CW: nonconsensual kissing, brief references to SA
A light that hurt her eyes flashed through the temple. When the residual colors cleared from her vision, Apollo was standing in front of her in his human form. Cassandra fell to her knees.
"Rise, Cassandra," Apollo said. "Have you not learned by now that you need not kneel when we are alone?"
"Yes, Lord Apollo," she said, standing up.
Why had he appeared to her? Was it to tell her the future? Give her a command? Whatever it was, she was ready.
Apollo walked closer until he stood only inches from her. Cassandra looked up at him. Right now, he was taller than her, but no more than a tall human man might be. His eyes glowed a burning golden, painting his face with light and shadows.
"Cassandra," Apollo said, gazing at her. "Do you love me?"
"Yes," Cassandra said breathlessly. "Of course I do." She was his priestess—how could she not?
"Good," the god said. Then he snaked one arm around her, cupped her head with the other hand, and kissed her.
Cassandra sucked in a breath that tasted sharp and too hot. She stiffened, pulling back against Apollo's grip, but he didn't let go. He didn't even stop kissing her until a long moment had passed.
When he finally stopped, Cassandra brought her hands up to his chest and tried to shove him away. He didn't budge.
"What are you doing?" she said.
"You are fortunate," he said. "I love you, too." His hands moved to the edges of her clothing.
"No," Cassandra said.
"Yes, I do."
"No, that's not what I— I don't want—"
He stopped, though he didn't move away.
"You don't want me?"
His voice was quiet. Wounded. Terrifying.
"I love you," she insisted, "and I long to devote myself to you! Just...not like this."
"Why not?"
"I..." She didn't have an answer. Was she not allowed to not want this?
Of course she wasn't. He was a god.
"I will let you change your mind." His grip tightened around her. "You have one chance."
She didn't want this she didn't want this she didn't want this. But if she said no...
Countless scenarios spun through her mind. He might kill her. He might reject her as a priestess, leaving her disgraced and purposeless. He might simply have his way, no matter what she said.
It was nothing but foolish to reject a god. She wanted to say no, but terror froze her mouth still. And she couldn't bring herself to say yes and accept this.
She stayed silent.Apollo abruptly shoved her away. The impact of his hands on her chest knocked out her breath. She gasped as she fell backward and slammed into the ground.
"You will regret this," Apollo said, his voice echoing and hissing throughout the stone room. He stalked toward her.
Cassandra stared and didn't move. She knew she couldn't evade him. Would her refusal accomplish nothing?
He bent down and wrapped a painfully scorching hand around her throat, though he didn't squeeze.
"You will remain my prophetess," he said. "But from now on, no one will believe any of your prophecies."
"Why?" Cassandra whispered.
Why was this her punishment? Why would Apollo even want a prophetess who could never accomplish anything?
"You will regret rejecting me," the god said.
She wasn't sure if it was a threat or a foretelling. She wasn't sure it mattered.
Then Apollo disappeared, and she was left lying on the floor, alone. She reached up to touch her throat. It hurt when her fingers brushed the tender skin, which was burned as if by sun.
Slowly, she pushed herself to her feet. Part of her wanted to cry, but she wasn't sure she could.
She would cry later. Cassandra turned and numbly walked out of the temple.
***
Years later
“Cassandra!”
Cassandra turned around to see Coroebus approaching her. He was beaming.
"Cassandra!” he exclaimed again. He waited until he was right in front of her, then added, “King Priam said yes.”
She gasped and embraced him. He tried half-successfully to spin around with her in his arms, which left her laughing and tripping over her own feet.
They were going to get married. Her father had agreed. It had been a long time since Cassandra had been this happy.
They stopped spinning, though Coroebus kept his arms around her. Then he leaned down and—
Then his lips were on hers.
The kiss was deep, not just a gentle press of skin on skin. Cassandra froze. She couldn’t think to do anything else.
She didn’t want him kissing her.
She didn’t move.
Coroebus broke away quickly. He took a step back, though his hands remained resting on the sides of her shoulders. He frowned down at her. “What’s wrong?”
Cassandra said nothing. Her shoulders rose and fell with her breathing. What was she supposed to say? The truth?
I love you, but I don’t want this.
Those were nearly the exact words she’d said to Apollo all those years ago.
And Apollo had been furious. He’d cursed her. He’d ruined her entire life.
If Coroebus was furious, he wasn’t able to curse her. There was nothing he would be able to do with his anger except...to simply take what he wanted, if he so desired.
No. He would never. She shouldn’t think such a thing of him.
Still, she had no idea how he might respond. And she couldn’t stop herself from being terrified.
How could she even hope he would understand? No one else ever had.
“What’s wrong?” Coroebus repeated.
Cassandra stared at him like a bird trapped in a hunter's hands. Finally, haltingly, she said, “I love you." Truly. Please believe that I do.
"But I don’t want…”
She couldn’t finish.
"To get married?” Coroebus said, looking at her with concern.
“No! No, not that,” Cassandra said quickly. She stared at the ground, her face burning. “Just…to be close like this...”
“Oh,” Coroebus said. He let his hands drop from her shoulders. "I'm sorry."
Cassandra tried to will back tears. At least he didn't seem angry, but there was no way he wanted to marry her anymore. Why had she even let this go on this long, knowing he wouldn't want her as she was?
Then he said, "That's okay, though."
Cassandra looked up at him. “It's...okay?”
“It's okay,” he repeated simply. “We don’t have to.”
His expression was a bit baffled but earnest. Though it held a trace of disappointment, maybe, there was no anger. Cassandra didn’t understand.
"I thought…you’d be upset.”
“Cassandra, just because A—I mean, a certain man was too much of an idiot to see that you are worth far more than your body, doesn’t mean I am.”
Tears abruptly burned in her eyes. “You don’t mind?” she asked. "You...you don't have to marry me, really."
“I love you, Cassandra," Coroebus said. "Of course I want to marry you. I'm still just as joyful that your father allowed it."
Coroebus held out his arms, and she stepped into them. He held her close as more tears filled her eyes.
This felt...safe.
"You promise it's okay?" she mumbled.
"I promise," Coroebus responded. "I love you, Cassandra, and I know that you love me. There's much more to love than just nights together."
They were quiet for a moment, though they didn't move apart.
"Just tell me what's okay," Coroebus said. "I won't go past that, ever."
Her throat closed up at that offer. It was so different than anything Apollo had ever said or done.
"This is okay," she murmured in answer. "This is perfect."
***
A/N: I love the myth of Cassandra of Troy, and these two scenes are my interpretation of some aspects of her story!
