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Mysterious Fates {Short Story}

The bright light of the sun began to diminish below the sharp horizon outside Ophelia's window, painting the once clear blue sky in colors of the warm and varying colors of the sunset. Lights sprouted from within the houses and outdoor lamps all over the city of Fídi as the skies dimmed, allowing Nyx to come out from her home in Tartarus and bring night to the world.

Ophelia stood before a full-length mirror, the glass smooth and clean, decorated in an elegant golden frame with swirls and intricate designs. A few of the more refined women of the city with cosmetics training looked over her almost bare body, inspecting her fair skin for any flaws. All she had on was something to cover her more private parts. They covered anything they deemed imperfect with makeup that blended into her skin: stretch marks, beauty marks- anything else that wasn't deemed as 'beautiful'. She luckily didn't have to worry about looking at herself in the mirror, her eyes closed most of the time as a woman painted her face in the finest of makeup. But on occasion when her baby blue eyes were open, her gaze would always drift to outside her window. Oh how she found the sight to be breathtaking...

"Oh Ophelia..." Came a sigh from behind the sacrifice. Gennadios, the head priest of their dying city, stood a few feet away from Ophelia, his arms crossed tightly over his chest as he tsks quietly," I doubt that our divine goddess would be pleased with- your build. You're lucky these women do wonders."

Ophelia didn't say much at this comment, muttering a small apology as the women inspecting her frame finish and start to rub in elegant aromas and scents into her soft pale flesh, soon dressing her in the finest of silk robes that moved with the gentle breeze; it wasn't like she could change her body to fit Gennadios' image of perfection.

When the final stage of preparation was complete, Ophelia was moved outside where a small platform laid upon the stoned ground. With Gennadios' instructions, she goes and sits upon it, resting with her delicate hands upon her knees; she was to not touch the ground until they arrived at the goddess' temple. The city's strongest men slowly were tasked to carry Ophelia there, lifting her up and marching throughout the city. A small crowd of people followed Ophelia, up until the city itself had reached its end. It was there the group stopped, watching as Ophelia was carried down the path to their goddess Zina's temple on the top of the nearest mountain. It was a lengthy walk uphill, and Ophelia worried about hurting the people who held her platform over their shoulders. But whenever she asked if they needed a break, they insisted they were fine. More of- Gennadios insisted they were fine.

Speaking of the temple, it soon came into view just as the sun's light faded into darkness, and the stars came out to twinkle in the sky. Ophelia smiled faintly to herself, trying to calm her own nerves by pointing out the constellations she could spot. With the full moon hanging above, Ophelia would soon see the glorious temple that sat on the mountain's peak, touching the sky; no one was ever allowed to go there, a rule set by the city's head priest, Gennadios. Only those with a holy status were allowed to visit the temple to bring the monthly offerings of food and other human items. But it appeared their offerings were going to waste, with fish populations plummeting and harvests being below average.

As they neared, Gennadios began to remind Ophelia of the rules and things she should and should not do in the presence of the city's goddess. Ophelia nods her head, listening to every word he spoke to her, tucking loose strands of her locks whenever they would blow across her face. Gennadios reminded her of his teachings: to make sure to both stand and sit straight, to not speak unless spoken to, to make sure her manners were nothing but polite to the goddess, to make sure she didn't ruin her appearance before arriving.

Ophelia's shoulders were heavy with this burden, and yet a smile tugged on her lips; people came up to her before she left, thanking her for her sacrifice to their city. Thanking her for the prosperity she would bring, all the bellies filled from the incoming harvest if this goes well. She might die, but for the greater good. She just hoped this would go well for the city. She spent her whole life preparing for this moment.