for me. They were planning a banquet and Maia was under strict orders to keep me hidden until then.
As if waiting to lay eyes on me would somehow add to my allure or something.
I rolled my eyes and thought of trying to slip past her out of sheer defiance, but that wouldn’t get me anywhere. No doubt Mother had elaborate plans for tonight and I didn’t want to be the one to ruin them.
But the waiting made me anxious. By the time the sun was low in the sky, I’d tried on nearly every dress in my wardrobe and had Maia redo my hair three different times before she finally had to leave to help Mother prepare. I wasn’t sure why I even cared what I looked like. My sister was gone and I hadn’t heard from Aphrodite in days. If getting myself married first was a game, I’d already lost. What was the point in continuing to play? Other than, as Mother said, to solidify an alliance for our City?
Someone stop me from fainting; the sheer romance of it all might overwhelm me .
When darkness finally arrived, Maia came back to my room.
“Everything is ready, child,” she told me. “But if I may be so bold as to add one thing.” Maia pulled a golden laurel wreath from behind her back. The crown sparkled even in the dimness of the oil lamps. Each leaf was different, with veins laid in silver, and tiny diamonds resting on some of the leaves like dew. I knew the crown even before she spoke. It was the one my mother had worn when she married my father.
“She wants you to wear this tonight.” Without saying another word, Maia expertly wound my upswept curls around the crown. She stepped back to study her handiwork and smiled. “It doesn’t do you justice, but it’ll do just the same.”
I threw my arms around her neck. “You’re too good to me, Maia. What would we do without you?”
“I suppose you’ll learn how to manage if you go running off marrying one of these oafs.” She studied me with as much pride as if I were her own daughter. “You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself, you know?”
The smile she’d encouraged out of me wilted. She was wrong. I’d been a horrible friend to my sister, kept secrets from my family. If anything, I wasn’t being hard enough on myself. The crown suddenly felt too heavy, the leaves poking at my scalp like javelins as I shook my head “no.”
“She’ll never forgive me, Maia.”
She lifted my chin with a crooked finger, leaving me no choice but to meet her eyes. “You’re sisters. Nothing’s more important than family and Chara will realize that soon.”
I pushed at the crown, which felt like it was constricting my head. Thinking hurt my brain; but feeling was worse. I couldn’t bear the feeling that my sister would never speak to me again. My mind was spinning through a mantra of “I can’t do this anymore” when Maia squeezed my hand and led me to the door.
“Now get out of here. There’s nothing worse than showing up late for your own party.”
As she shooed me from my room, I saw that our courtyard had been transformed into a glowing celebration. Oil lamps cast their dancing light over the guests. Servants were pouring wine into onyx goblets and some of the suitors were already swaying. The courtyard was full of talk and laughter and life.
After the emptiness of my room, it all felt surreal.
When I reached the threshold, Father came to my side and linked elbows with me. What probably looked like a friendly escort to everyone else felt like an iron clamp. “You see how hard your mother worked to prepare your party?” he said in his deepest whisper. It wasn’t a question so much as a threat — don’t you dare ruin this night for her .
I nodded and he patted my hand. “Glad we understand each other, then.” He led me to the musicians and ordered them to stop playing.
The abrupt end to the music got everyone’s attention. “Excuse me, gentlemen,” my father
As if waiting to lay eyes on me would somehow add to my allure or something.
I rolled my eyes and thought of trying to slip past her out of sheer defiance, but that wouldn’t get me anywhere. No doubt Mother had elaborate plans for tonight and I didn’t want to be the one to ruin them.
But the waiting made me anxious. By the time the sun was low in the sky, I’d tried on nearly every dress in my wardrobe and had Maia redo my hair three different times before she finally had to leave to help Mother prepare. I wasn’t sure why I even cared what I looked like. My sister was gone and I hadn’t heard from Aphrodite in days. If getting myself married first was a game, I’d already lost. What was the point in continuing to play? Other than, as Mother said, to solidify an alliance for our City?
Someone stop me from fainting; the sheer romance of it all might overwhelm me .
When darkness finally arrived, Maia came back to my room.
“Everything is ready, child,” she told me. “But if I may be so bold as to add one thing.” Maia pulled a golden laurel wreath from behind her back. The crown sparkled even in the dimness of the oil lamps. Each leaf was different, with veins laid in silver, and tiny diamonds resting on some of the leaves like dew. I knew the crown even before she spoke. It was the one my mother had worn when she married my father.
“She wants you to wear this tonight.” Without saying another word, Maia expertly wound my upswept curls around the crown. She stepped back to study her handiwork and smiled. “It doesn’t do you justice, but it’ll do just the same.”
I threw my arms around her neck. “You’re too good to me, Maia. What would we do without you?”
“I suppose you’ll learn how to manage if you go running off marrying one of these oafs.” She studied me with as much pride as if I were her own daughter. “You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself, you know?”
The smile she’d encouraged out of me wilted. She was wrong. I’d been a horrible friend to my sister, kept secrets from my family. If anything, I wasn’t being hard enough on myself. The crown suddenly felt too heavy, the leaves poking at my scalp like javelins as I shook my head “no.”
“She’ll never forgive me, Maia.”
She lifted my chin with a crooked finger, leaving me no choice but to meet her eyes. “You’re sisters. Nothing’s more important than family and Chara will realize that soon.”
I pushed at the crown, which felt like it was constricting my head. Thinking hurt my brain; but feeling was worse. I couldn’t bear the feeling that my sister would never speak to me again. My mind was spinning through a mantra of “I can’t do this anymore” when Maia squeezed my hand and led me to the door.
“Now get out of here. There’s nothing worse than showing up late for your own party.”
As she shooed me from my room, I saw that our courtyard had been transformed into a glowing celebration. Oil lamps cast their dancing light over the guests. Servants were pouring wine into onyx goblets and some of the suitors were already swaying. The courtyard was full of talk and laughter and life.
After the emptiness of my room, it all felt surreal.
When I reached the threshold, Father came to my side and linked elbows with me. What probably looked like a friendly escort to everyone else felt like an iron clamp. “You see how hard your mother worked to prepare your party?” he said in his deepest whisper. It wasn’t a question so much as a threat — don’t you dare ruin this night for her .
I nodded and he patted my hand. “Glad we understand each other, then.” He led me to the musicians and ordered them to stop playing.
The abrupt end to the music got everyone’s attention. “Excuse me, gentlemen,” my father
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