Weakness and Oil (662 hits)
Category: Quotes & StoriesLabels: goodfiction
Rating: 2 on 16 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by The Nugget (View user info) at 2004-05-06 11:34:31 EDT
As I wait for my attendant to prepare my ceremonial gown, I find that my mind is drifting. Instead of readying myself for my appearance, I'm thinking of my lover, once again. Do women of every social status feel the same as I do? Are our differences spanned by the longing to have someone love and respect us? Surely, they must not have the time and luxury, such as I, to wonder and dream about such things.
Charmion arrives in my room, carefully carrying my head-dress... the two young chamber-maids following her with my gown. All of this work, it seems so tedious. Who will see me besides the overseer at the perfumery? Most likely no one. I close my eyes, allowing one of the girls to smear the turquoise on my eyelids. The other girl is gingerly working the rose oil into my calves. Although in the past I've always preferred spicy scents like galbanum. I truly feel the warm earthy scent embodies the heritage of my people, and when I wear it, I feel closer to the heart of my country. Today I chose rose oil because of my lover. He tells me that only the most favorable Roman woman adorn themselves with this luxury, and the overseer thus far as failed to increase production of the rose oil. It is not in fashion, he has tried to argue, women of Egypt do not want to imitate women of Rome. They see these women as shallow and weak, bowing to the needs and wishes of their men. I'm thankful to rule over a country full of women with pure souls and free spirits. My women are strong, as am I.
Wearing rose oil does not make me weak, and women will never believe that wearing a simple scent could make them as effete as the "civilized women" of Rome. We will always be strong. Perhaps my love affair will help show the Roman women their true power? Do they ever look at my position as Queen, and realize they could have a position like this, for themselves? Most likely, no, they see me ass a foreign whore, spreading her legs to their Roman idol. If only they knew the complexity of my love for him, if only they could truly see what a man can provide for a woman. He will be my savior. The protector of my country, instead of the anihilator, as was predicted years ago by my seer.
The adornments they are sliding on my arms feel more constraining than usual. Some khol has run into the corner of my eye and Charmion is trying to adjust it without smearing. Iras is next to me, adjusting the folds in my gown, one of the younger girls is presenting me with my favorite lapis necklace. Ah, too much fuss.
As they carry me through the city on my litter, I find myself trying to peer through the gap in the heavy curtains with each jolt of the mens footsteps. I want to look in the eyes of my women, and understand them. With each glimpse of the market I remember more and more of the days of my youth. When I would dress as a peasant, and sneak away, un-noticed, from the palace walls. I remembered the difficulty I had at first, disguising my Greek accent. Many times, I sat beside women in the garden, leaning close to hear their whispered words. They would tell juicy stories about wealthy merchants, warn each other of known theives, and divulge secrets about the times they had sold their bodies to lustful soldiers. I thank those early days of my development for a large part of the woman I am today.
The visit with the Overseer is uneventful, as I knew it would be. Imagine, hours of preparation to spend only a small portion of the day inspecting a factory and discussing plants and oils! It's my own fault, I suppose. More than one person has argued with me concerning my involvement with such "petty" matters. They think it not very pious or respectable. Conversely, I believe that I learn how to be a better Queen each and every time I step off of royal grounds. My answer to them is always the same, I must fill my days, it's insufferable to sit in the palace minute after minute, hour after hour. I have tried, at their bequest, to receive visitors in the palace, instead of venturing out to see these common people. It is not appealing to me, and I will not do it more often then need be.
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The heat of summer has finally settled upon the city. The humidity blowing in from the coast, combined with the moisture emanating from my own body is making each day even more unbearable. Some servants have hung wet linen from my balcony, but it's aiding me only by adding more water to the air. I often think of traveling south, inland, to a dryer climate.
Last time I stepped into my city, my nostrils were assaulted by the strong scent of rose. My first reaction was one of elation... I knew my women would adore the scent, regardless of any implications tying it to Rome. My second reaction was to cover my nose and mouth with a square of silk. How dare I change the women of my country, for a man.
It humbles me to see my true motive. I was not hoping to adorn Egypt with the scent of Rose out of profit, generosity, fashion, or even posterity. I did it only to show Caesar that Egyptian women were not unlike his own. I did it to weaken my women in my lovers eyes, lest he feels threatened by their ethereal beauty and will-full pride.
Does every woman sacrifice for her lover?
User Reviews
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-06-13 01:32:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome.
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2004-05-06 22:37:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hey, wtf are you talking about?
i read it this time
Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2004-05-06 22:28:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Insane, admit it, you didn't even read this...!!
***
haha thanks a fuckin' lot. I'm never writing fiction again.
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2004-05-06 21:40:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i remember a film i watched as a boy, basically ending with a girl wanting to kill herself in this way- someone ends up shooting her to quicken it.
which was that? I forget
good story
Submitted by Herpes (user info) at 2004-05-06 17:33:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Should have known you wouldn't write something political. And if you did, it wouldn't be at +2 for long...
Nice work of historic fiction.
Submitted by coley (user info) at 2004-05-06 17:18:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
WOOO!
Nugget rules!
Submitted by AshK (user info) at 2004-05-06 15:10:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by I_Have_a_Kristen_Fetish (user info) at 2004-05-06 14:54:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2004-05-06 12:11:08 (#)
Ranking: 2
Can I rub oil into your calves?
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No. No. Me first!
Submitted by mystiamoon (user info) at 2004-05-06 14:17:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome
Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2004-05-06 13:32:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
hah... I never thought about that... weakness and oil... I rock.
Get it? Irock? Iraq?
I'll stop.
Submitted by slowlyrotting (user info) at 2004-05-06 12:57:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
p.s. when i clicked on this post i was thinking it would be about the war
Submitted by Ainkara (user info) at 2004-05-06 12:34:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2004-05-06 12:11:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Can I rub oil into your calves?
Submitted by youarsoghey (user info) at 2004-05-06 11:48:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by slowlyrotting (user info) at 2004-05-06 11:45:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
my baby girl makes countless sacrifices for me. yet im still an ass... go figure
Submitted by NotApologizing (user info) at 2004-05-06 11:42:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
To answer your question at the end: no, but every woman SHOULD.
All I want is someone to fan me and feed me grapes. Which is actually what I have if you consider that I do both with my right hand, as well as other things that a woman would normally do.