Divinity

What had I gotten myself into?

Kai 

Lucrezia, my stylist hovers over me, inspecting me carefully. Then, she clicks her fingers, as if she had just had an epiphany. She fills a small tub with warm, soapy water, drizzling in home-made concoctions from tiny vials. She motions for me to tip my hair into the basin. 

   I nod and do so, letting my thoughts wander to chocolates while Lucrezia massages goo into my scalp. 

My eyes are heavy when I open them. As I wake up, I realize that Lucrezia is long gone but she had laid out my outfit for the evening.  

   I wander sleepily to the mirror, yawning, and methodically changing into my clothes, not even aware of what I’m wearing till I turn to face the mirror. 

The girl I see has caramel skin that glows, shimmering in the soft light that the sun emits at these hours of dusk. Her hair parts down the middle of her scalp and cascades down her back in soft, bouncy curls. Around my head, I wear a diadem. Memories flood me as I remember I wore the same one for my coronation. In the centre, was a silver crescent moon, studded with sapphires. Intricately woven threads of silver wrap around my head, most of it covered by my hair.  

   Draped over my shoulders is a heavy, navy blue cloak that clasps at my neck with a golf ball sized pearl brooch.  

   Underneath that I wear a short white dress that brushes against my fingertips when I hold them out at my sides and it has a décolleté neckline. A strand of pearls wrap around my waist like a belt and they reappear on my wrists as well.  

   In spite of the pearls, the girl who stands in the mirror looks brave. She looks fierce. Courageous. And somewhat like Diana.  

   Which would make an alarming amount of sense, since I was meant to be her.  

   I feel my stomach drop. God, what had I gotten myself into? 

   You can’t choose to be Divine. But even if you’re parent had been coroneted, it wasn’t a given that you would be. 

   You see, the Magic makes its decision against two criteria’s: alikeness –you had to be like your God and concentration –there had to be some Divinity in your blood.  

   I got in, despite a lineage of six carriers (those rejected by the Magic). That with the fact I was only twelve years old when I become Diana means that I must be a dead ringer for Diana.  

   The sound of pounding on the door wrenches me out of thoughts. “Come in.” I say, my eyes still fixated on the mirror.  

   A man walks in. He’s tall with broad shoulders but even so, he cowers in my presence.  

   I inspect him closely. I didn’t understand the exclusion between the Romans and the Greeks but any Divine will tell you that humans are close to pitiful.  

   “What is it that you want?” I ask, waving my hand dismissively, to excuse his presence. 

   He straightens his posture. “The festivities are about to begin. If you would please?” He motions for me to follow him.  

   With confidence plastered across my face, I hold my head high as I walk to the fateful lake.