And tell me, did Venus blow your mind?
Was it everything you wanted to find?
****
Susan was two things, above all. She was beautiful, and she was an expert at distraction. Her long, dark hair fell gracefully around her delicate shoulders and framed her exquisite face. She used painstakingly coordinated make up to accentuate her noble, breath taking features, and every dress she wore flattered her lovely slim figure. She could redirect a conversation with an ease that belied her empty-headed façade, gently averting confrontation and insults among her group of friends and beaux (as she had once deftly averted diplomatic crises and contracted powerful alliances, she refused to think).
As accomplished as she was at distracting others, Susan was horrible at distracting herself. Certainly, she emptied her head of castles, and queens, and trees that danced. And Lions – above all, Susan avoided lions. But harder to dispel were the habits born of long years in court: watching over her siblings and her subjects. She felt a prick of depression each time she offered a political or educated opinion, only to be met with laughter. She broke a bit each time her gentle ministrations were refused because such a pretty girl shouldn't muss her dress or dirty her hands. So Susan distracted herself, as best she could, but she could not ignore the sadness of her siblings or the great emptiness within her that used to be filled by the warm knowledge of her home.
****
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?