The Lady and The Goddess

Chapter Twelve: More Then a Monster

When Thena awoke Athena was gone which was good because Alcina was also now in the room watching her. "My Lady? What time is it?" She stretched her arms high above her as she yawned with her mask obviously covering her face.
"Do you always sleep in that mask?" Alcina completely ignored her other questions and decided on a harder topic.
"No, well at least not when I'm in my own room." Thena answered accordingly.
She knew lying was a bad option with the Lady and anyway she didn't like lying. "Then why not take it off here? I will not judge you for what you look like." Alcina's voice was smooth and reassuring but Thena couldn't despite wanting to.
"It's not about judgment My Lady. It's on..." She said touching the mask.
"For personal reasons." Thena's voice sounded faint at the end of the sentence but was still heard.
"I get it." Alcina took Thena's other hand and held it giving it a tight squeeze.
"I have an alternative though if you'd like that instead?" Thena tilted her head to the right.
"And that would be?" Alcina quirked her right brow.
"You can see my face a different way..." she waited for Alcina's response.
"How?"
"With your hands." She pointed to her gloved hands that rested on her lap.
"So feeling your facial features? And imagining what you'd look like?"
Thena nodded. "Would that be satisfactory My Lady?"
"I suppose." Alcina said nonchalantly.
But really she was a bit excited.... Well a lot.
Thena held out her right hand for her Lady to grab, which she did so very willingly. She lifted her mask slightly and guided Alcina's hands underneath starting at her cheeks. Alcina examined her face with her fingers to the upmost detail she could muster, making mental notes of distinct features. 'A sharp jaw line..." Alcina move her fingers over next to her nose.
'Greek...' She went over the rest of her face taking it all in slowly as she concocted a vision of what she might look like with the mask out of the way.
Last she brushed over her lips noticing that they were turned upwards at the corners, she also noticed how soft they were. 'Heart shaped.' Again she add  another note to her list.
When she was done she said a simple thank you to Thena for allowing her, her trust.
"Of course My Lady it's the least I could do for you letting me stay in your room." She responded kindly as if Alcina letting her stay was the most precious gift she's ever received.
"It's the most I could so especially since you were attacked by one of my maids." Alcina responded in a calm and warm manner, while again examining Thena like she tended to do when she was with her.
She really was perfect. Perfect physique, from head to toe. But more importantly Alcina loved her personality. The way she talked to her daughters so warmly not flinching away when they touch her, or cower when they talk to her. She was just her when she was around then, completely and unapologetically her, hell even Cassandra was warming up to her. The way she acted around her made her feel more human and less monstrous, grotesque, and disgusting. When she was with you she felt looked at seen she felt longed for and she hadn't felt that way in a long time. Thena made everyone more content and comfortable with their positions in life, and that made her feel for her deeply.
"My Lady?" Thena said to Alcina while calmly grabbing her arm.
"Oh- I'm sorry what is it dragă?" Alcina looked down at the masked woman looking a bit worried.
She could have sworn albeit that she her Thena hold her breath as she called her by that pet name but she wasn't sure completely.
"You've been staring at me for some time κυρία μου I was just wondering if you had something on your mind." Thena sound flustered.
"Oh yes I have a tendency to stare at things I find beautiful dragă."  Her lips turned up into a teasing grin.
She could practically see the steam coming from her ears despite not seeing her face. "You really don't look in the mirror often do you My Lady." She said confidently.
"I-" Alcina was cut short when the door slammed open revealing three girls each of them pulled on each other as they landed on the ground.
Both of the women whipped their heads around to see all three of the Dimitrescu girls lookin g at them like they already have had a scolding. They all were still for a moment looking at each other before Thena burst out laughing even with her still healing side. They all followed shortly after all of them laughing together. Looking truly human.