Beauty of Thebes

Chapter 11: Hawk and Oracle

Eutostea’s face contorted. She felt betrayed, like being struck with a knife in the heart.

“Who is it?” King Aphelius repeated the question.

“Take a guess. You suddenly seem to care about my life after years of turning your head away from me.”

“You are Thebes’ princess before you are my daughter.”

“Ah… yes… the ugly princess, one that you’ll readily throw as bait for one to pick up and eat.” Her voice was shrill, giving a self-condescending smile.

Eutostea seemed to have inherited her stubborn character from her father. The two fought neck to neck without concession.

“I’ll tell you about my virginity and my lover after the oracle is delivered from Delphi. I’ll tell you. After all, this is my duty as Princess of Thebes.”

Eutostea gave a formal bow and walked out. She walked to her bedroom and sat on the floor as if her soul had escaped reality. She ignored the bells and the chirping of her sisters. At least the cold marble floor supported her safely. Even if she felt like falling into the abyss, she’d not fall.

If she were any younger, she’d have the impulse to leave the palace. It would be tempting and it’d be justification for retaliating against her father for ordering a worker to loosen her window latch while her sisters stay protected. But running away from home was childish and the king would never bat an eye to her absence.

Clearing her confused mind, Eutostea decided to wait and place her trust on fate and destiny. She listened attentively and waited for the sound of the hawk’s powerful flaps heading towards her with the oracle’s message. 

***

It was in the afternoon.

The palace courtyard was in a stately daze. Everyone in the palace gathered in the courtyard and looked up. Eutostea looked down from her bedroom window wearing a gloomy look. The hawk flapped its wings and circled around the air. A white ribbon was tied around its ankle.

“That’s strange… what’s wrong with it?” someone muttered. 

The hawk seemed nervous based on the deductions of the people from the courtyard. The hawk looked down and circled in the sky mockingly. Then, suddenly, it had a set goal in mind and flew fiercely towards Eutostea. Its sharp claws neared Eutostea… closer… closer… Eutostea immediately raised both her hands in defense as she fell on her back.

“It went inside the princess’s room,” a witness who saw what had happened shouted.

“Who?”

The others were puzzled.

“The third princess!” someone shouted.

Sounds of footsteps clamored as they rushed to the third princess’s room. Meanwhile, Eutostea fought with the hawk. She did not know why the hawk lunged towards her and suddenly pecked on her hair wildly.

“Help me!” Eutostea called her maidservants in a hurry. 

And came they did. Once they saw what had happened, shock filled their core at the sight of an eagle-sized hawk fighting one-on-one with the princess.

“Get this thing off me!” Eutostea roared.

“Ye-yes…” 

The maidservants moved in a hurry and worked in tandem to rid the hawk from their princess. There were scratches all over the princess’s arm; blood flowed like a dam. This was a first. What could have attracted the hawk to the princess? The maidservants were dumbfounded while the princess looked depressed. 

The maidservants repeatedly bowed their heads and said their apologies for not helping her in time as they saw the princess lie in her pool of blood.

“Don’t worry. You won’t be punished.” Eutostea reassured them and maintained her dignity as Princess of Thebes. “That aside, the hawk is important. It has a message from an oracle. Take it away, carefully.” 

The king would be waiting for the hawk in the reception room.

As the maidservants and the hawk left the princess’s room, a prophet detractor stepped forward and said, “The hawk is a male and an animal called ‘The Eye of God’. There must be a reason why he had no intention of going down and instead flew straight into your room. Please allow me to open the oracle here.”

“That’s not for me to decide,” Eutostea said.

In the king’s absence, even she was not authorized to give orders at her own will. As she said this, several people came barging in her room.

“Do as he says, Eutostea.” A man clad in royal robes and a crown sitting atop his head stood in the masses of people. It was King Aphelius. “I too wonder why the hawk came after you. Read the oracle.”