EDITED
The kitchen door was opened by a young man who I don't recognize. "May we eat in here," my friend begs. The young man eyes her and I, then opens the door without a word.
"I'm so sorry, Cassia," my friend says tearfully. Seeing how sad and desperate she looks, I still can't forget her words, not yet.
"I-I am too," I choke out sadly. Gasping, she runs out the kitchen door, crying loudly. Blinking back tears, I pinch the bridge of my nose.
I hear a noise of scraping, and turn to see a plate of food before me. "I thought that you might be hungry," The young man from before quietly says, as he turns and leaves. The food smells delicious, yet I can't bring myself to eat. I was so cruel to her when I could see how sorry Andromache was. I nibbled my lip. I wonder where she went.
"Is it not good? I can make you something else." I turned to see the young man looking at me eagerly a small, nervous smile on his face.
"No, no. It's just...I'm sure you have plenty of your own worries, never mind."
"They were right," he breathed. "You are as kind as you are beautiful and wise," he says, eyeing me worshipfully, causing me to blush in embarrassment. I note that he is treating me normally, which I like. Is it because he is around my age, or because he is a slave?
"Why don't you join me," I say without thinking. His pale blue eyes light up in cautious joy, as if afraid I'll rescind my offer. "I couldn't possibly eat all of this delicious food myself," I add with a small smile.
He eagerly joins me after that. Now that he is closer, I can see that he is a little older than I, perhaps fourteen to my twelve. He must not be eating well to be so small and thin. After I had a bit of everything, I slid the plate over to him. "Eat, I had a huge breakfast, which I'm sure you helped with," I smiled, rubbing my stomach for emphasis.
He looked at me open mouthed for a second, than only said, "Thank you." He reverently spread some bright, ruby red jam on some still warm bread and bit into it with a groan. For some reason, roses bloomed on my cheeks.
As he kept eating, he started to talk. "So why were you and your friend fighting," he asked carefully around a mouth full of food. While I was mildly impressed I could understand him I was slightly disgusted at the crumbs he sprayed everywhere. I scrunched up my nose as some landed on my face.
"She mentioned my family when she knows better."
Eyeing me warily, he said, "I have heard that both of you wanted to serve Athena as priestesses. If you can't stomach small truths from a friend, how would you take a painful one from the wise one herself?" He watched me warily as he popped an olive in his mouth, eyeing the bowl contemplatively.
It was almost as if he were afraid I would injure him for speaking his mind - but hadn't I just done that to my only friend?
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Cry of Cassandra
Historical FictionMen have always looked at Princess Cassandra like she was a piece of meat. She was done with being objectified, done with men. When the sun god, Apollo, takes notice of her it complicates everything. She spurns his advances even as he vows venge...
