Notes: This scene takes place shortly after Paris’ death. This scene still needs a lot of work, its a little information heavy and the language can come across as awkward or not genuine, but I really like the feel of it and the reversal that happens. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
Cassandra: Helen?
Helen: Go away!
Cassandra: Helen, you need to talk to me.
Helen: Why? So you can tell me how great he was even though I know you hated him. Well I'm not in the mood for false comfort.
Cassandra: Helen…
Helen: Don't lie and tell me you didn't.
Cassandra: I…
Helen: And don't go on about how he died bravely either, or how I was lucky to have had the time I did, or how all troy will mourn his death...
Cassandra: Helen..
Helen: I said don’t! Just go away Cassandra, I don't want to hear…
Cassandra: Dammit Helen! I didn't come here to lecture you, or to talk about Paris! I came here because I figured that you could use someone to talk to. For YOU to talk, not me. To help YOU. But you seem to be doing a lot of talking already, so If you aren't going to let me in I am perfectly fine to go.
Helen is silent
Cassandra turns to go
Helen opens the door
Cassandra enters the room and both sit
Helen: I'm sorry.
Cassandra: It's all right. You're grieving. And I shouldn't have yelled.
Helen: But you were right, and I deserve a lot worse anyways.
Cassandra: Helen… (sees that Helen is on the verge of tears and stops)
Helen: What am I going to do? He was the entire reason I came to Troy. I left everything behind in order to be with him, my life, my friends, even my daughter. And now he's gone. I should just go back.
Cassandra: (cautiously as she doesn't want to upset Helen) Helen, If you don't mind me saying. There must be something more to it. (pause) You don't seem like the kind of woman who would abandon her daughter just for a man. Was it Menelaus? Did you need to get away from him?
Helen: No, he was actually a fairly kind and honorable man. That’s why I didn't take Hermione with me. He was already losing his wife, I couldn't bear to have him lose his daughter as well. But you are also right, it was more than just Paris. (pause, thinks for a moment) It was the first time in my life where I was able to make my own choice about something. Menelaus was chosen for me. How I acted was chosen for me. Who I spent time with was chosen for me. I chose Paris, and I didn't want to lose that… And now I have
(Cassandra puts her arm around Helen's shoulder)
Helen: (says this next bit without any pretentiousness, vanity or self-importance, rather with a resignation to the facts of her life) It's going to happen again you know. After I've completed what is deemed an "appropriate" period of mourning for Paris, Priam is going to marry me off, and I will have no say in the matter. Though maybe it's better that way (laugh/cry/weird thing in between) look at what happens when I make my own decisions. (pause) He should just send me back to Menelaus, I don't understand why he won't.
Cassandra: You're a princess of Troy now, one of us. We don't give up one of our own.
Helen: I should go back to Menelaus on my own then. It would stop the war and you would all be left alone.
Cassandra: Do you really think Agamemnon came all this way simply to help his brother recover his wife? He's not leaving unless he has the riches of Troy in his possession.
Helen: (concedes the point, looking at Cassandra thinks that its more than just the riches of Troy that he won't leave without. It is that thought which spurs her decision) Doesn't matter. Those who swore the Oath of Tyndareus would be able to leave, and that would be worth it. I'm going to return myself to Menelaus.
Cassandra: (realizing that this is more than just grief talking and Helen actually means to do this) You can't! you'll be killed or worse!
Helen: (angry tears) Why? Don't I deserve it
Cassandra: No you don't!
Helen: How can you say that!? After everything I've done… Bringing this war. (pause) I'm the reason why your city has been under siege for nine years, the reason why __ of your brothers are dead. How can you not hate me? How can you say that I don't deserve whatever awaits me at the hands of Menelaus.
Cassandra: Helen you're not…
Helen: It's my fault Cassandra.
Cassandra: No Helen, It's not your fault, (pause) It's.. (falls silent)
Helen: It's no one's fault? (shakes her head) you know that isn't true
Cassandra: That’s not…
Helen: then who Cassandra? If I am not at fault for this entire war and Paris' death, than tell me who is. (pause)
Cassandra: That’s…
Helen: Come on, tell me. Who is to blame for Paris' death.
Cassandra: I…
Helen: Tell me!
Cassandra: (Turns and yells back at Helen) I AM! (Helen takes a step back, confused) It's my fault. (pause) If it wasn't for me Paris would have never even gone to Sparta in the first place.
Helen: (thinks for a second confused, realization/understanding dawns on her) Cassandra, If you hadn't recognized him your brothers would have killed him anyways.
Cassandra: That's not what I'm talking about
Helen: (confused again) I don't understand then. Paris told me that he asked to go on the trip to Sparta…
Cassandra: And if it weren't for what I did, Priam would never have let him
Helen: You don't have that much influence over Priam, I've seen how he treats you. How could you have…
Cassandra: Because I knew THIS would happen. I knew that Paris going to Sparta would bring war to Troy.
Helen: How could you have…
Cassandra: You know everything you've heard about me, it's partially true. Yes I have visions, but they are always, ALWAYS right. I…
Helen: Don't be ridiculous Cassandra. Only the oracle of Delphi can see the future, and you're..
Cassandra: Not? I know. But I'm not being ridiculous. I have no idea why or how but I see the future. And now I can't do anything with that, can't make anyone believe me, because I made a stupid mistake and got myself cursed. I tried to tell Priam not to send Paris to Sparta, and you saw me tell him to send you back. I told Hector not to fight Achilles, but through all this, I was never once believed. If I hadn't got myself cursed I could have stopped everything. If it wasn't for me Helen, you wouldn't have even had the chance to leave your husband. This war is not your fault Helen. It's mine.
(looks at Helen horrified at what she just revealed to one of the few people who didn't think her mad)
(Helen looks scared/startled for a moment)
Helen: (speaking gently) Cassandra…
Casandra: (stands abruptly, Is very obviously terrified but trying to mask it) I'm sorry. I'll go, look I'm sorry about Paris but I… (hurries towards the exit)
Helen: Cassandra I…
Cassandra: (angry) I've heard it all before Helen, and if you don't mind, I'd prefer not to hear it again from you.
Exits
Helen stares dumbfounded in the direction that Cassandra left
Lights go down
Notes: So this scene is waaay too information heavy (that's what happens when you’re working on Act 1 and all of a sudden have a great idea for a scene in Act 3) and that will be fixed. I’m leaving the information in there for now though because I definitely want a lot of it to be addressed through the course of the play, especially the tidbits concerning Helen’s character. Helen is a toughie to write because It is so easy to fall into the stereotypes of her. I’m mainly combating this by keeping a specific objective in mind for her as a character, which is stated in this scene. Helen wants to be free to make her own choices. I think that this makes her much more believable and sympathetic of a character, and it makes sense given her history. This is also a very important scene in terms of Cassandra’s character arc. I think a friendship between the two women in the first two acts makes sense. They are both outsiders (albeit in different ways) and Helen is one of the only people in Troy who wasn’t there when everyone decided that Cassandra was insane (which is why Cassandra is so horrified that she told Helen about her visions). For Cassandra to fall as far as she needs to in Act 3 though, I need her to feel/become completely isolated, meaning that there needs to be a degradation in that friendship. I also thinks it makes sense for some of that isolation to occur by Cassandra’s own actions.