Hera sat in the palace library, the biggest she’d ever seen, studying the empire’s history. The array of books seed unending.
"Princess?" Iris called in a hushed tone. "Where are you?"
"I’m right here, Iris, what’s the matter?"
"Oh, nothing, I wanted to inform you that your man ca around for the council eting, and he happened to see ." Iris was being coy, and her smile looked questionable. "He asked to pass on a ssage, which is that he would love to see you after the eting."
"Iris..." Hera grumbled. "Why do you keep trying to push this man onto ?"
"Because he seems like a good person." She raised one finger to count her points. "He’s also rich and handso," she raised another finger. "He’s a senator’s son, which ans we could achieve our goal a lot faster with his knowledge, and last of all, he likes you."
Hera looked down at her book and fiddled with her hands.
"But..." Iris said, "I’m really not trying to force you to do sothing bad or against your wishes. I just want to help you and your sister so your kingdom doesn’t keep getting threatened by this hellish empire."
"I understand, Iris," Hera said. "I really do. But, you seem to want more than to help my family." Hera chuckled. "I had no idea you had beco a matchmaker."
Iris grinned. "I would say I have an eye for good people."
"Good-looking people, you an," Hera corrected.
This made Iris burst into a fit of laughter. She raised her hands in surrender.
"We should probably head down." Iris mused. "We wouldn’t want to keep anyone waiting."
Hera bumped into Penelope, as they headed out of the library.
"Who the hell do you think you are to bump into ?" Penelope scread. "You don’t have a functioning pair of eyes?"
"I’m sorry, princess," Hera said apologetically, "it was a mistake. I didn’t see you."
"Of course you wouldn’t see , you lowlife." Penelope’s eyes blazed with anger.
"That’ll do, princess," Iris said. Her eyes had darkened, and she lood dangerously close beside Hera.
Penelope looked Iris over, from head to toe. "And who are you?" Her voice dripped with disgust. "What gives you the right to speak to ?"
Iris closed the distance between them, looking her squarely. "I don’t think you understand who you’re actually speaking to, princess. But I’ll warn you and warn you properly. The next ti you say such vile things to my face, it’ll be the first ti you get taught proper manners. Hold that tongue of yours, or I’ll teach you how."
Penelope’s eyes widened in shock, but she said nothing again.
"Hera," Iris said while still looking at Penelope, "let’s leave."
They left Penelope standing at the door of the library in a daze.
"I don’t think that was a good idea," Hera said, a little distraught, "but I’m glad you said those things to her. She’s so rude and haughty. She’s like a counterfeit version of her horrible sister."
Iris laughed so hard her stomach hurt. "You surprise every day, Hera. I didn’t know you had a mouth like that."
"I have a lot of other things you don’t ." She winked. "However, it just so happens that I am a princess who needs to uphold as much honor and decorum as I can. And not simply behave like a rabid dog."
Iris whistled.
"Do you think we should wait here?" Hera asked when they got to the foot of the stairs.
"What? Of course not. You don’t want to seem too eager now. You have to act aloof, make him co to you, not the other way around." Iris replied.
Hera chuckled and gave Iris a funny look. "So, this confirms it then, you’re running a match-making agency."
"Let’s just head into one of the halls. I think the breakfast room is closest. We could see when the council eting ends."
Two servants were deep in a conversation when they entered the breakfast hall. They scurried off imdiately.
In the silence of the room, Hera couldn’t help thinking about her sister. She hoped fervently that she was safe wherever she was.
"What was she growing up?" Hera asked.
"Who? You an your sister? " Iris said.
Hera nodded.
Iris gave a small smile. "Honestly...." She paused, pondering the question earnestly. "Your sister was the best gift we could ever ask for. She was always there for everyone, never wanted to see us cry or be sad."
There was a glint in her eyes as she recalled the mories of their ti at the order. "You know, one ti, she took a punishnt for . I had tried to escape many tis. And each ti they caught , they would strip in front of the other girls, and our mistress, she would beat till I was bloodied and unconscious. Your sister had had enough of it one day and asked to take my punishnt.
She never scolded or asked why I always tried to escape, even though it was futile. She simply took the lashing and smiled at when it was done." A tear ran down her face, and she sniffed.
"But why did you try to run away? How did you end up in such a terrible place?" Hera asked, a little shaken.
"The order isn’t really a bad place," Iris said defensively. "It is a society that has existed for thousands of years, so their rules are as rigid as they co." She sighed. "As for why I tried to escape, I would say I was young and defiant. My father, General Baros Giovanni..."
"General?!" Hera squealed. " You’re the daughter of a general? From where? Wow." Hera was astonished.
Iris smiled a little. "Calm down, princess..."
"Princess Hera?" A voice called from the door, interrupting their conversation.
Both Hera and Iris whipped their heads back to see who it was.
"I thought it was you," Niko said, sounding pleased.
"My lord." They both stood at the sa ti.
"We hadn’t realised that the eting was done. I hope all is well." Hera said coldly.
Niko smiled at her. " Don’t be so formal with , princess. I thought we would be past that by now."
Hera offered him a tight smile.
"Could we perhaps take a walk around the castle?" Niko asked.
"I don’t think that’s appropriate, my lord..."
"Please, Hera, call Niko."
Hera sighed. "I don’t think that’s appropriate, Niko. I am still under the patronage of the king and prince. It would be unbecoming of ...."
"Perhaps Iris may co along. So we could be a group of three instead," Niko suggested. "That way it wouldn’t seem so improper."
Hera glanced at Iris, who was trying hard to hide her smile. "If you insist, then we may tour around the palace."
The three of them began their walk around the palace. From the outside, the sheer magnitude of the building was intimidating. Everything about its intricate designs and architecture still made Hera marvel.
"You seem taken by the building?" Niko asked.
"I am actually," Hera replied. "I have never seen anything like it before. It must have taken ages to complete."
"My father told that its construction began even before the ti of his father. But as ti changed, they had to upgrade the designs, which ended up taking a lot of ti."
"That’s absolutely amazing, " Hera replied.
They talked at length about the empire and its many wonders.
"Tell about yourself, Nikolas Aetos. You seem to be really interested in getting to know , so I might as well return the favour."
Niko smiled. "Where do I begin?"
"Anywhere."
"Alright then. I am the last child of ten children. I have six brothers and three sisters..."
"Ten children?" The idea felt foreign to Hera. A house full of children.
Niko laughed. "Ten children," he confird. "I have no idea how my mother managed, but she did."
"How was it?" Hera asked eagerly. "I just have my sister, and she was hardly at ho, so if I’m being honest, I was basically an only child."
"It was a wonderful ti. We gave our parents the worst days of their lives. My brothers would always get into fights with one another, and there would be blood everywhere. My sisters..." He scoffed. "They were basically witches."
Hera burst out in laughter. "Why would you call them that?"
"Because they were. They would always lie about us, the boys, and since my father loves them too much, he’d always believe everything they said. The ga was rigged against us simply because we were boys." Niko continued.
Hera laughed loudly, tears falling from her eyes. "This is honestly the best thing I’ve heard in a while."
Niko smiled. "Are you free tomorrow, Hera? I would love for us to explore more of the city together. Of course, with your friend and as many guards as you would like."
Hera turned back to look at Iris. She walked so far behind to give them as much privacy as they needed, and Hera almost forgot she was with them.
"Of course, my lord... I an, Niko, I would love for us to explore more of the city.
Penelope watched them from the library window as they talked and laughed. Her blood boiled when she saw the smile on Hera’s face. She was going to make sure she wiped that expression from her face.
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