elpisofdelphi

[elpisofdelphi]

Elpis still had a finger in between her lips, licking the residual honey from her finger tips. She froze and her eyes widened as if she were caught in some scandalous act. “I-its honey cakes.” She murmured finally taking her finger from her mouth.

As soon as she entered the room, the smell of the food hit her nostrils and she started to feel extremely sick to her stomach. “What is that smell? It’s going to make me sick.” She mumbled to herself as well as others of course.

[elpisofdelphi]

Elpis grinned as she closed the door behind her. "You actually seemed surprised to see me, Cora." Her eyes flickered over the clothes and objects that were scattered around the handmaiden's room, signalling that she was in the middle of unpacking still. Elpis let out a sound of realization. "Oh, you're still unpacking? So sorry I thought you would have been all settled from your trip."

. 

After a few days with her family, Cora was finally back in the castle. She was busy unpacking her things, new and things she had brought with her. After hearing a sound at her door she turn around and jumped a bit, after seeing someone there. “Sorry I didn’t expect any visitors.”

[elpisofdelphi]

Elpis pursed her lips and curled her fingers into her palms. "Don't need to do that Princess, I just meant to inform you that I should not be helping with the wedding preparations, at least not with the flowers."

"Perhaps you should pay a visit to the healer. I can accompany you there, if you’d like."

[elpisofdelphi]

"How many times must I prick myself and stain those lovely flowers to convince them I should not be helping with the floral arrangements. I have been stung by one too many thorns" She paused from her tangent to hold up her scared hands. "Just look at my fingers."

[elpisofdelphi]

Didn't see me? I must be improving, perhaps one day I might elude the guards. But are you alright, Maia?

Oh, gods, excuse me!

I didn’t see you there!

[elpisofdelphi]

It must be the preparations for the wedding.

Are the streets usually this crowded?

[elpisofdelphi]

"Yes it does have its own unique beauty."

"Delphi is such a lovely city."

[elpisofdelphi]

"If you weren't being so petulant I might not be rushing you."

"I’m coming.. I’m coming. Take it easy."

[elpisofdelphi]

Elpis' suspicion was only shown in the slight wrinkling of her nose. The girl's movements and sudden conversation about something as menial as flowers was quite peculiar. Her eyes shifted to the ground seeing the sparseness of flowers. "Indeed, quite magnificent." She replied dryly. "Who might you be?" Elpis inquired with a tick of her brow

Lillian rose from the crouched position she was in as someone approached, tucking a slip of parchment up her sleeve in the process. “The flowers are magnificent this time of year.” She commented politely while attempting to blink the sun out of her eyes.

[elpisofdelphi]

"It does seem that they have been quite generous this day."

"The gods must be happy, because today is a very beautiful day, the sun is shining and not a cloud in the sky."

[elpisofdelphi]

"Of course I am acutely aware of those in the city, but it is those who are far from home and have no way of returning that have forced me to see the truth of my own life."

"Where is this coming from? I do not think that you have just now noticed the poor in the streets, Princess. Is something wrong?"

[elpisofdelphi]

I suppose I would. Has such an opportunity turned up for you?

…What if you had a chance of returning home? Would you take it?

[elpisofdelphi]

Elpis was a little take-aback by the rhetorical question. "O-of course you do." It was quite clear that the healer did have one. Her eyes faltered and looked down. "What a terrible fate for those. It must be hard to be exposed to it so often."

Pyrra looked up, narrowing her eyes at the young princess. “I have a heart, don’t I?” Now was not the time to allow rude comments to slip out of her mouth, but it’s too late now. “Most of them were soldiers, but some were children without a mother or father.”

[elpisofdelphi]

Elpis' shoulders sank ever so slightly and nodded her head in understanding. "To hinder humans from seeing the world they created and watch over would be completely backwards. But as you said, the gods should not be questioned." Elpis' eye followed Thia's as she called for the servant. A glass of wine would be greatly welcomed at this moment. "Horribly boring things." Elpis said with a chuckle. "Singing lessons, interacting with diplomats, trying to remain constantly pleasant. All quite horrible tasks." 

"Though of course, we must remember that the gods know what is best for us, and if they don’t believe it is our destiny to travel, than it mustn’t be." Though Thia would do anything to travel, because of her position in court, and her relationship with Apollo, she is always making sure that her loyalties are with the Olympians first and foremost. Thia flagged down a servant requesting two glasses before turning back to Elpis. "So tell me Elpis, what do princesses do in their free time while they aren’t fantasizing in worldly travels?"

[elpisofdelphi]

Elpis flashed a bright smile at the compliment. "I always strive to impress and praise the goddess. There is no better inspiration." Everything that was Athena, Elpis strived to be. She nodded her head, agreeing that she often took part in reading the literature of the great authors and philosophers. She took a moment to ponder what the other woman might enjoy reading next. "You might enjoy Metamorphoses." Elpis suggested.

"I completely agree, my young princess. I must say, you are very wise for a girl so young. If I may say so, I think Athena would be quite impressed." Nyx decided to change the subject, after flashing the girl a smile. "So, my lady, you seem to be the type who would enjoy a poem. See, I have just finished The Odyssey for the fourth time, and I am in desperate need of some new reading material."

[elpisofdelphi]

Elpis raised her eyebrows, surprised that the bard admitted that the story he just recited was completely fabricated. She expected he might try to prove its truth till the end. It would certainly crush some of the other spectators to hear such a thing. "Could you not collect the stories of others on all these travels you go on? I'm certain they would have something to share." Elpis tilted her head to the side, intrigued finally. "Perhaps next time you perform I might be around to hear one of your truths."

"Oh, it was completely far fetched. But if you think of it from my point of view, it can be quite fun to mess around with a completely unrealistic story. Telling the same, tales over and over can get a little tiresome for me." Milo mused. It was very much the truth, the young man liked to escape his reality by exaggerating his stories once and a while. It was fun to watch the crowd sway and bite their nails at a story that was completely false. But of course there were happy with their lives and didn’t need a story to help them escape, and Milo thought that this girl might be of that nature. "Trust me, my dear, I have as many true stories as I do false ones. The things that do happen in strange places are extraordinary."

[elpisofdelphi]

Elpis held back her scoff as it would be impolite and might offend the other woman. If she were in another state of mind she might have agreed with her but right now she just felt like some spoiled girl who never cared to notice the lives of others. "As a royal there are certain restrictions of what we must do, of how we must act, and where we can go and with whom. I have never been permitted to go beyond the walls of the city. I do wish to see what the world outside Delphi has to offer but that is not a possibility."

" A royal is never free. I have been around them most of my life." Penelope approached the princess and put all her discomfort aside. " What makes you feel like a prisoner?" she asked probably knowing the answer but she knew that it as good for someone to talk out their problems and Penelope was willing to listen.