The morning rose later than usual, the sky remaining dark well into the late morning until the sun rose over the tops of the trees, grazing the earth that it fell over, wakening the sleeping foliage and the animals that lay within it, curled up in dreamland with not a care to the world that existed beyond the perimeter of their minds. Athena, one of those still below the surface of her dreams, was in no rush to wake but as the blades of gentle light weaved in through the net curtains, breaking the darkness that had enveloped her bedroom, the young woman began to shift and turn, her hands coming to rest on her belly as she tried, even in her slumber, to placate the wakefulness of her sons that wriggled within her, elbowing each other and their dreamy mother.
It was a little after nine when the woman finally tipped herself onto her back, her head cushioned by the feather-stuffed pillows and opened her eyes to the world, taking in the sumptuous decor of the room in which she had slept since she had moved into the little cottage she had come to call her home. She pushed the covers down to her waist and curled them beneath her stomach, accentuating the mound that had rose from her almost overnight. Athena brought a fond hand across the arc of her stomach and allowed a small smile to float to the surface of her lips before tapping gently against her skin that had been exposed by her nightdress that had ridden up some time while she had been sleeping.
Two strong nudges responded to her touch and Athena propped herself up a little on her spare arm, her elbow digging ineffectively into the cushions that bowed under the pressure, not giving her nearly as much leverage as she had first wanted. Yet the girl could see enough and with careful fingers she pressed into the side of her stomach, her touch finding the sole of a foot, and then another. A kick beat at her fingers, expelling her from the cavity she was probing and the woman smirked giving a second prod that she wished she had not as soon as she drew her fingers away.
Athena hissed in pain as one of the little buggers angels threw his foot into her ribs and she immediately decided that she was better of leaving him be. Instead she moved to the other side and pressed gently into the other side, feeling the second set of feet that was pressed into her stomach. What returned was something less painful, instead just a little niggle against her, to let her know that whoever was there was well aware that she was too. Athena had decided long ago that the more docile of the two was going to be Augustus. She did not know what had made her decide upon his but she knew his personality well enough to find it appropriate. He needed a strong name. She doubted the more boisterous of the two needed such an accolade.
The young woman’s musings were cut short by two short, sharp knocks on the door, signalling the arrival of her maid. Athena called for the elder woman to enter and she did so swiftly, in a flurry of linens and dresses. Things were set down, others were put in drawers and Athena, though she had pulled the covers back around her when the woman had entered, sent them back down to where they had sat before as she forced herself into a sitting position in order to watch the woman rumble around the room like a hurricane. Eventually, as quickly as she had begun, she stopped and stood at the bottom of the bed, hands on her hips, looking at Athena accusingly as if to scold her. Words need not have been said. Athena bristled and lowered her eyes to the emerald bedspread fanned around her lower body, feeling the flush of embarrassment rise to her cheeks.
“Your grandmother is down in the kitchen with your grandfather, Miss Goyle.” The woman told her simply and without preamble. Athena ran her fingers through the front of her hair and could not help but shoot the woman a quizzical look, as if to say: ‘so?’ “Did you forget, Madam? Today is the day you are to go to Rookwood Manor in preparation for the wedding! Hurry, my darling, to dilly-dally is to commit a sin!” And with that, her maid, the esteemed Miss Ellen, whirled around the bedroom again, taking clothing out of drawers and matching things together for Athena to wear. Athena, meanwhile, set about getting herself out of bed but in the end had to accept help from Miss Ellen as the older woman badgered her about what she needed to wear.
After an impromptu bath that lead to Athena needing even more help in manoeuvring herself, the young woman was slipped into a dress made of soft silk that fell over her, brushing against her body in all of the flattering places, smoothing out all of the lumps and bumps caused by pregnancy and softly accentuated the curve of her stomach. Pearl pins were used to do the dress up at the back and bits of ribbon of a slightly darker shade were tied around her middle, nipping the dress in a little which brought more attention to her bump but was subtly done, not unpleasantly so. Pearl earrings were pressed through the pierced holes in her earlobes and a necklace was drawn around the base of her throat before she was helped into an ivory, floor-length coat. Once dressed, she slipped her feet into a heel-less pair of shoes and wriggled her toes within them as Miss Ellen fixed her hair, charming it so it fell into gentle curls. Once her coat was cleaned of any stray bits of hair, Athena was helped down the stairs and into the kitchen where, true enough, her grandparents were indeed waiting with a weary looking Ira who appeared to have taken the guest bedroom for the night.
“Good Morning.” Athena greeted them easily as she reached into the basket of her essentials that sat upon the counter. She pulled on her gloves and took her purse, oddly matching her dress, making sure that it was filled with a pouch of money and some other items she needed including a comb and a pack of gum – the latter she knew would do nothing for her insatiable appetite that had been afflicting her as of late. She turned to greet her grandfather who had risen from his chair and placed a kiss to his cheek as he enveloped her in a hug. After drawing back, Odysseus looked at his granddaughter with obvious curiosity, turning her a little to the side so he could better gage the size that she had ballooned to.
“Well, would you look at that.” He said with a small smirk. Athena’s eyebrows rose but before she could answer, her grandmother cut in, ever acting without pleasantries.
“Yes, well, we have places to be, Odysseus, if you don’t mind. They are, of course, expecting us.”
“I don’t actually remember this being arranged.” Athena commented unhelpfully as she reached over to take a bit of toast from Ira’s plate.
“We agreed on this weeks ago. If it wasn’t for me, this whole affair would be in shambles. Now, can we hurry away?”
“In a minute. Is there any post for me?”
“Yeah.” Ira supplied. “One from Nana.” He said, in reference to their great grandmother, Calliope. “One from Cian. No doubt another moan about the money.” Ira rolled his eyes and smirked a little when Athena discarded her uncle’s letter into the crackling fireplace without much though on the matter. “And... I have no idea about this one, Thea.” Ira handed the last letter to Athena and she turned it over, taking in the elegant script that adorned the front. It bore the return address as well as her own. What struck Athena the most was the fact that the sender had printed her full name on the front. But that was only temporary when she caught sight of the seal on the back of the letter. The girl’s fingers felt at the seal in order to open it but was pressed forward by her grandmother towards the fireplace, the woman evidently more impatient than she first though.
Stuffing the letter into her purse, Athena stepped through the floo and found herself stepping out the other side in one of the many parlours in Rookwood Manor. She was greeted by a rather sheepish looking House Elf and Athena looked at it somewhat impatiently as it reached to take her coat from her. Athena watched the Elf hesitantly as it seemed to struggle with her heavy coat. She bent a little to take it back from the elf and drew it against herself, smiling a little at the creature as it shot her a relieved look of thanks. However, the moment was broken by the arrival of her family members that suddenly seemed to pour out from the fireplace.
First it was Penelope, then Odysseus who had Ira by the scruff of the neck; the latter barely dressed, still trying to adjust his glasses on his face. Then seemingly, the whole family poured from within. Her Uncle Cian who she immediately narrowed her eyes at, followed by her Uncle Diomedes and Uncle Ophion – as well as their wives. Athena opened her mouth to protest but before she knew what had happened, coats upon coats were dumped on the small House Elf and Athena was being ferried through the house by her half-walking, half-limping Uncle Cian who appeared to have adopted an even grislier exterior.
“Darling. At least say hello.” Came the gentle call from his wife who stood at the mouth of the fireplace, as odd looking as ever, yet still retaining that air of beauty that she held to her person. Cian looked at her as if she were mad but after a pointed look from his wife, gave a gruff hello that really wasn’t to anyone in particular. “We thought we’d all come along to see your dress, Athena.” Corianna continued with a chirpy lilt to her voice that made Athena bristle even further.
“You could have at least asked to come.” She retorted with a petulant look on her face, suddenly feeling very childish and foolish.
“I asked them.” Penelope announced lightly, watching with cold eyes as the elf collapsed under the weight of all of the coats. “You could do with a better pair of eyes.” And with that, she left the room no doubt in search of Raghnall. Cian lurched after her, muttering something under his breath about his family and how he’d much rather be on a golf course somewhere. Then reluctantly everyone else began to follow. Odysseus gave a sharp kick to Ira’s calf and the boy scrambled forward, fiddling with his glasses again as he was shoved out in the hallway. Corianna followed arm in arm with Raidne who was being stalked closely by Diomedes who had not so much as spared a glance in Athena’s direction.
That of course left her with Uncle Ophion and her Aunt Macaria, the latter of whom wrapped her up in a hug as best she could considering the lump of babies between them.
“Look at you!” She exclaimed as she pulled away, brushing away loose tendrils of hair from Athena’s face. “You’re so much older than I remember you. You were nothing but a little cherub the last time I saw you. I’ve got so much to tell you. And you me, no doubt, hmm? But marriage! Sacré bleu! Are you excited?”
Athena could only shrug her shoulders, a mixture of honest opinion and bewilderment at what was going on. Macaria smiled indulgently at her favourite niece and pressed to kisses to each cheek before allowing her husband to hug his niece. As he did so, she herself when to inspect the House Elf – to help the poor little creature out from
“I apologise for not visiting you sooner.” Ophion told the brunette as he took her smaller hands in his own larger ones. “We have just gotten back from Africa. It’s beautiful there, though. I wish you’d come with us. As it is though, you’ve been having your own excitement. Your grandmother was quite insistent we come. She knows how I feel about all this whole wedding business.” He reached for his wife at his, looping an arm around her waist as if to prove his point.
“We had better find out where they all went.” Macaria told her husband dutifully. “Penny will only get angry otherwise.”
Ophion rolled his eyes, the irises sparkling with the idea of skipping out on the whole affair. He chuckled at the look his wife gave him and tucked Athena’s hand in the crook of his arm before tightening his grip on his wife’s waist and leading them both out of the parlour. They followed the sound of Cian’s complaints down the hallway and heard a distinctly Ira-sounding shriek followed by the slap of wood against skin. Ophion winced visibly and Athena drew herself closer to her Uncle, her spare hand coming to rest over her stomach as she truly began to wonder whether she had been better off in bed.
The trio walked in hesitantly through the doors that lead into the stateroom and seemed to happen upon a rather curious scene. Raidne and Corianna was sat gossiping on one of the settees. Odysseus had already found the whisky, bourbon or whatever the hell it was that was sitting in the decanter on the table by one of the windows. Penelope was nowhere to be seen Cian was threatening Ira with his walking stick which anyone who knew him would know to be disguised as his wand. Diomedes was merely sat on the opposing settee, watching his wife intently.
“Really?” Ophion intoned, causing his brother to look up from his attack on Ira. “Do come along now, brother. Leave poor Ira alone. He’s certainly done nothing to you.”
“Aye.” Cian bristled. “But he’s there.” Cian stepped forward abruptly, causing Ira to shriek. The boy hurried away, barrelling towards Athena whose arm he quickly caught and clung onto, adopting the least manly pose he could ever take on.
“Sit down, Cian.” Ophion told his elder brother, his tone firm but somewhat careless. “You bore me. Are we due breakfast or are we to starve, by the way?”
“Merlin only knows.” Odysseus called out from behind his glass. “But on that note, where’s Penny?”