Ursula Urbanus and her younger sister, Cassia, walked out of the inner courts of the Temple of Aphrodite where the temple boys that service those that came to worship eros and those seeking love assist them to entreat the goddess for favours. Ursula wore an elaborate white linen tunic with a gold woollen belt tied around her waist accentuating her slender waist and adding more allure to her gait. Her younger sister was, however, garbed in a much simpler woollen tunic in off white colour. Due to its texture, it was harsh on the skin and heavier on a person's body. Even though what Cassia wore wasn't as elaborate as her sister, Ursula's, one can still see that Cassia features were more prominent and prettier than the former. This was why Ursula always insists on wearing more elaborate attires and jewellery than her younger sister whenever they go out together in public. Even now, as they passed through the crowded streets around the temple, passersby whistled at them, making lewd remarks. The nicer compliments go to her younger sister Cassia and this was making her so bitter and resentful towards her. They were both from the same parent, so why should Cassia have more refined features than her? she argued bitterly within her. Why wasn't she the one with the beauty? Why does it have to be Cassia? And to think that the stupid girl doesn't even do much to catch men's attention even in her drab attire, she scorns disdainfully, glancing at her with looks full of envy. At this rate, suitors will come for the delicate flower leaving her, the wild one, behind. Well, they will have to wait and see about that. She will rather visit Hades than let Cassia marry before her. Thank God, she was more favoured by her mother than Cassia. So, her mother will always frustrate any such affair from taking place.
"Egyptian charm stones! Get your Egyptian Charm stones. Buy one, get one free!" a robust dark skin trader calls out to the passerby's, trying to draw attention to her wares.
That moment, Ursula and Cassia walked forward to pass the stone shop.
"Fair maidens, come take a look. Egyptians charm stones, good luck trinkets, bracelets, and rings to turn your luck around. It can bring you love, marriage and fertility. Try it out and see," she cajoled.
Hearing about love, marriage and fertility, Ursula stopped. She turned and glanced at the dark-skinned woman who glimpsed the longing in Ursula's eyes and began to exaggerate more on her trades.
"It is even said to make a woman appear more alluring to a suitor. That way, when a suitor sees her, the suitor cannot help but be in love with her."
Picking up an Amethyst stone, she added, "this one here purifies and drives away negative energy around you. It connects you more with the soul of a suitor or your partner. That way the bond remains unbreakable even in death."
Other interested maidens and bachelors began to gather around the woman's stall showing interest.
"Sister Ursula, we must hurry home. Papa will not be happy if he finds out we left the house unchaperoned," Cassia urged her sister seeing she was about to head to the stall that was now teaming with customers.
"And who will go telling him if you or I don't go telling?" Ursula hissed, giving her a sharp look filled with venom. She was still smarting from the looks of admiration and longing Cassie received from the temple boys and passersby earlier on. She hated being ignored over her sister like she was just a blank canvas against which her sister was painted.
"Bu-"
"Be silent Cassia! Don't trouble me. I want to get that Amethyst stone for myself before anyone else purchases it. If you are so fearful of Father, then go back by yourself. But don't blame me if Mama decides to tell Papa that you are the one that ran off to go see a man, leaving me all by myself," Ursula added for benefit.
"Sister Ursula, why are you so mean? That would be lies you made up on your own," Cassie grumbled knowing how spiteful her sister could be, and that she always follows through on her threats.
"O shut it! Who can tell if they were lies or not? You'll only have yourself to blame in the end."
Saying that she ignored Cassia entirely to go haggle the price with the woman. Cassie stood silently waiting for Ursula, not interested in getting anything for herself. Even though she is a maiden, she considers some of the things her peers struggle to have, vain. Besides, even if she purchases it, her mother would find ways to take it from her and gift it to Ursula. She'll always say, "With your enchanting looks, you don't need jewellery, Cassia. Men will think that you are one of those loose women sent by the gods to lure them into whoredom." Such hurtful things coated with sugary words her mother often tells her; Cassia thought wryly. It doesn't hurt as much as it did in the beginning. After all, she didn't request the gods to gift her this beauty that her body bears. The gods choose who to gift their favours and mortal men have no say in their wills.
Ursula haggled with the woman and arrived at a price higher than what was in her pouch. Other customers wanted the same stone she desired, and because of it, the woman set the price higher than what it should be. She needed four more Denarius, which was equivalent to four working days of wages of a Plebeian, to complete her purchase, She schemed in her head what to do and an idea formed making her smile evilly.
"You said when I buy one, I get one free, right?"
"Yes," the trader replied, eyeing her warily.
"Alright. Since you were so kind as to offer me this beautiful Amethyst with wonderful benefits, is there another of its kind that does the opposite of what this one does?"
"What do you mean, Madam? I don't sell drabs. Don't bring bad luck to my stall. Pay for the stone and I will give you another stone of my choice free," the trader rebuked.
Madam? Was she that old to have this woman accord her such hideous status? Ursula smarted with pursed lips. She swallowed her bitterness and gave the trader a false smile.
"No, no. Don't take offence, please. I do not mean bad" she waved her hands. "I want to request that you give me an ordinary trinket with no benefits at all if you have any. The thing is…" She leans closer to the woman like she wants to tell a big secret. "My adoptive sister over there thinks she is prettier than me, and always envies me when my father gives me money to spend on my own. She even steals from me when she cannot afford any like now. So, I thought to get her one so she won't be too unhappy to steal mine – something not so elaborate," she finished conspiratorily.
"Oh!" the dark-skinned woman muttered in understanding. "Well, you are lucky. I happen to have something that will do." Saying that, she went inside the stall and came out with a colourful looking bracelet, but which, indeed, was a bauble.
"This looks colourful now, but it doesn't take long for the colours to fade. You can think of it as a kind of bad luck where something that looks beautiful begins to fade in time," the woman explained.
Ursula gloated gleefully. "My gratitude to you. This will do," she said. "Give me a minute, let me call her attention," she said to the woman before approaching Cassia.
"Cassia, may I borrow four Denarius from you to complete my purchase. I even got a colourful bracelet with healing abilities for you," she added for benefit. Healing abilities to drain your beauty and turn you to Medusa with reptiles writhing all over your face, witch! Ursula cursed Cassia in her mind.
"I hope you remember to pay me back, Sister." Cassia counted out the balance while still muttering, "You always borrow my pocket money with a promise to pay back which you never do."
"Cassia, stop complaining. Is it such a difficult thing for you to help your sister out sometime? You are so ungrateful! Even when I told I purchased a bracelet for you – not only did you not give any word of thanks, you had to complain too," Ursula scolded her harshly like she was tired of having to deal with a petulant child like Cassia.
"Come take your bracelet from the trader by your hands, before you go bearing tales that I cursed or bewitch it seeing you are not even grateful I thought to gift you a colourful bracelet.
Unbelievable! Cassia rolled her eyes at her sister's shamelessness. Who is she trying to fool? Didn't she hear as the trader said to buy one and get one free? How come now she is gifting her a bracelet which some part of her money is helping to pay off the purchase. She collected the bracelet from the trader and decided not to call her sister out on it. She rather saves her energy for worthwhile ventures than arguing with her obnoxious sister.
Both sisters resume their walk home. Few seconds after stepping back on the streets, someone called out to Cassie from behind. Turning to check who it was, she caught sight of Maximus Servius walking briskly towards them.