It may be that clever minded Athena hears her prayers and blunts the edge of her brother's words, or it may not.

Cassandra offers her her fervent thanks and gratitude regardless - woe to her a thousandfold should she anger another of the gods with a lack of proper acknowledgement of their largess, and as daughter of her father, overlooked and ignored as her words are, she can more than provide suitable offerings.

Even year after year into war, even as the camp outside the walls grows to be a city, even an enemy of her king and people - but he hears her, and her words, and he listens, and the man who is no one (for is that not how he had introduced himself?) takes a tight-lipped heed.