Artrenos

1: Celebration

I was 15 and I was blooming quickly. Mother said that I may come of age and I will have children. I painted a red streak under my eyes and over my nose. I placed a dot of the same color on my chin and above each eyebrow. My long blonde hair flowed in great waves all the way down to my hips. I grabbed several small pieces of hair and braided each individually. I looked at myself in the broken mirror. One of my eyes was hazel and the other blue. I had a sharper jaw than most girls my age and higher cheek bones. I had relatively straight teeth, but they were straighter than most people's. I noticed that I resembled more of my father than my mother. My father and I shared the same eyes, while my mother had just blue.

"Athena, the celebration begins soon. The sun is about to say goodnight," my mother said softly with her own face of paint. Some colors and designs meaning different things. I simply nodded and faced the mirror once again. I looked at the outfit I was wearing. I had on a white top that had no sleeves and stopped after my breasts. My bottoms displayed my protruding hip bones and ended underneath my behind. I had a long, red robe made of see-through cloth that draped over my body and left a trail behind me. I decided that my celebratory clothing was acceptable, even though I didn't pick it out myself.

I left my room and left the temple where my family resided. I entered the back garden where thousands of people cheered. The garden looked a lot bigger with all 10 acres filled with people and seating. Candles and ribbons of red were hung everywhere. I bowed and sat in a gold chair with white lace on the cushions. I was lifted up and carried throughout the crowd. Flowers of red and white were thrown at me.

I circled back around to where I started and was set down. I was given red and white wine in two separate glasses, both having small amounts of the drink. I picked up the glass that had red wine and sipped it. I nodded, admiring the interesting taste. I then picked up the white wine and sipped it. It was more bitter than the red. I drank both anyway, as it was part of the celebration. After that we drank, danced, and ate.

Midnight was drawing the celebration to a close. I began a prayer by bringing out 3 candles and kneeling down. I lit each candle and dipped my finger in the first candle. I placed the hot wax on top of the dot on my chin. I did the same for the other two candles and the dot above each of my eyebrows. I then drank my last glasses of wine. I kissed my hands and waved to the crowd. I rose to my feet, smiled, and gave a single nod. I left the crowd tired and happy.

I entered my room and undressed myself. I laid in my bed made of soft fabric stuffed with straw and feathers. I slept with loving thoughts of the celebration.