A Hall of Mirrors

A Polished Surface

Kath had never been so mistaken in her life. 

The nymphs—and she supposed her mother—have been holding back it seemed, from the kind of polishing she had been subjected to daily for a hundred years. Right after breakfast, she had been fitted into gown after gown that was more exquisite than the next. Kath was at a loss every time Aphrodite’s nymphs brought out excellently spun fabric, designs, and patterns that all seemed to swirl in her mind.

But it didn’t matter to focus on one design or a single color of dress or fabric. There seemed to be nothing Aphrodite approved of, nothing that passed her specific taste or vision. Kath stood in front of that full-length mirror, in front of about twenty or so nymphs, for almost the entire morning being prodded with needles and watched without seeing until she was ultimately dismissed to nap. 

The nap which she barely had time to enjoy before the polishing part began. 

“I think I have been scrubbed raw now, don’t you?” Kath said, wincing as another body scrub was applied over her arms and legs.

The sun was beginning its descent overhead the open lotus pools. A couple of them laughed, the sound like falling droplets of water. Other than that simple response of amusement, nothing else was given. Kath frowned, put out that she had yet to endure attendants that had no penchant for conversation. 

She supposed she’d be glad to be Introduced tonight. That after it, she would be free to now roam the city and the valley as she liked and make conversation with whoever she liked. Excitement thrummed in her veins. A hundred years of being cooped up meant she had a lot to experience, places to explore… to live. Oh, Kath had every intention of making her freedom count. To make every second of it count.

And if all it took was to sit through every dumb thing they wanted to subject her to, make her go through a party that was supposed to show everyone, well… her, then she’d do it with a smile on her gods-damned face.

So, that was what Kath did. With a cool smile plastered over her lips as she was dried, moisturized, and buffed, she kept her eyes on the goal for the whole duration of it until the entire thing became mindless for her. Kath allowed herself to suffer through it, merely snapping out of the emptiness in her mind when Aphrodite herself had come walking the halls to her room. 

The goddess was dressed in a deep red that shimmered with her every movement that Kath found herself immediately jealous of. Aphrodite looked every bit of the goddess that she was—undisputed in beauty, with power one would never doubt she had. The cut of the dress was equal parts tasteful and daring, with bits of porcelain skin showing from her open sides, or the deep neckline that teased showing her breasts. Her sleeves were sweeping and made of sheer material and the ends of her skirts flared every time her hand raised as it was connected by a loop through her finger, subsequently showing ample amounts of leg from the high slit on her dress.

Her blonde hair had been swept up into an elegant pile of curls atop her head that framed her devastating face. Her eyes were decidedly turquoise tonight, none of that flickering catalog of colors that suited her either way. Her soft cheeks were stained pink like an eternal blush, and her full lip was swathed in a sultry red that made her teeth whiter. Aphrodite was taking no prisoners tonight, Kath realized as the goddess framed herself at the threshold of Kath’s room. She took note of the dryads that followed her, each carrying boxes of black with a thick, white satin ribbon holding it together.

“Leave us,” the goddess said. In an instant, the naiads disappeared, misting themselves at the behest of the Goddess of Beauty. Once they were gone, those turquoise eyes turned warmly on Kath, who merely stood before her in a robe and sniffed. Surprise flashed in her eyes. “You don’t like the jasmine perfume I sent you?”

Kath shrugged unapologetically. “I find that the vanilla calms me more,” she said with a one-shouldered shrug. 

To her immense relief, Aphrodite merely smiled and waved for her attendants to pile in and lay out the boxes on her bed. Kath raised a brow at the goddess but Aphrodite’s smile had turned triumphant and secretive as she gestured for her to go ahead and open the boxes.

Kath chose the smallest one first, a flat box that was at least three inches thick, admiring the thick paper material of the black box before she tugged on the bow. With her thumb, she pried the lid open and gasped. 

Nestled deep within the velvet cushion was a small crown, a tiara made of thin, swirling tendrils of gold that held diamonds of startling purity and a gem with the pinkest of sheens. Morganite, Kath realized the gem was called with a jolt of shock. 

“You didn’t think we’d send you out without the riches a deity of your station deserves, did you?” She heard Aphrodite say from her left. 

In a snap from the goddess’ own hands, Kath’s long hair was curled and pulled with the top half bound to support the tiara while the other half settled down her back in thick curls. Aphrodite reached over and plucked the tiara from its casing and settled the considerable weight atop the young goddess’ head. 

Kath had no words and Aphrodite seemed to notice it as she urged her to move along with the next box which looked about the same size a shoebox would. Indeed, inside were a pair of heels. They weren’t tall enough to make Kath’s feet hurt, and she melted inside at how pretty they looked, the strappy little things, as they too were slipped on to her two feet.

The largest box left had Kath swallowing whatever lump had formed in her throat and made no move to open it, knowing already what would be inside. It was ridiculous of her, really. What could be worse than a tiara? But Kath knew that whatever lay inside she would love it instantly and thus be taken from her once the party ended. Nothing of the dresses she owned, she got to keep anyway. There hardly would be a difference now. Aphrodite merely opened the box herself. From a silent command, the dryad with braided vines for hair peeled back the luxurious paper.

She could have cried. The dress was that beautiful. It looked like sparkling champagne, accenting the tan on her skin. The bodice was fitted and her shoulders and clavicle were bare but the splayed-out skirts were fun and youthful as they swished. The light caught on the sparkling gown whenever she moved, the tulle underneath incredibly weightless and not at all bulky. 

As she was shown to the mirror, Kath could hardly believe she was staring at herself. Her deep-set silver eyes were alight—dancing like starlight—and her makeup was tasteful, just a light dusting of color here and there. The deep, rich tones of her hair made the skin on her face appear healthy, glowing. No traces of her lack of sleep or ever-increasing anxiety.

Truly, she looked like a princess.

Aphrodite came up from behind Kath, a wicked, sinful flame to her innocent light. “Do you like it, my sweet?” she asked.

Kath’s throat bobbed in the reflection of her mirror. “I love it,” she whispered hoarsely. Then, as if to risk it, she asked, “Can I keep the dress?”

The goddess seemed surprised by the request. Kath immediately explained, “I want to keep it for sentimentality’s sake. To remember my Introduction.’

She seemed to consider it. Kath held her breath and prepared herself to lose. Aphrodite’s eyes softened. “Of course, sweetling. You can keep this one.” A hand reached out to touch the fabric of her dress. “I think Athena will be pleased you like this one so much.”

“Did she make this?”

“She’s been weaving the fabric of your dresses since you were a little girl.”

Kath almost balked at such honor. Athena. Athena had been making all the dresses and clothes she loved so much. But… why? Didn’t the goddess have better things to do within all those hundred years? Kath couldn’t believe it, much less believe that she was questioning the choice of an Olympian goddess to be her personal clothier. It was an honor, that’s what it was. And Kath decided that once she’d gathered up the courage to approach the goddess later tonight, she would thank her for all the masterpieces she had been blessed to wear.

Her fingertips ran through the front of her dress, watching and feeling as they traced each bit of crystal that made her dress look like starlight. This was happening. This Introduction was happening. She couldn’t decide which would be acceptable as a manifestation of her anxiety: vomiting, or fainting.

Either way, she supposed Aphrodite would mind very, very much.

“A few reminders,” the goddess now spoke, wrenching Kath’s attention from her dress. She started at the severity in her face. “Remember that Zeus asked you to stay away from a certain brother of his. Slow down on the ambrosia this time, and find me from time to time so I could check in with you. If anyone makes you feel uncomfortable, come to me. If anyone—anyone—touches you without your permission, you come to me. If anyone so much as tries to get you to do anything you do not want, you scream.” At Kath's raised eyebrow, her mother’s eyes flashed. “Yes. I don’t care if we are at a party with family. If anything happens, draw attention to yourself. I will come.”

A shiver of fear ran down Kath’s spine along with another emotion she could not put a finger on. Aphrodite had always been fiercely protective of her. She remembered when a couple of nymphs as young as she was had pushed her a little too hard that caused her to scrape both her knees. While being a goddess allowed considerable healing abilities, Aphrodite had still left her meeting down at the valley in panic and distress and had the nymphs banished from the palace.

If that were the lengths her mother would go to for a mere superficial wound, what would she do when someone harmed her in... that way? Kath shuddered to think of what would happen to her assailant.

But Kath did feel a lot better that her mother had her back. That she had someone to run to if things went wrong. Someone that would protect her. Kath was not able to help the gratitude that surged her body. She flung her arms around the surprised goddess, inhaling the sweet spice of her perfume.

"Thank you," Kath murmured. She stepped back, and Aphrodite's eyes glittered with silvery tears.

Gentle hands smoothed Kath's hair. "You don't need to thank me. Not for anything, my sweet, and definitely not for this." Aphrodite smiled, and the warmth on her face was something Kath could not help but reflect back. "Come. The party awaits."

Cold crept up her hands and they trembled lightly so Kath clasped them tightly in front of her and moved. Aphrodite led their small entourage back to the larger, guest-friendly wing. The foyer of the mansion was surprisingly empty when they passed it. The party would be held in the sprawling gardens and the open hall of the palace. Kath, despite living for a hundred years within the compound, had never seen this garden. She held her breath as the music reached her ears, a sweet and lively melody that livened the party. Along with the music was, of course, the scent.

Or scents. There were so many that Kath was having trouble picking any person out. And the power that cackled in the air… She quietly took in air. How did these people remain calm at the sheer magnitude of power that surrounded them? Kath swallowed as they stopped at the closed, dark wood doors. She knew what lay beyond them. Kath decided that she might very well faint and fashion an incredibly bad first impression with her ‘family’. 

Gods, she had never been this stressed in her life.

She liked it.

Excitement once again ignited her veins, along with that same strange feeling she felt earlier. Like someone—or something—was tapping her shoulder. Teasing her to look.

Kath promptly ignored the odd sensation and shoved it in the back of her head as Aphrodite turned. Her turquoise eyes skimmed her up and down one last time.

“I’ll be going ahead,” she said, making Kath’s heartbeat go nuts. “The cue for you to enter those doors will be pretty obvious.”

“You aren’t going to be with me?” she asked, a pathetic whine in her voice. 

Aphrodite lifted her hand as if she was going to reach out to touch Kath’s cheek, but she let it fall to her side and gave her a wink instead. “You need to learn how to make grand entrances, my sweet. And when you walk out, make me proud.”

Kath felt Aphrodite gather her power one moment, pink smoke curling around the goddess, and before Kath had blinked, she was gone. Suddenly, Kath felt small as she faced that large double-door. She hoped none of them expected her to open her own door, or else they’d really have a show of her falling flat on her face.

Straightening, Kath rallied all her strength and mustered as much confidence as she could. She thought of Aphrodite, about how she seemed to always float, how she always had her back straight and her chin high. How she held that quiet power and turned into irresistible charm. Kath took a leaf out of her mother’s book and mimicked it as much as she could before she set about turning it into something she was comfortable with. And when she smiled, it felt as easy as breathing.

The nymphs surrounding her stepped back into the shadows of the small hall and she opened her mouth to ask what was happening when she heard a loud booming that Kath realized was Zeus’s voice. She descended back into that smile, that efficient grace. 

“...proud to present to you, Kathréftis, Goddess of Reflections!”

The doors opened slowly, the lights seeping through blinding her for a moment. Amidst the raging sea of nervous energy that thrummed within her, Kath couldn’t help but snort for a moment at the ridiculous title. A goddess, but in name only. Only by association and by blood.

She stepped forward, her eyes adjusting to the lights that were trained on her, and if she wasn’t smiling earlier, she would have been now.

The garden was spectacular. Flowers and trees and magnificent shrubbery and twelve altars were arranged neatly in a horseshoe around the garden that stretched as far as the eye could see, the hills providing a manicured yard, or in this case, space for dancing and mingling. Beyond the great horseshoe, a lit-up ruin of what seemed either like a museum or a temple stood. It seemed like only the columns had been bothered to be kept, perhaps for aesthetic purposes, but Kath could see a very long table set with candles and blooms and chairs with it. There were no roofs or walls and Kath knew it would be breathtaking to dine under the stars that glittered over Olympus.

Her eyes flickered back to the present. It was ridiculous to notice everything else about the party but miss the main point of it entirely. A s**t-ton of people was staring at her, either with smiles or with gaping mouths, some with blatant desire and others with intense curiosity. She let her silver eyes rove over them, stretched her lips wide enough, and turned her head to the left, where the King of Olympus waited for her with an outstretched hand.

When she walked to him, there was nothing but utter confidence within her as she sashayed over to Zeus and Hera were up on a small dais. Nothing broke her except for a small flash of confusion when Kath found Aphrodite at the bottom of the platform, pride gleaming in the goddess’ eyes when she should have been up on the platform with her.

Kath made to stop, but Zeus already had his warm, calloused hand in hers and was pulling her up with him. 

When she faced the crowd again, she was amazed to see every last one of the gods and goddesses of Olympus raise their glasses towards her. She could taste various tones of their scent and powers, but the two powerful gods behind her nearly overpowered them all. She would take time, she promised, to know each and every one of those scents. To whom they belonged. She would take advantage of this night that stood in the way to her freedom. 

She would.

She would.