Designed Destiny

5. First Blood

Planet: Sparta

"There," Leda smiled as she finished covering the tear stains on Helen's cheeks with makeup. "Finally, you're presentable again, or at leastwise as good as I can manage anyway," she huffed as she swatted at Helen's unruly hair. "You looked perfect half an hour ago before you hauled ass over the banister!" She shot her a disapproving look before snatching her arm and dragged her down the stairs. "Would it kill you to smile a little bit?" She whispered through a dazzling grin as they linked arms and began the descent the stairs, waving and blowing kisses at the massive crowd assembled below.

Helen nervously forced a smile, her eyes stinging as the lights from the press flashed, there were so many devises going off at once, it sounded like deafening gunshots being fired into the air in time with the explosion of blinding lights. Helen stumbled a little bit in her heel highs, her mother struggled to keep her from falling and then they shakily resumed the climb down. Helen thought she'd throw-up, her stomach was tossing and turning with nerves, she felt perspiration bead on her forehead, her mouth felt so dry, she couldn't stop gulping, and then she realized she was panting. Oh she was a mess, she was sure of it, she couldn't do this! She wasn't cut out for the press and responsibilities of being a Ruler like her mother! All she wanted was to be a soldier!

"Helen! Helen! Helen! Helen!" The crowd chanted her name, thrusting their hands out as the Ruler and soon-to-be Ruler of Sparta swept down to the main floor. Helen was too nervous to shake any hands as they passed, that and she was sure her hands were gross and clammy anyway. Voice-amp droids, round like spheres, hovered around her head, waiting to start recording the moment she spoke, but she couldn't even begin to imagine what she was expected to say. Thanks? This is an honor? The dream I've had since forever has finally come true? Oh, she had thought she'd be saying those things, but only if she had received her permission script from her mother to join the Academy.

"Don't look so in pain!" Leda hissed through a tight-lipped smile, subtly elbowing her daughter in the ribs as they entered the gorgeous courtyard brimming with even more guests and their holographic companions. A pavilion comprised entirely out of silver stood in the middle of it all, a waterfall of mercury cascaded down behind the tall throne sitting proudly in the heart of the pavilion, the mother and daughter stood on either side of the empty throne and turned to face the crowd. "Isn't this wonderful?" Leda whispered -though Helen more or less had to lip-read over the roar of the cheering crowd, her temples ached from the noise. "All this for my baby girl on her sixteenth birthday, I could cry!"

So could I! "I never wanted this, Mom!" Helen hissed from behind her gloved hand.

"How is this not every single creature's dream in the galaxy?" Her mother shot her an exasperated look. "You're lucky! Now enjoy yourself!"

That felt a little impossible. The cameras were snapping hungrily, brilliant lights flashed painfully, mistalizers were lit, champagne bottles popped loudly, and glasses clanked together like shrill whistles as everyone else celebrated. Loud voices and praise blurred together like sirens ringing in Helen's head, a cold sweat ran down the side of her neck.

Leda turned to face the crowd and raised her hands, everyone calmed down a moment later. "Thank you, thank you all for coming, I must say...this is the proudest day of my life! Well," she smiled with an eye-roll. "Besides the day when I was crowned Ruler," the crowds chuckled softly. "But today isn't about me, not really, today is about my youngest daughter, Helen, becoming the crowned Ruler of Sparta! As I'm sure the entire galaxy knows, Sparta is one of the most powerful systems in the universe and the role of Ruler comes with much responsibility." Everyone was gravely quiet then, not even a picture was taken, the only sound then was from the faint buzz of the glowing holographic figures that were interspersed throughout the crowd. "I would like to assure my audience that there couldn't be a more dedicated or hands-on leader expected to do this job than my very own Helen."