[Athena Margaux at 12 years old]
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Flashback
"Mom? Mom! Would you please calm down-"
"Calm down!? Do you hear yourself. My idiotic sister is taking you away from me, as if she owns you. I OWN you, and she can't just decide what happens to you, i decide that. It is not my fault that she can't bear children. Her faulty womb is none of my concern, and it doesn't give her authority to give you that 'motherly touch' as if saying I can't give that. What a jerk! Urgh!" She shouted.
I bit my lip in order to stop myself from talking back. Aunt Rosetta just wanted what is best for me, deciding and providing the things i need because my mom lacks those. She didn't intend to make her feel that way. My mom's choice of words truly are horrible. Aunt doesn't deserve this.
Mom pulled up in front of my aunt's house and shut the door at me. I quickly took off my seatbelt and went after her.
"M-mom? I don't think we should-"
"Hush." She hushed me down and kicked the door open. I tried to reach unto her arms but she just shrugged me off, walked pass by the housekeeper, not minding if she bumped the door at his face or what.
"Rosetta!" My mom shouted as she barged inside the house, walking through the hallway like a crazy psychopath.
I apologetically smiled at the housekeeper who opened the door before catching up with my mother.
"Geez mom, giving him a little bit respect won't hurt." I scolded her and as always, she doesn't give a damn.
"It's not my fault that they decided to be slaves under my sister's roof and for heaven's sake where is that wretched sister of mine? ROSETTA!" she continued to shout.
Alright, I'm done.
I rolled my eyes and stopped following her. My aunt's house is huge, massive. Perks of bieng a successful archeologist i guess. I bet having a Husband who is great in architecture also adds alot of toppings on the cake huh?
I sighed and looked for the living room where most of the books i read are stored. Aunt has a huge library and I'll give anything to be there or atleast to have all of those books.
Sadly i can only carry much and since my mom doesn't allow me to bring home stuff given by my aunt or she'll burn them, i keep them in the shelf dedicated just for me right in their living room so that whenever we.. i dropped by, i can just take one and read. As simple as that.
I wish aunt was my mom, it would be great. Plus it must be really good feeling alone and free, no hesitations, no annoying mother, nothing holding you back.
I shook my head and hummed my way through to the hallway. I smiled when i saw the living room door but my smile grew brighter as soon as i saw my aunt there, sitting pretty while smiling at me.
"Let me guess you're expecting me." I leaned on the door frame before running towards her to give her a tight hug.
"Woah. There, there. Well, I knew you'll come here straight away." She teased. I smiled and pulled myself away from her.
Aunt Rosetta really is something different. She's so different from my mom even though they're siblings. Like the yin and yang.
Aunt Rosetta is sweet, loving, not to mention successful while mom.. i don't even know where to start.
"Mom's looking for you." I informed her.
"I know," she gave me a lopsided smile as we hear mom's voice echo through the walls. She stood up and looked at me as if she is inspecting my body's features.
"She's angry." I said again after we heard another faint shout coming from my mother.
"And again, i know." Aunt chuckled and held my hand.
"I uh.." i looked down embarrassed.
"It's okay sweetie, I'm here for you. Did you eat yet? Oh and i got you a little something too." She smiled and placed a book in my palm.
I looked at her and then back at the book, "Alexander The Great's Empire?" I read the book's title and looked back again at her, confused.
"He's my favorite knight, king, emperor, pharoah of all time." She said then did the chef's kiss.
"Hmm," i bit my lip and sat down. Aunt winked at me and went off towards the mini kitchen.
I really love her. I smiled in satisfaction as i open the book. Now who are you Mr. Alexander sir.
"Alexander the Great, one of the most fiercest rulers in history.."
".. the prince of Macedonia that almost conquered the world if it isn't just for a tiny mosquito bite that will put an end to his great journey." My aunt finished the sentence as she popped out of the kitchen holding a tray of goodies.
"Say auntie, did you memorize this book?" I teased.
"I wish. Anyways here's some food. I bet your hungry." She said and took the book of my lap then replaced it with the tray she's holding.
"Mr. Alexander seems one heck of a leader." I commented. Aunt nodded her head and turned the pages until it landed on a picture.
"Look sweetie." She held up the book and pointed at an old picture.
"Woah, who is she? She somehow looks like me! But older! And blessed." I chuckled and looked at my breasts.
"Yes she is, i always find your connection mesmerizing. Anyways, she is Roxana of Bactria. She's Alexander's first wife." She explained.
"First wife? Does he have a second wife? Who's his second wife?" I asked.
"Strateira."
"That's a funny name."
"Indeed. But so is Drypetis. Drypetis is her younger sister and she married Hephaestion." She explained.
"Hephaestion?"
"Mm-hmm, he is Alexander's right hand man. His bestfriend. His brother." She turned up the pages once again and landed on a picture of a guy with curly hair.
"Here he is." Aunt continued as she showed me the picture.
"He looks handsome."
"He is but Alexander is far handsome than he is." She said and flipped the page where Alexander's face is revealed.
"I beg to disagree, i think Mr. Hephaestion right here is more handsome." I smiled while chewing my food.
My aunt raised her brows then laughed hard. I chuckled and picked up the book from the floor which she dropped because of her laughter.
"They must be really close." I said as i look back and forth to their separate pictures.
"They are. Super. Due to their closeness, scientists and historians believe that they have a secret affair.. with each other." She whispered.
"They have a what now!?" I looked at her horrified.
"Oh yes, they believed Alexander and Hephaestion are secret lovers. They did things together, alot. But personally i don't believe this." She shrugged and shut the book.
I looked at her then down at the book. "Why?"
"Well, i have a different theory. I believe that Alexander and Hephaestion had an affair but on another person."
"Another.. person?" I asked before drinking.
"Yes, cause that would make more sense. Maybe they run out together more often not because they want to spend sometime together but they want to spend time together with a certain person."
"So you're saying that their might be someone else in the relationship? Are they having threesome? Forgive my choice of words." I looked at her and gave her puppy eyes.
"Oh hell no. I believe that they both like the same person and are both fighting for it. In a brotherly way. Part of my theory is that person might be Strateira."
"How so?"
"Well cause she is Alexander's next wife."
"Well that doesn't make sense. But then are you saying Hephaestion lost to Alexander?"
"Well that's what Alexander does best. He wins everything which is why i believe that is also the reason why Hephaestion married her sister instead."
"Hmm, so you think that the affair is about some secret someone and that someone is Strateira just because he married her after Roxana?"
"Roxana is a great Queen, I don't actually see how or why he would choose to marry another person, even though she has ranks example Strateira, unless he likes or loves her."
"What if he is just marrying her to expand more of his kingdom?" I asked.
"Well, that could be true as well but hey it's just a theory, it might be true, partially true or nothing connected to the real plot of events at all."
"What did the historians believe to be the reason why Alexander married Strateira and Hephaestion married Drypetis?"
"According to them, Alexander just wanted to be called Hephaestion's real brother by law. Hence why he made them marry each sister."
"I like their explanation more." I smiled at her innocently.
My aunt shook her head and opened the book once again.
"You want to know one shocking revelation?" She asked.
I nodded my head and moved towards her.
"Roxana killed Strateira and Drypetis after Alexander died."
"Say what now!?" I looked at her shocked. "Oh my gosh, she's crazy!"
"People say she did that because she wants to secure the position for her baby."
"Let me guess, you have a different theory to this?" I asked teasingly.
"Why yes." She chuckled and opened the book to Roxana's picture.
"As i said Roxana has her own Kingdom. A great Queen to her land and to her people. They love her from head to toe and the last time i checked she is a decent Queen. Plus don't you find it wierd that she also killed Drypetis as well? When she is Heph's wife and not Alexander's? I think it's all because of jealousy and revenge." She said.
"Hmm, might be. But your right. It is wierd that she killed Drypetis as well. History can give you headaches, sheesh."
"Indeed. Though even with that thought, I would give everything just to see Alexander personally."
"Wouldn't he just kill you?" I teased.
"You really are a dream crasher. Do you know that?"
I laughed at my aunt and ate while she flips through the pages.
"Here i want you to look at this." She pulled the book up and showed me the page with a picture on it, it was another picture of Roxana in a different gown.
"Hmm, she really is pretty. I like her already." I said as i tilt my head.
On cue the clock struck 9. Time for my aunt's daily prayers to the ancestors.
"Come."
"Come? Where? Wait you're taking me there?" I looked at her confused.
"Yep, it's about time to let you in to the ancestry house. You must give thanks to our ancestors, it's been a while when you last visited as well."
"You really do believe in these, don't you aunty?" I shook my head and allowed her to pull me outside their mini garden.
We heard a faint voice from my mother again before we entered the small house making me roll my eyes.
"Gosh your mom's unbearable! She's my sister and believe me, i know what your going through every day. Are you okay?" She asked.
I nodded and looked at the scrolls layed flat in beautiful glass containers along side the wall. One in particular though is settled in the middle.
I looked at my aunt and she just sat there, near the altar in front. Mom said that she isn't this religious to our ancestors when they were young, it's just that when my aunt married my uncle, his culture rubbed off her. And bieng an archeologist might have pushed her to believe to their beliefs as well.
Mom hates the idea while i find it cute. I wonder when will the time come where i get to influence my partner, in my own way of course.
Aunt and Uncle's love is so envious, sadly aunt can't bear a child. Maybe that's why she loves me so much and treats me like a daughter.
I bit my lip and went straight in the middle where i looked closely at the paper.
"Papyrus Scroll, that's what the things are called." My aunt interrupted and went besides me.
"I've been reading and studying alot of history books. Their old scribbling and stuff added, from Aztec's letters to Egyptian scribbles and more but i never found anything like this. What is it?" I asked.
"It's an alphabet created by one of our ancestors to talk to each other without anyone understanding." She looked at me excitedly.
"Huh smart, which one of our ancestors though?"
"That I'm still figuring out. I'm still decoding the alphabet and there are a couple of letters in these alphabets stored in the boxes over there." She said and pointed the glass like treasure box.
"Sounds fun. Maybe we should learn it, that way we can write each other letters and mom won't even understand what we are talking about." I whispered.
"I love how your brain works. I agree, we should. I'll update you once i decoded everything written here. We might get alot and like alot of juicy details, as you know something like.."
"Rosetta! Goodness Gracious I've been searching for you everywhere! Margaux! Out this place and go do your thing, me and my sister need to talk about something important." My mom roared as she entered my room.
I took a little step back but aunt just patted me on the back, as if encouraging me to listen to her.
"I have new books and recommendations for you on the living room bookshelf, you might like them." She winked at me.
I inwardly laughed and went straight outside as fast as i can and allowed them both to sort whatever things they should be talking about. For the main time, I'mma go and read.
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Present Day
"Wake up sunshine." Draco patted my shoulders lightly, waking me up.
"Goodmorning." I yawned as i do a small stretch.
"I watched your dream. It's a flashback to your old life. I see how much you love your aunt but you never mentioned her until now, what happened next?" Draco asked curiously.
"After that event, my mom and i transferred to the other side of the state. I tried writting to my aunt, begging her to come and fetch me, come and take me back but none.. except for one letter." I sighed and looked away.
"What did it say?" Draco asked.
"Never contact me, ever again."
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Up next: CHAPTER 33; A and H and R and M
Ps. Here's a little teaser for the upcoming chapters. See this as my sorry gift for those who waited for a long time for an upload. I truly am sorry for making you wait. Please enjoy this little scene
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"Drypetis!"
"Stra- ahh"
"H-help.. HELP!" Strateira looked at me with pleading eyes.
I bit my lip, hard, as i took a huge step.. backwards.
Strateira nodded her head, understanding the situation and cried as her sisters hand slipped through her palms.
No one is around. I could've helped to save her. But i didn't.. I'm a monster..