Chapter Three: The festival of the Sun

Celebrate Helios the Sun God

              The sounds of the Lyra floated over to Hawk from where he stood, half hidden in the shadows of the water fountain. His favorite servant girl Alexandra clinging to his arm and dancing seductively against him. It was hard to focus on the festival around him when she was dancing like this. He scans the crowd of festival goers and spots Fenix dancing with Spith laughing as her husband twirled her around and around, making her flowy skirt swirl around her in a white streak of fabric. His eyes scan farther to see Nevaeh curled up against Amarock laughing and batting at him at something he whispers in her ear. Hawk smiles as he watches his sisters truly enjoying the celebration and being among their people. His thoughts were interrupted when Alexandra snakes her hand past his waist. He grabs her delicate hand and brushes a kiss across her knuckles, shaking his head to show her that this was not the time, nor the place for these actions. She pouts her full lips and looks up at him through he long lashes making him burst in genuine laughter. He puts his arm around her waist and pulls her extremely close to him. he kisses her lips and feels her body respond. He breaks away before he lost his resolve.

 

         "Not here Ally darling," He says seeing her start to pout again. He brushes a kiss on her forehead. "Later though," he whispers the promise hanging in the air. She smiles and sashays away. He just shakes his head and heads to the large table that held all the food, the smells of roasting meat filters through to his brain making his mouth water. He grabs one of the thin golden plates and helps himself to a sample of practically everything on the table. He needed his energy for tonight if Alexandra was going to visit.

 

            Nevaeh giggles and swats Amarock's arm at what he had just whispered into her ear. She was currently curled up on his lap, her Black fitted skirt rising slightly higher then she liked. She bent down to fix it back into place and as she rose she spies Hawk. He was currently in the embrace of His favorite consort Alexandra. She feels eyes on her and turns to see Fenix staring at her. She too had seen their brother. Fenix gives a disgusted look which Nevaeh did not return. Nevaeh approved of Alexandra, she wasn't just a pretty face, but had the brains and wits to go with the beauty, and even though Hawk always denied it Nevaeh knew that he loved her, but was to afraid to commit to just one girl. Fenix on the other hand thought the servant girl was nothing more then a harlot trying to wiggle her way into power and money.

 

         "My love relax." Spith says rubbing his wife's shoulder feeling her tension. He watches as Alexandra walks away from the prince and go off to dance with the crowds. He shakes his head at her, she wasn't the bimbo she pretended to be. She was Smart and independent and didn't need a man to help her get by in life. She wasn't your typical Harlot who wanted nothing but money and power. Spith knew that no matter how many times he told his wife that she wouldn't hear of it. She was far to protective of her older brother to ever believe a consort could be genuine with love. Which is why he could never tell her that as children Spith and Alexandra grew up together like siblings. Throwing the thoughts away he spins his wife around to face him and before she could protest he kisses her and whisks her away to dance again.

 

       Hawk finishes his mountain of food and looks up at the sky, Judging but the sun's position it was midday, and time for the sun ritual to begin. He pushes his way through the dancers and pauses only for a moment to watch Alexandra dance before making his way again through the crowd. He stops when he reaches his sun sister. He taps Fenix on the shoulder and waits for her to turn around before addressing her.

 

       "Fenix the sun is in the right position for the ritual of Helios to begin, Please step onto the stage and begin the rite." He says holding out his arm for her to take. She smiles at her brother and takes his offered arm and lets him lead her to the grand stage. She walks up the three smalls steps it took to get to the stage and once at the top of the stairs Hawk kisses her on the forehead right above her crown band and takes his place in the front of the growing crowd. In the front row was Nevaeh, Amarock, and Spith. all standing next to Hawk to show their support to the young empress.

 

        Fenix Strides across the uneven wood barefoot, not worried about splinters. She stops right beside the great altar of Helios that she had Painstakingly created last night and well into the early hours of the morning. The alter was covered with a Dazzling Yellow silk scarf that draped dramatically over the surface. On top of the silk were branches from the White Poplar tree, which are sacred to Helios, There was also a large status of Four Beautiful white horses pulling a glittering golden chariot which represents the chariot Helios drove across the sky pulling the sun behind him. The four horses represents His four horses that pulled the chariot, their names were  Pyrois, Eos, Aethon and Phlegon. Along with the branches and statue were various Symbols of Helios, A rayed crown made of pale gold, a whip made of the toughest leather the kingdom could create, and a small globe. Littered among the Symbols of the great Sun God was wheat and other harvest foods, it was the peoples way of saying thanks to the Sun God for the b bountiful harvest they had this past year. Fenix surveyed all this with a smile Stretches across her face. How Blessed was she to have an amazing Kingdom full of amazing people who shared her love of Helios? She wouldn't want to live or rule any other kingdom but Amythest, even her sister couldn't ruin her love for this Kingdom. Garbing a medium sized branch she faces the crowd.

 

             "People Of Amythest Another year has passed us with yet Another year of A bountiful Harvest!" She shouts as cheers erupt from her people around her. She watches them, her smile never fading. "Helios the Great sun God has been good to us, Every morning he drives his horses across the vast sky to give us the Sun. And every day the suns brightest rays fall upon our crops to make them strong and proud!" Her speech is once again cut off by the loud cheers, She doesn't mind, let her people cheer, let them show their loyalty to Helios. She holds the White Poplar branch High above her head, as high and close to the sky as her arms would let her. "And Now I shall Burn this Branch in thanks to Helios, To show him Our Loyalty to show him our Gratitude and Pray for More Blessed Years to come!" She shouts. At that moment she turns to the young servant children who were holding a bowel of burning coals. She dips the end of the branch into the flames and waits until it too catches fire before raising it into the air. The smell of burning woods fills her nose as the flames lick and eat away at the Poplar. She closes her eyes and starts the rite.

 

 Great Helios Of the Sun I call upon you! We the people of Amythest, your loyal subjects pray to you, thank you. You have blessed us with your rays for many years. You have helped our Kingdom Grow strong. We pray to you to help us for many years to come!

        Fenix chants the familiar words that she and her father had come up with when she was just a child. There were three chants that she alternated throughout the years but this one was by far her favorite. She opens her eyes to the sounds of the crowd chanting their own prayers. She looks around to see her Brother's eyes close and his lips moving to a silent chant of his own, NO doubt thanking Isis and Thanatos for all the life in the kingdom.

 

      Nevaeh was looking up at her twin with Pride and Awe. Even though the sisters did not get along they still were filled with pride when the other stood on the stage to give thanks to the Gods, and Goddess's that gave them life. In only a few short months it would Be Nevaeh's turn to be on the stage giving thanks to Selene the goddess of the moon during the Lunar Eclipse. Fenix Smiles at her sister and sticks her tongue out, her sun shape tongue ring sparkling in the sunlight making Nevaeh laugh and stick her own tongue out. It was times like this, Peace between the sisters that Nevaeh craved, wishing it would last forever. The sounds of the Lyra and other musical sounds started up and the crowd around her started to dance, their spirits soaring as they laughed and chanted. Words like "Praise Helios!" and "Let's hear it for Helios!" Came back to her making her smile. Even Though Helios was not the god she herself prayed to she could not doubt his necessity in her people's lives. She was grateful He was a Great God and cared for her Kingdom. She sees Fenix put out the burning branch and start descending the stage. Nevaeh pushes her way through the dancers to meet up with her sister.

 

     Suddenly something Hot flashes past her making her stop dead in her tracks. Her eyes Land upon the object in question. It was a burning Arrow that had lodged itself halfway through the banner three inches above Fenix's head. Suddenly the banner is Engulfed and turns into a deadly inferno. The crowds scatter, screams filled with panic echo the courtyard as everyone tries to escape the flames. Fenix stands under it, her red and blue eyes staring transfixed on the flames. Hawk, Spith, and Amarock Rush over to the girls and Spith drags his wife away from the fire. Her eyes never leaving it. 

 

          "What is the meaning of this? Who did this!" Spith asks between clenched teeth, as he tries to snap his wife out of her semi trance. Hawk and Amarock rush the stage and together pull their strength to pick up the large basin of water to throw onto the banner and douses the flame before it can spread. Amarock with slight difficulty loosens the arrow from its spot and yanks it free. He turns to the others, turning the arrow between his fingers. "Let me see the arrow, I might be able to extract information from it." Spith says holding out his hand for it. Everyone in the kingdom knew that Spith was an excellent marksman, the best one in all the kingdoms. Even Amarock could not disagree and without hesitation he hands over the arrow. Spith takes it and pours over it trying to find something, anything that could tell him who fired it. Letting out a frustrated sigh he flings it to the ground. "NOTHING! there are not signs, no symbols NOTHING to tell who or which kingdom this came from, All I know is that its not from Amythest." He says his fists clenched.

 

           "Ares." Fenix says in a weak voice. The others spin around to find her clutching the arrow to her body, tears pooling in her eyes. "Ares fired this shot." She says referencing the God of War. Ares was a cruel and violent god, always searching for a new vessel who can carry out his malice on earth. Nevaeh goes over to her sister and puts her arm around her shoulder, happy yet concerned when she doesn't push her away like she normally would, meaning she was more worried then she was showing.

 

        "Why would Ares bother us? What could we have possibly done to deserve his Wraith?" She says gently, afraid of her sisters answer. Fenix looks up and meets her eyes. Her red and blue one to Nevaeh's green and blue one. Fear was evident and shining clear in them, Her body started a slow tremble, and her hands clenched the arrow so tightly her knuckles were stark white.

 

          " When I took control of the army, Ares came to me. He wanted me to put away fathers "childish" notion that an Army could fight for Justice and peace. He wanted me to lead my army in his name, He wanted me to fight and seize all other Kingdoms until Amythest was the most fierce." She says in a whisper, her tears finally falling. "I turned my back on him, I defied him and told him that Amythest was a peaceful Kingdom that we would NEVER worship someone so cruel and that he was banished from here. He told me I, my kingdom would Pay for my Insolence, When nothing happened for a few years I thought maybe he had forgotten, I should have known." She says her body suddenly racked with deep heavy sobs. She collapsed to the ground her grief overwhelming her. Spith goes to comfort his wife but Hawk stops him. pointing out the fact that Nevaeh was already a step ahead of him.

 

     Nevaeh kneels down in front of her twin, her opposite, the sun to her Moon, Fire to her water. She puts her hand under her chin and makes her look at her. She takes the small silk cloth that Amarock hands her and wipes away Fenix's tears. "Sister do not Blame yourself for this. Ares is a cruel and heartless God who will do anything to stir up chaos, He will use anything as an excuse to start wars and leave destruction. I would have done the same thing had he approached me. You did what was right for the Kingdom you love. You protected your people. You protected your family. Do NOT be ashamed for that."

 

         'If I hadn't he wouldn't have come." Fenix says lowering her eyes. Nevaeh's hold on her chin tights forcing her to once again look at her. She saw determination in her sisters eyes.

 

        "He would have come regardless if you had gone along with him or not. He would have found something. You are not alone in this sister. We will Help you. We will fight along side you!"

 

Author's Note

Lyra- an ancient greek instrument made out of a tortoise shell and string and was plucked. it was said to have been created by the god Hermes.

Also in anceint greece they would celebrate the sun go Helios by pushing a large chariot pulled by horses over the side of a cliff into the sea. I did NOT put that in my story for I believe it would be a little to inhuman to do that. SO instead I pulled together a bunch of different rituals from different cultures and put them together to make my own ritual. I hope you enjoy.

I also Looked up symbols of Helios and the names of his four horses so that information is acurate