. There was no option they had. If they deny him, the krakens would crack them into pieces. Karmen beckoned a servant and ordered him to show their rooms. 
The inside of Karmen's fort was larger and more spacious. Much more sophisticated with balled up interior décor, wooden chiffoniers, intricately decorated cabinets, and doors made of iron. Iron was very valuable during those times. Even the drachmas were iron cast. They passed a large number of rooms and at last, reached the far end of the fort. Here three small rooms were unlocked and they were ushered in. Small yet clean, with a bathtub in the middle of the room and a soft bed at one end. A small wooden table beneath a small window overlooking the valley was the only piece of furniture, the room possessed. Cassandra felt all her tiredness evaporate from her body once she stepped into the warm water. She closed her eyes and breathed heavily. her whole life was in turmoil. She always cogitated why Apollo chose her and gave her the prophetic powers. Every time the events that would occur flashed before her inner eye, she felt pain. The pain of not being able to do anything, except being an audience and watch the events unfold before her eyes. She knew that the prophesy that took place at Parthenon was not something she could stop from happening, nor she could do anything about it. Neither about the death of Karmen. Even if she would try to warn him of the pending doom, why would Karmen believe her? He might even throw her and Argus and Fabian in the dungeon for trying to barge against his son. She felt hopeless and deprived.  Although she knew about Fabian’s feelings for her, she has always tried to avoid his gaze. Her life was cursed and she wouldn’t bring her up to damage someone else’s life. Her concern for Fabian always outweighed her love for him. 
While she was deep into her stoical pessimist thoughts, there was a knock on the door. 
‘who is it?’, she asked. 
‘It's me’, she knew that voice too well. ‘ I need to talk to you’. 
‘ hold on’. 
Cassandra climbed down from the bathtub and wore the dress provided by the krakens. The rugged leather pants and simple upper covering quite suited her bodice. She opened the door and Fabian came in. He looked fresh and clean but worried and his blue eyes were full of fear. 
‘ I am worried about you’. 
‘why?’ 
He took a deep breath and started, ‘ the way Karmen was looking at you as if you were some prized goat he had won’. 
Cassandra felt amused on being compared with a goat and she started to laugh. 
-‘It's okay Fabian, relax. Day after tomorrow, we will be gone from here. Moreover with you and brother behind me always, no one can harm me’. 
-‘Do you know that Karmen has a lot of wives and mistresses? All these rooms are for his pleasure.’ 
-‘and all of them are going to be widows tomorrow’. 
Cassandra bowed and covered her face with her hands. She was trembling. This power is taking a toll on her mental balance. 
For a second, the world stood still and before she could realize what was happening, Fabian wrapped her in his arms, pulled her close, and hugged her fiercely. 
‘shhh..sh..stop don’t cry.’, he whispered,’ don’t cry. I feel so helpless when I see you in tears. Please don’t cry’. Then he lifted her chin towards him and placed his lips upon her trembling wet ones. The first taste of love, that too upon an enemy ground was not what Cassandra had even foreseen. She had always desired him. He was the only man, other than Argus who cared and loved her so much and she always had been too shy to reciprocate him. She couldn’t stop herself anymore from wrapping her arms around him. 
‘I have always loved you too, you know that right?’, Cassandra whispered softly letting Fabian stroke her hair and buried her face into his strong chest…