Chapter Text
It was all so regal.
Eurydice had never seen somewhere so elegant. The opera house seemed to be practically dripping with gold and diamonds as they glinted in the lights. A look of astonishment crept onto Eurydice’s features, as she looked around taking in the sights before her.
The young girl looked enthralled at the socialites, the women in silks and men in medals. Eurydice looked down at her own gown, and laughed. It was elegant, and made her seem to fit in with the crowds of people that littered the opera house.
She looked the part, and had the sisters to thank for that. This night was her reward for her last service for the terrifying trio, and she intended to enjoy every second of it. Before she knew it she could find herself intertwined in another job for Atropos, Lachesis, and Clotho, but for now she could enjoy the peace.
”Ex-Excuse me?”
Eurydice spun around, expecting an older man, only to face a handsome, lean, and meek looking boy. He looked about her age, but several inches taller. Eurydice studied him briefly out of habit. His suit seemed slightly too short, meaning he hadn’t been to a tailor in at least a year, his hair was a lighter brown and didn’t seem to want to hold it’s shape. “May I help you?” She answered, watching the boy fidget.
”Yes-well, no....I mean,” He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. “I’m Orpheus.” He said, nervously extending his hand. “Eurydice.” She replied, taking his hand and giving it a swift shake. “Do you come to the opera often?” Eurydice asked, looking at Orpheus. He looked nervous, in a naïve way.
Now, Eurydice was anything but naive. She had seen the world, and it’s horrid ruthlessness. The world didn’t care if you were a young girl on the streets, if you had nothing, it still proceeded to take. Eurydice hadn’t been naive in a long time.
”Um..not really. My uncle- it’s complicated.” Orpheus answered, trying not the let his nerves make him stutter. Eurydice was gorgeous. He wanted more than anything to take her home, to see her forever.
Orpheus wasn’t used to this. Mister Hermes had just started pushing him to go to the social events of the wealthy. The poet was perfectly content in the familiarity of Hermes’ bar in the town. Orpheus got anxious in social situations, especially in places like the opera house.
”What about you?” Orpheus asked, remembering the social edict that Mister Hermes had taught him shortly after taking him in. “It’s my first time actually.” Eurydice answered, keeping eye contact.
Eye contact was one of the first things the sisters had taught Eurydice. The eyes are the door to the soul. You can read a person just by their eyes, a skill useful in Eurydice’s line of work. And Orpheus’ eyes looked genuine, and kind.
” That’s nice- I mean the opera is really intriguing.” Orpheus said, stumbling over his words. “It’s also confusing.” He added, seemingly laughing at a memory. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Eurydice giggled, the poet’s laughter contagious.
An uncomfortable silence spread over the pair, only to be broken by someone calling Orpheus’ name. “Orpheus, darlin’!” A woman called, and in a flash of silks Orpheus was enveloped in a hug. “Lady Persephone!” He replied just as enthusiastically.
Eurydice raised an eyebrow at him, and could see him blush as he returned her gaze from over the woman’s shoulder. The woman detached herself from Orpheus and stepped back, examining the scene she interrupted. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.” She said coyly, an air of kindness and warmth practically vibrating off her.
”It’s alright, Miss .” Eurydice said, studying the woman before her. Her dress was multiple layers of expensive silks and lace. She had on no jewelry save for a simple black necklace with no pendents. Her skin was the color of honey, and she had beautiful brown curls, that had lighter and gray streaks forming a blonde tint near the edges. It was styled simply,(the unruly curls gathered loosely against her neck)but elegantly with flower pins placed throughout her updo. She was beautiful
”Not miss. Call me Persephone, please.” The woman said, offering her hand to Eurydice and smiling. “I’m Eurydice.” She replied, taking the hand. “How do you know our poet?” Persephone asked, as Orpheus fidgeted at her side.
”We just met.” Eurydice answered, putting on a smile. Persephone’s eyes showed a greater depth than Orpheus’. Persephone’s eyes were kind and lively, but also experienced and sad.
”Oh.” Persephone replied , her face falling, but rising again with a smile. “Oh. I must find Hermes and tell him I found you,” She said to Orpheus. “It was a pleasure, Eurydice.” Persephone smiled at the young songbird. “Pleasure was all mine.” The young girl returned. Persephone and her bright silks disappeared into the crowd of socialites.
”You’re a poet?”
”Um...not really...I mean I...sort of.”
Eurydice laughed at Orpheus, and this only seemed to make him more nervous. “I’m not judging you.” She chimed, in hopes to comfort him. Orpheus let out an anxious laugh, trying to relax. “More of a singer really.” He said.
”A singer, is that what you are?” Eurydice asked stifling a giggle. “Well I-I also play the lyre.” Orpheus answered, fidgeting with his hands again. “That’s quite impressive. Are you working on anything?”
Eurydice had met many musicians in her travels, each more fake than the last. They promise they’ll make money, that they’ll be something. They promise you gowns of silk, diamond jewelry, and other expensive things just to leave the next time another woman starts to fancy them.
”A song. It isn’t finished yet.” Orpheus answered. “You make any money, poet?” Eurydice asked, emphasizing the nickname. “I work in my uncle’s bar in town.”
How the hell does a wannabe poet and bartender afford the opera? His family must have money. Eurydice looked over Orpheus again. His suit’s high quality no doubt, but he clearly isn’t used to looking this fancy.
The boy’s hair grabbed the songbird’s attention again. A beautiful gold brown that, most likely despite effort, seemed to have a mind of it’s own. He was handsome, and had an innocence and warmth that intoxicated Eurydice.
”E-Eurydice?”
Orpheus hesitantly touched Eurydice’s shoulder to get her attention. “Hmm....what?” Eurydice snapped back from her thoughts, realizing she was staring. The entrance of the opera hall seemed less crowded as people filed into the theatre. “The opera is about to start.” He answered, watching the lights sparkle off of Eurydice’s earrings.
Eurydice blinked, noticing the change of atmosphere in the hall. How long had they been talking? It couldn’t have been that long, could it? It only had felt like minutes, but then again how long had she spent studying him?
”Oh.” She sighed, extending her hand once more to Orpheus. “It was lovely meeting you.” Eurydice chimed, putting on one of her most sincere smiles. Orpheus shook her hand nervously, and the songbird turned to go into the theatre with a smile spreading on her lips.
”Eurydice! May-May I find you at intermission?”
”If you can, poet.”
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”Where’ve you been, boy?”
Orpheus clumsily slid into his seat in Lady Persephone’s box just as the theatre lights dimmed. “Leave the boy alone, brother. He was with a girl.” Persephone snapped at Hermes before Orpheus could even open his mouth. Hermes looked Orpheus over, and the young boy could feel his spine tingling under his uncle’s gaze.
”A’ight.” Hermes sighed, waving a hand dismissively at his godson. Orpheus breathed a sigh of relief, and mouthed Persephone a thank you. She smiled in return, and the trio snapped their attention to the stage below them.
As he had told Eurydice, Orpheus found the opera very intriguing. He was confused when he tried to follow the actors, but when he closed his eyes and followed the music everything made perfect sense. The strings and delectable sounds from the orchestra blend with the actor’s beautiful voices making a perfect harmony.
A harmony that Orpheus could loose himself in a million times, yet it still felt new each one. Nothing else mattered to the poet, at this moment and to him it felt like nothing would ever again.
A sudden stop of music and rapturous applause break the trance. Intermission. Orpheus joined in the applause, despite wishing the first act never ended. The socialites disperse back into the hall, leaving only a few left in the theatre including the trio in the box.
”Orpheus, darlin’, you alright?” Persephone asked watching the young boy stare blankly at the now empty stage. “What?” He asked, snapping his attention to the lady sitting next to him. Persephone seemed satisfied with the answer that he had apparently given her by not paying attention.
Orpheus scanned the seats below looking for Eurydice. He couldn’t see her in the few people left, meaning she had gone back into the hall with everyone else. Orpheus quickly stood, followed by the gazes of the other two.
He anxiously walked out of the box, running down the marble corridors leading to the entrance hall. He had ten minutes at most to find Eurydice, and that seemed impossible due the overwhelming crowd of people that littered the hall.
Orpheus wove through the crowds watching for Eurydice. He paused catching his breath, only to look up and lock eyes with the songbird. “Eurydice.” He breathed, and she smiled. “Good job, poet ya found me.” She said, her smile making Orpheus blush.
She was just as gorgeous as she was earlier, and Orpheus couldn’t string a sentence while looking at her. “I did.” He said, immediately regretting it as it came out more nervously than he intended.
”Did you enjoy the first act?” Orpheus asked, trying his hardest not to stutter. “Indeed. It was confusing though, I’ll admit that.” She answered, while Orpheus watched her earnings sparkle in the light.
”The actors were hard to follow, but the music was fantastic.” Eurydice elaborated. Orpheus nodded, cherishing every second like a beautiful harmony. But then a voice piped up in the back of the poet’s head.
What happened after Intermission was over? Would he ever see her again? He had too. They may have just met, but the young boy felt an inexplicable need towards her. He needed Eurydice.
”Would- Would you like to join me for lunch tomorrow?”
The question came out before he could stop it, and the silent moments before Eurydice answered tortured the poet. “That would be lovely.” Eurydice answered much to the poet’s surprise. “There’s a new place downtown called Olympus. We could meet there if that’s alright with you.”
”Um-Yes.. I mean, that sounds wonderful.” Orpheus stuttered, not believing this conversation was actually happening. “Noon then?” Eurydice inquired, and Orpheus nodded.
Patrons of the hall began filing back into the theatre as intermission came to an end. Orpheus and Eurydice said their goodbyes, and the songbird disappeared into the crowd. Orpheus walked back to the box grinning in disbelief.
Had he really just asked Eurydice to lunch? Had she really just said yes?
Orpheus slid into his seat once again as the lights dimmed. Persephone smiled, her mysterious and knowing smile, at him and even Hermes’ lips curled up. The two always had a mysterious way of knowing exactly what the poet was thinking, and they had unanimously decided that he would have gotten up to ask the young lady Persephone had met to lunch. And the smirk on his face told them he had had success.
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Eurydice couldn’t focus on the end of the opera. The events of the last hour replayed in her mind while music rung through the theatre.
Eurydice had just departed from Orpheus and headed into the theatre for the second act of the opera. Until she was stopped. A too familiar tap on the shoulder, and her hopes of enjoying the evening were crushed.
She filled out of the crowd and outside the opera house itself, to a dark side of the building. A carriage waited for her, and the young songbird stepped inside without hesitation.
She sat to face three malevolent sisters, each with sinister grins. The three women were strikingly beautiful, each with their own charms but that didn’t fool Eurydice anymore. She knew just how coldhearted they were, and how it was better to stay in their good graces rather than face the consequences.
”Enjoying the opera?”
”This show is a particular favorite of mine.”
”We have a job for you.”