Strongs winds carried the scent of the sea through the city of white stone buildings with red-tiled roofs. On its way over the hill, it swirled the light green fabric around a young woman and blew her dark brown, wavy hair in her face. The sleeveless chiton was way too long for her, but she insisted she would grow into it and had pulled the access fabric over her belt to not hinder her excited steps. The yellow sparrows embroidered along the edge flew along with her.

"Eirene, why are you in such a hurry?" A few steps behind, panting to keep up with her daughter, was a woman wrapped in light blue. She tucked her greying brown hair back only for the wind to slap it back into her face.

By her heel walked a girl with wavy, shoulder-length, black hair ready to assist her madam if necessary. She carried a basket in each arm and wore rough, undyed linen tied around her waist with a rope.

Eirene spun around and walked backwards, letting the wind blow her hair out of her face. "You're the slow one, mother. I'm perfectly capable of going to the agora with only Melissa, or completely by myself for that matter."

Eirene's aura stood in bright contrast to the rest of her family's. Where theirs were shimmering with colour, her's was purer white than sunlight reflected off marble.

Close to her, I could imagine what the sun would feel like against my skin. If I'd had any. Warm and tickling perhaps. To dwell on thoughts of life and its pleasures was fruitless, but it hadn't stopped me the first 16 years of Eirene's life, so why would it now? If impossible thoughts were the closest I would come to life, why wouldn't I enjoy them?

The street opened to a square agora swarming with people. Stalls with food and crafts formed nodes of destination for hundreds of people. Eirene and her mother moved between the merchants' wares, filling the basket Melissa carried.

Eirene approached a balding man selling cheese with a wide, almost genuine, smile. "Good morning Alcaeus. How are you today?"

He chuckled. "Nothing to complain about, I couldn't care less about the old house." He gestured over his shoulder towards a building across the agora. When he saw her furrowed brow he held up a hand as if to block any questions. "I'm not the right man to ask." He cleared his throat and smiled. "What cheese can I interest you with today, young lady?"

She glanced at the house before returning his smile. After some bargaining and a word of flattery, Eirene left with a disk of cheese wrapped in linen.

Their shopping continued in the same fashion as they bought bread, fish, and olives.

When picking out figs, a group of priestesses passed through on their way up the hill towards the temple of Athena. They wore white, long dresses and hair tied up with cords of leather. The crowd parted like the water before a boat, but Eirene took a step towards them. A slender hand landed on her shoulder and with a firm grip prevented her from moving further. She soaked in their presence until the crowd closed behind them.

"Keep those off the ground!" Selene snapped. The hand lifted from Eirene, but the opportunity to approach the priestesses had passed.

"Sorry, madam!" Melissa squealed as she heaved the filled baskets back in her arms.

Eirene hurried towards her. "Let me take one."

"Thanks," Melissa whispered.

At the edge of the agora, by an old building, argued a group of men. A laugh pierced the buzz. "Look at you wasting your time! Why is it any of our business what happens to this old shack just because some grumpy man died?"

A rough voice replied. "Sure, Chrysippus was a burden to earth, but don't you think we're obligated to care if it affects Athen's future?"

A third man spoke up. "We should just tear it down, look at the state of it!"

Eirene chewed her lip to stop herself from joining in with an argument of her own. Her mother walked straight past. "Come now, we have things to do."

Eirene sighed and took a new grip on the basket. On their way home, they passed a young man with a pure white aura, identical to Eirene's. He paid them as much attention as they paid him, which coincidentally was as much as everyone ever paid me. How they had managed to grow up in the same city without speaking baffled me. How could they not recognize each other? They were practically in front of each other! They even matched! And they passed each other. Again.

We reached the outskirts of Athens and a house built of sun-dried bricks painted white. Light entered the rooms from small windows set high in the walls and a small atrium with an open roof marked the center of the home.

Selene told Melissa to prepare a pork stew for dinner before going to the sewing room. Was there something that needed celebrating? Eirene handed her basket to Melissa to take to the kitchen and joined her mother. Together they picked up where they had left off the previous day. Selene worked with quick and sure movements while humming. The yellow, linen fabric was almost complete, but Eirene kept looking out the window instead of focusing.

Selene stopped her melody. "Do you see anything interesting out there?"

"I was just thinking about the future of Chrysippus's house."

"Leto, give me strength. That is not for you to think about. Let the men solve it."

"Why do they get the opportunity to share their ideas while we're stuck weaving." Eirene wrinkled her nose.

Her mother sighed and paused her work. "We have our work and they have theirs. Clothes are just as important as politics."

"Shouldn't we get to choose though? If-"

"Don't be ridiculous. This is the way the Gods made life." Selene took a deep breath and her smile returned. "Anyways, speaking of men, your father will be home soon and he should have exciting news."

"So that's what we're celebrating?"

Selene nodded. "Although, I should make clear that there's a slim chance I might have taken matters for granted."

I could have left Eirene's side to hear the news her father would bring. It would barely be an effort. However, waiting for something outside my reach was like stepping into Eirene's shoes. She kept looking out the window, fiddling with the threads she was supposed to weave. I did the same. Or at least I looked out the window and imagined myself fiddling with a ball of yarn.

As the door to the sewing room swung open the yarn fell on the floor and Eirene shot to her feet. "Welcome home father! Mother said you had news?"

A man with grey, short hair and beard peaked inside. "Good to see you, honey," her father smiled, one muscular arm behind his back. "Yes, I do. I also have a gift to mark the occasion. When you're done here for the day you can meet me in the atrium."

Relieved for an excuse to leave the weaving stool, Eirene hurried after her father. They took a seat on the two stone benches facing each other in the atrium. Sunlight from the open roof reflected in the pool of rainwater at their feet.

Eirene inched closer to her father. "Did you hear about the old house, father?"

Alexios laid a clattering bundle of torn fabric by his side. "How could I not?" he scoffed. "I can't understand why everyone makes it their business. Chrysippus was just an old, bitter soldier, too cut off from the rest of the city to care for anything. He thrived on other peoples' disagreement and I suspect giving his house to the city itself was his way of stirring conflict one last time."

"Don't you think this could be an opportunity?"

He rolled his eyes. "Possibly an opportunity for people to waste time over pointless argumentation. It should be sold to whoever wants to buy it."

"But-" Eirene stopped her thought from leaving her mouth when her mother joined them.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Alexios." She kissed her husband and sat down by his side.

He handed the wrapped gift to Eirene.

Hidden in the cloth was the weight of two flat objects. She folded it open to reveal a pair of bronze brooches shaped like owls. The delicate feathers gleamed in the last sunlight that would reach the room for the day. Eirene's eyes widened as if to mirror the owls. "They are incredible! All the details must have taken you ages!"

"Yes, they did." He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "You deserve them."

Eirene wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you!"

Her mother kneeled before her and replaced the simple bronze pins on her shoulders.

"What news is important enough for gifts like these?"

He showed a broad smile. "I've found you a suitable husband."

Colour drained from Eirene's face and her jaw loosened slightly.

"I know this must seem as if it comes out of nowhere, but I've given it a lot of thought. His name is Cleon. He's a merchant just like his father, who I've known for years."

Eirene forced air into her lungs and managed to form words out of the chaos in her mind. "No. I mean, actually, I was hoping I could become a priestess. To serve Athena."

Her parents shared worried glances before Selene turned back to her. "I'm sorry, but that's not possible. Who would keep our family alive if you didn't marry?"

Her father continued. "Cleon and his father will join us for dinner tomorrow evening. I'm sure you'll live a happy life with him."

Her mother took her hands. "Don't make up your mind about Cleon before you've met him. I didn't know your father before I married him. Allow yourself to be surprised tomorrow."

Eirene stared blankly ahead. She wanted to scream, but instead she nodded.