Chapter 4 THE STRANGE FAMILY: CASSANDRA

I had never been in the presence of so much powerful Lycans before. The collective aura that came off them almost drove me to my knees. My jaw almost dropped from mere looking at them. They were all so...beautiful, it was strange.

"Father," Styx said and climbed up the stairs to walk into the embrace of his father.

"Your journey went well I presume?" The King said in a boisterous tone. I could feel the vibrancy of his voice.

"Everything went well, father," Styx replied with a genuine smile. We both knew that he was lying. Styx had seen his death, but he had warned me not to say anything on the threat of my life.

"Mother, it is very good to see you," Styx said and embraced the beautiful mature woman that stood patiently beside the king.

"I am glad to you are back home where you belong, my son," The Queen replied.

"And you, Adonis," Styx said happily. "How have you fared in my absence, brother?"

The handsome young man shrugged playfully. "I was getting used to your absence, brother, I am a bit angry you are back so early."

Styx laughed and hugged his brother tightly. "You and your jokes," Styx said.

"And you my dear sisters, hope you were not bored silly out of your minds?" Styx asked.

"Adonis kept us entertained," one of the ladies replied while the other one just laughed happily as she gazed fondly at Styx.

The were all such a loving family.

Styx looked around like he was searching for something or someone.

"I take it little Dion is not interested in my arrival," Styx said looking at the king and Queen.

"Worry not, Styx," the Queen replied. "Dionysus has no desire for anything, do not take his absence to heart."

Maybe they were not so loving after all. I thought. Whoever this Dionysus was, he did not care much for his family which made me curious. Who was he?

Styx joined his stood beside his father, his shoulders straight and head proudly raised.

"All rise!" He spoke in a loud voice that carried the weight of his royalty.

The thousands of soldiers on their knees rose up all at once in a practiced and military manner. They all stood straight and still, unmoving. I was astounded by such stark obedience.

"Dismissed!" Styx barked.

The soldiers marched in a neat choreographed unity and in a minute, the large pavilion was empty and deserted. I was the only one standing on it as I gazed up at the new family I had been given too.

"And who is this?" The Queen asked as she eyed me with a bored curiosity on her face.

"A collateral," Styx replied in a dismissive tone. "She is of no true importance."

His words stung but I could not afford to react.

"Interesting," The King muttered as his gaze on me narrowed. "And where is she from?"

"She is the daughter of Hector Priam," Styx replied.

"Priam of Abalus?" The Queen asked.

"The one and the same," Styx replied with a nod.

"They owe us too much," The king said as he watched me with cold grey eyes.

Adonis the young handsome prince chuckled. "King Hector is so wretched that he uses his own daughter as some sort of payment? Unbelievable."

I bit my lip in embarrassment and gazed at the floor. They were so harsh with their words.

"Whatever she may be, she is still a guest," The king said. "Give her a room and have her join us for night supper."

Everyone but Styx went into the palace and I was left alone with him again. I could see the rage smouldering in his eyes as he gazed down at me.

"Follow me," He said tersely and turned sharply to enter into the palace.

I looked down at the marble stairs for a while and realized that I was stepping into as new life, a new chapter, a new home. I meekly followed Syx through the halls of the palace and I had to keep myself from gasping.

The walls were covered in with mixtures of precious quartz and rubies. The pillars were of gold and the floors were of transparent marble. It was like I was walking on water. The palace was one of the most magnificent places I had ever laid eyes on. It reeked of abundant wealth that was never going to run out.

I meekly followed the proud prince up the spiralling stairs that led up many rooms. The place was well illuminated with pitchers of fire mounted high on the walls of the hall.

Prince Styx and I passed several maids of the palace who got on their knees as he walked by without so much of a glance. I could see the fear and terror in their behaviours as they bowed low to him.

He stopped at the front of a large twin door and turned to me.

"I have done a lot of thinking," he said as he glared coldly at me. "You shall be staying with me until we find a solution to what plagues me, I am never letting you out of my sight."

He pushed open the twin doors and they parted with a loud click. I was instantly mesmerized by how well furnished his large chamber was. The bed had four golden post and it was large with a tapestry of a material that I knew was rare and expensive.

The walls were covered in colours of the morning sun and the lights on the wall made it gleam giving the place a sort of paradisical ambience. I looked around in awe as I stepped into the middle of the royally furnished room.

I caught a glimpse of the prince's sneering glare and stilled myself.

"Get your self cleaned up and remove those cheap ornaments around your neck, in fact do not wear any of your own clothes, I will send a servant to fetch you a more befitting dress. You smell like that wretched kingdom of yours," he said in a harsh tone and left the room.

I was left alone again and I began to wonder how Styx expected me to find a way out of his preordained demise. I only saw death. I had no cure for it.