𝕚𝕧𝕪; annabeth chase

xii.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

her body moved like the ocean, graceful, but with a relentless, driving motion. she moved like a swan, light on her feet but with the power to shift the ground she danced upon, should she try hard enough. arms spreading like wings taking flight, her strong body in love with the motion.

her laughter rang out like the burst of spring, her smile as bright as the greek sun that shone on her proud city. a little girl, blind to the horrors of her land, her eyes still innocent enough to find the beauty in everything around her.

maddie watched, fascinated, by the young girl. she had to be a princess, for only a royal could move with such beauty, such grace. the gold circlet that shone with the sun and on her head confirmed it. 

such delicacy, auburn hair and petite body bearing rich fabrics and simple gold jewelry. a delicate girl with a powerful aura. 

maddie's eyes shifted to the floor she danced upon. not stone, like the ground around them, but instead, this floor had been hand-crafted, made of wood, a thousand pieces tarnished and shone so persistently that it looked like one big piece. they were painted, spirals of color swirling outwards from the center like the unfurling of a wave.

the girl continued to dance, no music to keep her company but the singing of the birds in the trees. her eyes closed and her lips stretched melodically, blissful to be dancing. 

maddie could not take her eyes of of the girl, hypnotized by her rhythm, her beauty and grace on the floor. her light feet crossed and spun, following the patterns of the floor, as if she had done this a thousand times.

maddie's eyes drifted to a man approaching, watching her like a proud father. his hands were clasped behind him, his stroll leisurely and slow, like the world had stopped for him and he held time in his palms.

as soon as the young girl spotted him, her dancing came to a halt and her smile grew even larger. she hurried over to the man, embracing him like family. she said something to him, and maddie walked over closer, eager to know hat they were discussing.

" . . . it's perfect, daedalus, thank you!" the girl squealed, her feet never stopping even when standing still.

the man, daedalus, smiled softly, his eyes crinkling in the corner. he brought his hands forward from behind his back, and opened them slowly, revealing something that made the girl gasp.

daedalus then held up the object, revealing a glittering gold necklace that shone in the sun. it'd detailing was simple but beautiful, two bees entwined together around a small piece of honeycomb.

"for you, ariadne."

maddie blinked. ariadne, the goddess. this was her childhood, a glimpse of her life as a young girl in crete. her life before theseus, before dionysus, before godhood.

ariadne took the pendant, turning it over in her delicate fingers, marveling at it's beauty. she looked back at daedalus, her eyes bright.

"why bees?" she asked. 

"why not bees?" the man responded. "bees are beloved by the gods. zeus was fed by bees when he was a boy in his hidden cave. bees produce the honey for dionysus to craft his wine as sweet as the sun. and you, ariadne, are as sweet as the best honey crafted by the best bee. you are as sweet as spring, as sweet as the wine dionysus crafts with his immortal hands. wear this, and no one shall be able to resist you."

the girl's eyes had doubled in size by the time daedalus had finished his speech. the bright irises seemed to gleam with wonder and fascination under the evening sun, catching the light in such a way that maddie was surprised a whirlwind of refractions did not paint themselves onto the dancefloor.