The Past

The god of Death

Please let me know your opinions on my work, even if they aren't kind opinions.

"My Lady," whispered a servant some time later. "It is time for you to eat, and then prepare for the ball."

"Yes, yes," I dismissed her and got to drying myself. I pushed the water away from my body and heated it so it would evaporate, leaving the bath chamber slightly warmer.

A woman came in with a set of undergarments–a thin white shirt, stockings, and trousers similar to those men would wear–and an exquisite red top.

It was fashion at the court that a woman would have a few crinolines and detailed skirts, as well as a proper assortment of petticoats to reuse, but that the upper half of the gown should be used once or twice at most. My mother had sent ahead my measurements for the court's servants to make me enough outfits for at least a hundred events.

Another servant brought in my corset and skirts, and they proceeded to try to dress me.

"I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself," I told them, taking the undergarments from the first servant. "We do not have ladies maids in the Motherland, and I do not like being seen in a state of undress. You are both dismissed for the time being."

"Yes, Princess."

By Hathe, I thought as I finished putting on my undergarments. The ladies here must be rather incompetent.

"Did my sister not warn you that you should not swear by our names on Orion?"

I jumped at the voice behind me, my heart rate going off. Hathe stood there, by my window, looking respectfully at the ground.

I hastened my dressing.

"I did not even speak, my Lord, how-"

"There is power in names, child. You are in our home now. Speak a name and they may appear." He spoke in such an unnatural way, as though he were unused to actually speaking with people.

Once my skirts and top were properly on, my panic somewhat died down, though, of course, not entirely, considering the ruler of the gods was standing in my bathing quarters.

"May I go?" He asked.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you for permission?"
"You summoned me by my name, therefore you must release me. All the power in the world cannot prevent this." He stood still, so still that it was quite unsettling.

"Very well, uh." I wasn't entirely certain how one does this. "I release you?"

He didn't move.

"You must mean it, child. As long as you still wish for my presence, I cannot leave," he explained.

"But I did not wish for it in the first place. No offence," I added as an afterthought.

"Well, now you must. Curiosity perhaps?"

"Perhaps. Well, I allow you to move, at the very least." He suddenly did not stand so rigidly. "How is it that a mortal can have so much control just by swearing on your name?"

"You know full well that you are not an average mortal."

"Well, why was Erisin not still when Heilen unwittingly summoned her?"

"My sister has found certain... loopholes against the Creator's power." Together, we walked into my sitting room, where two very shocked servants stood. We sat and he gestured for them to start preparing me for the ball, and handed me a small piece of fruit.

"A pomegranate seed?"

"Yes. This will allow you to feel full until your next meal. Pomegranate seeds are holy and have saved many lives."

He seemed more hyper now, if that's the word. Like he had somewhere to be.

"I release you," I said again, and this time genuinely meant it. I did not want to be an annoyance to such a powerful man. Not a man, a god.

"Thank you, Kinheal."

This was the first time he had said my name, and it sent a shiver down my spine. The god of Death had just claimed my name and I was not certain what implications that may have.

It was not wise to catch the attention of Death.

I had to remember that Death, in this case, was the husband of the woman who raised me. He likely saw himself in more of a fatherly position than anything else, right? Alarithe was a kind woman, but I could not fathom the things she would do to any woman who caught his interest. And so, I prayed that I would not be their victim.

It took some time, but after my hair was styled and some makeup was applied, I looked like a proper lady of the court. We soon found out, however, that I did not know how to walk in the high, pointed shoes that Orion's ladies wore.

"I suppose flat slippers will suffice, princess," the serving girl assured me.

"I hope." The high shoes would have been convenient to make up for some of my lack in height. I was short, even shorter than my mother and her people, which were the shortest of the three tribes. That was what we were; Tribes, not kingdoms. Not yet.

We would not be kingdoms for some time to come.