Chapter Text
Spartan Royal Family
Helen, Princess of Sparta: Helen, Daughter of Tyndareus and Leda of Sparta. The most desirable woman in the world, with hair red like a sunset's luster, eyes the color of clear skies, and a deep beauty akin to Aphrodite's. If ever there was perfection on the green plains of Gaia, it was Helen of Sparta. Helen, sweet, evenly tempered, well-meaning, naive, as she was beautiful Helen. Helen, who always tries to bridge the gaps between her conflict-loving family and always looks at the world with equal parts fascination and fear. The world looks back at Helen. Fate hangs heavy on her; however unprepared Helen is for it.
Clytemnestra, Princess of Sparta: Clytemnestra, Daughter of Tyndareus and Leda of Sparta. Stern, utterly tenacious in everything. Clytemnestra is hard where others are soft, firm where they are pliable. Argumentative, brash, a fiercely protective swan who looks over her kin with keen, dark eyes. She has thick curls of black hair, a straight nose, arched brows, and a sharp bow to her upper lip. Her shoulders are slightly muscled from Spartan girl sports, her skin tanned and faintly freckled from days in the sun, her voice strong enough to carry down hills. Clytemnestra is every bit an eldest daughter, for better or for worse.
Penelope, Princess of Sparta: Penelope, Daughter of Icarius and Periobea of Sparta. Clever, clever, clever. Though outwardly awkward, lanky, and bony, Penelope of Sparta is nothing if not clever. She got all the odd nymph parts of her mother without the glowing beauty to bring it all together: the pale skin, the wide brown eyes like pebbles, the scalloped edges to her ears, the smell of river grass. From her father, Penelope got a rather stubborn nose and that rather stubborn mind. She likes puzzles, little poems, and can weave like a spider. She also carries a strange affection for ducks, the birds that saved her life as a child after her father tried to kill her. Penelope longs very deeply; you can see it in her eyes.
Tyndareus, King of Sparta: One of two Kings of Sparta. A stern sort of king, with a constantly furrowed brow, a square jaw, curls of dark hair, and a fierce curl to his lip. Tyndareus is the muscle of Sparta's kings, the militaristic mind. He grows older, but his muscles remain the same.
Icarius, King of Sparta: One of two Kings of Sparta. A clever sort of king, the king who deals with the trades, the alliances, the politics of it all. He has a slim sort of face, a lanky runner's build, with sharp little eyes that prick you when he looks. He softens them for Penelope and Penelope only, though that doting softness is usually mixed with a faint guilt.
Asterodia, Queen of Sparta: One of two Queens of Sparta, wife of Icarius She is an outgoing sort of woman, a warm contrast to her snippy, intelligent husband. She is grounded firmly in reality, with a warm face, dark hair always braided, and bright stars for eyes. Asterodia, though reasonable, never lost that girlish mischief.
Leda, Queen of Sparta: One of two Queens of Sparta, wife of Tyndareus. Exceptionally beautiful, yes, but not more so than her daughter, Helen. Leda is a slight thing; quiet, reclusive, peaking her head out to the world only on the rarest of occasions. She has a pale face, dark eyes, a long, elegant neck like a swan, and straight dark hair that curves in at the end like a tapered feather. She always looks a little bit startled.
Pollux & Castor, Princes of Sparta: The sons of Tyndareus. Pollux is fiery, bright, reddish-blonde with blue eyes and a voice that crackles like lightning when he yells (and he does yell a fair bit). The other, Castor, is more grounded, as stern as his father, with a handsome sort of face (he yells very rarely). Despite their opposite natures, Castor and Pollux are seldom seen apart from each other, connected like twin stars in the sky.
Perilaos, Prince of Sparta: The second eldest child of Icarius, not that Icarius ever seems to notice. Perilaos is very much like his father, except for the painfully obvious ways in which he chases the praise of his older male cousins. Though clever, with Icarius's sharp sort of eyes and slim face, Perilaos's cleverness is often interrupted by a deep sort of doubt spawned from his father's neglect.
Other Children of Icarius: Thoon, Laodice, Amasichus, Imeusimus, Elatus, Aletes… Truly, Icarius has lost track of all the children he has. All of them look like Asterodia. All except little Iphthime, perhaps the only one he likes besides Penelope, with her dark hair and scalloped-edged ears and brown eyes like river pebbles…she does not look a thing like Asterodia.
Other Children of Tyndareus: Timandra, Phoebe, and Philone. Each is an odd mix of Leda's slightness and Tyndareus's sternness, to different degrees. The House of Tyndareus seems blessed with daughters upon daughters. Not that Tyndareus particularly minds, though it often earns him pitying glances. At least he has Clytemnestra to keep them all in line.
Retainers of the House
Melantho, Maid of Sparta: A quick, clever sort of girl. Melantho is young and always eager for excitement, something her Lady Penelope offers her endlessly. Melantho is also exceptionally talented in listening, with keen sort of ears and eyes and braids curling up at the ends as though interested in the conversation. She always manages to have things a maid should not have, little jewelry and bits that make her feel special and pretty.
Epiphanes, General of Sparta: A member of Sparta's highest council, a trusted man of the military. Epiphanes stands tall, eyes ahead, and always means every word he speaks. His hair is curly, blonde, and well-kept, his eyes brown and straightforward.
Athanasios, Stable Boy of Sparta: A lowly stable boy, a servant, a slave, though you don't see it on that fox-like face he has. He relies on what little charm and good looks he has to get by. He always keeps an eye out for Lady Clytemnestra, and Clytemnestra keeps an eye out for him, but only when either feels particularly bored.
Gods, Nymphs, and the Divine
Hera: Wife of Zeus. Hera takes great pleasure in watching the Ladies of Sparta, occasionally meddling in their affairs when she can do so without attracting the eyes of her husband. The Ladies of Sparta are women, future queens, and future wives. As Goddess of all those things, Hera cannot help but feel obligated to them in a way. And maybe, perhaps, she sees glimpses of herself within such girls... She even harbors some affection for Helen, though reluctantly.
Athena: Daughter Of Zeus, Goddess of Wisdom. Athena is no stranger to mortal-meddling herself, though she does so with the utmost discretion and caution. Of course, everything she does is a small part of something larger, though what exactly she wishes to achieve with the Ladies of Sparta is known only to her.
Zeus: God King, Thunder Bringer, Mighty Zeus in all his glory. Zeus sees all. His eyes are as ever-stretching as the sky, and Sparta does not escape his gaze. Not that he meddles directly, not as his wife or favorite daughter tend to do, but do not be mistaken; his favor is far more valuable to one than his displeasure, a fact that applies even to his demigod children down in Sparta.
Hermes: Son of Zeus, the trickiest of the gods. Hermes brings messages, good, bad, and middle of the road. When it comes to Sparta, his messages mainly consist of relays of information to his father, often to the detriment of his step-mother and sister's plans (though often to Hermes' own delight). It is quite funny to watch them get all frustrated, trying to be sneaky like are. Fools, really. No one is more sneaky than Hermes.
Periobea: A river nymph, living in the Eurotas River with her sisters. Periobea is like most nymphs; utterly beautiful, a little giggly, and with something of a jealous streak in her. Years ago, she captured the heart of Icarius of Sparta, enrapturing him with her greenish eyes and long dark hair like a river current, and never really seemed to let him go. However, Periobea much prefers frolicking in the river to being with a mortal man or her half-mortal daughter Penelope.