Her youngest daughter had been pulling away from her for years, and Circenia couldn’t deny the pain it caused her. Danae had always been a strong, willful child with a mind of her own, traits her mother proudly encouraged, but it seemed the girl held nothing but resentment for the woman who had birthed her. The more she tried to reach out to her, the more Danae pulled away, and the Stravos matriarch could take it no longer. Deprived of her own mother at a young age, she wouldn’t let the gulf between them continue to grow. Circenia would be part of her daughter’s life. Whether she liked it or not.
One knock on Danae’s door announced her presence before she swept into the room. Whether she was asleep or not, she was definitely awake now, and Circenia had plans for their day. Today, she wasn’t going to let Danae hole herself up in her room doing gods know what. They were going out, and she was just going to have to deal with it.
“Danae, we’re going to the market,” she informed her daughter as she started to rifle through the girl’s wardrobe. Selecting a crimson peplos and another in burnished gold, Circenia grabbed them both and strode over to where Danae stood. She held up the red one first, then the gold, glancing between her child and the garments with a critical eye. Nodding in satisfaction, she thrust the red one her daughter’s way. “You should wear this. Crimson really brings out your eyes.”
There would inevitably be protests, she knew, but it was far past time that Danae learned how to be a lady. No matter that she hated it, no matter that their family was in disgrace, the girl was still a daughter of the royal line of Athenia, and Circenia had indulged her boyish whims for far too long. She would never let it be said that any child of hers didn’t know how to act their station.
Moving over to the nearby table without waiting for a response, she started rifling through the small chests she found there to see if she might spot any adornments to better compliment the gown. Shaking her head in disappointment and releasing a sigh of frustration, Circenia found little that would satisfy her. While she knew her own style was far more ostentatious, it was still hard to believe her own daughter had so little of it. “I swear, it’s like a woman doesn’t even live in this room, Danae. I know I’ve bought you more jewelry than this.” The princess’s eyes narrowed suspiciously in her daughter’s direction, wondering just where it had all gotten to.
Rolling her eyes, she shook her head again. “No matter. I’m sure I have something that will suit. Come on. Start getting ready, and I’ll see what I can scrounge together for you.” The look on Circenia’s face made it clear she would accept no argument on this, no matter that her daughter was just as stubborn as she was. When she put her foot down, she put it down.
One knock on Danae’s door announced her presence before she swept into the room. Whether she was asleep or not, she was definitely awake now, and Circenia had plans for their day. Today, she wasn’t going to let Danae hole herself up in her room doing gods know what. They were going out, and she was just going to have to deal with it.
“Danae, we’re going to the market,” she informed her daughter as she started to rifle through the girl’s wardrobe. Selecting a crimson peplos and another in burnished gold, Circenia grabbed them both and strode over to where Danae stood. She held up the red one first, then the gold, glancing between her child and the garments with a critical eye. Nodding in satisfaction, she thrust the red one her daughter’s way. “You should wear this. Crimson really brings out your eyes.”
There would inevitably be protests, she knew, but it was far past time that Danae learned how to be a lady. No matter that she hated it, no matter that their family was in disgrace, the girl was still a daughter of the royal line of Athenia, and Circenia had indulged her boyish whims for far too long. She would never let it be said that any child of hers didn’t know how to act their station.
Moving over to the nearby table without waiting for a response, she started rifling through the small chests she found there to see if she might spot any adornments to better compliment the gown. Shaking her head in disappointment and releasing a sigh of frustration, Circenia found little that would satisfy her. While she knew her own style was far more ostentatious, it was still hard to believe her own daughter had so little of it. “I swear, it’s like a woman doesn’t even live in this room, Danae. I know I’ve bought you more jewelry than this.” The princess’s eyes narrowed suspiciously in her daughter’s direction, wondering just where it had all gotten to.
Rolling her eyes, she shook her head again. “No matter. I’m sure I have something that will suit. Come on. Start getting ready, and I’ll see what I can scrounge together for you.” The look on Circenia’s face made it clear she would accept no argument on this, no matter that her daughter was just as stubborn as she was. When she put her foot down, she put it down.