A new technique pt.1

In the quiet evening of her room, Marina was preparing to go to the thirteenth house. While wearing the gray hoodie that came with the clothing of the sons of Ien, a strange object on the bed caught her attention. A carefully closed letter, her name elegantly written on the outside.

There was no doubt that it was the work of Mr. D'Agostini, with his typical modus operandi of relying on the Augurelli*, the house elves, to deliver important messages.

With a mixture of curiosity and anxiety, Marina grabbed the letter and broke the seal, then grimaced. 

"Dear Marina, by mutual agreement with the divine Aena, I ask you to hold a lesson this Friday morning at ten o'clock. The main topic of the lesson must be the geography of the worlds, but also take care to mention the third generation and its leader. We have also notified Shirei, Cragar's son. He will have the obligation to accompany you as a student and collaborator. I thank you again for the availability you offer us every day. I hope that the gods can take it into account when evaluating their successors."

After carefully reading the contents, Marina closed the letter and put it in her pocket. 

Three days, she thought, just enough time to prepare a good lesson.

Without hesitation, she stood up and left her room behind to walk to the home of Cragar's children.

Dalia was waiting for her inside. Cragar's daughter nearly tripped over the peplum she was wearing. Made from a light, floaty fabric, its cream color shone under the moonlight streaming through the windows.

The soft fabric fell gracefully along her body, enveloping her in a light and delicate embrace. The flowing folds of the peplos created a waving effect that gave an air of gracefulness to her figure. The hems were finely finished with decorative motifs, embroidered with golden threads that shimmered slightly. The wide, flowing sleeves perfectly suited the movement of her arms, adding a touch of grace. The peplum was adorned with subtle still life details along the edge and around the neck. The gold threads woven into her hair gave her a rather old-fashioned hairstyle.

"Damn clothes..."

Ien's daughter laughed, "Why are you wearing that thing?"

"I thought it was cute..." the little girl replied, touching her dress in the meantime.

Marina smiled sheepishly and sat down on the still unmade bed in which she had slept the day before. Only then did she realize the identity of the owner of that place and turned red. Her thoughts returned to that morning and the situation that had arisen with Shirei. Ien's daughter buried her head in the pillow and screamed.

"Hey! What's wrong with you?"

The demigoddess sat up again, "Nothing."

"You've gotten weird, you're spending too much time with Shirei."

"Speaking about that, don't you think we should talk? Your brother is worried and wants to know if you're okay."

"To be honest with you, I have no intention to talk about my half-brother now. The least I think about him the better."

Dalia moved her long dress and turned her back to her. She rummaged in the cupboard and pulled out a huge terracotta amphora. 

The daughter of Ien decided to close the discussion to not anger further the girl, "All right, but I still think you should make up."

Having said those words, she analyzed the object that her friend had in her hands. It was carefully modeled, its walls smooth and shiny to the touch. The dark surface barely reflected the moonlight that filtered through the window, creating a stark contrast to its elegant shape.

On the upper edge, small cracks testified to the passage of time and the action of the climate. Its dimensions were generous. The base of the vase tapered delicately towards the bottom, giving stability to the structure without compromising its elegance.

Marina approached with curiosity. Dalia placed the vase on the ground, passed a silver cup to her friend and kept one for herself, then proposed the toast. Marina burst out laughing. 

"What would this be?"

"How can I know!" The little girl replied with a smile, "To us!"

"I don't think we should-"

"To the disgusting brothers!"

Those words were followed by the filling of the glass and a large sip.

"Dalia! We do not-"

The girl didn't have time to finish before Cragar's daughter had already moved on to her second glass.

"To the dear half-brother who left us this gift!"

Dalia continued to drink despite Marina trying to dissuade her. Ien's daughter looked at the chalice and, driven by her damned curiosity, decided to try a sip. 

She raised the glass, observing its golden color that was cradled among the small waves generated on the surface by the trembling movement of her hand. She brought the cup to her lips and inhaled the enveloping scent, smelling a sweet aroma and a subtle hint of spices.

A sip of the golden liquid slid down her throat. Marina closed her eyes to fully analyze the sensation. The flavor of fermentation spread across her tongue, delicate and enveloping, while a light sensation of warmth spread across her chest.

The complex, rich notes of the liquid danced across her palate. The sweetness was balanced by the slight acidity of the fermentation, creating a harmonious balance of flavors.

A feeling of well-being enveloped her as she continued to taste the golden liquid, letting herself be carried away by its flavor and aroma. It was as if each sip brought with it a unique sensory experience, a story told through taste and scent.

There was something strange about that wine, perhaps it wasn't wise to drink it, but Marina was too attracted to it. She still thought something was wrong, but she continued to drink. 

What if… what if only the Gods could taste it?

Dalia kept laughing. She thought maybe she should stop her. Dalia was just a little girl, she shouldn't have drunk so much. As if in panic, a strange sensation took over her. Before she knew it, she had given a small wave to Dalia and ran off.

She continued running as if possessed. She stumbled a couple of times, but reached the beach out of breath. She wasn't supposed to drink, so why did she? 

She placed a hand on her forehead. 

Now the headache had become terrifying. 

She dropped to the ground and closed her eyes, the sand was quite soft.

"Did you fall asleep here?" A familiar voice whispered.

Marina jumped up and saw Shirei.