The Golden Child

~Syren~*

I returned to my tower, exhausted and shivering. I fell weakly upon my bed, searching out through the crowds at the low-hanging window. I saw him, the only person with his own pack of guards. The prince. He was far away, but I could see his curly brown hair, and my imagination could make out his hazel eyes and quirky smile.

I wondered what he thought of me. What he thought of my facade, more like, because we had spoken only once, briefly.

I made it my goal to speak to him sometime in the next time before my birthday, because I felt I wouldn't have much time after that. My ability was rapidly deteriorating, and soon I would be powerless, accused of being a false goddess. Never mind that this was the life they chose for me, not my own.

As I thought about this, I drifted off into the party, a year ago, when I had first spoken to Elias.

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Everything was bedecked in gold, in honor of my birthday. I held a shimmering glass, filled with some kind of gold bubbling liquor. I had recently realized what kind of gilded cage I lived in, and was wanting to drown my sorrows in whatever was in my glass.

I was well on my way there, laughing drunkenly and making shiny gold bubbles pop in the air, when Elias pulled me off to the side and asked me some questions.

"How do you do that? How do you make those bubbles?"

My brain was fuzzy but I managed to respond, "They come from inside of me."

"No way!" Elias said. "How do you really do it?"

"That is how I really do it," I replied, souring.

"Mmm hmm. You expect me to believe you're a goddess."

"No, I'm not. I just have powers. I don't know why, or how. I'm not lying."

He raised his eyebrows and let me go back to the crowds, where I turned everything I touched into gold until I passed out and had to be taken back to my tower.

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My one and only conversation. How poorly it had gone, and I wish I hadn't been drinking that stuff. He didn't believe me, which I didn't care about, but what I did care about was him thinking I was a stupid liar. I didn't want this, I wanted to be with him. It was stupid, he was a prince, and I was me, a false goddess living in a tall tower who seemed petty and ridiculous.

I was about to despair at the pretty but deceptive nature of my life when a knock came on the door. "Who is it?" I called.

"Alistair, with party planning things."

I groaned, but let her in all the same. "Alice, can this wait? I feel a little tired..."

"Alistair, and no, your party is in two days and I need to know whether you want ribbons of pure gold or gold silk."

"Fine," I opened the door and let Alistair in.

But she wasn't alone.