The Bastard Princess

74.

-HER-

After sending off Arles, when I came back into the temple, I found the priestesses squirming away clumsily. They were somewhat trying to ignore me. At first, I was confused but it didn't take me long to realize that they had seen my exchange with Ares and they were probably traumatized by it.

Theto was in the temple that night too. She gave me a lingering look before she returned to her work. Most of the night was spent in preparations. I was tired by dawn and I only got to sleep for a couple of hours after sunrise.

By the time I woke up and got back to work, the sacred prostitutes had arrived and most of the preparations were done. Everyone was just busy doing some last-minute fixes. We were supposed to leave for the village when Edara cornered me.

"What is it?" I asked her. She studied me from head to toe before answering, "Change,"

"What?"

"You are wearing a priestess' clothes but you really aren't a priestess. Since this is a formal festival, I don't want anyone confused by you," She elucidated. I understood her right away but I asked her next, "Then what am I supposed to wear?"

"Just asked them," She said nodding towards the prostitutes, "I am sure they would have something extra that you could put on," With that, she left. I was hesitant at approaching them but they were kind enough to give me some pieces of dresses.

After I was done wearing it, I looked no different than the prostitutes. It was the most skin-revealing thing I had ever worn. Only by bosom was covered with a thin cloth and a frilly skirt that hung very low on my waist and exposed my legs when I walked.

I noticed how the dress was designed so that it could be taken off quickly and swiftly. It made me wonder how Ares would react if he ever saw me in it.

I was being showered with compliments when I let my hair down. I was somewhat phased by how accepting and non-judgmental the prostitutes were. They generally seemed nicer than most of the folks in the village.

After that, we finally set for the village. Some of the village warriors had come to accompany us and help us take some heavy things. I didn't miss how their eyes lingered on me. I generally loved attention but, in that instance, it somewhat made me annoyed.

As we headed to the village, I tried looking for Ares but the crowd was too much. The deeper we got into the village, the more pair of eyes I felt on me. At one point, I was deeply uncomfortable and I wanted to escape.

It wasn't long when I heard people whisper things about me; judging me because of the colour of my hair. I saw the mothers hiding their children and the crowd part away from me slightly. Anger simmered in my chest when I heard some men betting on me.

I turned to glare at them. They were phased for one moment but one of them had enough audacity to step closer to me and check me out from head to toe. The anger that I had been feeling previously grew all of a sudden before I realized that it was draining from the bond.

I soon fell Ares' eyes on me. While I looked around the crowd for him again, that man tried to touch me. A guttural growl disrupted the nearby crowd before Ares' tall figure stepped out of the crowd. He flashed his canines at the man. The latter staggered back in horror before Ares turned to me.

He was wearing his cloak from Zaeris with the hood covering his eyes but he was standing too close for me to see his silver eyes. Jealousy and possessiveness were simmering in them as he drank in my appearance before growling lowly at me.

I didn't step away when he stepped closer to me before taking his cloak off and draping it over me. He then wrapped his strong arm around my waist. I thought that he was trying to pull me away from the crowd but he ended up scooping me up.