Words Written in the Stars

Block Statue of Senenmut and Neferure

This block statue or cube statue shows Senenmut with the features of a young man: full cheeks in a smooth round face, wide-open eyes with long lashes executed in relief, large ears, and a small, straight, full mouth. As Senenmut was her tutor, the princess’ head emerges from his mantle.

An indication of her position as heiress to the throne, the child wears her hair in the pleated tress characteristic of royal children, ornamented with the uraeus. Her name, inscribed within a cartouche next to her head, is preceded by the title “god’s wife,” most probably Amun-Re.

New Kingdom, mid-18th Dynasty, ca. 1478-1458 BC. From Karnak Cachette, Thebes. Now in the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. ÄM 2296

“That’s funny” said the child “because 2+4=6 and two pounds and four pounds is six pounds. It’s like the same as math!”

“What happens if you add 6+1?”

“SEVEN”

“What if we put one pound of mangos on the scale?” <mangos added>

“IT’S THE SAME!!”

“OK, what’s 7-4?”

“Three?”

“What if we take the four pound watermelon off the scale?” <watermelon removed>

I was tagged by @abitscripturient and @ace-malarky to share six sentences.

"She's not here."

"What do you mean, she's not here?" Hermia asked, making sure her ears were working. Where else would Helena be? She was a homebody by nature, preferring to sit and weave or even read. It was one thing Hermia's mother brought up constantly, wishing her energetic daughter would just sit in place like Helena. "Did she go out?"

I FINALLY FINISHED THE FIRST DRAFT OF FIRE IN MY VEINS!!!!!!

Thanks to @rauferes for tagging me! :)

This made me realize I had an International Lady (1941) WIP buried in my files that I never got around to finishing, so thanks for reminding me of it 😅

Tagging: @b2bmild, @missygoesmeow, and @nymitz

tagging @amypihcs @fruitviking @louieclamlent @berriponn

Tagging: @bedheadedleague, @i-dont-talk-for-days-on-end, @jabbage, and whoever else wants to join in!

The ritual circle glowed a bright, cheerful, sky blue.

The summoner paused for a split second, caught off guard by the color. In movies, demons were traditionally colored with red or black or even green, like Disney villains. However, it was a non-issue. They kept chanting, the words tumbling easily out.

Sparks shot from that sky blue circle, close enough that they found themself taking a step back.

And the last word-

The sparks exploded, resembling more fireworks than simple sparks, high enough that a mark was left on the ceiling, and then fell back.

There was silence.

“Okay,” Ryenne said, placing a hand on her hips, smiling at each other like it would hide the twitch in her eye. She wore a gown that was too fancy for the party described, but Killan had a feeling that she was wearing it more like battle armor. “Everyone knows the plan? Get in, talk to Elena, get her to forgive us, and everything goes back to normal.”

“Yeah.”

“Sure.”

“Great.” She turned and led the way, like she did in battle. “Let’s do this.”

-_-

“I can’t believe you.”

Killan stared at the floor, feeling his heart thud and resisting the urge to look up. His father was angry, properly angry, and his mother had the tone he had only ever heard directed at Krista.

It had been over a year since the Great One had been sealed away by the Chosen One and her friends. Three weeks ago, he had been released because the seal had been improperly applied. The reason why had been revealed two days ago.

“I know Elena was not the type of person you usually interact with-” Elena, the Chosen One. When he first met her, sent to escort her from her village to the capital, he had thought her simple. The image hadn’t improved over the course of their quest- no, that wasn’t quite right. “But the bullshit you and your stupid little idiots said- do you have any idea how that reflects on our family?”

Yes, actually. The Pani were famed for their undying loyalty. When that conversation had been revealed, whispers had begun immediately, wondering if their loyal reputation was even real. He couldn’t even imagine what was being said about the other two.

“Do you- Killan, Killan, look at me when I’m talking to you.” He snapped his head up before he realized, and he felt his heart sink at the look his parents had. His mother was stormy while his father was red in the face, clear rage in every wrinkle. “What in the stars even possessed you to think of that of Elena? She has saved you multiple times-”

No, no, he had to defend himself. Elena didn’t save him, she had- well, saved him, humiliating him. “She’s a simple country bumpkin,” he corrected. “She did help, but she did her role. She was never meant-”

SLAM.

Killan looked over his shoulder. He had forgotten Krista was there. She had slammed her book down and glared at him. Now, he was used to that expression, especially when she took the blame for something. “Don’t you say that,” she hissed, and Killan found himself straightening. He didn’t recognize that tone. “She’s from the country, yes, but she’s not simple. She’s thoughtful and kind and sweet. She’s just poorly educated because she’s doing more work than you’ve ever done in your entire twenty years of existence!”

Killan scoffed, glancing at his parents. Much to his surprise, his parents didn’t speak up. His father sighed “Krista,” as if asking her to stay out of it, but his mother placed a hand and he paused.

Krista nodded, as if they granted her the right to speak. “Sometimes I wonder how you were even friends with her, because you’re too busy talking out your ass!” She stood up, and her face was reddening. “She loves the three of you, and you weren’t the ones who had to comfort her when you started acting like she didn’t exist!”

She wasn’t supposed to exist, at least there. She had been expected to go home. Except, no, her village had been destroyed, leaving the royal family to support her.

For the first time, Killan felt a cold shiver of shame down his spine.

-_-

“If you talk to her, I promise, I will kill you.”

The party was full of their generation, not even just the nobility. Killan saw Emma, his family’s maid, dancing with a tall lad he was pretty sure mucked out the royal stables. Even the princess, barely reaching Ryenne’s shoulders, was there and was the first to notice them.

She looked angry.

Ryenne straightened up and Killan fought back a response. Ryenne and James were used to keeping the royal family’s company and being cut off had hit hard. He could see it in how quiet James was.

The crowd was beginning to notice them and it showed in how everyone was stepping back. He saw faces, ones that had snickered when Elena had first arrived, glare at him.

And, there, was a table.

Krista sat there, talking to Elena.

It had been the first time he had seen her since the incident. She looked in place now, unlike the first royal party she had attended with an ill-fitting white dress. She now wore yellow, and it made her eyes gleam.

That is, until she looked up.

Shame hit like the dagger Elena took for him.

She stared at them and then, quietly, looked away.

Still, there's something odd in the air. She tries to go over to the old row of game and food stalls to the left, but as soon as she gets close, overwhelming fear wells up inside of her. 

She hurries to the rides instead. Maybe if she comes back later, that feeling won't be there?

To the right, there sits an old Ferris Wheel and some kind of slide. Was that a water slide at one point? When she gets close enough, she can almost hear the water, long gone, nothing more than wind in the leaves now.

Surely, this sound will lull Sarah to sleep...and in the morning, everything will be okay.