The Alyta Trilogy: Handmaids, Heroes, and Hierarchy.
Character Disclaimer: Jason, Eolaus, Hercules, and all these people do NOT belong to me and I'm not trying to ruin any legal agreements. Alyta, Loua, Sytifa, Kirya, Gobbles, etc. are characters pulled out of my mind.
Pronunciation Disclaimer: Alyta (Al [as in Alex] y [as in eek!] ta [as in tar])
Loua (Lou [as in the guy's name] a [as in art])
Sytifa (Sy [as in sill] ti [as in tea] fa [as in far])
Kirya (Kir [rhymes with ear] ya [the slang way to say yes])
Pain Inflicting Disclaimer: No Gobbles' were hurt in the filming of this fan fic.
Religious Disclaimer: Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Cupid, Poseidon, etc. are all characters taken from the minds of some old Greek men. I in no way signify that they are real and/or have any power. There is only one true God, whose Son, Jesus Christ, is the only way to true salvation. Thank you. :)
As the fist gifts of Apollo's sun reach Alyta's eyes, the girl winces at the pain of sudden light. She manages to lift the upper half of her torso towards the rays before opening her eyes and looking at her surroundings. She sees a burned out pit of ashes, where she had her meager traveler's meal last night, and remembers that she's on her way to Corinth to rpresent her father's kingdon in the celebrations of the prince's coronation. Beyond a grove of trees is a hardy looking group of guards, already cooking fish recently caught from the peacful stream nearby. Good: a little cold water from that stream is all she needs to wake up.
*~*~*
�Jason, you can�t keep doing this!� Loua, the head maid, yells out the castle window to the retreating prince as he speeds off and melds into the crowds gathering around the many merchants� booths here for the occasion. She looks as the last glimpse of her charge fades into the hustle of the event. Shaking her head, she walks down the stairs into the kitchen.
�Off again, is he Loua?� asks a scullery maid, who looks up at the woman from chopping celery.
�I can�t be his parents for him, yet anyone who�s high enough to take him in dismisses it by saying that he shouldn�t need it at 19. He�s being crowned king in two days, by the gods! But he�ll never learn, that one. What are we going to do with him, Gobbles?� she asks in mock exasperation to a chicken who has just wandered in from the courtyard. In return, Gobbles just cocks her head and clucks.
*~*~*
Alyta lets the sparkling liquid cool her off as she stares into a little pool of life in the stream. She watches the tiny fish swim back and forth, and the seaweed sway with the current. Her focus changes, and she notices her own reflection in the pool. Her blue dress brings out her eyes, which are a steely blue green color. Her fragile face is covered by a wavy cascade of light brown, almost blond hair that would reach past her waist if she would stand up straight. She scans the horizon for any sign of danger, and, not seeing any, she makes a smooth shallow dive into the depths of the stream. She feels at home again.
*~*~*
