Voluptas

 The floors were crystal white, shiny like the sunrays of the sky. Around the frozen forest, a light mist surrounded you everywhere you went. The fountain was frozen, the icy water still spurting from its pipes. And the highlight of this beautiful scenery: the floating white flowers, frozen forever in ice, floating around you. You couldn’t touch them. If you try to even point a fingertip in its direction, it’ll float away from you. I wish I could touch them. I tried for so many years. I asked my dad to catch me one once, but just as he was handing it to me, it floated from my grasp like I was a leper. Then, I tried to ask my mother. The same thing happened. Oh, how disappointing.
 I even wore my favorite dress for the occasion of visiting this magical place. It was strewn by the winter fairies themselves. Made entirely out of snow, but it fit so snuggly warm, even with the thin see through sleeves. And another great thing about it, it doesn’t melt, no matter how many hours in spends in warm dressing room.
 I walked over the fluffy white snow to the shiny and pearly white fountain. I sat down at its edge. I reached for the ice. This was something I wanted to try. Finding my warming power was my goal as I was soon turning nineteen. 
 My fingertips touched the ice. Ever so slowly, perspiration was started to appear. I leaned in to get a closer look. Steam formed. And believe it or not, the ice was melting. I smiled.

 The ice beneath my fingers melted completely, and cold running water ran down the ice. Oh, it’s only this part of the ice. It was supposed to be the whole fountain. I’m still getting better, mind you. But sometimes, I kind of get distracted. Like of the other parts of nature. The flowers of spring, the leaves of fall, and the mighty mountains in summer. If you were me you would never want to leave it. But of course, it’s not that easy.

 “Yuri-ah!” someone calls from behind me.

 I turn to see my servant, my most trusting friend, Hyoyeon. I call her Hyoyeon, her real name, but others, the other servants, called her Viersa, her mortal name. Young Hyoyeon has been my best friend from the beginning. And the best part I love about her, is that she has a close relationship to magic herself.

 I turned to her in my beautiful snow white dress. “What’s wrong?”

 Hyoyeon sighed, then put her hands on her hips and looked at me with a raised brow. “Why are you wearing your coronation dress?”

 I twirled around in the snow dress. “I’m breaking it in.”
 My coronation to turn into an official goddess is happening the day after tomorrow. I got so excited, I looked at my coronation dress in pity. It looked so lonely hanging on the lines in the dressing room. I secretly stole it and decided to wear it. My father, the god of love, Cupid, has business to do on earth. And my mother, the Breath of Life, Psyche, is visiting her sisters in Hades. They don’t know I’ve been walking around with the dress on, even though my father has been telling me to wait. I refuse to wait to wear such a beautiful dress.  

 Hyoyeon shook her head. “Take that off. You’re going to be told on.”

 I rolled my eyes. “No one will tell on me. Not when the young Voluptas has something to say about it,” I put my hands on my hips and stuck out my voluptuous s. I may be sixteen, but I’ve blossomed faster than most girls. What would you expect from a girl named Pleasure?

 Hyoyeon’s mouth twitched. “I know you’re not about that life, Volupta.”

 My chest deflated and I pouted. “No. But, people still woo over me. No one likes it when I’m sad either.”

 “Well I don’t want to go to that, because I want you to just put the gown back. Come on,” Hyoyeon grabbed my hand and started pulling me out of the frozen garden.
 I sadly whimpered and looked back at the snowy scenery. I can only visit that place once a month these days. I have been schooled and have been rehearsing for this coronation for five months now. I can never get away from this palace. I felt like a hermit just being stuffed up with my teachers and trainers. I desperately wanted to get out, but everyone pushes me back in. Even my best friend, who even half-heartedly dragged me inside my palace.

 My parents and I lived in a palace right up the mountain. The snow on the mountain is what cause the snow garden, and a slight weave of magic. I think my aunty, Ceres, had created it before even my father was born.
 Since my mother was the breath of life she felt more comfortable being close to the skies. We were all more comfortable high up than the average human, who might faint on first sight of the seventy-foot drop down below. I always wondered what it was down there. Probably more snow and ice, since it is a little cold in the mountain area.

 Hyoyeon closed the front door and we continued walking down the entrance hall. Then, we ended up in our dressing room, and I took of my dress and Hyoyeon put it back on the mannequin without a head. While she did that, I looked at myself in the mirror. I was wearing my white lace underwear and bra. 
 I didn’t get it. Why am I having a coronation to become a goddess, when I don’t even have a husband yet? I may have an attractive body, but I have nothing in relation to my parents. First, I have tan skin, while Psyche and Cupid have pearly white skin. I have always questioned it. I haven’t been exposed to the sun that much but my skin has been sun-kissed like gold. Hyoyeon has suggested that it may be from Ceres, or my other aunty, Venus, who was not completely pearly white herself. She too has that slight tan to her skin. The one thing I do have from my mother is her brown eyes and chestnut hair. People have said I have my father’s lips, but I don’t quite see it. My legs are long, I have a flat stomach, flimsy arms, and wide hips. A disproportionate body, I would call it. “An hourglass figure, my darling,” Ceres would say.
 I referred my mother’s beauty over mine. I was exotic. I didn’t like that. I wanted to be pearly white and shiny and smooth like marble, not sun-kissed. I wanted wavy hair, not messy curls. To everyone, I was beautiful. To me, I felt . . . mortal.
 I sighed at me reflection.

 Hyoyeon’s figure appeared behind me. “You know, you’re very pretty.”

 I sighed again. Yes, just like what everyone says.
 I searched for something to wear in one of the closets.
 Hyoyeon continued with, “Just like a true goddess.”

 I shook my head. Everyone says that too. Everyone.
 I found a white strapless dress that started right above my s. It had a gold strap and ended in a sparkling translucent fabric. It was perfect. Perfect for me and my exotic looks. Maybe I could fit in with the Egypt gods.

 Whilst I put on the dress, Hyoyeon said, “What is wrong?”

 “You already know Hyoyeon,” I say as I get my head through the hole and pulled on the dress. I smooth the cloth down then looked at myself in the mirror.

 I rub my temples in frustration. “I am nothing like a Roman goddess.”

 “But you are,” Hyoyeon said. “You were born from two romans, so there for you are a true roman goddess. You are unique.”

 I put my hands down and stare at the girl in the mirror. Her brown eyes stare back in frustration. A loose curly strand falls out of place and lands on her forehead. She brushes it away.
 “I don’t want to be unique. I want to be beautiful.”

 “But you are,” Hyoyeon said, giving an honest-to-good smile.

 I turned to her. “No, I’m not. I’m too different. I’m not even married yet. My mother had gotten married to father before becoming a goddess. I am without a spouse.”

 “For now,” Hyoyeon pointed and her smile grew. “Just wait until you are an official goddess. Your powers are heightened, and your looks will be even more irresistible.”

 I gasped dramatically. “Can I pray to fellow Jupiter to give me marble skin and wavy hair?”

 Hyoyeon frowned. “Those are not the main aspects of beauty.”

 “They are to me. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Hyoyeon. To me, they are the aspects of beauty.”

 “Someday you will meet a man that thinks you are the aspect of beauty.”

 I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t. Why would anyone want me? I am literally nothing like the other goddess. What happened to me in the womb? Why do I look like this?

 I sighed one more time, and then smiled at Hyoyeon. “Thank you, Hyoyeon,” And then I exited out of the room.

 Before I made it far away, Hyoyeon called, “Your father and mother will be coming home in five minutes.”

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 I plucked a handful of buttercups, and put each in my curly hair while I walk in the gardens with the two fountains. One with the sweet water. One with the bitter water. The bitter fountain looked like regular fair blue water, while the sweet water glows and sparkled in the sunlight. If my parents were finally coming home, I didn’t want to miss looking like the respectable daughter that I am. As I walked along the lines in between the flowers and the fountains, bells clanged so the gods know that it was noon.

 Almost immediately, the birds that were in hiding suddenly flew into the skies, probably to assist the Sky god or Mercury in their needs. Hyoyeon told stories of the animals helping the gods and goddesses, especially Minerva and Ceres. The two nature goddesses had the closes relationship to the animals. That was another reason why I didn’t approve much for my looks. They through off a lot of animals. One time, I tried to pet a deer, but he only backed away from me like I was the wild animal. I felt mortal enough. But there is one animal with an exception. Do you know the winged stallion, Pegasus? I adore him and he adores me. He’s the reason why I love one animal: horses.

 I sighed again and bent down to look at myself in the fountain with the sweet water.

 Different.

 Unique.

 Beautiful.

 I still didn’t see it. It’s so disappointing, but I don’t see it.

 I looked around for a moment, looked into the water. Forgetting about appearence completly, I dipped my head in the water, and then pulled it back up, splashing water on my dress and wilting the pretty flowers in my hair.

 The cold water helps me relax, and the sweet water makes you feel better. It kind of works like a drug. Just without the fatalities. It almost has the same effect like the mortals have drinking alcohol. I have never had any, and I find wine extremely un-appealing, but from my observations, it's quite like that.
 I took a deep breath, and then heard the trees rustle in front of me. I looked to see another bird escaping the green, but there was nothing. It was probably an animal, running away. From me.

 I frowned. Then, I put my head back in the water.
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 How was that for a first chapter? Fine? Okay? Amazing? Leave comments guys! I appreciate it.

 

Enjoy The Story~