"He is the leader of the Akhaian armies from Mykenae itself—" Kassandra said.
"Yes; you knew he was married to Helen's sister, who succeeded her mother in Mykenae? Klytemnestra was the elder twin, and very beautiful, but nothing like Helen. Well, Agamemnon managed to get himself married to Klytemnestra, and they had a daughter, Iphigenia - dedicated to Serpent Mother, and of course Keeper of the Shrine and High Priestess from the time she was still a child. Well, when this war came along, Agamemnon had sworn to come to his brother's aid in all things, and so he had to leave Mykenae; and he was afraid that Klytemnestra would replace him as her consort; she was angry that he had dared to swear such an oath without her leave and so she threatened that if he left her she would take her cousin Aegisthus to her bed. Agamemnon threatened to take away their son Orestes - Klytemnestra told him he might do as he would with the boy, but if he perverted any of her children with his evil Gods she would cast his son out after him. So he made the lad a priest of Poseidon—I think it was Poseidon, the horse God, and sent him to be fostered among the Kentaurs. When his armies were gathered to sail to Troy, he was delayed on shore with poor winds, and he sent to Klytemnestra that her daughter Iphigenia should come and conduct the appointed sacrifices to the winds. So she came, as priestess; and what should he do but sacrifice Iphigenia herself, on false oracles; so that Klytemnestra could not take another consort because her younger daughter was too young to be her successor. And I have heard that this younger daughter Electra has been turned against the worship of Earth Mother; and who could blame her? If she became a priestess like her sister, she might die too. But Klytemnestra has sworn vengeance; and Agamemnon will one day face the vengeance of Earth Mother. And, mistake me not, he will die. The Gods are not mocked in this fashion."
"So then it is all a matter of whether the land shall be ordered by kings or queens?"
"What else? Why should men rule the hearth or the city, where-woman has commanded since first Earth Mother brought forth life? The old way was best; where the king was led out every year to die for his people and there was no question of any man setting up his son to follow him. For thousands of years, until these Akhaian savages came to try and change our ways, that was the rule of life—
"And then, who knows? Perhaps there was war and a king was too skilled a leader to be made to die; or some foolish woman like myself did not wish to lose her young lover." She turned an affectionate look on young Agon. "Then these horse-folk came, and the first kings, and set up their arrogant Gods, even the Sunlord who claimed to have slain Serpent Mother." Imandra yawned. "The world is changing, I tell you; but it is the fault of the women who did not keep their men in their place."
"And you think, then, this is the cause of this war?" Kassandra asked.
"My dear, I am sure of it," said the Queen. "It could never have happened to Colchis."
CHAPTER 16
A few days later Kassandra, lodged in the suite in the palace once allotted to the royal daughters, that same room where once she and Andromache had lain awake one night watching stars falling, was wakened by Queen Imandra herself.
"My dear, the High Priestess in Serpent Mother's Temple is willing to receive you."
Kassandra awakened her waiting-women and had herself dressed in a simple unbleached tunic as befitted a suppliant.
Adrea protested: 'You are a princess of Troy and a priestess in your own right; you should go to her as an equal, my lady."
"But I go to her to seek wisdom which she possesses and I do not," Kassandra answered. "I think it is more fitting that I go to her humbly, beseeching her help."
The waiting-woman sniffed; but Queen Imandra said, "I think you are right, Kassandra. When she summons me, even I go to her with humility." Kassandra sighed with relief and bound her soft sandals on her feet. She very much disliked wearing elaborate court robes and being dressed up as a princess.
Though the sun was not very high in the sky, already the morning clouds had burned off and the heat was very strong on her head and through the shoulders of her tunic. It seemed a long walk across the city, and her feet were tired when at last they climbed the great Titan-built steps toward the shrine.
Inside, to Kassandra's relief, it was dark and cool and there was the pleasant far-off sound of falling water. A quiet dark-robed attendant showed them into a shaded tile-floored court; at the far end there was a formal high seat where sat a large fat old woman with white hair.
"The priestess Arikia," murmured Imandra.
They advanced slowly down the room. At first Kassandra thought that it was a living serpent twined about the priestess's gilt head-dress; then she realized that it was only a very realistic moulded and painted one of pottery or perhaps of carved wood.
The priestess was dressed in a sleeveless robe of crimson patterned cloth, richly ornamented with designs that looked like the scales of serpents; and around her waist was wrapped the largest snake Kassandra had ever seen; as big around as the priestess's arms, which were very fat. The snake was coiled around Arikia's waist twice, and the old woman held the serpent's head in her hand, lazily tickling it under the chin.
She said in a soft voice which sounded none the less very determined, "Greetings, Queen Imandra; is this the Trojan princess of whom you told me?"
"It is, Lady," said Imandra. "Kassandra, daughter of Queen-Hecuba of Troy."
Kassandra felt the old priestess's eyes resting on her, as dark and flat as the serpent's eyes. "And what do you want from me, Kassandra of Troy?"
Kassandra felt compelled to kneel down before the old woman.
"I have come from Troy to learn of you, or rather of Serpent Mother," she said.
"Well, tell me what you seek," said the old priestess. "For you, Hecuba's daughter, I will do whatever lies within my powers."
So encouraged, Kassandra told her of the death or desertion of the serpents in the Sunlord's house, and her unwillingness to replace them until she knew more of their care. The old woman smiled, still stroking the great snake under its chin - or the place where it would have had a chin. At last she said:
"I should call all my priestesses, Kassandra, and have them come and look at you. For in all Colchis I cannot find a single young woman who wishes to learn this lore; and you have come all the way from Troy to seek it from me.
"Tell me Kassandra, while you dwell in this temple will you give due reverence to Serpent Mother?"
"I swear it, Lady."
Arikia smiled and held out her hand.
"So be it," she said, "I accept you. You may remain here, and none of our ancient wisdom shall be hidden from you while you dwell among us. You may leave her with us, Imandra; and you too may go," she said, casting her sharp eyes on Adrea. "She will need no waiting-woman in the Mother's Temple; such attendance as she may need will be given by priestesses."
Adrea said firmly, "I promised her mother, my Lady, that I'd not leave her side for a single day while she was in foreign parts."
Arikia said kindly, "I cannot fault you for that, daughter. But do you truly think she needs your chaperonage when she is in the hands of the Great Mother?"
"I suppose not, my Lady. When you put it like that, where could she be safer than in the hands of the Great Goddess? But I cannot break my promise to Queen Hecuba," said Adrea reluctantly.
"Still," said Arikia, "I think you must leave her to me and the Goddess; but you may come every few days and speak with her alone and unobserved, to reassure yourself that she is safe and well, and here of her own free choice."