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Taengea was abuzz with activity. The Colchians had landed in the capital a few hours ago, bringing a brief rush of excitement to the port city as the men from the north took advantage of their brief time ashore before sailing off again to Egypt. As a young woman from the provinces, Arete should have not seen any familiar faces in the crowds of men deboarding, but to her shock, she had known one of the soldiers. Silanos of Valaoritis. He was a young lordling who had spent a good chunk of time in the kingdom of wine and pleasure but had left abruptly out of nowhere. She had never expected in the brief time that he would be gone that the partier would become a soldier, but it seemed to be that gods were keen on playing a cruel trick on the band of Tanegeans he had left behind -- herself, her lover Nikos, and the girl that had captured Silanos’s heart, Eleni. At least though they were kind enough to give Silanos enough time on their shores for them to gather at the Condos household later and have one last party -- for old time’s sake.
With everyone else rushing about, trying to complete the tasks and duties that would prevent them from joining in the party that would be occurring at the Condos manor that evening; Arete was left by her lonesome self. She wasn’t a soldier or businessman like the boys, nor did she have a family that needed to know where their daughter was spending the night. Her one duty, her only responsibility, started and ended with the man who was off somewhere helping his father ensure that it was Condos wine that ended up on those warships as opposed to some from another Taengean vineyard. As this was not the sort of place that mistresses like her were supposed to be, Arete had a few hours to herself before the others would arrive for their one last night of drunken revelry… just like the old times.
Arete supposed she could head back to the Condos manor and start directing the servants in preparation for that night. After all, it would not be an easy feat to play host to a party of four drunkards on a moment’s notice. Certainly, the staff would appreciate the heads up -- if they would listen to her in the first place. Even though Arete had moved into the Condos manor and even had her own space carved out in the massive Archontiko some of the servants still treated her as if she was a guest with no say in how anything was done. It was a crapshoot if a certain slave would listen to her simple order to go fetch her a krater of diluted wine. As if their moral opinions about the nature of her relationship with their lord was something that could be up to their discretion. Not that it truly mattered. Arete would deal with them when Nikos finally would put a ring on it. Then they couldn’t pretend as if she wasn’t there because they simply did not like the fact that Nikos had a mistress.
However, as her relationship status was unlikely to change within the next few hours, Arete was happy enough to go find some other activity to fill the few hours between now and when the party would begin. Having found herself in this situation a thousand times before (being left alone while Nikos had other work to attend to) Arete decided that the best use of her time would be wandering through the markets until the empty hours were gone. This was something that she did often but never grew boring as she had never had the opportunity in Doralis to do this sort of thing. There was just something magical about having the freedom to wander about the market with a pocket of gold and not have to worry about the work at home for once in her life. It was gloriously wonderful and with Nikos wrapped around her finger, this was likely how the rest of her life was going to be like.
She honestly could not be happier.
Even though it was torture waiting for Nikos to man up and ask the question, Arete had to also suppose that she was grateful that he was dragging his feet on the matter. After all, had she been engaged the day that the Colchians arrived, Arete would have felt guilty about eyeing all the men wandering through the market today. She couldn’t help it, Her eyes kept drifting from crisp uniform to crisp uniform, imagining what those well-built soldiers could be hiding beneath. There were just too many strong and burly men to not allow her mind to wander and have a little grin creep into the corner of her lips when she ‘accidentally’ ran into them as she made her way through the market. Eleni was one lucky girl if her man was going to one day end like the rest of them.
Arete was not going to lie, the temptation to flirt was strong, but she was not going to betray her Nikos tonight. There was no point when she knew that her lover was likely going to remind her that evening that he’s better than any of these soldiers with his gifts of Colchian goods brought along with the war dogs from the North. She could resist it for a few hours and get her well-deserved reward. In an effort to distract herself from all the gorgeous Colchians wandering about, Arete thought that it might be a good idea to focus on getting a gift for Eleni. You know, something that would cheer her up after Silanos left tomorrow for his uncertain fate on the Egyptian shores.
That was why Arete tried to keep an eye out for any sort of stall that would cater to what a proper young woman would take interest in. You know; jewelry, fabrics, sweets, and hair products. Anything really that aligned with Arete’s definition of what a woman was supposed to care about, her looks and little else. There was an inkling within her that knew that her viewpoint of this was slightly skewed and she probably put more effort into these things than most others. That was a bit understandable at least given the conditions that Nikos had found her and how she knew that if she slipped in her upkeep for even a moment, Arete might find herself back in that sweatshop that was Doralis. It wasn’t something that she liked to think about it, but it likely also played into her own fertility issues. Maybe she overcompensated with the makeup and pretty pastels because she knew that there was something fundamental missing when month after month passed by without a single drop of blood from her.
Whatever the reason might be. Arete was vaguely aware that she likely put too much credence into her own looks, but it never crossed her mind that others might not even care about these things at all. Or at least it seemed like they didn’t when they took advantage of the opportunities that the Colchian army offered to the women of their country who seemed talented with a bow and arrow. Even though the young woman wasn’t even aware that such things were an option elsewhere, she most certainly had an opinion on them as she couldn’t understand what could be appealing to any woman with self-worth that the dirty, degrading life as a soldier was a valid option. It seemed like a waste of potential to her. Couldn’t they truly do better for themselves then donning a man’s uniform?
Little did Arete know that she was going to have an opportunity to let these thoughts be known as she wandered near a certain stall that was overflowing with greek candies and other sweet treats. There was a certain type that Arete wanted to pick up for her heartbroken friend, but she couldn’t get to them at the moment. Not when someone else was standing in her way. She didn’t get a good look at them as she tried to peer around them, but she saw that standard uniform all the war dogs were wearing and that was enough to fill in the blanks in Arete’s mind. Had she actually been paying attention, she would have realized what a terrible mistake she had made in her assumptions when she called out to the stranger blocking her way with a tone that was just as sweet as the wares for sale, “Sir? Could you move over a bit, please?” Little did they know how quickly that sugary sweetness was going to sour once Arete realized that she was not speaking to man, but instead a woman who decided that it would be a good idea wasting her life playing soldier.
Oh, this is not going to go well.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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Taengea was abuzz with activity. The Colchians had landed in the capital a few hours ago, bringing a brief rush of excitement to the port city as the men from the north took advantage of their brief time ashore before sailing off again to Egypt. As a young woman from the provinces, Arete should have not seen any familiar faces in the crowds of men deboarding, but to her shock, she had known one of the soldiers. Silanos of Valaoritis. He was a young lordling who had spent a good chunk of time in the kingdom of wine and pleasure but had left abruptly out of nowhere. She had never expected in the brief time that he would be gone that the partier would become a soldier, but it seemed to be that gods were keen on playing a cruel trick on the band of Tanegeans he had left behind -- herself, her lover Nikos, and the girl that had captured Silanos’s heart, Eleni. At least though they were kind enough to give Silanos enough time on their shores for them to gather at the Condos household later and have one last party -- for old time’s sake.
With everyone else rushing about, trying to complete the tasks and duties that would prevent them from joining in the party that would be occurring at the Condos manor that evening; Arete was left by her lonesome self. She wasn’t a soldier or businessman like the boys, nor did she have a family that needed to know where their daughter was spending the night. Her one duty, her only responsibility, started and ended with the man who was off somewhere helping his father ensure that it was Condos wine that ended up on those warships as opposed to some from another Taengean vineyard. As this was not the sort of place that mistresses like her were supposed to be, Arete had a few hours to herself before the others would arrive for their one last night of drunken revelry… just like the old times.
Arete supposed she could head back to the Condos manor and start directing the servants in preparation for that night. After all, it would not be an easy feat to play host to a party of four drunkards on a moment’s notice. Certainly, the staff would appreciate the heads up -- if they would listen to her in the first place. Even though Arete had moved into the Condos manor and even had her own space carved out in the massive Archontiko some of the servants still treated her as if she was a guest with no say in how anything was done. It was a crapshoot if a certain slave would listen to her simple order to go fetch her a krater of diluted wine. As if their moral opinions about the nature of her relationship with their lord was something that could be up to their discretion. Not that it truly mattered. Arete would deal with them when Nikos finally would put a ring on it. Then they couldn’t pretend as if she wasn’t there because they simply did not like the fact that Nikos had a mistress.
However, as her relationship status was unlikely to change within the next few hours, Arete was happy enough to go find some other activity to fill the few hours between now and when the party would begin. Having found herself in this situation a thousand times before (being left alone while Nikos had other work to attend to) Arete decided that the best use of her time would be wandering through the markets until the empty hours were gone. This was something that she did often but never grew boring as she had never had the opportunity in Doralis to do this sort of thing. There was just something magical about having the freedom to wander about the market with a pocket of gold and not have to worry about the work at home for once in her life. It was gloriously wonderful and with Nikos wrapped around her finger, this was likely how the rest of her life was going to be like.
She honestly could not be happier.
Even though it was torture waiting for Nikos to man up and ask the question, Arete had to also suppose that she was grateful that he was dragging his feet on the matter. After all, had she been engaged the day that the Colchians arrived, Arete would have felt guilty about eyeing all the men wandering through the market today. She couldn’t help it, Her eyes kept drifting from crisp uniform to crisp uniform, imagining what those well-built soldiers could be hiding beneath. There were just too many strong and burly men to not allow her mind to wander and have a little grin creep into the corner of her lips when she ‘accidentally’ ran into them as she made her way through the market. Eleni was one lucky girl if her man was going to one day end like the rest of them.
Arete was not going to lie, the temptation to flirt was strong, but she was not going to betray her Nikos tonight. There was no point when she knew that her lover was likely going to remind her that evening that he’s better than any of these soldiers with his gifts of Colchian goods brought along with the war dogs from the North. She could resist it for a few hours and get her well-deserved reward. In an effort to distract herself from all the gorgeous Colchians wandering about, Arete thought that it might be a good idea to focus on getting a gift for Eleni. You know, something that would cheer her up after Silanos left tomorrow for his uncertain fate on the Egyptian shores.
That was why Arete tried to keep an eye out for any sort of stall that would cater to what a proper young woman would take interest in. You know; jewelry, fabrics, sweets, and hair products. Anything really that aligned with Arete’s definition of what a woman was supposed to care about, her looks and little else. There was an inkling within her that knew that her viewpoint of this was slightly skewed and she probably put more effort into these things than most others. That was a bit understandable at least given the conditions that Nikos had found her and how she knew that if she slipped in her upkeep for even a moment, Arete might find herself back in that sweatshop that was Doralis. It wasn’t something that she liked to think about it, but it likely also played into her own fertility issues. Maybe she overcompensated with the makeup and pretty pastels because she knew that there was something fundamental missing when month after month passed by without a single drop of blood from her.
Whatever the reason might be. Arete was vaguely aware that she likely put too much credence into her own looks, but it never crossed her mind that others might not even care about these things at all. Or at least it seemed like they didn’t when they took advantage of the opportunities that the Colchian army offered to the women of their country who seemed talented with a bow and arrow. Even though the young woman wasn’t even aware that such things were an option elsewhere, she most certainly had an opinion on them as she couldn’t understand what could be appealing to any woman with self-worth that the dirty, degrading life as a soldier was a valid option. It seemed like a waste of potential to her. Couldn’t they truly do better for themselves then donning a man’s uniform?
Little did Arete know that she was going to have an opportunity to let these thoughts be known as she wandered near a certain stall that was overflowing with greek candies and other sweet treats. There was a certain type that Arete wanted to pick up for her heartbroken friend, but she couldn’t get to them at the moment. Not when someone else was standing in her way. She didn’t get a good look at them as she tried to peer around them, but she saw that standard uniform all the war dogs were wearing and that was enough to fill in the blanks in Arete’s mind. Had she actually been paying attention, she would have realized what a terrible mistake she had made in her assumptions when she called out to the stranger blocking her way with a tone that was just as sweet as the wares for sale, “Sir? Could you move over a bit, please?” Little did they know how quickly that sugary sweetness was going to sour once Arete realized that she was not speaking to man, but instead a woman who decided that it would be a good idea wasting her life playing soldier.
Oh, this is not going to go well.
Taengea was abuzz with activity. The Colchians had landed in the capital a few hours ago, bringing a brief rush of excitement to the port city as the men from the north took advantage of their brief time ashore before sailing off again to Egypt. As a young woman from the provinces, Arete should have not seen any familiar faces in the crowds of men deboarding, but to her shock, she had known one of the soldiers. Silanos of Valaoritis. He was a young lordling who had spent a good chunk of time in the kingdom of wine and pleasure but had left abruptly out of nowhere. She had never expected in the brief time that he would be gone that the partier would become a soldier, but it seemed to be that gods were keen on playing a cruel trick on the band of Tanegeans he had left behind -- herself, her lover Nikos, and the girl that had captured Silanos’s heart, Eleni. At least though they were kind enough to give Silanos enough time on their shores for them to gather at the Condos household later and have one last party -- for old time’s sake.
With everyone else rushing about, trying to complete the tasks and duties that would prevent them from joining in the party that would be occurring at the Condos manor that evening; Arete was left by her lonesome self. She wasn’t a soldier or businessman like the boys, nor did she have a family that needed to know where their daughter was spending the night. Her one duty, her only responsibility, started and ended with the man who was off somewhere helping his father ensure that it was Condos wine that ended up on those warships as opposed to some from another Taengean vineyard. As this was not the sort of place that mistresses like her were supposed to be, Arete had a few hours to herself before the others would arrive for their one last night of drunken revelry… just like the old times.
Arete supposed she could head back to the Condos manor and start directing the servants in preparation for that night. After all, it would not be an easy feat to play host to a party of four drunkards on a moment’s notice. Certainly, the staff would appreciate the heads up -- if they would listen to her in the first place. Even though Arete had moved into the Condos manor and even had her own space carved out in the massive Archontiko some of the servants still treated her as if she was a guest with no say in how anything was done. It was a crapshoot if a certain slave would listen to her simple order to go fetch her a krater of diluted wine. As if their moral opinions about the nature of her relationship with their lord was something that could be up to their discretion. Not that it truly mattered. Arete would deal with them when Nikos finally would put a ring on it. Then they couldn’t pretend as if she wasn’t there because they simply did not like the fact that Nikos had a mistress.
However, as her relationship status was unlikely to change within the next few hours, Arete was happy enough to go find some other activity to fill the few hours between now and when the party would begin. Having found herself in this situation a thousand times before (being left alone while Nikos had other work to attend to) Arete decided that the best use of her time would be wandering through the markets until the empty hours were gone. This was something that she did often but never grew boring as she had never had the opportunity in Doralis to do this sort of thing. There was just something magical about having the freedom to wander about the market with a pocket of gold and not have to worry about the work at home for once in her life. It was gloriously wonderful and with Nikos wrapped around her finger, this was likely how the rest of her life was going to be like.
She honestly could not be happier.
Even though it was torture waiting for Nikos to man up and ask the question, Arete had to also suppose that she was grateful that he was dragging his feet on the matter. After all, had she been engaged the day that the Colchians arrived, Arete would have felt guilty about eyeing all the men wandering through the market today. She couldn’t help it, Her eyes kept drifting from crisp uniform to crisp uniform, imagining what those well-built soldiers could be hiding beneath. There were just too many strong and burly men to not allow her mind to wander and have a little grin creep into the corner of her lips when she ‘accidentally’ ran into them as she made her way through the market. Eleni was one lucky girl if her man was going to one day end like the rest of them.
Arete was not going to lie, the temptation to flirt was strong, but she was not going to betray her Nikos tonight. There was no point when she knew that her lover was likely going to remind her that evening that he’s better than any of these soldiers with his gifts of Colchian goods brought along with the war dogs from the North. She could resist it for a few hours and get her well-deserved reward. In an effort to distract herself from all the gorgeous Colchians wandering about, Arete thought that it might be a good idea to focus on getting a gift for Eleni. You know, something that would cheer her up after Silanos left tomorrow for his uncertain fate on the Egyptian shores.
That was why Arete tried to keep an eye out for any sort of stall that would cater to what a proper young woman would take interest in. You know; jewelry, fabrics, sweets, and hair products. Anything really that aligned with Arete’s definition of what a woman was supposed to care about, her looks and little else. There was an inkling within her that knew that her viewpoint of this was slightly skewed and she probably put more effort into these things than most others. That was a bit understandable at least given the conditions that Nikos had found her and how she knew that if she slipped in her upkeep for even a moment, Arete might find herself back in that sweatshop that was Doralis. It wasn’t something that she liked to think about it, but it likely also played into her own fertility issues. Maybe she overcompensated with the makeup and pretty pastels because she knew that there was something fundamental missing when month after month passed by without a single drop of blood from her.
Whatever the reason might be. Arete was vaguely aware that she likely put too much credence into her own looks, but it never crossed her mind that others might not even care about these things at all. Or at least it seemed like they didn’t when they took advantage of the opportunities that the Colchian army offered to the women of their country who seemed talented with a bow and arrow. Even though the young woman wasn’t even aware that such things were an option elsewhere, she most certainly had an opinion on them as she couldn’t understand what could be appealing to any woman with self-worth that the dirty, degrading life as a soldier was a valid option. It seemed like a waste of potential to her. Couldn’t they truly do better for themselves then donning a man’s uniform?
Little did Arete know that she was going to have an opportunity to let these thoughts be known as she wandered near a certain stall that was overflowing with greek candies and other sweet treats. There was a certain type that Arete wanted to pick up for her heartbroken friend, but she couldn’t get to them at the moment. Not when someone else was standing in her way. She didn’t get a good look at them as she tried to peer around them, but she saw that standard uniform all the war dogs were wearing and that was enough to fill in the blanks in Arete’s mind. Had she actually been paying attention, she would have realized what a terrible mistake she had made in her assumptions when she called out to the stranger blocking her way with a tone that was just as sweet as the wares for sale, “Sir? Could you move over a bit, please?” Little did they know how quickly that sugary sweetness was going to sour once Arete realized that she was not speaking to man, but instead a woman who decided that it would be a good idea wasting her life playing soldier.
Oh, this is not going to go well.
Zosime of Lyncaea had always liked the markets of Taengea, particularly Vasiliadon. They were bright and bustling, vastly different than the ones back home -- though perhaps that was because she saw them nearly every day. She had broken away from the unit of archers, going off by herself rather than the suggested pairs or threes. She knew Taengea almost as well as she did Colchis, and Phaedra would not begrudge her second a little more freedom than the rest.
She certainly was not about to stay on that ship a minute longer than necessary. She had always hated the sailing, the cramped quarters and the way that the sea could turn on you in a moment. It was a beautifully deadly thing, full of monsters and storms. And if you went in, there was nothing to do but die. A slow, long, painful death. Her legs were too accustomed to the sea now, her weight shifting back and forth unconsciously as if she were still standing below the decks -- even as she wandered the agora, pausing every now and again to look at the wares.
Honestly, she was tempted to bring back something for the younger members of her family. Euphrosyne would have loved a bottle of perfume, an exotic scent from another grecian territory. Something that she didn’t have that would draw lovers to her. Antonia would have wanted sweets, something that she would not have dared to admit to anyone. She had always tried to appear tougher than she truly was. And Sotirios...well, she wasn’t sure what the boy would have liked. He was getting too old for toys now, so perhaps a book?
She frowned, realizing that she had no idea what the boy would like. She made a mental note to visit the family once she had returned from war, holding the promise close to her like it could shield her from harm. Zosi had no idea what she was going to be walking into in Egypt. She had hardly gotten away during the last war, coming home wounded but alive. At least she had been alive.
She wandered for a time, stretching her legs and enjoying seeing faces other than her comrades. She earned stares wherever she went. Zosime was undeniably beautiful, even though she would have preferred it not to be so. Her dark skin and bright blue eyes were a contrast that made her stand out in a crowd. Her heritage was mixed, her mother’s mother a full-blooded Egyptian. Her father was a fair-haired Grecian. It had made for an interesting mix.
She stood out further because of her uniform, the dark colors of war suiting her just fine. But Taengea did not have women in their military ranks, which made her even more odd in their eyes. She could hear women whispering about her behind her back, and briefly watched men who let their eyes linger a little too long. If she had not been so adamant about her vow, perhaps she might have let herself enjoy a partner tonight -- but her mind would always wander to places of pain that she didn’t feel like visiting.
Her fingers brushed her lip as she considered the items before her, nearly deciding that they might be worth purchasing for herself if not her family. She couldn’t guarantee that they’d make it home from the war, and having more things to keep up with seemed like a pain. Sir? A voice came, and she didn’t move. She was not a man. Could you move over a bit, please? But the voice was so close that Zosime looked up, and over -- as her eyes met another woman’s. Oh, she thought, giving a cursory glance around. There was no one else close enough that she could be talking to. She frowned, though she knew the woman had to realize her mistake by now.
”Apologies, miss.” Zosime said formally, side stepping so that the woman could pass her by. If her face hadn’t given her away, the feminine lilt of her voice would.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
Badges
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Zosime of Lyncaea had always liked the markets of Taengea, particularly Vasiliadon. They were bright and bustling, vastly different than the ones back home -- though perhaps that was because she saw them nearly every day. She had broken away from the unit of archers, going off by herself rather than the suggested pairs or threes. She knew Taengea almost as well as she did Colchis, and Phaedra would not begrudge her second a little more freedom than the rest.
She certainly was not about to stay on that ship a minute longer than necessary. She had always hated the sailing, the cramped quarters and the way that the sea could turn on you in a moment. It was a beautifully deadly thing, full of monsters and storms. And if you went in, there was nothing to do but die. A slow, long, painful death. Her legs were too accustomed to the sea now, her weight shifting back and forth unconsciously as if she were still standing below the decks -- even as she wandered the agora, pausing every now and again to look at the wares.
Honestly, she was tempted to bring back something for the younger members of her family. Euphrosyne would have loved a bottle of perfume, an exotic scent from another grecian territory. Something that she didn’t have that would draw lovers to her. Antonia would have wanted sweets, something that she would not have dared to admit to anyone. She had always tried to appear tougher than she truly was. And Sotirios...well, she wasn’t sure what the boy would have liked. He was getting too old for toys now, so perhaps a book?
She frowned, realizing that she had no idea what the boy would like. She made a mental note to visit the family once she had returned from war, holding the promise close to her like it could shield her from harm. Zosi had no idea what she was going to be walking into in Egypt. She had hardly gotten away during the last war, coming home wounded but alive. At least she had been alive.
She wandered for a time, stretching her legs and enjoying seeing faces other than her comrades. She earned stares wherever she went. Zosime was undeniably beautiful, even though she would have preferred it not to be so. Her dark skin and bright blue eyes were a contrast that made her stand out in a crowd. Her heritage was mixed, her mother’s mother a full-blooded Egyptian. Her father was a fair-haired Grecian. It had made for an interesting mix.
She stood out further because of her uniform, the dark colors of war suiting her just fine. But Taengea did not have women in their military ranks, which made her even more odd in their eyes. She could hear women whispering about her behind her back, and briefly watched men who let their eyes linger a little too long. If she had not been so adamant about her vow, perhaps she might have let herself enjoy a partner tonight -- but her mind would always wander to places of pain that she didn’t feel like visiting.
Her fingers brushed her lip as she considered the items before her, nearly deciding that they might be worth purchasing for herself if not her family. She couldn’t guarantee that they’d make it home from the war, and having more things to keep up with seemed like a pain. Sir? A voice came, and she didn’t move. She was not a man. Could you move over a bit, please? But the voice was so close that Zosime looked up, and over -- as her eyes met another woman’s. Oh, she thought, giving a cursory glance around. There was no one else close enough that she could be talking to. She frowned, though she knew the woman had to realize her mistake by now.
”Apologies, miss.” Zosime said formally, side stepping so that the woman could pass her by. If her face hadn’t given her away, the feminine lilt of her voice would.
Zosime of Lyncaea had always liked the markets of Taengea, particularly Vasiliadon. They were bright and bustling, vastly different than the ones back home -- though perhaps that was because she saw them nearly every day. She had broken away from the unit of archers, going off by herself rather than the suggested pairs or threes. She knew Taengea almost as well as she did Colchis, and Phaedra would not begrudge her second a little more freedom than the rest.
She certainly was not about to stay on that ship a minute longer than necessary. She had always hated the sailing, the cramped quarters and the way that the sea could turn on you in a moment. It was a beautifully deadly thing, full of monsters and storms. And if you went in, there was nothing to do but die. A slow, long, painful death. Her legs were too accustomed to the sea now, her weight shifting back and forth unconsciously as if she were still standing below the decks -- even as she wandered the agora, pausing every now and again to look at the wares.
Honestly, she was tempted to bring back something for the younger members of her family. Euphrosyne would have loved a bottle of perfume, an exotic scent from another grecian territory. Something that she didn’t have that would draw lovers to her. Antonia would have wanted sweets, something that she would not have dared to admit to anyone. She had always tried to appear tougher than she truly was. And Sotirios...well, she wasn’t sure what the boy would have liked. He was getting too old for toys now, so perhaps a book?
She frowned, realizing that she had no idea what the boy would like. She made a mental note to visit the family once she had returned from war, holding the promise close to her like it could shield her from harm. Zosi had no idea what she was going to be walking into in Egypt. She had hardly gotten away during the last war, coming home wounded but alive. At least she had been alive.
She wandered for a time, stretching her legs and enjoying seeing faces other than her comrades. She earned stares wherever she went. Zosime was undeniably beautiful, even though she would have preferred it not to be so. Her dark skin and bright blue eyes were a contrast that made her stand out in a crowd. Her heritage was mixed, her mother’s mother a full-blooded Egyptian. Her father was a fair-haired Grecian. It had made for an interesting mix.
She stood out further because of her uniform, the dark colors of war suiting her just fine. But Taengea did not have women in their military ranks, which made her even more odd in their eyes. She could hear women whispering about her behind her back, and briefly watched men who let their eyes linger a little too long. If she had not been so adamant about her vow, perhaps she might have let herself enjoy a partner tonight -- but her mind would always wander to places of pain that she didn’t feel like visiting.
Her fingers brushed her lip as she considered the items before her, nearly deciding that they might be worth purchasing for herself if not her family. She couldn’t guarantee that they’d make it home from the war, and having more things to keep up with seemed like a pain. Sir? A voice came, and she didn’t move. She was not a man. Could you move over a bit, please? But the voice was so close that Zosime looked up, and over -- as her eyes met another woman’s. Oh, she thought, giving a cursory glance around. There was no one else close enough that she could be talking to. She frowned, though she knew the woman had to realize her mistake by now.
”Apologies, miss.” Zosime said formally, side stepping so that the woman could pass her by. If her face hadn’t given her away, the feminine lilt of her voice would.
When Arete had first addressed the soldier at the sweets stand, she had somehow missed the telltale signs that something was amiss. Her mind was so utterly focused on trying to figure out how on earth Silanos could have been conscripted and her own personal problems that she did not even take note of the smaller frame of her fellow market-goer. She was so blissfully unaware that she had not even taken note of the Colchian’s darker skin tone, a clear sign of Egyptian heritage. Had Arete had not been lost in her own thoughts, it was unlikely that the girl would have even addressed the other girl at all. The combination of her being a woman, a soldier, and an Egyptian would have been too much for the future Lady of Condos who had spent her entire life seeing the same set of faces and living in the set confines of her miserable life.
Even though the twenty-three-year-old would have liked to think that she was now above that provincial life and its dimwitted ideals meant to hinder ambitious girls like her, they came back in full force as the soldier turned and Arete was forced to confront her mistake… quite literally. She was visibility taken aback when she finally saw the foreign skin tones and slight frame that marked Zosime as different from other Taengeans like her. The Doralisian’s eyes grew wide with shock as her mind tried to process not only her mistake but everything else that was now plain to see in front of her. Her lips started to move to form a stammered apology, but the words never left them. It was just that much of a shock to the Taengean girl that she was absolutely dumbstruck and unsure of what to do.
Had she been capable of putting her two brain cells together, Arete would have just simply apologized, purchased the sweets for Eleni, and then move along with her day as if this had never happened at all. That would have been a sensible and polite thing to do. Surely, those were the actions that would be expected from not only the future Lady of Condos but also the future Queen of Taengea -- if she and Nikos had her way, of course. However, Arete was simply incapable of this sort of foresight at this moment to recognize that this wasn’t the sort of thing that she should care about. Who cared if the barbarians to the North who were barely civilized because of their common tongue with their southern neighbors brought along some women soldiers? It wouldn’t affect Arete after tomorrow anyway when the Colchians took this Egyptian-looking lass far away from her shores.
These were the logical things that Arete should have considered, but they were all blocked out by the illogical thoughts that were stirred up by Zosi. Even though the Colchian woman was gracious enough to move out the way so the Taengean to step forward, she was not greeted with the same niceties from Arete. Instead, she merely received a suspicious glare from the mistress as she moved forward to grab a few of the more popular candies from the overflowing jars. Retta could only hope that these were the kinds that Eleni liked as the other girl did not want to spend a single second longer here than she needed to. After all, who would want to linger around an Egyptian during times of war like this? After all, for all Arete knew, this strange woman did not have a single drop of Greecian blood within her. (Though her lighter eyes should have reassured Arete of this.) Zosi could have been a spy for the Egyptians, sent to infiltrate the Colchian ranks to sabotage the army from the inside. Why should she be kind to someone who was only in the army to bring about its destruction? It was absurd. As far as Arete was concerned, Zosi should consider herself lucky that she had gotten a brief amount of politeness during the period where Arete had been confused and unaware of who she was really speaking.
Now, granted these xenophobic thoughts filling Arete’s mind were quite a leap based on the split-second assumptions made from the girl who had never actually met an Egyptian before. Her preconceived notions about Zosime’s motivations stemmed only from the horror stories brought back from those who had fought in the last war -- not the valiant heroes that made up the higher ranks and the Order of Vasiliadon. No, all that Arete knew about those who came from the Kingdom of Sand to the south came from the twisted views of the few soldiers that had lived in her village. Her perspective came from men who had no desire to fight, but was forced to go to the south and face death and horrible injuries on the command of people like her boyfriend -- all keen to start fights and conflict, but never willing to step into the fray themselves. To say that Arete’s view was twisted was quite an understatement. Perhaps if Zosi could break through this barrier, maybe she (or someone else) could set the young provincial girl right on what war was like and what she should think about those who did not come from where she lived.
However, that would be quite a feat because there was one other major factor that made Arete wary of Zosime and it was something that Retta wasn’t even thinking consciously about. She felt threatened by the thought of a woman in military garb. Now, this was rather ridiculous on the surface, but did make a modicum of sense if one knew about Arete’s so-called ‘woman problems.’ She might wear the pretty dresses and cling onto her boy toy like all good little (newly) rich girls were supposed to do… but her inability to have even one set of monthly courses took a toll on her. It was hard to forget about the fact that she was missing an essential part of womanhood when she knew that her apparent infertility was the major factor in why she was just a mistress right now and not Nikos’s wife. Arete didn’t realize this, but her affinity for shopping and his desire to surround herself with all sorts of luxurious, feminine things was a form of retail therapy. As if having a closet full of dresses would suddenly make her capable of bearing children…
Since Zosime clearly did not subscribe to the traditional gender roles, she posed a subliminal threat to the girl who was unsure of her own femininity as crazy as it sounded. Arete was not consciously thinking it, but her mind saw this lady-soldier as the possibility of what she could become if she could not resolve whatever was preventing her from bleeding on a monthly basis. Granted, this was ridiculously outlandish and Arete would have happily handed herself over to be the town laughingstock if she realized that she was having any of these thoughts. However, they were all subconscious. All Arete was truly aware of was that what Zosime was doing was wrong. So horrendously wrong that the catty, mean girl couldn’t just leave well enough alone as she waited for the merchant to be done with another customer so she could pay for the sweets she selected and leave. Maybe if she didn’t have such a twisted world view because of her upbringing and her own struggles that she would have kept her mouth shut as Zosime went back to her own business with the awkward encounter seemingly passing them both by. Then again, this would require Arete having a certain amount of impulse control that she was simply incapable of under any circumstances, let alone these.
Perhaps then maybe she wouldn’t have made the snide comment that was muttered under her breath but still clearly loud enough for Zosime to hear in a clear attempt to goad her into some sort of reaction. “I didn’t know that they let your kind into the army nowadays...” She should have known the moment that they left her mouth that Arete had made a terrible, awful mistake. However, the primal fear that came with some unknown, foreign threat was fueling her now and had effectively blocked off all rationality in Arete. This brief interaction that should have been nothing more than an awkward encounter was quickly bubbling into something much grander than two strangers meeting for a moment and then parting ways. This was a disaster in the making and could either be defused or made worse by the target of Arete’s harsh words who was only guilty of being in Taengean’s way.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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When Arete had first addressed the soldier at the sweets stand, she had somehow missed the telltale signs that something was amiss. Her mind was so utterly focused on trying to figure out how on earth Silanos could have been conscripted and her own personal problems that she did not even take note of the smaller frame of her fellow market-goer. She was so blissfully unaware that she had not even taken note of the Colchian’s darker skin tone, a clear sign of Egyptian heritage. Had Arete had not been lost in her own thoughts, it was unlikely that the girl would have even addressed the other girl at all. The combination of her being a woman, a soldier, and an Egyptian would have been too much for the future Lady of Condos who had spent her entire life seeing the same set of faces and living in the set confines of her miserable life.
Even though the twenty-three-year-old would have liked to think that she was now above that provincial life and its dimwitted ideals meant to hinder ambitious girls like her, they came back in full force as the soldier turned and Arete was forced to confront her mistake… quite literally. She was visibility taken aback when she finally saw the foreign skin tones and slight frame that marked Zosime as different from other Taengeans like her. The Doralisian’s eyes grew wide with shock as her mind tried to process not only her mistake but everything else that was now plain to see in front of her. Her lips started to move to form a stammered apology, but the words never left them. It was just that much of a shock to the Taengean girl that she was absolutely dumbstruck and unsure of what to do.
Had she been capable of putting her two brain cells together, Arete would have just simply apologized, purchased the sweets for Eleni, and then move along with her day as if this had never happened at all. That would have been a sensible and polite thing to do. Surely, those were the actions that would be expected from not only the future Lady of Condos but also the future Queen of Taengea -- if she and Nikos had her way, of course. However, Arete was simply incapable of this sort of foresight at this moment to recognize that this wasn’t the sort of thing that she should care about. Who cared if the barbarians to the North who were barely civilized because of their common tongue with their southern neighbors brought along some women soldiers? It wouldn’t affect Arete after tomorrow anyway when the Colchians took this Egyptian-looking lass far away from her shores.
These were the logical things that Arete should have considered, but they were all blocked out by the illogical thoughts that were stirred up by Zosi. Even though the Colchian woman was gracious enough to move out the way so the Taengean to step forward, she was not greeted with the same niceties from Arete. Instead, she merely received a suspicious glare from the mistress as she moved forward to grab a few of the more popular candies from the overflowing jars. Retta could only hope that these were the kinds that Eleni liked as the other girl did not want to spend a single second longer here than she needed to. After all, who would want to linger around an Egyptian during times of war like this? After all, for all Arete knew, this strange woman did not have a single drop of Greecian blood within her. (Though her lighter eyes should have reassured Arete of this.) Zosi could have been a spy for the Egyptians, sent to infiltrate the Colchian ranks to sabotage the army from the inside. Why should she be kind to someone who was only in the army to bring about its destruction? It was absurd. As far as Arete was concerned, Zosi should consider herself lucky that she had gotten a brief amount of politeness during the period where Arete had been confused and unaware of who she was really speaking.
Now, granted these xenophobic thoughts filling Arete’s mind were quite a leap based on the split-second assumptions made from the girl who had never actually met an Egyptian before. Her preconceived notions about Zosime’s motivations stemmed only from the horror stories brought back from those who had fought in the last war -- not the valiant heroes that made up the higher ranks and the Order of Vasiliadon. No, all that Arete knew about those who came from the Kingdom of Sand to the south came from the twisted views of the few soldiers that had lived in her village. Her perspective came from men who had no desire to fight, but was forced to go to the south and face death and horrible injuries on the command of people like her boyfriend -- all keen to start fights and conflict, but never willing to step into the fray themselves. To say that Arete’s view was twisted was quite an understatement. Perhaps if Zosi could break through this barrier, maybe she (or someone else) could set the young provincial girl right on what war was like and what she should think about those who did not come from where she lived.
However, that would be quite a feat because there was one other major factor that made Arete wary of Zosime and it was something that Retta wasn’t even thinking consciously about. She felt threatened by the thought of a woman in military garb. Now, this was rather ridiculous on the surface, but did make a modicum of sense if one knew about Arete’s so-called ‘woman problems.’ She might wear the pretty dresses and cling onto her boy toy like all good little (newly) rich girls were supposed to do… but her inability to have even one set of monthly courses took a toll on her. It was hard to forget about the fact that she was missing an essential part of womanhood when she knew that her apparent infertility was the major factor in why she was just a mistress right now and not Nikos’s wife. Arete didn’t realize this, but her affinity for shopping and his desire to surround herself with all sorts of luxurious, feminine things was a form of retail therapy. As if having a closet full of dresses would suddenly make her capable of bearing children…
Since Zosime clearly did not subscribe to the traditional gender roles, she posed a subliminal threat to the girl who was unsure of her own femininity as crazy as it sounded. Arete was not consciously thinking it, but her mind saw this lady-soldier as the possibility of what she could become if she could not resolve whatever was preventing her from bleeding on a monthly basis. Granted, this was ridiculously outlandish and Arete would have happily handed herself over to be the town laughingstock if she realized that she was having any of these thoughts. However, they were all subconscious. All Arete was truly aware of was that what Zosime was doing was wrong. So horrendously wrong that the catty, mean girl couldn’t just leave well enough alone as she waited for the merchant to be done with another customer so she could pay for the sweets she selected and leave. Maybe if she didn’t have such a twisted world view because of her upbringing and her own struggles that she would have kept her mouth shut as Zosime went back to her own business with the awkward encounter seemingly passing them both by. Then again, this would require Arete having a certain amount of impulse control that she was simply incapable of under any circumstances, let alone these.
Perhaps then maybe she wouldn’t have made the snide comment that was muttered under her breath but still clearly loud enough for Zosime to hear in a clear attempt to goad her into some sort of reaction. “I didn’t know that they let your kind into the army nowadays...” She should have known the moment that they left her mouth that Arete had made a terrible, awful mistake. However, the primal fear that came with some unknown, foreign threat was fueling her now and had effectively blocked off all rationality in Arete. This brief interaction that should have been nothing more than an awkward encounter was quickly bubbling into something much grander than two strangers meeting for a moment and then parting ways. This was a disaster in the making and could either be defused or made worse by the target of Arete’s harsh words who was only guilty of being in Taengean’s way.
When Arete had first addressed the soldier at the sweets stand, she had somehow missed the telltale signs that something was amiss. Her mind was so utterly focused on trying to figure out how on earth Silanos could have been conscripted and her own personal problems that she did not even take note of the smaller frame of her fellow market-goer. She was so blissfully unaware that she had not even taken note of the Colchian’s darker skin tone, a clear sign of Egyptian heritage. Had Arete had not been lost in her own thoughts, it was unlikely that the girl would have even addressed the other girl at all. The combination of her being a woman, a soldier, and an Egyptian would have been too much for the future Lady of Condos who had spent her entire life seeing the same set of faces and living in the set confines of her miserable life.
Even though the twenty-three-year-old would have liked to think that she was now above that provincial life and its dimwitted ideals meant to hinder ambitious girls like her, they came back in full force as the soldier turned and Arete was forced to confront her mistake… quite literally. She was visibility taken aback when she finally saw the foreign skin tones and slight frame that marked Zosime as different from other Taengeans like her. The Doralisian’s eyes grew wide with shock as her mind tried to process not only her mistake but everything else that was now plain to see in front of her. Her lips started to move to form a stammered apology, but the words never left them. It was just that much of a shock to the Taengean girl that she was absolutely dumbstruck and unsure of what to do.
Had she been capable of putting her two brain cells together, Arete would have just simply apologized, purchased the sweets for Eleni, and then move along with her day as if this had never happened at all. That would have been a sensible and polite thing to do. Surely, those were the actions that would be expected from not only the future Lady of Condos but also the future Queen of Taengea -- if she and Nikos had her way, of course. However, Arete was simply incapable of this sort of foresight at this moment to recognize that this wasn’t the sort of thing that she should care about. Who cared if the barbarians to the North who were barely civilized because of their common tongue with their southern neighbors brought along some women soldiers? It wouldn’t affect Arete after tomorrow anyway when the Colchians took this Egyptian-looking lass far away from her shores.
These were the logical things that Arete should have considered, but they were all blocked out by the illogical thoughts that were stirred up by Zosi. Even though the Colchian woman was gracious enough to move out the way so the Taengean to step forward, she was not greeted with the same niceties from Arete. Instead, she merely received a suspicious glare from the mistress as she moved forward to grab a few of the more popular candies from the overflowing jars. Retta could only hope that these were the kinds that Eleni liked as the other girl did not want to spend a single second longer here than she needed to. After all, who would want to linger around an Egyptian during times of war like this? After all, for all Arete knew, this strange woman did not have a single drop of Greecian blood within her. (Though her lighter eyes should have reassured Arete of this.) Zosi could have been a spy for the Egyptians, sent to infiltrate the Colchian ranks to sabotage the army from the inside. Why should she be kind to someone who was only in the army to bring about its destruction? It was absurd. As far as Arete was concerned, Zosi should consider herself lucky that she had gotten a brief amount of politeness during the period where Arete had been confused and unaware of who she was really speaking.
Now, granted these xenophobic thoughts filling Arete’s mind were quite a leap based on the split-second assumptions made from the girl who had never actually met an Egyptian before. Her preconceived notions about Zosime’s motivations stemmed only from the horror stories brought back from those who had fought in the last war -- not the valiant heroes that made up the higher ranks and the Order of Vasiliadon. No, all that Arete knew about those who came from the Kingdom of Sand to the south came from the twisted views of the few soldiers that had lived in her village. Her perspective came from men who had no desire to fight, but was forced to go to the south and face death and horrible injuries on the command of people like her boyfriend -- all keen to start fights and conflict, but never willing to step into the fray themselves. To say that Arete’s view was twisted was quite an understatement. Perhaps if Zosi could break through this barrier, maybe she (or someone else) could set the young provincial girl right on what war was like and what she should think about those who did not come from where she lived.
However, that would be quite a feat because there was one other major factor that made Arete wary of Zosime and it was something that Retta wasn’t even thinking consciously about. She felt threatened by the thought of a woman in military garb. Now, this was rather ridiculous on the surface, but did make a modicum of sense if one knew about Arete’s so-called ‘woman problems.’ She might wear the pretty dresses and cling onto her boy toy like all good little (newly) rich girls were supposed to do… but her inability to have even one set of monthly courses took a toll on her. It was hard to forget about the fact that she was missing an essential part of womanhood when she knew that her apparent infertility was the major factor in why she was just a mistress right now and not Nikos’s wife. Arete didn’t realize this, but her affinity for shopping and his desire to surround herself with all sorts of luxurious, feminine things was a form of retail therapy. As if having a closet full of dresses would suddenly make her capable of bearing children…
Since Zosime clearly did not subscribe to the traditional gender roles, she posed a subliminal threat to the girl who was unsure of her own femininity as crazy as it sounded. Arete was not consciously thinking it, but her mind saw this lady-soldier as the possibility of what she could become if she could not resolve whatever was preventing her from bleeding on a monthly basis. Granted, this was ridiculously outlandish and Arete would have happily handed herself over to be the town laughingstock if she realized that she was having any of these thoughts. However, they were all subconscious. All Arete was truly aware of was that what Zosime was doing was wrong. So horrendously wrong that the catty, mean girl couldn’t just leave well enough alone as she waited for the merchant to be done with another customer so she could pay for the sweets she selected and leave. Maybe if she didn’t have such a twisted world view because of her upbringing and her own struggles that she would have kept her mouth shut as Zosime went back to her own business with the awkward encounter seemingly passing them both by. Then again, this would require Arete having a certain amount of impulse control that she was simply incapable of under any circumstances, let alone these.
Perhaps then maybe she wouldn’t have made the snide comment that was muttered under her breath but still clearly loud enough for Zosime to hear in a clear attempt to goad her into some sort of reaction. “I didn’t know that they let your kind into the army nowadays...” She should have known the moment that they left her mouth that Arete had made a terrible, awful mistake. However, the primal fear that came with some unknown, foreign threat was fueling her now and had effectively blocked off all rationality in Arete. This brief interaction that should have been nothing more than an awkward encounter was quickly bubbling into something much grander than two strangers meeting for a moment and then parting ways. This was a disaster in the making and could either be defused or made worse by the target of Arete’s harsh words who was only guilty of being in Taengean’s way.
It seemed that the Taengean was startled, the way that her face slackened and seemed to pale while her lips parted but did not actually put forth anything intelligent. Zosi was content to let it go, to turn back to her business -- but she could feel the woman’s eyes lingering on her even as she moved away to continue her browsing. Her fingers brushed over small bottles and vials, the brightly colored wrappers of the sweet-makers’ goods.
She did not particularly care for sweets, as they tended to remind her of painful moments that once she would have sworn never to forget. Now she wished that she could burn them like all of the letters. The echo of a man’s soft laugh rang in her head, a ghost that still walked the earth somewhere even if she had not seen him in years.
Perhaps, it was those feelings stirring inside of her soul that set her on edge. Perhaps that was why when the Taegean hissed under her breath, that Zosime could not stop herself. Her turn was slow to face the woman who waited amongst the sweets for her turn to pay, and the soldier drew herself up. It was ice, not fire, that flared in her gaze. It splintered, fracturing even as her entire face went cold. Like a child who had stepped out onto the ice of a pond, only to find that it was too thin to hold her weight.
“I didn’t know that they let your kind into the army nowadays...”
The words echoed, but Zosime was not surprised to hear such a sentiment. It happened often enough, typically in relation to her gender -- but she had a feeling that this went deeper than that. A feral smile coiled onto the soldier’s features, and she gave a light shrug. ”I didn’t know that whores walked the streets of Taengea in the daylight.” She said in reply, not bothering to hide it with hushed tones. The insult was perhaps a little common, but effective enough.
But she was not done, oh no. She moved, the opening of the shop on the other side. She would feel a little guilty later about what she was going to do -- not for the zealot but for the owners of the establishment. It was obvious enough to her that they cared about their business, everything so neatly displayed. It was such a shame. The girl stood between her and the exit.
”Eat shit.” Zosime’s voice was a hiss when she came far too close, her shoulder dipping low to shove the girl into the nearest display. It would look like an accident, a couple of strangers bumping into each other. But Z had put some real force into it, wanting to hurt the stranger.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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It seemed that the Taengean was startled, the way that her face slackened and seemed to pale while her lips parted but did not actually put forth anything intelligent. Zosi was content to let it go, to turn back to her business -- but she could feel the woman’s eyes lingering on her even as she moved away to continue her browsing. Her fingers brushed over small bottles and vials, the brightly colored wrappers of the sweet-makers’ goods.
She did not particularly care for sweets, as they tended to remind her of painful moments that once she would have sworn never to forget. Now she wished that she could burn them like all of the letters. The echo of a man’s soft laugh rang in her head, a ghost that still walked the earth somewhere even if she had not seen him in years.
Perhaps, it was those feelings stirring inside of her soul that set her on edge. Perhaps that was why when the Taegean hissed under her breath, that Zosime could not stop herself. Her turn was slow to face the woman who waited amongst the sweets for her turn to pay, and the soldier drew herself up. It was ice, not fire, that flared in her gaze. It splintered, fracturing even as her entire face went cold. Like a child who had stepped out onto the ice of a pond, only to find that it was too thin to hold her weight.
“I didn’t know that they let your kind into the army nowadays...”
The words echoed, but Zosime was not surprised to hear such a sentiment. It happened often enough, typically in relation to her gender -- but she had a feeling that this went deeper than that. A feral smile coiled onto the soldier’s features, and she gave a light shrug. ”I didn’t know that whores walked the streets of Taengea in the daylight.” She said in reply, not bothering to hide it with hushed tones. The insult was perhaps a little common, but effective enough.
But she was not done, oh no. She moved, the opening of the shop on the other side. She would feel a little guilty later about what she was going to do -- not for the zealot but for the owners of the establishment. It was obvious enough to her that they cared about their business, everything so neatly displayed. It was such a shame. The girl stood between her and the exit.
”Eat shit.” Zosime’s voice was a hiss when she came far too close, her shoulder dipping low to shove the girl into the nearest display. It would look like an accident, a couple of strangers bumping into each other. But Z had put some real force into it, wanting to hurt the stranger.
It seemed that the Taengean was startled, the way that her face slackened and seemed to pale while her lips parted but did not actually put forth anything intelligent. Zosi was content to let it go, to turn back to her business -- but she could feel the woman’s eyes lingering on her even as she moved away to continue her browsing. Her fingers brushed over small bottles and vials, the brightly colored wrappers of the sweet-makers’ goods.
She did not particularly care for sweets, as they tended to remind her of painful moments that once she would have sworn never to forget. Now she wished that she could burn them like all of the letters. The echo of a man’s soft laugh rang in her head, a ghost that still walked the earth somewhere even if she had not seen him in years.
Perhaps, it was those feelings stirring inside of her soul that set her on edge. Perhaps that was why when the Taegean hissed under her breath, that Zosime could not stop herself. Her turn was slow to face the woman who waited amongst the sweets for her turn to pay, and the soldier drew herself up. It was ice, not fire, that flared in her gaze. It splintered, fracturing even as her entire face went cold. Like a child who had stepped out onto the ice of a pond, only to find that it was too thin to hold her weight.
“I didn’t know that they let your kind into the army nowadays...”
The words echoed, but Zosime was not surprised to hear such a sentiment. It happened often enough, typically in relation to her gender -- but she had a feeling that this went deeper than that. A feral smile coiled onto the soldier’s features, and she gave a light shrug. ”I didn’t know that whores walked the streets of Taengea in the daylight.” She said in reply, not bothering to hide it with hushed tones. The insult was perhaps a little common, but effective enough.
But she was not done, oh no. She moved, the opening of the shop on the other side. She would feel a little guilty later about what she was going to do -- not for the zealot but for the owners of the establishment. It was obvious enough to her that they cared about their business, everything so neatly displayed. It was such a shame. The girl stood between her and the exit.
”Eat shit.” Zosime’s voice was a hiss when she came far too close, her shoulder dipping low to shove the girl into the nearest display. It would look like an accident, a couple of strangers bumping into each other. But Z had put some real force into it, wanting to hurt the stranger.
Arete really should have known better than to pick a fight with a Colchian soldier. It didn’t really matter if her adversary was a woman or a man, foreigner or neighbor. She was a woman that was raised to fight and would not take kindly to being insulted by the little upstart that was Arete of Doralis. How the woman had completely forgotten this sort of common sense thing in the midst of the subconscious fear that was triggered by the mere presence of Zosi, Arete would never begin to know. However, it was more than obvious that once the words left Arete’s mouth there was no taking back what she had said.
That much had been made clear by Zosi’s equally harsh retort, one that lacked all the Taengean grace that had kept Arete from muttering cruel words under her breath. Retta’s mouth dropped open in shock for a split moment as the words sunk in. This Colchian bitch had called her a whore.
How. fucking. dare. she.
The shock faded away to anger as the insult really sunk in. Zosime might not have known it, but she really struck a nerve with her words. After all, Arete was truly little more than a glorified whore in the eyes of the rest of the Taengean court. Nikos had not made presented her as an official mistress and he was not making due on his promise to put a ring on it. So, technically, in the eyes of everyone who did not know the peasant girl’s situation, she was indeed a whore. The only difference was that Arete accepted her payment in the form of dresses and jewels, not a few measly coins. Her eyes narrowed at Zosi and Arete was preparing to launch another insult at the girl -- but this time it would be far more pointed. However, the Colchian never gave her a chance as something hard hit her in the stomach and she was flung forward, into the cart loaded high with all sorts of sugary sweets, all of which came crashing down with a loud echoing noise that filled the market.
Zosime had pushed her.
Pulling herself from off the ground, Arete tried to mentally take note of the damage that had been done by this disgusting outsider. Her back was sore, especially from where she had struck the shelves that had once displayed the various sweets that were now crushed on the floor surrounding her. She could feel that there was a bit of weight dragging some of the strands of her hair on the right side down a bit. A simple brush of her fingers told her that it was honey that was now trapped in her hair, making an absolute mess of it. However, that didn’t really compare to the damage that had been done to her pastel green dress. The thing was absolutely ruined with all the bits of food clinging to it, surely staining the delicate fabric that was draping the girl. All in all, the damage was not that bad -- especially given the fact that Arete had decided to pick a fight with a soldier of all people. However, in the Taengean’s eyes, there could have been no greater damage inflicted upon her.
The younger woman glared at the outsider as others moved forward to help her back up. These bystanders had been relatively oblivious to what had occurred as the insults had been exchanged in hushed whispers. Perhaps they could have gone about their days not recognizing that anything had occurred at all -- but this was not going to be the case once they had seen Arete fall into the cart. The racket that had come from everything falling around her had been loud enough to prevent that from happening. Now everyone within earshot had their eyes momentarily turned to this tiny shop that they would have otherwise not paid attention to. Oh, this was unfolding to be quite the mess, wasn’t it?
Arete’s tumble had obviously attracted the attention of the shop owner who moved forward to help the young woman up, initially cross at her as he had not seen what had actually happened. That was more than clear in his terse tone, asking what had gotten into her. It was clear he was about to accost Arete for the damage and tell her that she was going to need to pay for the damaged wares, but the irate girl who had started this whole debacle was not going to let that happen. Never in a thousand years, at least not when she was certain that she was not the one who should be blamed for this disaster.
If Zosi thought that she was going to get away with laying her hands on Arete, that was dashed just as soon as the glorified whore opened her mouth and bitterly spat out, “She pushed me! She called me a whore!” There was a bright raging fire in her eyes and a certain level of hatred that was spewed out from between her teeth as she levied the accusation against the soldier. This sent a slight murmur rippling through the crowd that had gathered, all asking each other if they had seen Zosi do this to Arete. Of course, the answer would be no. The Colchian brute had been too careful to allow for that -- but then again the same prejudices that had filled Arete’s mind were likely playing a part in the minds of the Taengeans gathered around. Arete couldn’t say for certain, but it was possible that this group would not be overly fond of the notion of a woman joining the military as this didn’t conform to the standards set by their society. Even though this damned Zosi in the eyes of some, this also helped her in an odd sort of way. Soldiers were supposed to be brave and just, so how could one of the Colchians shove an innocent woman? That wouldn’t have made sense to some. But then again there was also the extra confusing factor that this nobody was wearing clothes fit for those who ran in the same social circles as the monarchs. As nobles were supposed to be above all those who were in the lower rungs of society -- did that make Arete the innocent party?
It was all greatly confusing and the tide of public opinion was split between the two women. No one knew what to make of the scene before them.
Arete didn’t really care who everyone else thought was in the wrong or in the right. All she really was focused on was the fact that she personally had been wronged and now Zosi would have to pay for it. Quite literally in terms of the damaged wares, but also in the same way that Arete wanted to claw this Colchian’s eyes out. It didn’t matter to her that it had been Arete who had started the conflict, she just wanted some form of retribution to right the wrong that had been inflicted down upon her and she was not going to be happy until she got it. However, she managed to hold back her tongue for just long enough for the merchant to look warily between the two girls, making it clear that now even he did not know what had occurred, before looking at Zosi to ask a fairly simple question that might set the story straight for all to witness.
‘What happened here?’
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Arete really should have known better than to pick a fight with a Colchian soldier. It didn’t really matter if her adversary was a woman or a man, foreigner or neighbor. She was a woman that was raised to fight and would not take kindly to being insulted by the little upstart that was Arete of Doralis. How the woman had completely forgotten this sort of common sense thing in the midst of the subconscious fear that was triggered by the mere presence of Zosi, Arete would never begin to know. However, it was more than obvious that once the words left Arete’s mouth there was no taking back what she had said.
That much had been made clear by Zosi’s equally harsh retort, one that lacked all the Taengean grace that had kept Arete from muttering cruel words under her breath. Retta’s mouth dropped open in shock for a split moment as the words sunk in. This Colchian bitch had called her a whore.
How. fucking. dare. she.
The shock faded away to anger as the insult really sunk in. Zosime might not have known it, but she really struck a nerve with her words. After all, Arete was truly little more than a glorified whore in the eyes of the rest of the Taengean court. Nikos had not made presented her as an official mistress and he was not making due on his promise to put a ring on it. So, technically, in the eyes of everyone who did not know the peasant girl’s situation, she was indeed a whore. The only difference was that Arete accepted her payment in the form of dresses and jewels, not a few measly coins. Her eyes narrowed at Zosi and Arete was preparing to launch another insult at the girl -- but this time it would be far more pointed. However, the Colchian never gave her a chance as something hard hit her in the stomach and she was flung forward, into the cart loaded high with all sorts of sugary sweets, all of which came crashing down with a loud echoing noise that filled the market.
Zosime had pushed her.
Pulling herself from off the ground, Arete tried to mentally take note of the damage that had been done by this disgusting outsider. Her back was sore, especially from where she had struck the shelves that had once displayed the various sweets that were now crushed on the floor surrounding her. She could feel that there was a bit of weight dragging some of the strands of her hair on the right side down a bit. A simple brush of her fingers told her that it was honey that was now trapped in her hair, making an absolute mess of it. However, that didn’t really compare to the damage that had been done to her pastel green dress. The thing was absolutely ruined with all the bits of food clinging to it, surely staining the delicate fabric that was draping the girl. All in all, the damage was not that bad -- especially given the fact that Arete had decided to pick a fight with a soldier of all people. However, in the Taengean’s eyes, there could have been no greater damage inflicted upon her.
The younger woman glared at the outsider as others moved forward to help her back up. These bystanders had been relatively oblivious to what had occurred as the insults had been exchanged in hushed whispers. Perhaps they could have gone about their days not recognizing that anything had occurred at all -- but this was not going to be the case once they had seen Arete fall into the cart. The racket that had come from everything falling around her had been loud enough to prevent that from happening. Now everyone within earshot had their eyes momentarily turned to this tiny shop that they would have otherwise not paid attention to. Oh, this was unfolding to be quite the mess, wasn’t it?
Arete’s tumble had obviously attracted the attention of the shop owner who moved forward to help the young woman up, initially cross at her as he had not seen what had actually happened. That was more than clear in his terse tone, asking what had gotten into her. It was clear he was about to accost Arete for the damage and tell her that she was going to need to pay for the damaged wares, but the irate girl who had started this whole debacle was not going to let that happen. Never in a thousand years, at least not when she was certain that she was not the one who should be blamed for this disaster.
If Zosi thought that she was going to get away with laying her hands on Arete, that was dashed just as soon as the glorified whore opened her mouth and bitterly spat out, “She pushed me! She called me a whore!” There was a bright raging fire in her eyes and a certain level of hatred that was spewed out from between her teeth as she levied the accusation against the soldier. This sent a slight murmur rippling through the crowd that had gathered, all asking each other if they had seen Zosi do this to Arete. Of course, the answer would be no. The Colchian brute had been too careful to allow for that -- but then again the same prejudices that had filled Arete’s mind were likely playing a part in the minds of the Taengeans gathered around. Arete couldn’t say for certain, but it was possible that this group would not be overly fond of the notion of a woman joining the military as this didn’t conform to the standards set by their society. Even though this damned Zosi in the eyes of some, this also helped her in an odd sort of way. Soldiers were supposed to be brave and just, so how could one of the Colchians shove an innocent woman? That wouldn’t have made sense to some. But then again there was also the extra confusing factor that this nobody was wearing clothes fit for those who ran in the same social circles as the monarchs. As nobles were supposed to be above all those who were in the lower rungs of society -- did that make Arete the innocent party?
It was all greatly confusing and the tide of public opinion was split between the two women. No one knew what to make of the scene before them.
Arete didn’t really care who everyone else thought was in the wrong or in the right. All she really was focused on was the fact that she personally had been wronged and now Zosi would have to pay for it. Quite literally in terms of the damaged wares, but also in the same way that Arete wanted to claw this Colchian’s eyes out. It didn’t matter to her that it had been Arete who had started the conflict, she just wanted some form of retribution to right the wrong that had been inflicted down upon her and she was not going to be happy until she got it. However, she managed to hold back her tongue for just long enough for the merchant to look warily between the two girls, making it clear that now even he did not know what had occurred, before looking at Zosi to ask a fairly simple question that might set the story straight for all to witness.
‘What happened here?’
Arete really should have known better than to pick a fight with a Colchian soldier. It didn’t really matter if her adversary was a woman or a man, foreigner or neighbor. She was a woman that was raised to fight and would not take kindly to being insulted by the little upstart that was Arete of Doralis. How the woman had completely forgotten this sort of common sense thing in the midst of the subconscious fear that was triggered by the mere presence of Zosi, Arete would never begin to know. However, it was more than obvious that once the words left Arete’s mouth there was no taking back what she had said.
That much had been made clear by Zosi’s equally harsh retort, one that lacked all the Taengean grace that had kept Arete from muttering cruel words under her breath. Retta’s mouth dropped open in shock for a split moment as the words sunk in. This Colchian bitch had called her a whore.
How. fucking. dare. she.
The shock faded away to anger as the insult really sunk in. Zosime might not have known it, but she really struck a nerve with her words. After all, Arete was truly little more than a glorified whore in the eyes of the rest of the Taengean court. Nikos had not made presented her as an official mistress and he was not making due on his promise to put a ring on it. So, technically, in the eyes of everyone who did not know the peasant girl’s situation, she was indeed a whore. The only difference was that Arete accepted her payment in the form of dresses and jewels, not a few measly coins. Her eyes narrowed at Zosi and Arete was preparing to launch another insult at the girl -- but this time it would be far more pointed. However, the Colchian never gave her a chance as something hard hit her in the stomach and she was flung forward, into the cart loaded high with all sorts of sugary sweets, all of which came crashing down with a loud echoing noise that filled the market.
Zosime had pushed her.
Pulling herself from off the ground, Arete tried to mentally take note of the damage that had been done by this disgusting outsider. Her back was sore, especially from where she had struck the shelves that had once displayed the various sweets that were now crushed on the floor surrounding her. She could feel that there was a bit of weight dragging some of the strands of her hair on the right side down a bit. A simple brush of her fingers told her that it was honey that was now trapped in her hair, making an absolute mess of it. However, that didn’t really compare to the damage that had been done to her pastel green dress. The thing was absolutely ruined with all the bits of food clinging to it, surely staining the delicate fabric that was draping the girl. All in all, the damage was not that bad -- especially given the fact that Arete had decided to pick a fight with a soldier of all people. However, in the Taengean’s eyes, there could have been no greater damage inflicted upon her.
The younger woman glared at the outsider as others moved forward to help her back up. These bystanders had been relatively oblivious to what had occurred as the insults had been exchanged in hushed whispers. Perhaps they could have gone about their days not recognizing that anything had occurred at all -- but this was not going to be the case once they had seen Arete fall into the cart. The racket that had come from everything falling around her had been loud enough to prevent that from happening. Now everyone within earshot had their eyes momentarily turned to this tiny shop that they would have otherwise not paid attention to. Oh, this was unfolding to be quite the mess, wasn’t it?
Arete’s tumble had obviously attracted the attention of the shop owner who moved forward to help the young woman up, initially cross at her as he had not seen what had actually happened. That was more than clear in his terse tone, asking what had gotten into her. It was clear he was about to accost Arete for the damage and tell her that she was going to need to pay for the damaged wares, but the irate girl who had started this whole debacle was not going to let that happen. Never in a thousand years, at least not when she was certain that she was not the one who should be blamed for this disaster.
If Zosi thought that she was going to get away with laying her hands on Arete, that was dashed just as soon as the glorified whore opened her mouth and bitterly spat out, “She pushed me! She called me a whore!” There was a bright raging fire in her eyes and a certain level of hatred that was spewed out from between her teeth as she levied the accusation against the soldier. This sent a slight murmur rippling through the crowd that had gathered, all asking each other if they had seen Zosi do this to Arete. Of course, the answer would be no. The Colchian brute had been too careful to allow for that -- but then again the same prejudices that had filled Arete’s mind were likely playing a part in the minds of the Taengeans gathered around. Arete couldn’t say for certain, but it was possible that this group would not be overly fond of the notion of a woman joining the military as this didn’t conform to the standards set by their society. Even though this damned Zosi in the eyes of some, this also helped her in an odd sort of way. Soldiers were supposed to be brave and just, so how could one of the Colchians shove an innocent woman? That wouldn’t have made sense to some. But then again there was also the extra confusing factor that this nobody was wearing clothes fit for those who ran in the same social circles as the monarchs. As nobles were supposed to be above all those who were in the lower rungs of society -- did that make Arete the innocent party?
It was all greatly confusing and the tide of public opinion was split between the two women. No one knew what to make of the scene before them.
Arete didn’t really care who everyone else thought was in the wrong or in the right. All she really was focused on was the fact that she personally had been wronged and now Zosi would have to pay for it. Quite literally in terms of the damaged wares, but also in the same way that Arete wanted to claw this Colchian’s eyes out. It didn’t matter to her that it had been Arete who had started the conflict, she just wanted some form of retribution to right the wrong that had been inflicted down upon her and she was not going to be happy until she got it. However, she managed to hold back her tongue for just long enough for the merchant to look warily between the two girls, making it clear that now even he did not know what had occurred, before looking at Zosi to ask a fairly simple question that might set the story straight for all to witness.
‘What happened here?’
Zosime very quickly moved out of the way of the falling woman, taking a step back in mock horror as she turned back on the scene that she had caused. Well, the bitch on the ground had been the catalyst but Zosi could have walked away. It simply wasn’t her style to do so. The soldier pushed curls back from her face, her fingers pressed to her mouth to hide her smile under the guise of covering her shock. Silence fell across the shop, the hush that followed such a loud commotion almost unsetting in its stillness.
A moment passed before others stepped forward, coming to collect the woman from the ground. Zosi’s eyes were wide with fake concern, her eyebrows raised as the shop owner began to interrogate the irritating little lady about her ruined goods. She would make sure to pass the shop owner some additional coin out of sympathy, but it had been worth it. Just the shock on that little btich’s face had been absolutely worth it. She shifted her weight on the balls of her feet, feigning concern as Arete was helped back onto her feet.
An accusatory finger was pointed in her direction, the fire blazing from Arete’s eyes quite something. Zosi snorted, lifting her chin so that her nose raised to the ceiling. ”Poor thing,” She said with a soft tsk of her tongue. She pushed more concern into her face by furrowing her brows and frowning sadly. She looked to the shopkeeper in sympathy who was now eyeing Zosime with suspicion. ”I was simply passing by on my way out when she toppled forward. I tried to catch her, but she was just too far gone. She looked back to Arete, who looked for all the world like a screeching madwoman.
”I wonder if she might have the falling sickness.” She murmured in concern, the last words hardly a whisper. ”My goodness, you probably should sit down, miss.” Her tone was soft, but condescending. There had been no witnesses so it was word against word, although she was not sure how much a Colchian soldier’s word would hold up here. In Colchis, a soldier’s word was as good as gold in most cases -- save for serious crimes. ”I just feel so bad that I wasn’t able to catch her...perhaps...perhaps you should hold me partially responsible.” She turned to the shopkeeper fully. ”I am here on business, set to leave in the morning to aid the Taengean King, but I…” She shook her head. ”I feel so awful that she fell.”
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This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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Zosime very quickly moved out of the way of the falling woman, taking a step back in mock horror as she turned back on the scene that she had caused. Well, the bitch on the ground had been the catalyst but Zosi could have walked away. It simply wasn’t her style to do so. The soldier pushed curls back from her face, her fingers pressed to her mouth to hide her smile under the guise of covering her shock. Silence fell across the shop, the hush that followed such a loud commotion almost unsetting in its stillness.
A moment passed before others stepped forward, coming to collect the woman from the ground. Zosi’s eyes were wide with fake concern, her eyebrows raised as the shop owner began to interrogate the irritating little lady about her ruined goods. She would make sure to pass the shop owner some additional coin out of sympathy, but it had been worth it. Just the shock on that little btich’s face had been absolutely worth it. She shifted her weight on the balls of her feet, feigning concern as Arete was helped back onto her feet.
An accusatory finger was pointed in her direction, the fire blazing from Arete’s eyes quite something. Zosi snorted, lifting her chin so that her nose raised to the ceiling. ”Poor thing,” She said with a soft tsk of her tongue. She pushed more concern into her face by furrowing her brows and frowning sadly. She looked to the shopkeeper in sympathy who was now eyeing Zosime with suspicion. ”I was simply passing by on my way out when she toppled forward. I tried to catch her, but she was just too far gone. She looked back to Arete, who looked for all the world like a screeching madwoman.
”I wonder if she might have the falling sickness.” She murmured in concern, the last words hardly a whisper. ”My goodness, you probably should sit down, miss.” Her tone was soft, but condescending. There had been no witnesses so it was word against word, although she was not sure how much a Colchian soldier’s word would hold up here. In Colchis, a soldier’s word was as good as gold in most cases -- save for serious crimes. ”I just feel so bad that I wasn’t able to catch her...perhaps...perhaps you should hold me partially responsible.” She turned to the shopkeeper fully. ”I am here on business, set to leave in the morning to aid the Taengean King, but I…” She shook her head. ”I feel so awful that she fell.”
Zosime very quickly moved out of the way of the falling woman, taking a step back in mock horror as she turned back on the scene that she had caused. Well, the bitch on the ground had been the catalyst but Zosi could have walked away. It simply wasn’t her style to do so. The soldier pushed curls back from her face, her fingers pressed to her mouth to hide her smile under the guise of covering her shock. Silence fell across the shop, the hush that followed such a loud commotion almost unsetting in its stillness.
A moment passed before others stepped forward, coming to collect the woman from the ground. Zosi’s eyes were wide with fake concern, her eyebrows raised as the shop owner began to interrogate the irritating little lady about her ruined goods. She would make sure to pass the shop owner some additional coin out of sympathy, but it had been worth it. Just the shock on that little btich’s face had been absolutely worth it. She shifted her weight on the balls of her feet, feigning concern as Arete was helped back onto her feet.
An accusatory finger was pointed in her direction, the fire blazing from Arete’s eyes quite something. Zosi snorted, lifting her chin so that her nose raised to the ceiling. ”Poor thing,” She said with a soft tsk of her tongue. She pushed more concern into her face by furrowing her brows and frowning sadly. She looked to the shopkeeper in sympathy who was now eyeing Zosime with suspicion. ”I was simply passing by on my way out when she toppled forward. I tried to catch her, but she was just too far gone. She looked back to Arete, who looked for all the world like a screeching madwoman.
”I wonder if she might have the falling sickness.” She murmured in concern, the last words hardly a whisper. ”My goodness, you probably should sit down, miss.” Her tone was soft, but condescending. There had been no witnesses so it was word against word, although she was not sure how much a Colchian soldier’s word would hold up here. In Colchis, a soldier’s word was as good as gold in most cases -- save for serious crimes. ”I just feel so bad that I wasn’t able to catch her...perhaps...perhaps you should hold me partially responsible.” She turned to the shopkeeper fully. ”I am here on business, set to leave in the morning to aid the Taengean King, but I…” She shook her head. ”I feel so awful that she fell.”
