Penthesilea. Evandros and Boras had stayed true to their word. From all I had learned, the meeting with Serkon had been quite an ugly scene with the king of Dekanos swearing and accusing them of things neither of the two others would tell me. Even Evandros' last and most insistent demand to ask pardon for his outrageous behavior against them had been of no avail. So in the end, they were reduced in stripping him from his rights in the council. Needless to say that he had left in utmost anger and the council’s leaders blamed me once more for making mischief. In the meantime, I was used to that. And although my intention for bringing my former lover and his daughter together had been to usher a reconciliation in, I had to admit that yet another time I had failed. Honestly, could I have known that he was still angry with me? Or that he would not even talk to his own daughter unless it was to get rid of her? I had never regretted that Hippolyta was his child. But I had regretted a thousand times and more what I had done to Serkon and therefor to the council as well. Since I have arrived six suns have passed and I have already left my mark on this area, just like I had aimed. But it was not one future generations would remember with a breath of awe. Only short time before Hippolyta’s fourth birthday, I invited the council’s members for her consecration. It had been a tradition in my home tribe and was at the Orcheons, too: still at a very young age, an Amazon heiress would be officially shown to the Goddess by her mother the queen so the immortal would grant her her blessing growing up. Usually, men were not allowed at such an occasion but considering the different environment of my new home and the trouble I had caused in the past, I found it justifiable to be a reason for joy at last. The celebration would not be held in the gloomy lower part of the temple but at the brighter and by far more cheerful one upstairs. Those of the other leaders who had sons brought them as well and were relieved although they would never admit it. With the exception of Zeuxippe, they barely even entered the building since they worshiped other deities so they were not used to the depressing atmosphere. The Goddess of War from my home tribe had no temple here, but the Dark Goddess came the closest to her so I had decided I could as well use her temple to honor the deity of my youth. My youth. The time of my life that had passed so fast. I had seen 26 summers and it was already my daughter’s fourth one. Soon, she would romp around the compound, compete with her friends and attend the lessons that Evandros let one of his educated slaves hold for the rulers’ children, one of the advantages he provided for his liegemen and -women. Zeuxippe’s daughter Rheia would be there too and somehow I liked the thought that our children would grow up nearly as close as sisters. “Congratulations on this cornerstone. We must celebrate each child that outlives its toddler days.” Zeuxippe might be a conspicuous person but sometimes she still managed to approach me unnoticed. I smiled at her. “Next summer it will be you in my stead to present your daughter to the Goddess.” “Indeed.” As every mother would have, she beamed with pride. “Will you attend as well?” “Of course.” It was an honor for a creator’s heiress to have as many leaders present as possible and I would gladly do my fellow queen and friend that favor after the rough start we had had. Evandros motioned toward us, evidently uneasy. “Penthesilea, this is as good an occasion as always to tell you. We have given up the search for the man who gave Echion the order to kill you. All our efforts so far have been in vain.” He took a short break, his brows clouded with disappointment. “Even the God did not reveal the evildoer to Alexandros. I simply doubt that we could still succeed.” It was not really a surprise. The investigations had been time-consuming and led to nothing in the end. Maybe I should have been worried, but my thoughts were distracted as soon as Io passed Lyta over to me to carry her into the temple like tradition demanded. She would have to quit it on her own feet, something she was entirely capable to master. Nevertheless it was an essential sign for the Goddess who wanted to see her strength in order to deem her worthy of her aid. Inside, at the end of the long stair, the Orcheon priestess awaited us. “Have you brought the token of her rule?,” she asked while the attenders assembled at our sides. How could I ever forget a thing as important as the gem that would determine the path of my daughter’s life? As princesses, Xanthippe and I had been taught each and every detail of our people’s ceremonies. Boras had not been thrilled when I had told him about the stone I had chosen for my Hippolyta. “A dark gem that possesses the power to turn water into blood? What sort of omen shall that be? Don’t you think there has been enough harm yet?” Indeed, at first sight the stone did not seem an appropriate choice. The very symbol of bloodshed innumerable generations had spun myths and legends around, with time stained by the blood of its owner’s foes. Truly, it did sound ignorant considering my past quarrels with the other kings. But notwithstanding my friend’s words, my daughter should be a strong and determined queen who was able to resist the challenges that I had failed to overcome. It was the strength of the stone that I aspired for Hippolyta. And yet, I still had noticed the worry on Boras’ face. The priestess rose from her throne, lifted her arms and turned her face to the ceiling, eyes closed in worship, chanting an age-old incantation in the hoarse tongue of the immortals. I inhaled her every word when she started to pass the Goddess’s blessing to my daughter, in our tongue now so we could understand. “The splendid Goddess, Queen of the Dark, has seen the young princess Hippolyta and turns her face on her. She beholds her and puts her spirit to the test.” “If the princess proves worthy, she will endow her with the gift of courage that indwells this stone.” “She bestows determination on her and holds her protecting hand over her on the battlefield. Princess, may you follow the Goddess’s call. Bow to her rule, that others will bow to yours. May your tribe grow strong and firm under your reign.” After she had uttered the last word, I set my girl down at the bottom and walked downstairs alone to place the gem onto the altar, the traditional duty of the heiress's mother. There it would remain until Hippolyta would take over as queen. At a time when I wouldn’t be present any more to witness the most significant event in her life. If it was not for a consecration or coronation ceremony, no one but the priestess herself was allowed to enter the room. Narrow as it was, it left me awestruck nevertheless. I could literally feel the presence of the goddess in the golden light of the candles and her stern eyes watching me, the insignificant mortal. But I would do anything for my daughter. So I finished my prayer, begging with all my heart and under tears that she would become a better queen than me. When finally I got back to the revelers where I had entrusted Hippolyta in Io’s care, I froze. They were not alone any more. Lyta's stone is the Hematite. It tarnishes with time and turns red and during grinding it stains the water red as well - "turns it into blood" in Boras' words. And in case that anyone wonders, Penthesilea has a metal as her sign, namely the Sims metal Romantium. It was given to her by her sister Xanthippe, queen of Santrake after she declared her wish to found an own tribe. As second oldest, she was never meant to be queen of her home tribe so she didn't get a sign as a toddler. ← Chapter 35 Chapter 37 → Poses by redsimmer, josiesimblr, overkillsimmer, flowerchamber, MrsRacooney, joannebernice and A-luckyday (here and here) This chapter has extra screenshots in the gallery
6 Comments
maladi777
11/6/2017 03:27:02 pm
I still can't get used to the fact she's friends with Zeuxippe now.
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11/25/2018 09:12:54 am
I actually like that she could overcome her quarrels with Zeuxippe xD
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11/26/2018 06:15:50 am
You're so right! If they had stood together from the beginning, they could have achieved a lot already for their tribes because the male tribes are actually not as supportive toward each other as it seems at first sight
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9/30/2019 03:48:07 am
You're a rock hound? Phew, I'll have to be careful what to say then 😅 These infos were the result of a short google search
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