Once Upon a Story [ INCONSISTENT UPDATES ]

Soul Bound

Additional information
The names were taken from a fantasy name generator. The introduction links to the website for those who may be interested.

Prompt
❝ I met my soul mate while covered in blood. ❞
• 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘣

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭:1181
Part 2 coming soon!

SYBILLA

I fished my lance from another body splayed on the riverbanks. Each breath I drew cooled my burning heart and the fire within me settled to a flickering flame. My steps sloshed in the water as I left its tender embrace. Tendrils slithered across the bodies, entering their mouths, and filling their stomachs and lungs to bursting. Then, each went down, sinking into a different realm. The raging river's appetite was satiated.

***

Head tilting down, my eyes fluttered close for the fourth time that hour. My hands were still writing despite my lack of attention but the calligraphy was now unreadable. If lucky, I'd be able to decipher all the mindless scratching by our next test.

"Sybilla, would you like to explain the difference in inflection between these two words?"

As if I were never asleep, my senses returned with all their sharpened skill. I quickly analyzed the contents on the board and answered without flaw. As usual, our tutor frowned, disappointed he couldn't catch this little lady off guard. This had been a little competition of ours. So far, I've never been defeated.

From then on, it was a matter of minutes before we were dismissed for the day. My father had offered private history lessons on top of the language tutoring but I quickly declined. My research led me down a path I wish I had never taken. I'm wondering why the overgrown meat bags with too much ego deserve our worship.

"You know I'm not covering for you any longer," said a voice. It was one of the other girls being tutored in my group, Vassia. She stood arms crossed, expecting me to follow her and the rest of the girls. We were supposed to gather at her house to learn embroidery. I, on the other hand, had better things to do than prick my finger with a needle.

My needlework isn't bad, but I'd rather be stabbing a training dummy than my finger.

"I never asked you to. Feel free to send them running after me when you get there."

I went to my usual leisure activity following our Greek lessons: watching the city boys make fools of themselves in the arena. They had a small one on the school grounds and they all gathered there during their lunch break to spar. To my surprise, my brother was calmly seated on the sidelines.

"Tired of your classless friends, brother?"

He glanced at me, answering with the same sarcasm. "Tired of your barking ones, sister?"

"If I wanted to witness dramatics, I would've asked for a retelling of Socrates' trial. Now, that must've been a sight to witness." I joined him, pulling the fabric of my himation over my head. The sun and I aren't friends (courtesy of my dearest mother).

As we chatted, one of his classmates, Philippos, came running. He was still slicked in oil, sweat and dirt from the previous match. It wasn't the first time he'd approached me, but he usually stayed clear when my brother was there. Unfortunately, I wasn't so lucky today.

"You've come to fight for my attention?" I boldly asked.

He chuckled, hands on his hips and pointed back. "A few of them would. I want to ask you a question."

"And that would be?"

"Why do you always skip your lessons to watch us spar? Has one of us caught your interest?"

I hummed in reply and placed a finger on my chin to mimic deep thinking. "I could say that you've charmed me and that I came to see the boy I crave spar against his friends all slicked in oil. That would be an interesting answer. And the most believable."

A glimmer shone in his eyes, a light that was impossible to miss. "Unfortunately, that is not the reason I come here. I'm here out of boredom. You see, you're all entertainment. Especially Mihail. I've never seen such a terrible fighter."

The light I gave faded, but it still twinkled in his irises. He hadn't lost hope. Admirable but foolish.

"I'm sure I can change your mind," he shrugged. "I'll make a name for myself and you'll have no choice but to recognize me."

To say I was relieved when he left was an understatement. I was already in a foul mood and Philippos' pseudo-confession did not help.

"You look ready to kill him."

"Hold me back before I do," I scowled. My brother quickly caught onto my heightened unrest and decided to test his luck. Naturally, I couldn't tell him what had unfolded the previous night; simply that father had, once again, asked me if I wished to assist the librarian in the palace archives. To be fair, he had asked me before my Greek lessons, but I hadn't answered.

As usual.

You see, I'm the youngest of three daughters and at the ripe age of sixteen. My eldest sister, Cassia (28), is married with two sons (she's my father's favourite for a reason), and the second, Xene (20), already has a lover. Whether she'll stay with the ridiculous poet is to be determined.

I, unlike them, have a quick tongue; a less desirable trait for women. I've gotten in trouble countless times when I was younger because of it. Now, men often stay clear of me.

A wife they cannot control will only be a sign of their weakness.

But now, Philippos was an exception to the list of people who avoid me like the plague and I wish he were just as heinous as the others. I'd at least have a valid excuse to embarrass him as well.

"Maybe that's not so bad," my brother replied. "You've opposed every boy who's ever tried to court you and the ones father finds are in your words 'too old' and 'vile enough the give Aphrodite wrinkles.' I still can't believe you told him that."

"Mihail was a suck-up. My brain would rot living with him."

"Then you might as well take the job father offered you," he sighed, arms thrown in the air. "You won't find better than the sewer rat and the ones who have the intellect you're demanding are not looking for a bull-headed wife. Well, maybe Philippos, but you already rejected him."

"Father will be sadder than I, certainly." I stood, dusting off my peplos and told him I'll be home late. "At my usual spot," I reminded him.

I know he didn't think much of my words, waving at me to enjoy my time while he removed his outer garments to spar. As Philippos noticed my brother join in, he glanced back. I don't like how quickly he found me. Then again, I was one of the few watching. He offered a small smile and swung his arm over my brother's shoulder.

Trouble is brewing, I sighed, leaving the area. I snuck out, avoiding the prying eyes that might report my visit to my parents and head for the forest. I was thankful the island we lived on had greenery at every turn. It made human life more bearable.