A Deadly Beauty

Chapter 2 - First Comes Marriage, then Comes Respect

It had been three months since Clytemnestra was taken to be married to King Agamemnon. It had been lonely without her, at least my brothers have each other, but I was alone. They tried to cheer me with gifts of honeycomb and wildflowers, but I was inconsolable. What makes it worse is that I knew that she was unhappy. She had sent me a few letters and I could tell that she did not like her new husband. She told me that he was a rough man with very little for manners. She had found that only one month into their marriage he had been unfaithful to her. She was devastated when she found out. My parents had always been very loving towards each other, and my father was always faithful to my mother. I suppose that she thought that she marriage would be similiar. On top of that after two months of marriage she still was not with child. As queen to a king, her most important job is to produce an heir to ensure that the line of Atreus contiues. 

After three months my mother and father came to me and told me that it was time for me to seek a suitor. I was agahst.  "Father! No! I am only fourteen!" I whispered, horror creeping into my voice. 

"Helen, I am not pleased with it either, but it is time. Your sister has already been married for three months! Your mother tells me that you are a woman now," he spoke with confidence, though his cheeks were tinged with red. MIne were on fire. Was my FATHER, the king of Sparta, really talking to me about this?

"I have already been approached my multiple suitors for your hand, but I have put off deciding. Once I announce that I am looking for a husband and consort for you, I am sure that many more will come. Your mother and I have decided that we will have a banquet in one month's time, inviting all eligiable suitors, to announce the race for your hand," he said all of this in a rush, as if fearing what I would say. I sat still for a few minutes, trying to calm my breathing. Realizing that there was no use arguing with them, I decided that I had no choice but to agree. 

"That sounds like a wonderful idea Father," I murmured quietly. "I look forward to meeting prospective husbands. I will help Mother and the servants with the preparations." They stared at me looking both startled and puzzled. Father composed his face and smiled down at me. 

"That's my princess. I knew that you would come around." He glanced at my Mother, but she was studying me with a concerned expression on her face. "Come my dear," he whispering in her ear, " We have things to attend to." With a final glace in my direction,  she followed Father out the door. I sat there numbly, thinking  about what my future would hold. Would my husband be kind and loving, or cruel and unfaithful like Nestra's.  To be honest, I was frightened. 

~

The weeks passed in a flurry. The servant scurried to and fro, baking this, moving that. My mother presided over it all with her queenly grace. I wondered if I would ever be that cool and commanding.  All to soon the banquet was upon me. I spent the day of in my chambers. I took  a long soothing bath scented with rose petals, and spent hours having my hair done. When I had donned my new purple dress I gazed at myself in my bronze mirror. Father said that I was beautiful. Ever since I was a little girl, men had leaned over and pinched my cheek, chuckling at how handsome I would grow up to be. I did not understand their facination with my looks, and their compliments. It is not as though it was of my doing that I was beautiful. I was born this way. But that was not important. I calmed myself, and tried to ready myself for that fiasco that is to be this evening.

~

As I decended the stairs I heard gasps and then hushed but excited whispers. I held my head high in the face of all of their stars and glided over to my father. 

"Darling, you look lovely." He spoke loudly so that everyone could hear. I cringed. "Achaeans, you have traveled far for this, so I proudly introduce my daughter. Helen of Sparta!" Cheers filled the room as father and I sat down, father at the head of the table and me at his right. 

I began to pick at my food, trying to make some of the men's conversations. But there were too many of them, their voices had risen in a dull roar in the Great Hall, and I was not able to make out any individual voice. There were so many! I could not believe how many had come, just for the chance to marry me. Although to be fair, marrying me meant becoming king of Sparta. i supposed that was a bit of an incentive. A low chuckle escaped me at this self-deprecating thought. My outburst earned me a surprised glance from the man sitting next to me. I gaped at him. His hair was bright red! A rare color, to say the least. He smiled at me as if guessing what I was thinking. 

"I am Menelaus, son of Atrues," he said to me proudly. It took a moment for that to sink in. When it did I gasped. 

"You King Agamemnon's brother! And therefore my...brother-in-law..." I said a bit awkwardly, wishing that I had not said that out loud. He chuckled. 

"Yes I suppose I am...that will not stop me though. I will convince your father that I am the perfect choice of husband for you." I gaped at his boldness, but he only winked at me. 

The evening crawled by. I was forced to meet ape after ape. They all looked alike, tall, brawny, thick neck, small eyes. Only one stood out from the mob. One with flaming hair and a mischevious expression...

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Yay! chapter 2!! Two in one night, I'm on fiirre!!

anyway, i hope that you are enjoying it so far and remember to comment or vote if you like it!!