The Alyta Trilogy: Handmaids, Heroes, and Hierarchy

Half an hour later, Jason is waiting at the bottom of the stairs, dry and groomed.  Alyta walks down each step carefully, a little shaken after two deadly fights.  Jason looks up and sees Alyta, radiant and beautiful, a real princess, coming down the stairs.  He holds out his arm and she takes it.  They walk into the royal hall together and sit down in regard to their positions, Alyta with the rest of the princesses, and Jason at the head of the table.  The Chancellor stands up and announces that, finally, Corinth will receive its new king.  He regally takes the crown and places it on Jason�s head.  The room erupts with applause, and the music begins.  Jason must dance with the princesses from neighboring kingdoms first, so as he does so, Alyta watches on with a smile.  Jason tries to look over their shoulders to get a glimpse of her, which makes her laugh.  �I�m sorry to interrupt something you find terribly amusing, but may I have this dance?� Hercules breaks in.  She looks skeptical.  �Come on, as a friend.  I�m not a horrible dancer, you know.  I won�t break more than four toes.�  She gives in and they dance.  She dances with Iolaus as well, and some of the visiting princes.  Jason finishes dancing with almost thirty princesses, though Helga has seemed to disappear into the woodwork.  He sits down from exhaustion beside where Alyta is dancing with a foreign prince.  �Uig Jarnnaj, Prince,� she curtsies as they finish.  She sits down beside Jason.  �I think I�ve danced with at least fifty different princesses, none of which understood a word I said.  I�m done with princesses for the year.�  �Oh, in that case I can�t dance with you.  Sorry.  I�m a princess you see.�  �Really?  I would never have guessed it.  Well, I guess I can�t dance with you then.�  Alyta looks downcast by his response.  �Okay, so you got me.  I stole this crown on one of my journeys.  Got past all your guards, too.  You really should improved your security system.�   �Well in that case, I�ll check out my security system later if you�ll dance with me.�  �It�s a deal,� she says as she drags Jason out on the dance floor. 

                                                                  *~*~*

Hood resting on shoulders, Kirya looks through slitted eyes at the pair, dancing and laughing.  She traces her finger along the edge of the mystical rock that is showing her this sight.  Ares runs his fingers through her waist-length red hair.  She shakes him off.  Ares laughs to himself and leaves her to stare with a hardened heart deep into the picture or happiness.

End of Part Two of

,