LYSSANDRA

  I never imagined how someone could feel like this. Showered in flowers and honey with each touch and kiss I could take from him. His gaze was worshiping me as if I were a true goddess. It felt like I was finally…

  ‘’You left again,’’ I said with my eyes now open with the sun all bright. But I was lying in the forest near the tree all alone and bare. I lifted my upper body up and noticed that my bag was gone, too. A slight panic grew in me that he might have thought I would harm him.

  ‘’If you listen, I understand’’I told a half lie.’’No,’’I laughed again. ‘’No, I don’t understand why? Is this a game for you?’’

  My lips were still stained with his warm touch, his scent, and.

  ‘’Foolish woman’’I muttered to myself and took my dress. Foolish woman who thought that someone would love her like a mortal. And there was no time for all of this.

  Everyone outside at the temple was now looking at me, confused. I explained with lies that I wanted to celebrate alone that night, and lost track of time. The two guards believed it, but Myrto and the others didn’t. When I was packing my things, they announced to me that Adamantious had left a few hours ago. Of course he did. But I actually wished for him to have a happy life. My dreams were becoming a reality thanks to him.

  Macardious explained to me that Perseus got a head start because of an emergency. But he gave us two wagons for us to travel in until then and tons of food.

  Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves on the trip, with everyone telling their plans when they arrived in the kingdom. Myrto and Alexious wanted to see if they had festivals.

  ‘’Almost every day’’Macardios reassured with a wide smile and took a bite of an ox we had cooked hours ago.’’The colors are so bright, music feels like it’s endless, oh, and the dances are…’’ His eyes glanced at Tirgan, who was looking at me while I was sitting in silence at night.

  My gaze turned to Leon and Deimaria, who were now playing outside our stopped wagons with the dolls he crafted. Their smiles were wide, eyes beaming with joy. I just wish I could have seen it a while longer. But everything became so quick that I couldn’t even do half the things I wanted.

  ‘’May I join you?’’Tirgan walked close to me. I nodded my head and faced the road.

  We both began walking further and further from the wagons while the campfire kept beaming bright.

  ‘’You do not seem to be… happy’’He tried to speak to me calmly, but every word came out sounding like an insult.

  ‘’We are travelling for two days, I am just…’’I tried to admit it, but he kept looking at me confused.

  I could not lie anymore, could I?

  I inhaled deeply and let my breath out as I thought about how to explain my problem.

  ‘’You are losing your faith’’He interrupted me.

  But I shook my head.’’I think that I lost it years ago, but I gained it back, but…’’My brow narrowed and touched my lips. And Tirgan rolled his eyes.

  ‘’You are given a role that everyone in your profession would sacrifice even their entire family’’

  ‘’We are not meant to sacrifice people’’I explained to him. ‘’Not unless they ask us to.’’

  Tirgan groaned. ‘’You have an opportunity and you think about your trust in your god.’’He faced above to the sky above.’’When Perseus gave me a chance at a new life, I was too confused about my faith and trust in Horus.’’

  How can I tell this guy that I shared my ‘faith’ with my god? I suppose that people in Egypt had different customs. They did share bodies with them, but that was not the same as what I did.

  ‘’And it took me years to realize it.’’ His lower lip shook after those words. ‘’Gods can be admired, and can be loved by us. Our loyalty is to them. Not our lives’’His head shook. ‘’And our stories are not written because of them.’’

  My brow arched like a bridge as I heard those words. And he was right.

  ‘’Did Perseus tell you those words?’’ I asked with a smile.

  ‘’My partner actually’’He had a wide smile upon his face now and turned above the apple trees. ‘’I had to actually thank him, he pulled me out…’’His fingers embraced his heart.

  I clicked my tongue and turned to him.’’You shall give him an apple when you see him again’’

  His eyes opened wide and confused.

  ‘’Trust me, I see a bright future for you.’’I smiled at him and walked back to the wagon, deciding that sleep was now the answer to all my worries.

  The sun rose when we saw Perseus’ kingdom, dressed in bright stones, and people cheering. We were inside two wagons, but still, people tried to welcome us like we were a sort of victors. Everyone’s gaze at me. I could just feel my heart skipping a beat. But my gaze found Macardios and Tirgan whispering behind the horses. And TIrgan’s mouth dropped with his golden eyes facing me.

  I decided to ignore it while the others were amazed by the music and colors. And even then, I could see each great soldier guarding the people step by step. Even with all those smiles

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  We arrived at the great palace of Perseus, where his wife welcomed us with a warm smile. She looked as radiant as ever as she cupped my face and pulled me closer.

  ‘’We are so happy that you came’’Her brow narrowed, and she looked around the others.

  ‘’All of you, go, bathe and dress, my husband will see you at sunset.’’She clapped her hands, and servant girls appeared left and right, pushing us inside the palace. My eyes looked around to see statues of Zeus surrounding the place, making me feel a strong pressure on my stomach. Should I say something to him? But like what?

  Sorry, I did heinous crimes under your son's name…also, your son was under-

  ‘’Are you alright?’’ Myrto touched my hand and turned to her with a forceful nod. Then, I noticed Andromeda hugging both Leon and Deimaria tightly.

  ‘’Oh, you are so cute, just like my children when they were younger.’’Both of them seemed to breathe. ‘’You must be finished. ‘’Her face turned to look at me for reassurance. It would be a shame to make those kids starve and disrespect the queen, so I agreed.

  The bathhouse was wider and cleaner than the one I had in the temple. The walls were sculpted with such careful hands while statues of a tall, beautiful woman were scattered left and right. Seems that the king loves art. The servant girls were very chatty when they were bathing us, but their hands did not tremble when they were brushing my face. Either they got used to scrubbing scars of mighty warriors, or someone commanded them not to feel afraid of me. I did not mind, but Myrto kept looking at me.

  ‘’What’s wrong?’’I asked.

  ‘’I wanted to ask the same thing’’

  I looked at the servant girls and asked them to leave, and they immediately did it. Following orders fast…I might like this new life.

  ‘’You are acting strange’’Myrto finally said and looked down. ‘’Stranger than usual’’

  My brow rose from that comment, and I looked down at my body. My foolish mind could not stop thinking about everything that happened. And rage could not get out. Why couldn’t I be upset?

  ‘’Is this about some charming man with blonde curls?’’A smile grew on her face.

  And my face flushed. Of course, she knew, probably she knew from the start that something would happen. Now, I wouldn’t be surprised.

  ‘’We uhm’’I moved half of my face underwater.

  ‘’I know that you kissed. I am no fool.’’

  I remained silent and tried to look away. And her mouth dropped.

  ‘’No,’’She gasped. ‘’You..’’ She looked dead at the wall. ‘’What did you do?’’

  It was worse than she thought.

  ‘’None will find out’’I got out of the water.’’

  ‘’What if they will and-’’She grabbed my hand.

  ‘’None will find out about what I did with him’’I explained clearly.’’Just none will find out about all the rest I have done.’’

  My voice echoed in the room as I said all those things, and I felt that everyone was now watching me. And yet, none was there. Then why was I feeling all these eyes around me?

  Something was about to happen.

  I was dressed in beautiful blue fabrics, my hair up in golden ribbons, and a veil on my face. Next to me was Myrto, all her beauty in grace, while Alexios followed us. Seemed that the kids had their bellies full while they were resting into two comfortable beds. Guards were accompanying us in the main room, but the angle of my face found Tirgan in the beautiful flower garden. His cheeks were all re,d while behind his back there was an apple. In front of him, a man was holding a long staff. His back is all down. His hair was all red like fire, while his eyes had the color of the sky. When Tirgan finally showed him the apple, he blinked twice. And the limping man jumped fast on his arms and kissed him tight. Seemed that my plan worked for them.

  Maybe everything will turn out fine. With no devotion, loyalty to any god, or the thought of them messing with my life again.

  The celebration was hosted with countless people, dancing and celebrating for their king’s return, who was sitting on the cold throne. Perseus was dressed in fine black fabric with his limbs dressed in gold, while his face was dressed in a warm smile. When he found me, his mouth grew wider.

  ‘’Oracle Lyssandra’’He laughed and walked closer to me, but I could not stop thinking of the statue of Zeus that was standing right behind the throne.

  A few seconds after I thought, I bowed to the presence of the king, but his arms made me stand on his height.

  ‘’I am glad you took my offer’’ Patting my shoulder now, the king moved me close to his throne, where another well-polished chair was right at his side. He was offering me a seat a few steps away from his wife’s.

  As much as I wanted to celebrate that I was given a throne, I restrained myself and told the others to take a seat near me while I took a seat on the throne. My body was shaking just from touching the marble. It turned out that now everyone’s gaze was shifted to me. Waiting to do or say something. What was I supposed to say?

  I faced the king again and bowed, thanking him for everything, and finally sat on the marble.

  Then, everyone cheered. Cheered for me- no, not for me but for the king, the son of Zeus, taking a priestess of Apollo as his oracle. Maybe it was a small conquest for him, but the crowd took it like a triumph, with the music turning loud and everyone drinking and feasting upon the meat while I could only feel…nothing.

  I wanted to be known, but what was written now wouldn’t be about me.

  The mighty, glorious King Perseus, the one great son of Zeus, took in his grasp one of his brother’s priestesses. A dangerous and powerful word.

  Our stories are not written because of them. Tirgan said. Maybe it was true for him, but now, I could feel trapped. In a cage with none to look at me, not even…

  ‘’Is everything all right?’’ asked Perseus genuinely while Andromeda was telling a few prayers.

  I lied, telling him that everything was fine, but I had never felt that feeling before. That something bad will happen.

  A swarm of thoughts came to my mind, but my gaze turned to the guards who were gathering in a specific place. Alexious and Myrto seemed to love the music and the feat while Tirgan and Macardios were facing them with sorrow.

  And just then, a random thought came out of my lips.

  ‘’Your oracle,’’ I turned to him, and his joyful smile faded.’’You said’’I muttered.’’My king, you did say that you had an oracle, where are they exactly?’’

  There was a storm in his eyes, and he drank from his golden chalice.

  ‘’You see, I forgot that part’’

  What?