Sophie and Angela arrived in the vineyard dressed in ritual, pure white cotton dresses. They wore loose sandals and wreaths of heather and sage on their heads.
“I feel ridiculous,” Sophie whispered as they moved forward and joined Georgia and Callie. A crowd gathered outside of the ornate iron gates that protected the vines.
“So glad you could find the time to join us,” Georgia said. “Now please stand behind me and Callie, so we can begin.”
In the center of the crowd there were two large grape stomping barrels for the harvest to be poured into. Several other Muses, who had done this ritual before, also wore the traditional costumes and waited for Georgia’s signal.
Georgia walked forward and stepped onto a raised platform and up to a carved wood podium. The crowd applauded and cheered. Georgia beamed and acknowledged the warm welcome.
“How kind. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.” The crowd grew silent and Georgia began. “What a glorious day. May God continue to shine down upon this Vasilikós and keep each and every one of you in his grace. Amen. For more years than I care to remember, or am willing to admit to”
The crowd chuckled.
“I have been the keeper of these vines. Together, as a Vasilikós united, we have ushered in year after year of plentiful harvests, thereby keeping the balance of this world and providing the Fates with their much-needed libation. While the rest of the world goes on with their daily business, we of the Demigod community continue our dutiful watch over those entrusted in our care. My role, as harvester, continues to be one I’m incredibly proud of and one I’ve sacrificed so—” Georgia paused, looking down at her speech. “— and I have sacrificed a lot…and…I…”
Callie went to her mother and stood next to her on the platform, clasping her mother’s hand.
“I never lost faith that my humble prayers would be answered, and my dearest friends, they have.”
Angela gestured for Sophie to go up and stand by her grandmother. Sophie walked up and stood next to Georgia, clasping her grandmother’s other hand. “For you see, for this harvest, things are different. My daughter Callista and my granddaughter Sophia have joined us for this harvest. They have returned to stay in this Vasilikós. My heart and soul have returned to me and I am a humbled woman for it. So, without going on and on about how happy I am, please give me the honor of shouting: Blessed be this wine, for it is the nectar of the gods. And blessed be each of you. Let the harvest begin.”
The crowd burst into shouts and yells as they clapped and cheered.
The gates behind Georgia opened and everyone rushed past carrying wicker baskets to collect the grapes. Georgia reached down and picked up three baskets, giving Callie and Sophie a basket each.
“Well, don’t just stand there,” Georgia said with a laugh. “It’s harvest time. Go harvest.”
The Muses of the Vasilikós were joined by Hobs, Nymphs and a whole host of Demigods that either lived in the Vasilikós or nearby. Bennett walked up to Sophie wearing pale khaki pants, sandals and a long sleeved white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He carried a large, deep basket balanced against his hip. He gestured for Sophie to pour her grapes into his basket and placed his basket on the ground. As she bent at the waist to transfer her grapes, he squatted and took her face into his hands and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Her mind was swimming as she lost herself for a moment, until Angela grabbed her arm through the vines.
“Watch it. Georgia is walking the rows,” Angela warned and returned back to her picking.
Sophie smiled and after rolling her eyes, pushed his face away from hers.
The combination of the right temperature mixed with the perfect breeze made what would have been hard work pleasant enough to be enjoyable. Everyone chattered with the person next to them and Georgia’s pleased expression told everyone it was an excellent harvest. The grapes were taken from the fields and poured into the vat.
Walking with Sophie, Bennett and Angela, Callie explained the next part of the harvest.
“The stomping of the grapes is an important part of the harvest and has its very own ceremony. For hygienic reasons, feet are washed thoroughly. The leader of the Vasilikós selects a person of honor, someone close to their heart, to be the first person to begin the stomping of the grapes. Georgia will not participate in the actual stomping. She’ll most probably choose you, my sweet daughter.”
A hush fell over the crowd, as they watched Georgia walk towards Sophie and Callie.
“I choose you, most beloved daughter.”
Callie burst into tears, reached over and hugged her mother. Tears rushed forth from both women. Georgia led Callie to several stools with small tables with neatly folded cloths and towels, and large bars of roughly cut homemade soap. Callie sat down on the stool and slid off her sandals, placing her feet into the water. Georgia began the process of washing her daughter’s feet by kneeling on the ground. She grabbed a bar of soap, a piece of cloth and threw a towel over her right shoulder. Dipping the cloth in the water, and then rubbing it on the large bar of soap, Georgia began cleaning Callie’s feet.
“I remember washing you as a baby in the old tub just outside this very orchard and how I promised to be a good mother and to always be there for you. I know I failed. I am so sorry, daughter. So sorry.” Georgia wept.
“Oh, Momma,” Callie said. “It’s okay. I know.”
The crowd fell silent and Sophie was lost in the emotion of the moment. Knowing Bennett stood behind her, Sophie reached back and took his hand.
After Georgia finished drying her daughter’s feet, she kissed each one on the instep. Callie stood up and then helped her mother to her feet. They gave each other a kiss on both cheeks and Callie climbed the ladder and stepped into the first vat of grapes. The crowd roared and Georgia walked over to her Sophie.
As her grandmother approached her, she saw Georgia’s eyes glance down to see Sophie holding Bennett’s hand.
Georgia sighed. She kissed Sophie on the cheek and whispered, “Go ahead. Wash the boy’s feet. I won’t put up a fuss.”
Sophie pulled her grandmother into a quick hug, kissing her on the cheek. Others chose their partners and began the washing process.
“Thanks, Yiayia. Thank you.”
Sophie pulled Bennett towards the benches and followed what Georgia had done. Sophie laughed at how Bennett’s feet barely fit the basin and he jumped several times as Sophie tickled his feet.
“I didn’t know Minotaurs were so ticklish.”
He flicked some water out of his basin and she squealed in protest. She dried his feet and kissed the tops of them. He repeated the process and washed, dried and kissed Sophie’s feet, but instead of allowing her to walk and climb into the vat, Bennett carried Sophie on his back and she playfully shrieked as he climbed the ladder. In a moment of panic, Sophie placed her hands over Bennett’s eyes and in his disorientation he missed the last wrung of the ladder, falling face first into the grapes, with a laughing Sophie still clinging to his back. Bennett rolled over and trapped Sophie against the smashed grapes and she laughed until tears ran down her face.
Callie and Angela, who were busy crushing grapes and laughing at the two, helped them both to their feet. Both of their clothes were stained with burgundy splotches and Bennett pulled out handkerchief dripping with grape juice and used it to wipe Sophie’s face.
Angela grabbed Sophie’s hand and the girls ran, enjoying the feeling of the pulp squishing through their toes. Callie and Bennett waltzed around them, nearly falling several times.
“Hobs,” Georgia called thirty minutes later. “It is time to begin turning on the taps to capture the juice and begin straining and cooking.”
Sophie glanced towards the Vasilikós and saw Miranda watching the festivities from the terrace. She panicked, attempting to grab Bennett’s attention, hoping he had not seen his ex-girlfriend. She turned back looking over his shoulder, relieved to see Miranda had disappeared.
Chapter 30
Sophie couldn’t believe she actually had a moment to herself. The hot bubble bath was exactly what she needed to relax and attempt to scrub the sticky grape juice off of her skin. Her mother had dropped off a special bubble bath that seemed to be doing the job, and Sophie stuck her head below the water to get the rest of the pulp and seeds out of her hair and ears.
“Sophie,” Angela’s voice came from the bedroom. “You can soak for another fifteen minutes.”
Miranda’s voice interrupted Angela’s. “You have a dance lesson and ceremony rehearsal in twenty-five minutes. Which means unless you want to have wet hair you’ll need to get out right about now,” Miranda said, reaching down into Sophie’s tub and pulling the plug out of the drain.
“Hey!” Sophie protested.
“My dear, hey or no hey, you are only two weeks away from the ball and you must stick to your schedule. Angela, if you aren’t able to help Sophia keep her many obligations, I’m sure we can find another Vasilikós staffer, like a maid, to do so.”
Light flickered in Sophie’s bath water as the anger seeped out of her hands.
“Sophie,” Angela warned. “I’ll get her down to the ballroom on time, Miranda.”
“Good,” Miranda said, turning to leave the room. “I always knew Angela would be such a big help to me. So useful.”
While Miranda’s back was turned Angela raised her fist like she was going to punch her. “Well, at least we are in agreement on that.”
“Get the door,” Miranda said. Angela waved her hand and made the door swing shut. Sophie laughed as she walked out of her bathroom wearing a robe and using a towel to dry her hair.
“So you can slam a door, but when I create one minor energy burst, you get all concerned. You know, now that I get to know her, Miranda isn’t half bad.”
“I was just thinking the same thing. She grows on you, like a light case of leprosy.”
Sophie threw her towel onto her latest addition to her room—a mission-style desk and matching heavy wooden chair. She hadn’t decided if she liked it or not, but she was told it was an original Stickley, whatever that meant, and it was growing on her. She grabbed the wet towel, afraid it would ruin the desk’s finish, and walked back into her bathroom.
“What am I supposed to wear for this thing?” she asked.
“Well, if you review the sweet little sticky note Miranda left you, you have to wear something with a long skirt and dancing shoes.”
Sophie walked out wearing a mismatched white short-sleeved shirt and a long flowing, multi-colored skirt.
“Well,” Angela said, eyeing the outfit. “It isn’t red carpet, but it’ll do.”
“Let’s get this over with,” Sophie said, and after Angela took the hex off the door they were able to make it down to the ballroom with five minutes to spare. Callie, Georgia and Winnie appeared to be discussing plans for the event. A staircase Sophie didn’t remember was attached to the second floor balcony where the orchestra would be, along with additional seating for those wanting to view the entire dance floor. She knew from her exploration of the Vasilikós that there was also a whole set of dressing rooms, including a large sitting room Angela referred to as a Green Room, off of the orchestra area.
“Girls. Over here.” Georgia waved.
Sophie saw Bennett had arrived, dressed in a tunic. It was made for a much shorter person and Bennett appeared mortified as he attempted to stretch the material to cover anything that shouldn’t be showing.
“Oh, that will not do. Not at all. Callista, just look at this. It’s hopeless,” Georgia said.
“Let me try,” Angela said, stepping around Bennett and shaking her head. “The shortness of the front is nothing compared to the shortness of the back. Nice boxers, Bennett.”
“Ha ha ha,” Bennett said. “Nice try, Angela, but I’m not wearing boxers today.”
“Oh my, my, my,” Angela teased. “Hey, Soph, would you like to guess whether Bennett is wearing any underwear at all?”
“Okay, I give,” Bennett said, backing up until his back pressed against the wall. “Can you fix it?”
Angela eyed it and grabbed a front part of the tunic. “Don’t get too excited or you’ll make the hem even shorter,” she said to him with a grin. “See, there’s plenty of material here, but the material is so old I’m concerned it might tear when we try to alter it.”
“Well,” Georgia said. “Bennett can wear his traditional Scotsmen’s kilt and dress jacket. I won’t say I’m not disappointed, but it’s a minor detail we can do away with.”
Bennett slipped into a pair of cargo shorts and lifted the tunic over his head, leaving himself bare-chested.
All five women stared at him as he grabbed the undershirt hanging from his front pocket.
“What?” Bennett said, as the awkward silence continued.
“Okay,” Georgia began. “This is pretty standard protocol. Sophia, you and Angela will enter from the Green Room and descend the staircase. Sophie you’ll be in front and Angela will follow you. Bennett, you will stand at the bottom of the stairs waiting for Sophia to meet you. She will take your arm and you will escort her to meet the representatives of each of the Vasilikós.”
What the heck are we talking about? Why is everyone acting like we’re planning a high school dance?
“Sophia,” Georgia said. “Please pay attention. This part is important. Bennett will present you to each of the Leaders of the Vasilikós. You will curtsy all the way down and stay down until the Leader of the Vasilikós gives you permission to rise. Now, some of the Vasilikós will test you because they can and will make you curtsy a lot longer than the others.”
“Wait one sec,” Sophie interrupted. “We have a real threat of some sort of Olympian out to get me…heck, all of Olympus is out to get everyone in this Vasilikós. You have been branded to spend your afterlife in Hell—”
“The Underworld—” Georgia corrected.
“Unless I’m mistaken,” Sophie arched her eyebrow, “the Underworld isn’t a spa or a bed-and-breakfast, so I’m guessing Hell is pretty close. So everyone I love, everyone important to me, this entire Vasilikós are in danger and yet we’re focusing on whether or not I can hold a curtsy? I’ve got dancing shoes on when I should be wearing combat boots. Are you all insane? Am I the only one who sees this?”
“But you aren’t ready.” Callie said.
“Ready for what?” Sophie asked, no longer bothering to hide her frustration, as her voice became louder in volume. “I’m ready to put my life on the line. I’m ready to walk into a stupid dance with a great big target on my back. What are all of you waiting for? Train me. Teach me how to use my powers. I need to be able to defend myself.”
“Sophia, enough of this.” Georgia said, throwing her hands up in the air. “We don’t have time for this nonsense. Your powers are volatile, unpredictable.”
“Do you want to know what is unpre—”
“Sophie, don’t.” Callie warns.
“Don’t what? Are you kidding me, mom? I saw a pile of dead dogs, branded with Nothos, not even three miles away from here. Something rounded up those poor dogs and slaughtered them. I got their message.”
“I know…I know,” Callie said. “Look, you have to understand what we are stressing about your powers. A new Muse’s powers are developed with time and you haven’t been a Muse long enough to be able to benefit from any sort of training. Your powers have to mature, plus we’re not sure enough of their extent. You are more powerful than you think, and right now, your powers are controlled by your emotions. It isn’t wise to mess around with something like this unless you know what to expect—”
“Then teach me how to trigger them. Does it work if I’m scared, pissed, in love? Something. Anything.”
Georgia walked up to Sophie. “Listen to me, girl. You will do what I say. I don’t have time to explain each and every detail, but understand you will be safe. I will lay down my own life before I let anything happen to you. But for now, you’re going to have to trust
me.”
Sophie didn’t know what to do. She wanted to admit the deal she had made with Persephone. She had literally invited the enemy into her home
Wasn’t there something about inviting a god into your home… no, that’s vampires. Wait, I never gave her the invitation. If she doesn’t have an invitation, she can’t get in. But, what about daddy? I have to see him. Shoot, shoot, shoo—
Georgia gripped each side of Sophie’s head. A burst of light was followed by blinding pain and nausea. Sophie yelled out in pain and fell to her knees, unable to catch her breath. When Sophie could breathe again, she wiped the spit from her lips and chin, and looked up at her grandmother. “What have you done to me?”
“I did what was necessary. I always do what is necessary. Your powers are bound, so the issue is no longer about training you to use them. Now, control that mouth of yours, do what is expected of you and leave the rest to us. Is that really too much to ask, child?”
Sophie shook her head and glared at Georgia. “You had no—”
“Sophie, that’s enough.” Callie said.
Georgia laughed and forced Sophie onto her feet. She turned Sophie to face the center of the room. “After you’ve made it through the other eight Vasilikós, you will come forward and curtsy to me. No need to wait for me to tell you to rise. I will come forward…”
Sophie stopped listening to her grandmother. She concentrated on trying to boil up enough emotions to cause some sort of power burst.
Just a flicker. That’s all I need. A spark and I can work on the rest. Please…just a twinkle.
But the buzzing in her head almost made her feel like vomiting. It was like a mesh wall was separating her from her powers, stopping her from connecting with her core. Instead of retreating from the buzzing, she focused on it, sweat dripped from her forehead and the tip of her nose.
I won’t let her do this to me. I won’t let her control me. I won’t be helpless.
Sophie felt a small hole in the layers of mind fabric holding back her powers. The buzzing was mind splitting. The hole was tiny, the size of the point of a needle. She grew excited. She had done it. She had forced the hole to become bigger.
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