The sunlight streamed in through the palace windows, illuminating the royal bedroom of the teenaged Princess of Aethiopia.
The princess was now eighteen, and what a beauty she was. Her hair was long and curly, reaching the mid of her back. Her brows were dark and strong, leading into a sharp nose and her lips were full and plump, like two flower petals. Her body and face had shed its childhood fat, her face now striking with high cheekbones and a round chin, and her body with all the curves of a woman. Though the most striking thing about the princess were her eyes. They burned with the passion embers in a fire, while still being as soft as sapling from a tree. Andromeda's eyes could either stop a war, or start one.
Said princess was sitting at her vanity in her nightgown, running a animal bone comb through her long curls and humming a tune. An emerald necklace was around her neck, which in childhood, dangled from her neck to her bosom, but now that she was older, it was wrapped around her neck like a choker.
It had been a decade since she had stumbled on a dark-haired prince who showed her things she had never seen, and not a day went by when she did not think about him. The princess was convinced her prince would come back for her, so much so that she had convinced her mother to postpone her marriage to her betrothed, her Uncle Phineus, for two years, in hopes that Prince Loki would come back for her. But he never did.
Cosima opened the door to the princess bedroom, charging in with maids following after her. "Time to get ready for the banquet, Princess." The albino woman ordered, "Your mother and father are going to announce your wedding date today."
Andromeda huffed, her sapling eyes rolling. "That's today…?" She uttered, knowing full well it was. The maids forced the princess out of her seat and undressed her, laying a new gown on her bed.
"You know it is, Princess Andromeda!" Cosima said, before adding with a smile, "You should be happy! You are getting married!"
"To my uncle." The bronze princess sneered to herself, as the maids put the gown on her. She looked at the dress in the mirror, it was beige with a gold trim. It covered both of her shoulders in a sheer material, only beginning a solid pattern when it got to her chest. The gown flowed to her feet, following after her as she walked. It was beautiful but Andromeda did not care to be beautiful today.
"He is a powerful man." Cosima reminded the younger woman.
'He is my uncle!' Andromeda screamed in her head as the maid sat her down at her vanity to do her hair, while another maid brushed on metallic makeup to her cheekbones. Andromeda stared at herself boredly as her lips got painted pink with berries, she was not happy. "Can't mother and father post-"
"No!" Cosima interjected, clicking her tongue, "They have waited two years for you Princess Andromeda, they will not change the date again!"
"But…" The princess trailed off, flinching as a maid yanked her hair a little too tight.
"But what, Princess?" Cosima asked, before shaking her head. "You're not still thinking about that Prince…"
"His name is Prince Loki." The bronze beauty snapped, her beautiful features screwing into a scowl.
"He," Cosima stressed, "Is not important and is not your betrothed."
Princess Andromeda knew this, of course, but hearing it said aloud felt like a dagger in her heart. She shut her eyes tightly, so tightly that her brows furrowed with the action, and took deep breaths. "I know that." She muttered through clenched teeth. "But I love him."
Cosima clicked her tongue and let out a laugh. "You knew him for a week when you were a child!" She recounts before adding, "That hardly counts as love."
"It counts to me." Andromeda whispered, biting her bottom lip. She opened her eyes to see that her hair was finished. Her brunette hair was braided around her head like a crown with gold ribbon woven into the braid , with curls left out around her face and the nape of her neck. "Thank you." She nodded to the maids.
Cosima clapped her hands with a smile and put her hands on Andromeda's shoulder's looking at her in the mirror with a smile. "You look beautiful, now smile. At least you're marrying within your class."
With that Cosima helped Andromeda up from her vanity and helped the young princess slip on her shoes, golden flats. Once the princess' shoes were on, Cosima led her out into the hallway where her father was waiting for her.
"You look wonderful, daughter." King Cepheus smiled at his daughter, offering his arm to her.
Andromeda faked a smile for her father and took his arm, letting him lead her to the Grand ballroom. In front of the golden doors, Phineus was waiting for them with a smile on his face.
"Brother." Her father nodded to her betrothed before handing Andromeda off to him.
"Princess." Phineus nodded to the young girl and she nodded back out of respect.
The golden doors opened for them and they were announced. "Prince Phineus and Princess Andromeda of Aethiopia."
The two of them walked in arm and arm before sitting at their seats at the head table in the ballroom. Andromeda's parents were announced and they walked in, waving to the royal court and their subjects then sitting in their seats.
"People of Aethiopia!" King Cepheus roared, his voice bellowing through the room. "We are here to announce the wedding date of my brother, Prince Phineus and my daughter, Princess Andromeda." The hall came to life with applause and roars, though the royal court politely clapped. "I hereby decree that the wedding will be a month from today!"
Andromeda's face dropped as applause sounded through the hall once again. 'A month?' She thought to herself desperately. Before anyone could see her face, she quickly fixed it, smiling at her uncle.
King Cepheus smiled, sitting on his throne. "Now," He bellowed, "Remarks?" The royal court took turns coming up to the King and Queen giving their blessings to the young princess.
But Andromeda was not listening, all she heard was the buzzing of a bee in her ear. She was getting married to her uncle in a month. All of her childhood dreams of marrying Prince Loki dashed away with the word of her father.
"Now," King Cepheus' voice rang out, "Let the festivities begin!"
Music began to play and servants walked around with trays of food in their hands. People began to dance and celebrate the royal engagement, chatter filling the room.
"Princess Andromeda!" The feminine voice of Andromeda's best friend called out to her. The princess snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at her friend, excusing herself from her 'finance'.
"Lady Iola." Andromeda smiled at the dark girl, she wrapped her arms around her friend. "How have you been?"
"Wonderful! Congratulations on your engagement." Lady Iola teased, a smirk on her face.
The princess rolled her eyes, nudging the girl with her elbow. "That is not funny, Iola."
Iola laughed and waved the princess off. "Oh be joyous, Andromeda." The girl tried to comfort her friend. The two of them walked over to a bench and sat down, Iola taking Andromeda's hands in hers. "You're getting married and you get to keep your kingdom! Most princesses are not so lucky!" Andromeda nodded, her eyes downcast. Iola sighed, "Are you still thinking about that Athenian prince?"
"He was Asgardian, Iola." Andromeda corrected her. Her eyes were sad as she look at her friend, she sighed and shook her head. "It's foolish, stupid of me to have thought…"
"What?" Iola urged her to continue.
"He would save me." The princess whispered, tears growing in her eyes.
Iola embraced her friend, rubbing her back. "Oh Andromeda. Everything will be fine."
"I wanted to marry for love, Iola. How ignorant of me to think…" Andromeda pulled away from her friend and wiped her eyes. She shook her head and smiled, "I am being a selfish, do not mind me, Iola. Tell me more about your betrothed, Nikola."
Iola sighed happily, "Oh he is wonderful. He has the darkest eyes I've ever seen, and a smile as bright as the sun's glow! He is very kind to me."
"Oh Iola, I am so happy for you." Andromeda smiled softly as she studied her friend's facial expression. Iola's face was a lit with the look of love, and what a pretty sight it was to see. "When is your wedding day?"
"In two weeks." Iola breathed, dreamily. "You will attend, won't you?"
Andromeda nodded with a grin. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Iola." The two friends hugged and giggled before being interrupted by someone clearing their throat. They pulled away from each other and Andromeda saw it was Phineus.
"Would you care to dance with me Princess?" He asked, and Andromeda resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"Of course." She nodded, before turning to Iola. "Excuse me, Lady Iola."
Iola looked at her friend sadly as she was led to the middle of the hall by Phineus. The dark girl felt awful for her friend, but she did not know a way to comfort her. Iola had tried not to rave about Nikola too much in front of Andromeda, not wanting the princess to feel bad about her situation but she could not help it; she was happy.
Andromeda placed her arm's around Phineus neck as he placed his arms around her waist. The two swayed from side to side, not speaking and onlookers cooed at the couple. After the dance was over, Queen Cassiopeia called for the attention of the room.
"My beautiful Andromeda." Her mother fondly smiled at her. "From her birth I knew she would be something special, and what a joy to find out I was right. What a stunning woman she turned into." Queen Cassiopeia paused for a moment, "She was a very handsome child, too. Prettier than all the other children. In fact..." Andromeda's face burned with embarrassment at her mother's words, always about her looks, never about how wise she was, or her skills. Only her beauty mattered to her mother. Andromeda blocked out her mother words until she heard the last sentence her mother spoke: "My Andromeda is prettier than the Nereids in the sea! Prettier than Nereus daughters themselves!" The queen boasted.
Chatter and gasps sounded through the hall, and Andromeda's jaw dropped. Her mother had insulted a god, the worst offence imaginable. Her mother had finally gone too far.
"Order! Order I say!" King Cepheus tried to calm down the crowd but they weren't having it, instead flinging insults to the queen. "Guards! Get them out of here!" The king finally ordered, and the guards obeyed, clearing out the hall.
"Come on Princess." Cosima came to collect Andromeda, pulling her away from the table. "Let's leave them for now."
The bronze beauty walked with the pale woman back to her room, locking the door behind them.
"What is going to happen now?" Andromeda asked Cosima, sitting on her bed, "Why must I be in my room?"
Cosima sighed and sat beside the girl. "Your mother insulted the gods, the citizens might revolt."
Andromeda shook her head, "My mother has gone too far with her bragging." She angrily fisted the comforter on her bed, "She might have put the kingdom in danger with her big head!"
"Calm down Princess," Cosima patted the young girls back, "I'm sure it's nothing. She will just have to-"
Thunder boomed from outside, interrupting the albino woman's speech. "Oh my." She muttered, looking out the window. It was storming, though no lighting lit the sky; only the sound of thunder clapping.
Cosima fixed her worried expression with a smile when she turned towards Andromeda. The older woman locked the windows and pulled the curtains then lit candles around the room. "It'll be fine." She repeated, smiling at a worried Andromeda.
A loud knocking sounded on the door and Cosima rushed to answer it. Ares was at the door. "Your presence is requested in the Grand hall, Cosima." The albino woman nodded, "I'll be right back, Princess." She promised before slipping out the room and closing the door behind her.
Andromeda got up from her bed and pulled the curtain back to look out the window. Rain was pouring down hard outside the window and the constant thunder frightened her. She pulled the curtain back over the window and laid down on her bed. Her hair was still tightly woven on her head and she still had on the same gown from the ceremony. The princess undid the braid from her hair and used the ribbon to put her hair in a low ponytail.
The bronze princess played with her the pendant of her necklace, like she always did when she was in deep thought. What would happen because of her mother's insolence? She had always known her mother to be daft and vain but she thought her mother would at least know better than to disrespect a god!
Princess Andromeda chewed on her bottom lip as she worried long into the night, before she drifted off to sleep, her pendant still in between her fingers.
Everything was sure to be alright in the morning.