I was alone, and I sat in the bathing pool in silence.

The loss of my sword still cut deep. As deep as I had hoped it’s crafted edge would have cut when it was whole. I sat underneath a large spout carved above the large pool and let the soothing water pouring from it carry my thoughts away. The water fell on the top of my head and ran down my body on all sides.

Pathetically, I began to cry while I sat in the waist deep pool and contemplated recent events.

Despite the Goddess’ claims the last time we had spoken, things hadn’t gotten easier. They had actually only gotten harder. And yes, while she hadn’t explicitly claimed our mission would get easier, the confidence boost she attempted to give me and the new friends I gained from it felt like I had turned a corner.

I had felt like I had made further progress when I won the tournament. I had bested my tutors, despite the odds they had stacked in their favor. The women in town enjoyed the moment of success like it was their own, defeating men in armed combat. Noelle gained the tavern despite not winning the tournament, another triumph in my efforts to help womankind. I was making a difference.

And then, we had left Bronzemead, and I started learning how small my sphere of influence had truly been.

The closer we had gotten to Torzoa, the worse Chad’s mood had gotten. He started treating me less like a companion and more like a woman again. Dorian also started drifting. His attitude and confidence started to wane the closer we got to the capital as well. I had a feeling this was a place he would also rather not be, and his interactions with me as a friend and confident had started to become limited as well.

For his part, Ash had been the only constant. He and I still talked like every day was just another day. He was getting a little more confident when talking to me and now could look me in the eye more than the few fleeting seconds he had been able to muster when we first met. But the conversations were always brief and direct instead of casual, like he was still struggling on how to interact with me as a friend.

And so, despite my traveling companions, I had never felt so alone. Noelle had been a fierce and fast friend that I was very sad to have left behind. Any time I had been homesick, she would sit and talk with me for hours of my home. She would sit, enraptured, while I described city life, or school, or technology beyond her understanding. She would let me ramble on and on, even if it wasn’t something she understood or there was nothing she could add to the conversation. She was happy just to listen, with wild awestruck eyes and a smile on her face.

I needed her now more than ever.

I looked up and wondered what she was doing at that very moment.

I finally stopped feeling sorry for myself enough to wash up and dress. I had undone the braids in my hair to wash it and now brushed it out and let it drape around my body. I had realized early on that it dried extremely quickly. The Goddess had blessed me with that little additional perk as well, one that I was very thankful for. The length of time it took for long hair to dry was another reason I normally preferred it short.

I smiled as I brushed my hair and remembered how upset Noelle and the sisters had been at this realization. Each of them also wore their hair fairly long, some of them as long as mine, and constantly complained about the hours it took for their hair to properly dry after washings. I sighed as I finished brushing, missing all of the girls. Especially my little shadow, Anya, who I had grown rather fond of.

I made mental note to ask Chad if we could detour to Bronzemead to check in on everyone once our business in Blackwall and the Black Hills was concluded.

I had been provided a dress to wear while my clothes were being washed. Duncan had worked some castle connection shenanigans and managed to have something sewn together that fit my dimensions perfectly. It was a light lavender colored silk dress that hugged my features snuggly, with a plunging neckline that would show off and call attention to all of my curves.

It had the golden outline of embroidered leaves falling across it, with an occasional leaf filled in with the gold color. I slipped it on without much difficulty and found it was the softest material I had ever worn. It fell to my ankles but had a long slit that exposed my left leg, all the way to my thigh. I had a full-length mirror to look at myself in. It was very beautiful, and I was stunning, but I knew I lacked the confidence to wear it in public. It was going be incredibly embarrassing to have the boys see me in this, but my other clothes had already been absconded with and it was either this or nothing.

I chose the dress.

I noticed that a very beautiful decorative metal hairpin had been left for me to wear in my hair as well, along with a note:

This comb is one of Mother’s favorites. I spoke to her of you, and she wanted you to have it. I have a feeling she already thinks of you as a daughter and would love to meet you.

- Max

P.S. I guess Chadwick would also love to see you wear it.

The piece was, indeed, beautiful. But now knowing it was a gift from the Queen??

That Max!

On one hand, he seemed to imply a friendship was all he desired of me. Only then, he would then let that mask slip and leave me blushing uncontrollably. He was a shifty one. I would have to keep a close eye on him.

The hairpin had a beautifully sculpted lily at it’s head, with intricate white petals and golden stamens erupting from it. I brushed aside the hair from the side of my face behind my right ear and pinned it there.

I twisted at my waist to look at my backside and was secretly glad cameras didn’t exist in this world.

I took one last look at myself in the mirror and sighed.

The boys were going to love this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I exited the baths that Duncan and his guards had cordoned off for me. I had expressed a desire for privacy, and he had assigned his best to ensure I got it. The boys were all waiting out in the hallway, Max included, for our planned trip up to Obarith’s temple on the peak. Despite Dorian’s claim we could use it’s absurdity to cheer the both of us up, I really was not in the mood to go. However, Chad’s mood had lightened considerably at the mention of the trip, and now I felt obligated.

Stupid feelings.

Speaking of feelings, from the look on everyone’s faces, I was sure I evoked quite a few choice ones from my appearance into the hallway.

Chad and Max both stopped an argument they were the middle of and stared, eyes as wide as dinner plates, with mouths popped open so far, they were in danger of hitting the floor. Ash turned a deep shade of red, before scrambling to cover his eyes. And I could have sworn Dorian was drooling and was muttering gibberish, having lost the capacity for intelligent thought.

I really wanted to take advantage of the moment and relish the attention. I could have used the ego boost. I had a moment in my head where I imagined putting a hand on one of my luscious hips and swaying them, in perfect synchronization, on my way over to them. Then I would pick one of them at random, probably Max, and tickle him under his chin, smiling provocatively at him while the other boys watched with envy.

But instead, my stomach flipped over on itself three times, and I fought every urge to not flee and hide under the first table I could find.

I slowly walked over to them hiding my blushing face with one hand and my heaving chest with the other, while wishing that my hips would stop moving so seductively with each small step.

Damn, this dress! Duncan knew what he was doing.

“Hi, guys.” I was able to get out, in a voice barely over a whisper. I still had a hand on the side of my face, attempting to block my direct view of their expressions or my beet red face.

Dorian acted first. He immediately grabbed my upraised hand and wound my bare arm into the crook of his and started waltzing us both towards the grand hall and the castle exit.

Chad and Max weren’t too far behind, each pushing and shoving each other to attempt to loop through my remaining free arm. Their squabbling allowed Ash to sneak in instead and beat them to their prize. I smiled a bit to myself at Ash being so clever. He still didn’t have the nerve to look me in the eye as we walked, but he did have a smile on his face as he and Dorian escorted me towards the castle exit.

Duncan awaited us there.

“I see you found the gift your Highness left for you. He requested I find something comfortable for you to wear while the rest of your clothes were being cleaned.” He bowed, “I hope it is to your liking.”

I didn’t wish for him to specify which brother requested that I wear something so daring. I wasn’t putting anything past Max at this point.

“Not old enough to be courting yet, my ass.” I thought.

“Thank you for your attention to detail, Duncan. The dress is stunning, and I am pleasantly surprised at how well it fits.” I hesitated a moment before adding, “Some of it fits a little too well.”

Duncan smiled sweetly, “Such is the price of a body that demands attention, my lady.”

I suppose he was right. If looks could kill, I would be guilty of wholesale man slaughter. I would have had to dress in an oversized parka to change that, and I’m still not confident that would have helped much.

I allowed Dorian and Ash to escort me outside and we made our way to the trail that wound up the mountain and the temple at it’s peak. Chad and Max were not far behind. I supposed they decided the view from the rear was an acceptable consolation prize.

Duncan had stopped at the foot of the trail. Chad explained that only royalty was allowed to visit or worship at Obarith’s main temple. Chad and the guards were making exceptions for Dorian, as he was the heir to the Ptarkin House. Ash and Amelia were being considered women escorts for the princes, and no would one was dare question the reasons why they wanted women at their sides.

Ash shrugged at this excuse for his clearance, “Whatever works sometimes.” I giggled to myself, imagining him trying to pull off this ridiculous dress.

The trail wasn’t difficult to navigate. The royal family kept it well maintained and free of debris and we didn’t have to walk long to make it to our destination. I had dreaded coming up here, as I had already seen what the outside of the temple looked like from our approach to the castle and the courtyard itself.

The peak of the mountain had been mined and dug away with the flat remainder leveled off to make space for the construction of the temple, which was designed to replace the top of the mountain itself. When we had reached the peak, I turned back to look and admire the view from the top.

I could see the entirety of Torzoa from here. It was a grand site, and for a moment it truly looked like a city full of hopes and dreams that belied the filth and corruption hidden within. Despite all that, I was sure it was a more appealing site then what awaited my gaze when I turned around.

The temple was massive. At least fifty feet tall, if not more. It reminded me of one of the ancient Roman temples of Earth. It had several smooth columns supporting its arched roof all the way around it. All of the temple appeared like it’s materials came from the mining and recycling of the destroyed mountain peak we now stood on. Everything was a polished grey and looked like it was maintained on a regular basis.

There were a dozen steps leading up to the entrance of the temple, one for each of the Gods, Chad explained, even the Gods of Darkness. I asked about a step for the Goddess and got an angry shushing for my efforts. The opening to the temple itself was past the columns and opened into a large space. The walls were lit with mounted torches and chandeliers, much like inside the castle, and there were artist depictions of the Gods of Light everywhere.

At the back of the space was a statue that stretched from floor to the ceiling high above. It was a depiction of a man, most likely Obarith himself. He was standing in a confident pose, legs shoulder width apart. He was naked save for a towel or cloth sash covering his waist area. The rest of him was portrayed with carefully sculpted muscles. He had a head of long, flowing hair and was clean shaven. He was flexing with his left arm in a power pose and kissing his own bicep. With his right hand, he was pinching his left nipple playfully.

I was appalled at the representation of this, their most powerful and revered God. But remembering what my recent exposure to his descendant, humanity’s very King, had been like, I realized I shouldn’t have been surprised. This was basically just King Chadwick, or Chad himself, in unadulterated monstrous form. The more I thought about it, the more I was positive that Chad had kissed his own bicep at one point in time.

I facepalmed with both hands and closed my eyes in exasperation.

“Okay, I saw the temple. We can go now right, Chad?”

Chad didn’t respond. Instead, he had walked ahead of the group and was looking up at the head of the statue.

“Hey, Chad! Eitania to Chad!”

I walked up to him and shook his shoulder. I knew he’d had a hard day, but did he finally snap? Or maybe he passed out standing up.

Instead, he finally answered me, “I keep going back and forth on how much I like this representation of myself.”

I paused for a moment. Had he finally lost it enough that he thought this statue was a dedication to himself? I glanced over at Max, who had moved to Chad’s other side. Max combined a shrug with mouthing, “I have no idea.”

Finally, Chad turned to acknowledge my attempts to get his attention.

Only his eyes were pure white.

“What do you think? Too much?” He waved at the statue.

I couldn’t answer. I was still stuck gazing into his now pupilless eyes. All the color had vanished, and they had an eerie quality to them.

Chad’s head nodded in acknowledgement of my silence. “Yeah, I thought so.” The white eyes turned back to admire the statue. “I keep going back and forth on the nipple tweak myself. Also, I should probably clarify things and say that I am no longer your prince, Chadwick.” He grinned, and it was weird to see the Chaddington smile combined with the empty gaze.

“Many in this realm know me as Obarith,” and with that, the soulless eyes turned back to me, “But you may call me ‘Father’.”