Beauty of Thebes

Chapter 16: Are You Hurt, Princess?

Hisappearance was accompanied by the strong wind, and in a flash, darkness greeted Eutostea and a buzzing accompanied the window.

“Princess of Thebes.”

She’s sure he doesn’t know her name. She’s no Hersia nor Askitea. Somehow, a sense of shame and disgrace washed over her knowing the uninvited guest was unaware of her name.

“Did you receive the prophecy, princess?” There was a touch of cheeky laughter in his voice.

“It’s a mess.” Eutostea shivers had gone unnoticed as she quelled her seething anxiety.

Apollo laughed lowly at her curt answer. His laughter never grew too loud for anyone to hear but her. He was cheeky and playful—always. Before she knew it, she grasped his characteristics.

“The oracle interpreted the prophet artistically. Very much to my liking, and your king is quite the ungrateful one. Hmm… maybe a sacrifice needs to be made in the name of Thebes’ king. Maybe the gods will forgive you as they interpret the sacrifice on their own whimsical liking.”

“That would be difficult,” Eutostea murmured.

“You have your own temple, yet you speak of it like you don’t own it,” Apollo’s lips curled.

“The people in this palace are too stuck up. They’ll interpret anything that fits their interests. The truth matters not,” Eutostea smiled bitterly.

And then, before she knew it, Apollo flashed in front of her and smeared his lips across the scruff of her neck. Eutostea’s chest rose at the touch of his rosy lips exploring her skin. She believed that she was his object of amusement. Does her reaction elicit an interesting response from him?

“I mentioned that you were in my dream, princess.” Apollo blew hot air in her ear.

Eutostea tried to pay it no mind and said, “Yes, why did you dream of Thebes as a kingdom without a king, without a ruler who held no power?”

Apollo’s hands explored her back.

“That was the oracle’s interpretation. You, in my dream, was different.”

“What do you mean?” Eutoste’s brows furrowed.

…His hands grazed her perky behind and he groaned. His lips touched her bare shoulder. “Oh, princess… I don’t know what you do to me… but in my dreams, I saw you even if I did not see your face. But I saw you. I saw that unforgettable figure lying on her back in the flowing river full of nectar.”

“So you were staring at me in that dream?”

The story of a god’s dream was absurd even to Eutostea that she replied confidently without revealing any hints of her sloppy plans. All she could think of was to put him to sleep. She needed to push her hairband under the door before the night lingered deeper.

‘Are they already at the door?’she thought.

“Of course. But you were gone. I watched you drift away.” His voice was as precarious as a wobbly light.

“To be a dead man in the river full of nectar… though it’s a dream, I feel honored,” Eutostea said, vaguely praising.

She had once watched Askitea flaunt her mountainous peak and hips in front of the bronze mirror naked. It was pretentious of her but she sought praises from her youngest sister, Eutostea.

Apollo was like her. He sought to hear praises from her.

Apollo looked as if he had been caught off guard and smiled. “That tone of yours, princess, is really charming.”

He cupped her cheeks and inhaled her scent.

This man was too vague though she’s not sure whether it was a good or bad thing.

“Wait, the feel of your skin is strange, completely different from yesterday.” Apollo frowned and caressed her cheek softly. “Are you hurt, princess?”

“I got stung by a bee.”

If her sisters were present, they’d have said, “How can you tell such a sloppy lie?”