Sunflowers and Feathers

The Majesty of the Moon

  "Hello, little sister."

  The voice had been like silk to her ears, Abelia turning to see the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Her pale skin was decorated in silver marking and tattoos that shaped constellations along her arms and face, her pale form dressed in a lovely fluttering silver dress, a robe of dark blue speckled with glittering stars hanging across her middle. Long black hair nearly reached her ankles, a crescent moon crown sitting upon her brow. Her silver eyes glittered at Abelia, and she didn't have to ask who stood before her.

  Selene was a lovely woman both in looks and in attitude, her demeanor rather motherly as she had walked Abelia in from the chill. She had found a pale pink robe to wrap round Abelia's small form to warm her, but seeing as it most likely belonged to Eos, it dragged behind her as she walked. She fed Abelia a lovely breakfast of bread and cheeses, fruits and wine making her tongue tingle. And all the while Selene asked about home.

  "Octavius and I have always been close." She explained when Selene asked about him. "I think he would've ended up being a soldier like Papa had done when he was young... If it wasn't for everything that happened."

  "Does he agree with your mother?"

  "Oh heavens no. He likes to stay late in the fields though... If only to avoid her." Abelia gave a soft smile. "Mother wasn't always so bad... Or perhaps I was just too young to notice. But once I think, she loved us."

  "It is hard to let go of those memories." Selene nodded, smoothing down Abelia's hair. Abelia had never gone so long without it being pulled and prodded at to fit her mother's tastes. It was nice to let it hang free. "We are raised to expect love and compassion from our parents in exchange for respect. But... It is not always so."

  "I never wondered what it was like to have titans for parents."

  "It is a mess." Selene laughed. "But I understand your heart. I promise you, I will always be here for you to come talk to... It helps to have a kind ear to unload upon."

  "It does." Abelia smile became ever softer. Quietly, she wished that Selene had been the mother she had been born to. If Faustina had been like her... How lovely life would've been. Abelia's cheeks flushed, imagining what a lady she could've been if raised by such a dignified hand.

  The morning passed more pleasantly than any morning Abelia had ever had the pleasure of awakening to, and it was with a soft heavy heart that she bid Selene goodnight. The Lady Moon after all needed her rest, for like her brother she had traveled the hard road of the horizon. She absentmindely thought about when Eos would return as she was left to explore the temple at her will. She passed bright faced nymphs, all dressed in yellows and golds doing their errands and some just enjoying the daylight.

  One particular nymph was a quiet thing, kneeling by the large golden throne that no doubt sat Helios in his golden form. She was dressed all in billowing whites, her long flaxen hair draped around her legs in a thin braid decorated with sunflowers. She looked up at smiled, but she wore a large golden sun upon her head that covered the top half of her face. At the other side of the throne kneeled a male nymph in robes of yellow and gold, one of his arms and one of his legs replaced with woven wood with sunflowers growing out of the crevices. She watched them with interest but they did not move, content to sit in each other's company.

  The one Abelia saw the most of was a lovely nymph with dark hair and sunkissed skin as dark as Helios's. She fluttered to and fro, ever busy on her errands with a bow and quiver slung across her back. Her shimmering eyes shone of untold mischief, her smile hinting that she knew of many secrets that Abelia did not. But everytime Abelia saw her she darted off with a laugh as if she half expected Abelia to give chase amongst the lengthy corridors. Abelia wondered if she had ever met Hermes. He was fond of troublesome nymphs... And Abelia had no doubt he'd be taken with the grinning archer.