Iris was utterly exasperated. She’d sworn to protect Hera, but nothing was going according to plan. She regretted so badly why she’d first pushed the two of them together.
She didn’t understand why Hera would tolerate all his excesses. His very blatant habits.
She walked around the palace and headed towards the banquet hall, lost in thought. She sat a few feet away from the cliff and looked over at the water.
"To think that this is the last place I would ever expect you to be," Penelope said. She had followed her.
She’d seen her walk down the stairs and outside the palace, but instead of heading out like she usually did, she went around the palace.
Iris whipped her head around and shot up from where she sat as the voice had startled her.
"What is it you want?" She hissed.
Penelope smiled. "You can calm down, Lady Iris, I don’t bite."
"You most certainly do."
Penelope chortled. "I don’t think I’m in the mood for biting anyone. So, Iris, sit."
Iris narrowed her eyes and watched her walk up to where she was.
"So, how have you been, Lady Iris? We haven’t spoken in quite a while."
"And why, in fact, would we be speaking to each other?"
Penelope sat down on a chair beside Iris. "I don’t know. Honestly..." her voice was low. "I think we’ve beco connected in a way, you know. I realized that I missed the way we often spoke to each other ."
Iris furrowed her brows and looked at hera like she’d grown two heads. "You’ve got it all wrong, my princess," Iris drawled, "I could never have any sort of connection with a person like you. You disgust in every way possible."
Penelope smirked. "Go on, say more. I’d like to hear all about your hatred for ."
Iris stood, bewildered. Sothing was clearly wrong with her. "You speak like you’re deranged. Is this a dream of yours? To be insulted badly?"
Penelope chuckled and tapped on the chair beside her.
Iris looked from the chair to Penelope, sighed, and then sat beside her.
"How is your mistress doing?" Penelope asked.
"Hera isn’t my mistress.. She’s a sister of my friend, whom I have vowed to protect."
"She must be lucky then, to have a friend like you." Penelope smiled softly.
"I’m much luckier to have found soone like her," Iris said. "This happens to be the only way I could pay her back for everything."
Penelope scoffed. "My relationship with my sister would beg to differ."
Iris grunted.
"Anyways..." Penelope cleared her throat. "I’ve co to warn you about Niko. He is not what he seems," she said.
"And why are you telling this?"
"She listens to no one else but you, is that not so? Tell her to be very mindful of her relations to him."
"She hardly listens to any longer," Iris muttered. "She now knows everything there is to know, it would seem. "
Penelope smiled, "She’ll understand soon enough."
Iris turned around sharply to look at her. "What’s your deal? What do you actually want here?"
Penelope turned to et her gaze. "You," she said softly, "I want you."
Iris shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "?"
Penelope smiled and studied her face. "Yes, Iris. I want you. You fascinate . I would like to know what happens inside that head of yours."
Iris stood up sharply from her seat. "I don’t know what it is you think you want to know, but count out of it."
Penelope stood up as well and stepped in front of her. "I would like us to be friends."
"You’re insane," Iris whispered. "How is this any way to make a friend? And why would I want to be friends with soone who has cost nothing but discomfort?"
Penelope looked at her intensely, then suddenly, her eyes softened. " No worries then, we have all the ti in the world to get to know each other."
Before Iris could rationalize the whole situation, Penelope drew her into her arms for a tight hug.
She rubbed the back of her head, then as she drew away, her hand slid down her arm and grazed her fingers before she placed them firmly on her waist.
"I didn’t realize you looked..." Penelope smiled.
Iris was rooted to a spot in shock. Nothing made sense at the mont.
"I’ll see you again, Iris," Penelope said, her eyes dancing in a smile. "And be sure to relate my ssage to her."
With that, she left.
Iris’ knees grew weak. She stumbled a little until she found her footing.
Heavens, what was up with this city? She thought.
She hurriedly went back into the palace to search for Hera. She was lying on her bed. Her eyes were swollen from crying.
"Hera, what’s the matter?"
Imdiately, Hera saw her, and she flew into her arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
"I don’t know what to do, Iris," Hera said. "The girls think I’m a selfish fool for getting involved with Niko while still competing.
But Iris, that’s truly not how it is, you know this. I didn’t plan to fall in love, I didn’t plan for Epirus to be in danger, and I don’t know if the prince will pick , eventually. However, I know that Niko cares for a lot. "
Iris’s eyes softened. Everything must be hard for her. So much responsibility on her shoulders, and yet, this wasn’t about loving another man to her; this was about loving the wrong man. She rembered as a little girl what her father did to her mother. How his affairs tornted her.
She was entirely sure her mother had died of heartbreak and not an illness, as the physicians presud.
"I understand you, Hera," Iris said. "I totally do. I couldn’t care less about what others thought about the other relationships you form outside of the prince. But Hera, I don’t trust Niko. Even Penelope asked that I tell you to be careful."
Hera raised an eyebrow. "Penelope, as in the princess?"
"Yes!"
"She’s just jealous, Iris. Can’t you see that?"
In that mont, Iris realized she was too far gone.
"Are you willing to accept the consequences that may befall you if you go forward with this relationship?" Iris asked.
Hera stared at her for a while. "Yes." Her voice quivered. "Yes," she said again, more confidently.
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