Bleak nobility

Odysseus' eyes were widened beyond imagination, Hali was as pale as a corpse and who I assumed were the nobles of the island seemed ready to jump at me at any given moment.

I felt wronged.

We really did nothing, that queen had reduced herself to shambles all on her own. I even tried to be mindful at first.

"I know how it looks, but-"

"HOW DARE YOU TRY TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF WITH OUR MAJESTY LOOKING LIKE THAT?!"

One of the most fiery nobles cut me off with no regards whatsoever. That too made me feel wronged.

These people are so weak yet they act so mighty?

Except for the Queen, who seemed to be a 7th circle magician, everyone else was barely at my level. I was aware that strength didn't rule the world, but shouldn't they at least be weary since Merlin and I looked like a fresh bouquet of flowers?

"You know what? It's not even worth it."

"Totally."

Merlin, beside me, was agreeing vigorously and grabbed my hand before we disappeared in a wake of petal.

We came for the temple, the rest really didn't matter at all.

__________________

-Hali POV-

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I should have anticipated something like this would have happened. I knew Dimitris and Merlin were rude ass bastards, but to put my mother in such a state?

"How did they even do it? Merlin and Dimitris are at the 4th circle, even together they shouldn't be able to win against mother…"

Odysseus, who had slowly regained his composure, shook his head.

"They didn't even fight, there's no lingering mana. Is your mother rude?"

"I wouldn't say rude, she just knows her worth."

"So she is rude."

I couldn't say anything to that.

My mother, Daphne, was known to be one of the favourites children from the shining chariot, but despite all her power, she wasn't exactly beloved.

She was feared.

"It's most likely that she made some remark against Merlin and he just threatened her patron constellation."

Suddenly I remembered how even my father flinched in front of the white haired mage. I had easily forgotten this fact since he looked just like a fun guy to hang with, but he was a constellation, a powerful one.

"Let's just go talk to the Queen."

Odysseus nudged me to come to my senses. Everything that could have gone wrong, had in fact gone wrong.

My mother surrounded by those nobles was slowly getting back to herself, she still looked extremely pale and weakened, but her fierce look and mighty aura were back.

She took an elegant stride towards me and Odysseus, who didn't even flinch at her angry gaze when he didn't bow.

Why are they all like this?

Dimitris wasn't the only rude one, everyone on that ship seemed unruly.

"And who might you be to dare hold my gaze?"

Odysseus' eyes hardened.

Oh fuck.

"I understand why Dimitris might have acted in unsatisfactory ways."

Shit! What's wrong with this man!

"Have you forgotten who should show respect to whom? Daphne?"

What?

My mother started to tremble once again, her speech stuttering.

"I-It can't be! You are supp-supposed to be a 9th circle!"

"Circumstances."

What is going on?

My mother showed a slight courtesy, barely bowing and everyone was petrified. Never would have anyone imagined seeing this woman show respect to someone, unless…

"I greet King Odysseus of Itaca, master strategist of all arms, master craftsmen and… great mage."

When my mother spoke, all the nobility behind her fell to their knees.

The simple mention of Odysseus name brought fear to them and I too was shocked. Odysseus might have been more important then what I had given him credit for.

He then responded in tow, without bowing his head the slightest.

"I greet Queen Daphne of Delos, seer of the temple of the sun."

I see, accomplishments.

My mother, was strong, but the Akashic Records hadn't given her many titles, just seer, while Odysseus had done much more. Even Dimitris had a title, although a weird one.

"Now these bleak nobility should show us to the palace, or am I to assume the queen doesn't hold reign of her forces?"

Everyone snapped out of their dazed state and hurriedly begun to make way for all of us towards the palace. That was actually behind the temple.

Odysseus was unsure on what to do, but eventually decided to follow us and leave Merlin and Dimitris alone.

"What do they even need to do in the temple? It's not like Dimitris has some kind of relationship with the shining chariot."

"It's not that, Dimitris needs to create a string of fate."

"WHAT?"

"You know… after being in his home world, you do realise right?"

I didn't, what should have I realised? There was no reason for him to not have a fate even given his situation, he wouldn't be able to exist here without a fate.

"Hali, they didn't have any kind of authority. Our constellations couldn't even exist on that plane… I think…"

He didn't finish his sentence, I might not have been as smart as him, but even I understood what the implications were.

A fateless bastard, Ha!

We made our way to the palace in silence after that, and soon were dispatched to different rooms.

Eurylochus and the others were in the market, this was a merchant port after all, Merlin and Dimitris were still in the temple and Odysseus was being served as the most important of guests.

Soon the door to my room creaked, my mother Daphne was entering my room, alone.

"What…"

"Hali, I see you have fully completed your mission. But you still need to report everything that happened."

Her business like tone was sharp, calculating, I did lose all our men after all. So I did my report, I told her everything that had happened, keeping what happened in the time fissure before Dimitris saved me for myself. But I did inform her that without his support I wouldn't have been able to survive.

She then inquired about what happened after, why we traveled together and what had happened at the winter tournament.

"Why are you so curious? Father told me to travel with them since they are on a quest for him, that's it."

"What about the winter tournament? I heard something unnerving."

"What are you up too?"

"Hali, I heard that a son from the Lightning Bringer, not only won the combat branch, but even the specialty exhibitions! He even used the seemingly lost spirit arts!"

A bad feeling started to creep in my stomach. Those eyes, those calculating, glaring, disgusting eyes, they didn't see a person, no. They saw a profit.

"If we can make him our partner, we can expand our influence in unbelievable ways! Do you happen to know anything about him?"

Aahhhhh. Yes, of course.

Since I didn't win, she didn't give a flying fuck about me. She didn't care her soldiers had sacrificed themselves for me, she didn't even care about what Dimitris and the others had gone through to bring me here.

Sure, that flower maniac needed to come here either way, but he could have just shoved me in a room, not give a fuck about me and just treat me as a chair.

Ironically, he really had been more of a family to me than this woman who only had greed for money and influence.

I couldn't hold back my laughter anymore. This bitch was in it for a fucking horrible awakening.

"Why are you laughing? This is no joking matter Hali."

"You truly are something else Daphne."

"Manners."

I didn't care anymore.

"You remember the black haired mage, the one built like the best image of a warrior you could imagine? The one you treated like trash? He is that same demigod."

Her face paled instantly, but I wasn't done.

"That demigod, whose name is Dimitris by the way, is also King Odysseus' lover."

Daphne's legs gave in. She barely managed to reach my bed before completely collapsing. The influence and power she thought would be easily in her grasp was fleeting like a butterfly in a flowery field. Uncaring of her concerns.

"But… he is a king! Why would he lower himself to-"

"Daphne. Be very careful of the words your about to say."

She scoffed at my remark, she thought whatever she was about to say was nothing but the truth either way.

"He still has the making of a commoner, why should the king go after a commoner?"

Odysseus was right.

This nobility truly was bleak.

She couldn't even see her own mistake, just a second ago, Dimitris was her door to new success, but now that she realised that door was closed for her, she didn't waste time deprecating him as a mere commoner.

"Sure, he may be a commoner, even if I highly doubt it."

He himself said that his father was the king of the underworld.

"But what about the most talented son of the Lightning Bringer?"

"Hali, now you're just trying to throw me off because you feel indebted to that man. Sure, his eye may be green, but he has black hair."

"Oh right, you wouldn't know since you're full of prejudice and can't see his future. He is blessed by the ONLY housewife."

I could see her world crumble, and I was happy about it.

This woman was supposed to be my mother, but I couldn't find in all my memories a moment she acted like one and seeing her crush after hearing all these explanations brought a sense of satisfaction to me.

I can't believe I sought strength to impress such a vile person.

Had I not met Dimitris, got to know his situation and even experience it firsthand, I was sure I'd back to be an obedient daughter, but things had changed.

"Let's talk later, I'm sure they'll come to the palace as soon as they finish their business in the temple."

And to prove her statement a knock on my door was heard.

"Your majesty, those people who went to the temple are demanding to meet the Princess and King Odysseus."

"Rude bastards, not even asking for the owner of the house…"

She looked at me with a mischievous grin.

"Tell them to meet everyone at supper and offer them a bath to wash away their tiredness."

"Yes, your majesty."

She continued to stare at me, like I was mere pray, a toy to entertain her pleasures.

"Get rid of that awful clothing and dress with your best attires. Don't you even dare be late for supper."

The smile was gone. Only a murderous glare in her eyes, and I had already decided what dress to wear.

Time flew by and time for supper was already upon us. As if we had cohordinated ourselves we were all wearing clothes from Dimitris' world. Merlin and himself were wearing something he called a suit, his full black with gold flowery patterns, Merlin's rose gold with a silver lining. Odysseus was also wearing a suit, dark grey in color with almost invisible silver embroidery. As for me: I was wearing the most beautiful blue gown I had found in my short time in Dimitris' hometown.

"Ha! This half sardine knows what she's doing! Merlin look at that dress!"

"Damn, she may be a rude bastard just like you, but her taste is on another level."

Their melodious voices came with heavy layers of jabs towards my mother, at this point they simply didn't care.

Odysseus approached his man demanding for his hand, but maybe as a mistake, or maybe to piss off everyone present in the dining hall, Dimitris just kissed him, deeply.

Merlin burst out laughing and I too was finding it harder and harder to contain myself.

The rest of the room was completely paralysed. Not only did these two guests not care in the slights to show respect for her majesty. They even mocked everyone kissing so lustfully at the table.

"Enough."

Daphne's voice resounded in the room. Commanding attention and respect. Something that these men would not easily spare. But they did stop kissing at least.

"Are you so full of yourself because of the constellation behind you?! You still need to act like a decent human being if you want to survive in this world!"

Contrary to what everyone believed, instead of looking intimidated, Dimitris' smile widened to new extents.

"No your majesty, I'm not relying on my Master."

"…"

"But your father did ask me for a favour."

His eyes were gleaming with unspoken fury.

For a moment, the air around him grew hotter then the sun in mid summer.

He didn't look like a commoner one bit.

He looked like a tyrant, ready to destroy her at any given moment.