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Chapter 5
Throughout the next few days, Heracles took the liberty of showing Valentinian and Deucalion, ad well as Apollus with the incomparable majesties of Constantinople, while the Oreads bedazzled them with their own such 'majesties.' This time, Selenity was one of these Oreads, but her appeal lies with Apollus alone, with the occasional attraction of Deucalion. By now, no one had completely regarded Selenity as a true woman yet, but only as a playful companion, and whether that little factor altered or not, Selenity was none the wiser.
Of course when Venus decided to change this little factor, she broke at it with a most potent whim. Selenity's profile was not unlike the other Oreads or any other woman, for that matter. Her exterior was that of the others, even if she did not flaunt it, but what existed physically inside lay dormant. At sixteen, Selenity assumed herself at the top most pinnacle of womanhood—tall, slender, and busty; ready for bearing children. Never mind that she did not know how, but ignorance is bliss. The other girls, very well knowledgeable of themselves, would never divulge such things because they must have thought Selenity a stupid wench, who will never be punctual at anything sexual. Anyway, Venus sent Selenity a leeway to love quite unexpectedly.
At a certain time each day, the Oreads would lounge in the royal bathhouse which was rescrued especially for them with or without the assistance of half a dozen groomers. Selenity, being her aloof self, would choose a scheduled corner of the bathhouse for herself. With an extension network of underground pipes and a furnace, water was kept warm without the aid of boiling it.
In a corner stood Selenity, bearing the distant chattering of the other girls drifting from the quaint bathing pool, which was the beat of the bathhouse. Selenity's little corner was nestled quite far from the pool, when she had the convenience of warm water, but not in as large a pool as the others, and she also did not place herself in one.
A bath for Selenity was never attractive because of her own self- consciousness among the other girls. They have often before ridiculed Selenity for her skinny form which thoroughly lacked the trimmings they thought were perfection. True, her chest may not be as large, her legs may be not as long, but her hidden charm and grace was undeniable.
Today however, she reveled at her womanly physique—her flat stomach, enticing curve... she liked the fact that Apollus thought her beautiful. As water bedecked her body, she felt a pang of pain in her loins. After she made use of the bath oils on herself, and washed all the soap off her hair, the unbearable anguish returned. She moaned and dismissed as a minor consequence for missing supper last cue. Selenity rubbed her face as a red water formed at her feet. Through the blurry soapy water, her eyes confirmed it was blood.
Selenity never recalled injuring herself, and she looked at herself strickenly. The revelation was terrifying when she realized the blood flowed unhinderingly from between her legs.
Selenity screamed.
A while later, the other Oreads came running toward her shrieking and what they saw was a site for sore eyes (for them at least). Amused, they began to laugh at Selenity vulnerable form.
Lavinia said between laughs, "Get up, you fool! 'Tis only the burdening cycle of a duty."
Persephone put in, "Thou art covered in thy own blood! Now thou must bathe again!"
Romaine added in a singsong voice: "Selenity's ready for childbearing! Won't thou satisfy the ever so elusive Deuculion? Or will thou prefer that arrogant yet roughish mercenary, Selenity!"
Bewildered at their words Selenity could do nothing but huddle and continue crying. Lavinia approached her slowly and roughly shook her shoulders. She gave Selenity a hard slap while Romaine, Elison, and Alatali giggled. Lavinia, by now had grown increasingly outraged at Selenity's outburst. The voice would inevitably bring unwanted visitors and rumors. Lavina; "Shut up, you imbecile! Crying will only bring all of Constantinople pounding at the bathhouse door! Clean thyself and then someone may assist thee in binding thyself."
Electra came forth. "She cannot comprehend, Lavina. Let her alone. At least her crying has ceased."
"Let us go, King Heracles will soon return. He and his gentlemen will be thrilled to hear Selenity's good news." Alatali thought out loud.
* * *
And so they left Selenity in a pitiful state, while they sauntered to spread the alleged good news. Still naked and vulnerable, Selenity was forced to clean herself again and steal silently back to her chambers, which Heracles placed seemingly on a chamber of each Oread, Selenity's being last, of course.
With the help of an understanding maid, Selenity bound herself with linen stripping, and her maid so kindly explained the lot of a women's monthly burden to Selenity. The truth of it all made her cringe upon the fact that the pain would return, punctually every month. The burden will lift once she is near fifty, the old maid informed, but she is a long way from there. "Now, milady, thou art a woman," said the old maid warmly, and she left Selenity alone to contemplate over the day's events.
So Selenity mulled over the prospects of womanhood. She often heard the Oreads speak of marriage, so it must be her turn soon. Despite the slim chances, the Oreads may begin to accept her now, Selenity hoped.
Meanwhile, King Heracles, Valentinian, Deuculion, and Apollus had returned from the sight-seeing of Constantinople, when the Oreads rushed to their king with some reusing news on Selenity's expense.
Lavinia squealed, "the once childish Selenity is now a woman!" And then they all squealed delightfully with the most vivid details, while Heracles nodded approvingly, acknowledging the fact that Selenity is now ready for marriage just as any of the other Oreads. He said just that when Amphitritus entered. She too joined the others. None except the Oreads thought Selenity's epiphany a laughing matter composed for nothing but a tease.
Although the Oreads' fancy in a soulmate highly fluctuates, Selenity's whim is always steadfast, despite the fact that it will never be her whim, but the order of some higher authority.
The day's attraction soon led to a hot attraction between the Oreads and Valentinian and Deucalion. Somewhere in a corner of Heracles' court stood Apollus with a contemplative mien. The prospect of Selenity's belated womanhood was striking to everyone, and it quite changes the situational relationship between himself and Selenity. She is now his protégé of maturity and, thus, more desirable, or so he would like to have it been.
Selenity stared silently out her bedroom window, overlooking the rose menagerie as pain scorched noiselessly through her loins. In night's proverbial cloak, she spotted Apollus staring wistfully up at her.
Selenity relaxed. "So it is thee. No doubt thou has heard the court gossip." She lowered a hand to ease her mauled belly.
"It is I and no other. And, yes, thy rousing revelation hath not fallen on deaf ears." He waited patiently for what she had to say, but she just stared expressionlessly down at him with the wind teasing her hair and thrashing so lightly against a flushed face; her eyes never faltering. She tantalized his senses.
"Did anyone of the court laugh?" was her diffident query after a long beat.
"No, save the Oreads unfortunately."
"Thou art not surprised, nor would thou be...Anyway...um...why art thou here, at this hour?"
* * *
To Be Continue
Chapter 5
Throughout the next few days, Heracles took the liberty of showing Valentinian and Deucalion, ad well as Apollus with the incomparable majesties of Constantinople, while the Oreads bedazzled them with their own such 'majesties.' This time, Selenity was one of these Oreads, but her appeal lies with Apollus alone, with the occasional attraction of Deucalion. By now, no one had completely regarded Selenity as a true woman yet, but only as a playful companion, and whether that little factor altered or not, Selenity was none the wiser.
Of course when Venus decided to change this little factor, she broke at it with a most potent whim. Selenity's profile was not unlike the other Oreads or any other woman, for that matter. Her exterior was that of the others, even if she did not flaunt it, but what existed physically inside lay dormant. At sixteen, Selenity assumed herself at the top most pinnacle of womanhood—tall, slender, and busty; ready for bearing children. Never mind that she did not know how, but ignorance is bliss. The other girls, very well knowledgeable of themselves, would never divulge such things because they must have thought Selenity a stupid wench, who will never be punctual at anything sexual. Anyway, Venus sent Selenity a leeway to love quite unexpectedly.
At a certain time each day, the Oreads would lounge in the royal bathhouse which was rescrued especially for them with or without the assistance of half a dozen groomers. Selenity, being her aloof self, would choose a scheduled corner of the bathhouse for herself. With an extension network of underground pipes and a furnace, water was kept warm without the aid of boiling it.
In a corner stood Selenity, bearing the distant chattering of the other girls drifting from the quaint bathing pool, which was the beat of the bathhouse. Selenity's little corner was nestled quite far from the pool, when she had the convenience of warm water, but not in as large a pool as the others, and she also did not place herself in one.
A bath for Selenity was never attractive because of her own self- consciousness among the other girls. They have often before ridiculed Selenity for her skinny form which thoroughly lacked the trimmings they thought were perfection. True, her chest may not be as large, her legs may be not as long, but her hidden charm and grace was undeniable.
Today however, she reveled at her womanly physique—her flat stomach, enticing curve... she liked the fact that Apollus thought her beautiful. As water bedecked her body, she felt a pang of pain in her loins. After she made use of the bath oils on herself, and washed all the soap off her hair, the unbearable anguish returned. She moaned and dismissed as a minor consequence for missing supper last cue. Selenity rubbed her face as a red water formed at her feet. Through the blurry soapy water, her eyes confirmed it was blood.
Selenity never recalled injuring herself, and she looked at herself strickenly. The revelation was terrifying when she realized the blood flowed unhinderingly from between her legs.
Selenity screamed.
A while later, the other Oreads came running toward her shrieking and what they saw was a site for sore eyes (for them at least). Amused, they began to laugh at Selenity vulnerable form.
Lavinia said between laughs, "Get up, you fool! 'Tis only the burdening cycle of a duty."
Persephone put in, "Thou art covered in thy own blood! Now thou must bathe again!"
Romaine added in a singsong voice: "Selenity's ready for childbearing! Won't thou satisfy the ever so elusive Deuculion? Or will thou prefer that arrogant yet roughish mercenary, Selenity!"
Bewildered at their words Selenity could do nothing but huddle and continue crying. Lavinia approached her slowly and roughly shook her shoulders. She gave Selenity a hard slap while Romaine, Elison, and Alatali giggled. Lavinia, by now had grown increasingly outraged at Selenity's outburst. The voice would inevitably bring unwanted visitors and rumors. Lavina; "Shut up, you imbecile! Crying will only bring all of Constantinople pounding at the bathhouse door! Clean thyself and then someone may assist thee in binding thyself."
Electra came forth. "She cannot comprehend, Lavina. Let her alone. At least her crying has ceased."
"Let us go, King Heracles will soon return. He and his gentlemen will be thrilled to hear Selenity's good news." Alatali thought out loud.
* * *
And so they left Selenity in a pitiful state, while they sauntered to spread the alleged good news. Still naked and vulnerable, Selenity was forced to clean herself again and steal silently back to her chambers, which Heracles placed seemingly on a chamber of each Oread, Selenity's being last, of course.
With the help of an understanding maid, Selenity bound herself with linen stripping, and her maid so kindly explained the lot of a women's monthly burden to Selenity. The truth of it all made her cringe upon the fact that the pain would return, punctually every month. The burden will lift once she is near fifty, the old maid informed, but she is a long way from there. "Now, milady, thou art a woman," said the old maid warmly, and she left Selenity alone to contemplate over the day's events.
So Selenity mulled over the prospects of womanhood. She often heard the Oreads speak of marriage, so it must be her turn soon. Despite the slim chances, the Oreads may begin to accept her now, Selenity hoped.
Meanwhile, King Heracles, Valentinian, Deuculion, and Apollus had returned from the sight-seeing of Constantinople, when the Oreads rushed to their king with some reusing news on Selenity's expense.
Lavinia squealed, "the once childish Selenity is now a woman!" And then they all squealed delightfully with the most vivid details, while Heracles nodded approvingly, acknowledging the fact that Selenity is now ready for marriage just as any of the other Oreads. He said just that when Amphitritus entered. She too joined the others. None except the Oreads thought Selenity's epiphany a laughing matter composed for nothing but a tease.
Although the Oreads' fancy in a soulmate highly fluctuates, Selenity's whim is always steadfast, despite the fact that it will never be her whim, but the order of some higher authority.
The day's attraction soon led to a hot attraction between the Oreads and Valentinian and Deucalion. Somewhere in a corner of Heracles' court stood Apollus with a contemplative mien. The prospect of Selenity's belated womanhood was striking to everyone, and it quite changes the situational relationship between himself and Selenity. She is now his protégé of maturity and, thus, more desirable, or so he would like to have it been.
Selenity stared silently out her bedroom window, overlooking the rose menagerie as pain scorched noiselessly through her loins. In night's proverbial cloak, she spotted Apollus staring wistfully up at her.
Selenity relaxed. "So it is thee. No doubt thou has heard the court gossip." She lowered a hand to ease her mauled belly.
"It is I and no other. And, yes, thy rousing revelation hath not fallen on deaf ears." He waited patiently for what she had to say, but she just stared expressionlessly down at him with the wind teasing her hair and thrashing so lightly against a flushed face; her eyes never faltering. She tantalized his senses.
"Did anyone of the court laugh?" was her diffident query after a long beat.
"No, save the Oreads unfortunately."
"Thou art not surprised, nor would thou be...Anyway...um...why art thou here, at this hour?"
* * *
To Be Continue