The Line of the Sol Empress

Chapter 21.1

Death is as natural to life as birth. What good is it to fear the inevitable? Instead, fear a life unloved.

- Writings of the Sol Empress, Words of Faith

[Hope]

The people of the Pytheas Colony worked hard most of the year, but they also knew how to throw a party. The yearly Harvest Festival was by far the biggest event on the world of Delphi. After a successful season, everyone looked forward to the celebration.

With cool crisp mornings and warm afternoons, the weather was perfect. Towering oak trees along a trickling creek, results of terraforming started hundreds of years ago, provided intermittent shade. Open air booths, makeshift stages, and displays dotted the grassy landscape. A gentle breeze lifted colorful kites from the hillside above and wafted mouth-watering aromas from numerous food vendors. Folk music from wandering minstrels ebbed over the din of the crowd, punctuated by gleeful shouts of children.

Hope and Faith made their way among the booths. But Hope had a specific destination in mind — the booth of a baker who made the gooiest scrumptious cinnamon rolls. Spotting her goal, Hope pulled Faith through the meandering crowd.

Faith grinned. "I thought you might come here first."

"It be the sisters Morr!" the grey-haired woman exclaimed, her flowered apron splotched with white flour. "I had hoped ye' would come by."

Hope grinned. "You know what I want, Mona."

"Aye, lass. Ye' be in luck. A fresh batch be hot out of the oven."

A spatula scraped across the baking pan, lifting out a fresh roll, one nearly as big as the plate on which it settled. Thick white frosting drizzled across the top trickled down the sides.

Hope passed her credit bracelet over the scanner to pay while inhaling the satisfying smells of fresh bread and cinnamon, making her mouth water. "These have to be the best in the whole galaxy."

"Ye' do an old woman's heart good, Hope." She smiled, then looked around. "Be your father and brother about?"

Faith answered. "Just us girls. They went out on repair run."

"Perhaps it be better that way." The woman smirked. "Men don't appreciate the experience."

Hope nodded in agreement. Shopping with Dad and Gab can be excruciating.

Sitting at a picnic table under a sprawling tree, Hope tore off a piece of the roll and stuffed it in her mouth. The warm soft sweetness overwhelmed her taste buds. With eyes closed, she tipped her head back and moaned. "Oh, this is so good."

Faith shook her head and said, "And so unhealthy."

"But so worth it." Hope pushed the roll closer to her sister. "Here, take some. I can't eat it all."

Grinning, Faith tore off a large fluffy chunk. "Well, okay. I'll help. But just for you."

Hope jerked as a hand appeared on her bare shoulder. A tall young man with bushy blonde hair and firm jaw grinned down at the sisters. He said, "Hey, Hope and Faith." A quizzical look came over him. "Why were you two named after virtues, anyway?"

Tilting her head back and letting long dark hair sway, Hope replied with a smirk. "Because we're so good, Braden."

A sly half-grin came across his face. "See you at the dance tonight?"

Suddenly flustered, Hope stammered. "Umm... I don't know. Maybe?"

"Come find me if you do." He winked. "Then you can show me how good you really are."