First an Elect(ra)ive Class

I stir awake from our afternoon nap and Nadya is already artwork. She's cutting leather and cloth for an outfit. I start to sit up in the bed to get a better look and Nadya greets me, "Glad you're finally awake, I've asked Electra to run through etiquette while I finish up your outfit."

I groan, remembering the earlier meeting's attitude from the redhead, "Won't you need the reference lines you drew earlier".

Nadya laughs, "Like I could forget the contours of your body."

I feel a slight heat in my cheeks, "You, have me there. So, when do I start."

"Oh, now. She's been waiting for you the past half hour or so." Nadya winks.

I bolt up and start dressing quickly. My hunting top catches on my breasts as I try to quickly pull it on. I end up having to shimmy on, the process yet another change to my daily life. Fuck, I don't need this right now. I finish dressing and start moving to head outside the hut.

Nadya gives me a knowing smug look. In an annoyed exasperated tone I respond, "What, I'm already late!"

Nadya raises an eyebrow, "Your hair, it's a mess." You’re not really heading out like that are you."

I sigh and start to run a comb frantically through my hair. I feel harp tugs against my scalp as teeth of the comb catch on tangled strands. I jimmy the comb trying to undo the knots in my hair. _This isn’t working. _I start using hard yanks of the comb, it is painful, but the discomfort is muted by my frustration. I grumble, "I can't believe people do this every day, such a pain."

Nadya chuckles, "Well it does get easier when you regularly maintain your hair."

I respond, "Sure, though there are other things I'd much rather regularly do. Is it fine now."

Nadya answers, "It's passable. Good luck!"

Finally able to leave, I rush out the door.

Electra is perched on a tree branch outside, her back leaning against the tree’s trunk and gaze directed upwards examining the sky. As I approach, she turns her head and looks down to examine me. Her gaze sweeps over my body head to foot. Then she says, “Good, you’re finally awake. What's Nadya drilled into your head about this mission already?”

“Drilling into me?” My eyes widen at my initial answer, and I backpedal, “Uh, no Nadya hadn’t covered anything about the upcoming mission.”

“What about your training?” Electra follows up irritation creeping into her voice.

I hesitantly reply, “She covered the Bow, flying Trigger and started explaining divine blessings. There hasn’t been time for much else.”

Electra groans, “Figures that Merope would go all in of physical training and skip most of the mental part.”

“Merope?” I question remembering that the Exarch Maia had also called Nadya that.

“Like I said, completely skipped the intellectual part.” Electra swings her legs to the side, so they hang off the branch. She then jumps down several meters to land in front of me, her legs gracefully crouching to absorb the impact. As she straightens, she says, “Guess it falls it me to educate you. Names are as good as a place as any to start.”

She turns and begins to walk. I follow behind her as she continues, “The huntress blesses those who serve her with certain abilities but names, their legacies they carry also contain power. Every so often, certain people develop Resonances with heroes of the past. The seven that lead the Huntresses followers for the most part are named for their resonances.”

“The most part?” I question.

“I’m the 3rd youngest of the seven, I can’t speak for those for senior then myself. But Nadya is the youngest and was renamed for her Resonance with Merope. Typically, the seven are assigned the most sensitive and important tasks the huntress requires. Which brings us to you.” Electra’s brows knit in frustration.

“I’m not Resonant with one of the Pleiades?” I ask.

“No, you are not. I have no idea what Maia is thinking in assigning this mission to you. But, she’s the boss.” She responds.

“If it makes you feel better neither do I.” I say with some chagrin.

She gives me a small half-laugh, “That actually makes it a bit worse.”

“Now to start on court etiquette of the Divines.” Electra starts to run me through the ins and outs of procedure and decorum as we walk one of the paths through the jungle. While the path is pretty I barely notice it as the lesson drags on. She drills me on epithets, procedure and relationships of the Divines. Several of the traditional 12 Olympians are absent from gods covered. She also mentions a few local factions of mythical creatures. By the end of the lesson, I’m struggling to remember it all. As she wraps up the court etiquette lesson she turns around and smiles, "Now, for the fun part..."