RCG-I Seasonal Salon
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When Destiny Walked the LabrynthChapter 5: Phoebe meets TheseusPhoebe slipped stealthily into the waiting chamber via a little-used side entrance and slid into the long shadow of a huge cypress pillar, her radiant essence wrapped tightly about her like a dark cloak; she didn’t want to be noticed just yet. On the other side of the room, his back to the pillar, stood a young man Phoebe assumed must be Theseus, seemingly absorbed by a gaily painted fresco featuring a line of ritually bare-breasted Priesera carrying amphorae of sweet oil to the bath. Opening her saria vision, Phoebe observed Theseus. With enhanced awareness, she watched his radiance grow bright and balloon outward from his back. He is wary, this one. She thought. I will have to make my observations quickly. Already he intuits he is being watched. Theseus whirled around sharply on the balls of his feet, soundlessly, cat-like. Even from across the room Phoebe could see his muscles tense, ready to face the danger his senses told him lurked somewhere in the room. She held her breath. He can not possibly see me, she reassured herself. Truly, what instincts this man has! Or boy, really. He is very young. Theseus jutted his head forward, straining to pierce the darkness of the room opposite himself where Phoebe was secreted. A comely lad too, she thought, mindfully relaxing her muscles into a posture in which she could crouch absolutely immobile for hours if needs be. I should have expected that, I suppose. It explains in part why he is so embraced by the people of Athena. Voices; a throaty chuckle, followed by a rumbling baritone. Arm in arm, First Elder Thesmas and Helen Demetria, hereditary monarch of the city of Athena, walked in the main entrance, followed closely by the owner of the baritone voice, the Consort Xeronos. Theseus turned to them and Phoebe began breathing normally. That was too close! she thought, relieved. The boy has powerful latent talents. Even this much information is interesting and perhaps important. “Consort Theseus of Athena, greetings to you,” Xeronos said, inclining his head in the customary gesture of welcome. “I am the Consort of Kriti, Xeronos, and here is the First Elder, head of our Council of Elders, Thesmas.” “Greetings, First Elder Thesmas, Helen Demetria, Consort Xeronos,” the lad replied in heavily stilted Kritin. “I was admiring the beautiful paintings in this room. The colors are quite remarkable.” Phoebe was less interested in the conversation than the dynamics between the speakers. Her expertise was to gather information not spoken aloud; the secret motivations, alliances, dalliances, internal conflicts and hostilities that sit in the shadows of the consciousness, just as she sat in the shadows of the room. At this type of work, she was the best on Kriti. Her special vision wide open, Phoebe watched as delicate clouds of yellow and pink arose from Xeronos’ head. He must have steered the conversation to the architecture of the Agronos again; it is his favorite topic. Something about Theseus’s radiance disturbed Phoebe. It appeared to her strangely restricted and the colors were muted, even murky. When she reduced her vision to the normal range, it seemed Theseus was perfectly attentive and genuinely absorbed by the conversation he was engaged in with Xeronos. The saria told her somewhat differently, but she found herself hesitant to interpret what she was seeing. One thing was certain; Demetria and Theseus genuinely hated each other. Even while pointedly ignoring his presence in the room, Demetria’s radiance prickled and turned a deep angry red/orange when Theseus stood in her vicinity, and the feeling was clearly mutual. Demetria’s radiance looked muddy. Looking more deeply, Phoebe perceived a tear in her essence about her middle torso. The Helen is not well, she thought. She also desires the poppy, she added when she saw the weak pulse of the Queen’s radiance. She undoubtedly will excuse herself soon. I must make my entrance immediately. Noiselessly, she slipped from her shadowed perch and glided to the nearest entranceway. After first checking that her robes fell gracefully, she let loose her radiance with a characteristic flourish, causing all heads to turn in her direction. It was gratifying to see their responses to her hours of beautification. Xeronos smiled slightly, catching her eye and winking. Thank Goddess he is not the jealous type, Phoebe thought. Theseus stared unblinkingly, his jaw slack. She didn’t need saria to know he found her stunning. “Greetings, First Elder Thesmas and Consort Xeronos. I was told you were here entertaining our guests from Athena and I thought to join you.” Daintily she nodded first to Demetria, then to Theseus. “I am Phoebe, daughter of First Elder Thesmas. Welcome to Kriti, Helen Demetria and Royal Consort Theseus.” Demetria spoke up first. “Oh yes, Phoebe,” she said, “I know exactly who you are.” The older woman cocked her head as if sizing up a worthy opponent and gave just a hint of crooked smile. Sly but approving, Phoebe surmised. She glanced briefly at Thesmas and the First Elder shrugged almost imperceptibly. Demetria knows who and what I am, but she hates Theseus enough not to warn him. Ah well, the Escorts are an open secret anyway. All the better to have her as an ally. Phoebe met her eyes with a conspiratorial smile and said, “Yes, I expect you would, Helen Demetria.” Phoebe turned her smile towards young Theseus. She said warmly and with just a hint of tonal in the seductive range, “I have been asked by Council Elder Thesmas to escort the Royal Consort of Athena during the Festival. I am told I am amusing company. Would that please you?” Theseus bowed a bit stiffly. “It would be an honor, Mistress.” Expanding her saria slightly, she deliberately met his eyes. It took all of her training to avoid stepping backwards. His eyes are made of stone! She blinked, retracting her expanded awareness, then met his gaze again. No, now they look quite normal, even softer than most. Her curiosity aroused, Phoebe smiled sweetly at Theseus, flashing her white teeth. He met the smile, and Phoebe skillfully extended an energy tendril toward him. It reached its mark in the middle of his abdomen. She was rewarded when his face turned bright red. Connection! Good. Offering her arm, she said, “Come, let me show you around our Agronos, Royal Consort Theseus. I am sure Xeronos has been telling you about our water system and light works. Let me show you these wonders, and then it will be time for the opening feast.” “Yes, go, Theseus,” Demetria encouraged. “I wish to tend to some business before the feast, and the First Elder and her Consort need to prepare also.” She’s pretending to be sweet, the sly old cow, all the while salivating to get back to her poppy pipe. Phoebe thought. By the time they all left the room, Theseus by her side, everyone was smiling. Their reasons, she supposed, were all of different origins. Copyright by the Kassandra Sojourner ~ All rights reserved |
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