VampiricTouch
Cold Selfish Bitch
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2008
- Posts
- 3,877
At a single word, a simple gesture, heads would roll before such a woman, the empress of Attica. The ruling house and its tenuous position had brought her to him as a means to reassure her qualms... but still she felt she was much too good for this place.
A seat was offered and she settled in with a contemptuous sniff. Despite the prestige he had garnered, his house was plain. There was none of the wealth of gold nor the luxuries of silk to soften the hard walls of his humble abode. It tried her patience to be in such a room, but any word to a secure future would be worthwhile.
The grate of his staff across the ground brought her attention to the door as the blind prophet was escorted in. The heavy cloak carried the smell of incense, no doubt from his visits to Apollo's temple.
"My deepest apologies for your wait. A touch of your hand please, and if Apollo should favor you with words, I shall profess it." The aging man bowed, his hand held out in a request for hers. There was a touch of disdain as she reluctantly left the barest tips of her fingers to his hand, but that annoyance was eclipsed by something else when he began to speak again. "The riches of the earth surround your house of extravagance, but a river of blood flows in and sweeps it all away... "
She froze in her seat as the servants that had accompanied her rose into a hushed anxiety of whispers. "Does this not mean the throne will fall...?" Her voice was icy as the room fell into a chilling silence.
"I - I Atropa greet the Imperial Queen!" The blind man fell to his knees at the sound of the woman's voice, as the pieces of her voice, her words and his own prophecy made apparent his client's position.
"They say you are the greatest prophet in all of Attica, deserving of praise as one who was born with Apollo's blessing..." Her voice was like the footsteps of death knocking upon his door. Even with her hand withdrawn, he could feel the clutches of death approach... just as he could feel the fear within her own voice. "If you knew who I was than you should have been prepared for the consequences of your words, and you dare profess the end of our reign? In front of all these servants? You sightless fool! Pronounce your words as false! Prophecy that my son will ascend the throne! As will the sons of his sons to follow!"
"I... I cannot my queen. I have taken an oath to Apollo. I am only a servant to him who has granted me foresight. I will only prophecy the truth."
"Even if it means your life?" Her voice was dangerously soft, but still the silence stretched between them. "Then tell me who will rise against us. If you tell me, I may spare your life."
"I-- I don't know" It was the barest of whispers from a man who was terrified of the consequences of such words.
"Kill everything in the house that breathes! Bring everyone from the household here!" There was no hesitation as the woman pronounced judgment in the heat of her wrath. A crash accompanied her words as the serving girl dropped her tray in terror while the guards closed in on her.
"They are not of concern!! Please show mercy!"
"Then tell me."
"I am only a servant of the gods, I only know what the gods show me!"
"Then you will watch your family and servants die. Kill the girls first."
"I - I don't know who will rise, but I know the harbinger! The - the source!" It was a final attempt as he made a silent prayer to Apollo, pleading for mercy for the lie he would now speak. The scuffle stilled to only the softer sobs of terrified women.
"Very well." The flick of her hand and the guards released the serving girl tending to their needs.
"An ocean warrior, one who is raised and nurtured upon the land blessed by Poseidon. The one that will be chosen by Poseidon will be the source of bloodshed."
"A land blessed by Poseidon... would be the Isle of Nisida. It is said that a child amongst those that come of age will be chosen by Poseidon as the Warrior of the Sea..."
~~~~**Isle of Nisida**~~~~
The girl dove into the water, vanishing under the waves that surrounded the small island before bursting from the water several moments later. Drenched hair slicked backwards from her upturned face as water splashed with her emergence. Crystaline droplets adorned her lashes before falling away as her eyes opened. A nymph, no a woman savoring the joys of the ocean, and offering her praises to its god.
"Alexis Maheras! Come back here! It's time to prepare for the ceremony!!"
The girl started at the call before making long even strokes towards the shore - truly a child of the seas, water dripped from her clothes as she rose, trying to wring them dry.
"I'll be the one to take Poseidon's sword! Don't think that because you're now old enough you can compete!" The clamoring of friendly jests made her grin as the lot of boys carried her along to meet the priest of Poseidon... irregardless of the drowned look of her attire. She was the only girl to have joined this year's competition.
The pack of boys skidded to a stop before the temple by the sea, adrenaline pumping a high beat in their veins. Alexis turned to curiously eye the many strangers that had arrived in their small village. Were they here to see the Warrior of the Sea? Her eyes caught a glimpse of the sword that hung on their side - they were warriors as well! Their presence only heightened her excitement as spectators and candidates alike made their way towards the waters edge. Together led in prayer as the tides receded... revealing the sword of Poseidon resting in it's rightful place.
It was a brilliant glimmer of steel, ornate with gems on the hilt in a decal of Poseidon's trident... a glittering in the horizon of the setting sun and sheathed in the crevice of the Holy rock. All eyes turned to their goal, waiting for the priest's signal for the ceremony to begin. Alexis turned her eyes to the priest, watching as his prayer came to an end and the fire upon the alter burst into a furious blaze - their sign.
As a whole they dove into the sea, vying with each other to get ahead, to capture the sword and bring it back to shore. The waters erupted in a roiling heat of battle as each one sought to slow others and get ahead. Alexis stayed still, allowing others to take the lead and be stopped as punches and kicks were thrown. When most were engaged, she proceeded forward, long practiced strokes for speed propelling her towards the distant rock that emerged once a year.... Only to have the sword pulled from it's place just inches from her fingers.
She dove back into the water, this time going deeper as she tried to catch up to her competitor from below. She was one of the faster swimmers and just before they reached the shore, she caught up to him, and pulled him under.
"Archers, ready your bows! Get ready to take down the one who brings in the sword!" One of the strangers stepped forward and commanded. The strangers without bows drew swords to suppress both villagers and priest alike. "This is the royal command! We are here only for the Warrior of the Sea. No harm will come to you if you obey."
Alexis heard none of those words, nor the clamor of fear as she wrestled under water with her friend for the taking of the sword. A hard punch finally forced him to release his grip as Alexis gave a powerful kick towards the surface.
"I'm this year's Warrior of the Sea!" Stepping forward, she drove the sword into the sandy beach in a proud declaration of her claim.... only to have a stray arrow graze her shoulder.
"Wha- What are you doi-" Her words were cut short as the other archers fired. She drew the sword to defend herself, knocking the projectiles aside as the other soldiers closed in. When an arrow lodged itself in her arm, she finally dove for the sea, hoping to find refuge within her element...
A seat was offered and she settled in with a contemptuous sniff. Despite the prestige he had garnered, his house was plain. There was none of the wealth of gold nor the luxuries of silk to soften the hard walls of his humble abode. It tried her patience to be in such a room, but any word to a secure future would be worthwhile.
The grate of his staff across the ground brought her attention to the door as the blind prophet was escorted in. The heavy cloak carried the smell of incense, no doubt from his visits to Apollo's temple.
"My deepest apologies for your wait. A touch of your hand please, and if Apollo should favor you with words, I shall profess it." The aging man bowed, his hand held out in a request for hers. There was a touch of disdain as she reluctantly left the barest tips of her fingers to his hand, but that annoyance was eclipsed by something else when he began to speak again. "The riches of the earth surround your house of extravagance, but a river of blood flows in and sweeps it all away... "
She froze in her seat as the servants that had accompanied her rose into a hushed anxiety of whispers. "Does this not mean the throne will fall...?" Her voice was icy as the room fell into a chilling silence.
"I - I Atropa greet the Imperial Queen!" The blind man fell to his knees at the sound of the woman's voice, as the pieces of her voice, her words and his own prophecy made apparent his client's position.
"They say you are the greatest prophet in all of Attica, deserving of praise as one who was born with Apollo's blessing..." Her voice was like the footsteps of death knocking upon his door. Even with her hand withdrawn, he could feel the clutches of death approach... just as he could feel the fear within her own voice. "If you knew who I was than you should have been prepared for the consequences of your words, and you dare profess the end of our reign? In front of all these servants? You sightless fool! Pronounce your words as false! Prophecy that my son will ascend the throne! As will the sons of his sons to follow!"
"I... I cannot my queen. I have taken an oath to Apollo. I am only a servant to him who has granted me foresight. I will only prophecy the truth."
"Even if it means your life?" Her voice was dangerously soft, but still the silence stretched between them. "Then tell me who will rise against us. If you tell me, I may spare your life."
"I-- I don't know" It was the barest of whispers from a man who was terrified of the consequences of such words.
"Kill everything in the house that breathes! Bring everyone from the household here!" There was no hesitation as the woman pronounced judgment in the heat of her wrath. A crash accompanied her words as the serving girl dropped her tray in terror while the guards closed in on her.
"They are not of concern!! Please show mercy!"
"Then tell me."
"I am only a servant of the gods, I only know what the gods show me!"
"Then you will watch your family and servants die. Kill the girls first."
"I - I don't know who will rise, but I know the harbinger! The - the source!" It was a final attempt as he made a silent prayer to Apollo, pleading for mercy for the lie he would now speak. The scuffle stilled to only the softer sobs of terrified women.
"Very well." The flick of her hand and the guards released the serving girl tending to their needs.
"An ocean warrior, one who is raised and nurtured upon the land blessed by Poseidon. The one that will be chosen by Poseidon will be the source of bloodshed."
"A land blessed by Poseidon... would be the Isle of Nisida. It is said that a child amongst those that come of age will be chosen by Poseidon as the Warrior of the Sea..."
~~~~**Isle of Nisida**~~~~
The girl dove into the water, vanishing under the waves that surrounded the small island before bursting from the water several moments later. Drenched hair slicked backwards from her upturned face as water splashed with her emergence. Crystaline droplets adorned her lashes before falling away as her eyes opened. A nymph, no a woman savoring the joys of the ocean, and offering her praises to its god.
"Alexis Maheras! Come back here! It's time to prepare for the ceremony!!"
The girl started at the call before making long even strokes towards the shore - truly a child of the seas, water dripped from her clothes as she rose, trying to wring them dry.
"I'll be the one to take Poseidon's sword! Don't think that because you're now old enough you can compete!" The clamoring of friendly jests made her grin as the lot of boys carried her along to meet the priest of Poseidon... irregardless of the drowned look of her attire. She was the only girl to have joined this year's competition.
The pack of boys skidded to a stop before the temple by the sea, adrenaline pumping a high beat in their veins. Alexis turned to curiously eye the many strangers that had arrived in their small village. Were they here to see the Warrior of the Sea? Her eyes caught a glimpse of the sword that hung on their side - they were warriors as well! Their presence only heightened her excitement as spectators and candidates alike made their way towards the waters edge. Together led in prayer as the tides receded... revealing the sword of Poseidon resting in it's rightful place.
It was a brilliant glimmer of steel, ornate with gems on the hilt in a decal of Poseidon's trident... a glittering in the horizon of the setting sun and sheathed in the crevice of the Holy rock. All eyes turned to their goal, waiting for the priest's signal for the ceremony to begin. Alexis turned her eyes to the priest, watching as his prayer came to an end and the fire upon the alter burst into a furious blaze - their sign.
As a whole they dove into the sea, vying with each other to get ahead, to capture the sword and bring it back to shore. The waters erupted in a roiling heat of battle as each one sought to slow others and get ahead. Alexis stayed still, allowing others to take the lead and be stopped as punches and kicks were thrown. When most were engaged, she proceeded forward, long practiced strokes for speed propelling her towards the distant rock that emerged once a year.... Only to have the sword pulled from it's place just inches from her fingers.
She dove back into the water, this time going deeper as she tried to catch up to her competitor from below. She was one of the faster swimmers and just before they reached the shore, she caught up to him, and pulled him under.
"Archers, ready your bows! Get ready to take down the one who brings in the sword!" One of the strangers stepped forward and commanded. The strangers without bows drew swords to suppress both villagers and priest alike. "This is the royal command! We are here only for the Warrior of the Sea. No harm will come to you if you obey."
Alexis heard none of those words, nor the clamor of fear as she wrestled under water with her friend for the taking of the sword. A hard punch finally forced him to release his grip as Alexis gave a powerful kick towards the surface.
"I'm this year's Warrior of the Sea!" Stepping forward, she drove the sword into the sandy beach in a proud declaration of her claim.... only to have a stray arrow graze her shoulder.
"Wha- What are you doi-" Her words were cut short as the other archers fired. She drew the sword to defend herself, knocking the projectiles aside as the other soldiers closed in. When an arrow lodged itself in her arm, she finally dove for the sea, hoping to find refuge within her element...