The most important of the three recurring monthly festivals. This is the first day of the Attic month of Gamelion. Traditionally Zeus, Apollon Noumenios, Apollon Agyieus, Artemis, Hermes, Selene, personal matrons and patrons and other deities you and your family are close to are traditionally honored.
Thursday January 2 (2 Gamelion)
đ„ Festival đ„
Agathos Daimon
In honor of the Agathos Daimones who look after you and your family. Ancestor veneration may also be done on this day.
Friday January 3 (3 Gamelion)
đ Holy Day đ
Sacred to Athena
Saturday January 4 (4 Gamelion)
đ Holy Day đ
Sacred to Aphrodite, Herakles, Hermes and Eros
Sunday January 5 (5 Gamelion)
Monday January 6 (6 Gamelion)
đ Holy Day đ
Sacred to Artemis
Tuesday January 7 (7 Gamelion)
đ Holy Day đ
Sacred to Apollo
Wednesday January 8 (8 Gamelion)
đ Holy Day đ
Sacred to Poseidon and Theseus
Thursday January 9 (9 Gamelion)
đ Holy Day đ
Sacred to Helios, the Muses, Rhea
Friday January 10 (10 Gamelion)
Saturday January 11 (11 Gamelion)
đ„ Festival đ„
Libation to Hera
This is a Hellenion specific event and those who wish to join may.
"On the second Saturday of each month members of Hellenion pour a libation to one of the Olympians on the same day, from wherever they may be, with whomever may join them, around the world. In this way, whatever else we do to celebrate Hellenic occasions, we are united in doing the same action on the same day. In January, we honor Hera"
Sunday January 12 (12 Gamelion)
đ„ Festival đ„
Lenia
Lenia is a four day festival honoring Dionysus and the maenads. Eat, drink, be merry! Have a girls night out. Recite Orphic Hymns 30 and 45, or Homeric Hymns 1, 7, and 26. Put on a dramatic play or do a dramatic reading of something.
Monday January 13 (13 Gamelion)
đ„ Festival đ„
Lenia
Lenia is a four day festival honoring Dionysus and the maenads. Eat, drink, be merry! Have a girls night out. Recite Orphic Hymns 30 and 45, or Homeric Hymns 1, 7, and 26. Put on a dramatic play or do a dramatic reading of something.
Tuesday January 14 (14 Gamelion)
đ„ Festival đ„
Lenia
Lenia is a four day festival honoring Dionysus and the maenads. Eat, drink, be merry! Have a girls night out. Recite Orphic Hymns 30 and 45, or Homeric Hymns 1, 7, and 26. Put on a dramatic play or do a dramatic reading of something.
Wednesday January 15 (15 Gamelion)
đ„ Festival đ„
Lenia
Lenia is a four day festival honoring Dionysus and the maenads. Eat, drink, be merry! Have a girls night out. Recite Orphic Hymns 30 and 45, or Homeric Hymns 1, 7, and 26. Put on a dramatic play or do a dramatic reading of something.
Thursday January 16 (16 Gamelion)
Friday January 17 (17 Gamelion)
Saturday January 18 (18 Gamelion)
Sunday January 19 (19 Gamelion)
Monday January 20 (20 Gamelion)
Tuesday January 21 (21 Gamelion)
Wednesday January 22 (22 Gamelion)
Thursday January 23 (23 Gamelion)
Friday January 24 (24 Gamelion)
Saturday January 25 (25 Gamelion)
Sunday January 26 (26 Gamelion)
Monday January 27 (27 Gamelion)
đ„ Festival đ„
Theogamia
This is the anniversary of the marriage of Zeus and Hera. Give honor to current relationships, plan a marriage, or look back on a wedding! This is a day to honor your partner and perhaps your parents' marriage. This a good day to recite Orphic Hymn 15 to Zeus and 16 to Hera or Homeric Hymn 12 to Hera.
Tuesday January 28 (28 Gamelion)
Wednesday January 29 (29 Gamelion)
Thursday January 30 (30 Gamelion)
đ„ Festival đ„
Hekate's Deipnon
This festival happens at the darkest part of the month. At this time, prepare your home for a new month. Purify the self, the home, and get affairs in order. This is also a good time to donate food or money or volunteer. Think about what you don't want to bring into the next month (bad energy, bad food in your fridge, a dirty home)... and fix it!
Friday January 31 (1 Anthesterion)
đ„ Festival đ„
Noumenia
The most important of the three recurring monthly festivals. This is the first day of the Attic month of Gamelion. Traditionally Zeus, Apollon Noumenios, Apollon Agyieus, Artemis, Hermes, Selene, personal matrons and patrons and other deities you and your family are close to are traditionally honored.
Resources:
Ancient Greek calendar superimposed on secular calendar for easy comprehension
Personalised story for @leniabranch
Pairing: Otto Hightower x Lenia Branch
Word Count: 2k
Warnings: Things get a lil heated towards the end (sexually speaking)
You stood there shocked, well for a better word, dumbfounded.
The Hand of the King, arguably the most important man in Westeros, was down on one knee for you.
You could see the tinge of his skin; sailing did not become him. But he still looked handsome with his windswept hair and unkept beard (he had tried to make himself look as presentable as possible, but he could barely stand in front of the mirror on the rocking boat).
A crowd was already gathering, murmurs that the Hand of the King was proposing on the docks ran quickly throughout the dockyards. It wasn't until Alicent coughed that you were pulled back into reality. Tears sprung to your eyes you didn't know how they got there but you knew they came from a place of joy. Throwing yourself down at him your hands found their way to his cheeks, and you planted a firm kiss on Ottoâs lips.
  âYou have yet to answer, Lady Lenia,â Otto murmured with a small smile.
Your answer came out in a jumbled mess of yesses.
He kissed you back with just as much fervour, pulling away from your lips for only a second to say, âI wished to propose underneath the apple tree, but I couldnât wait any longer.â And then his lips found yours once again.
The next few days went by in a blur. You first went to your parentâs to tell them the good news. However, your father had already known as Otto asked for his permission. During the Handâs journey, he was waiting just as anxiously as you. Your mother on the other hand, did not know, and was over the moon with joy. Though she did slap your fatherâs arm for not telling her.
 âIt was a surprise!â was his response.
Otto had never been this proud, not since the birth of his children. So, he gladly welcomed the congratulatory remarks and compliments. Although as he recounted the story, he did like to leave out the part where he was still sea-sick during the proposal.
Alicent too was happy. Not just happy for her father and future stepmother but also because the attention was no longer on her. King Viserys was more than jovial. Keeping this secret was difficult for him. Happy secrets were his downfall. He was so happy in fact, that he said, âthere shall be no expense spared for this wedding,â and then the Master of Coin nearly choked on his wine.
Elrie was over the moon to be involved in another wedding. Darrick too, was ecstatic for you, the only person who was not was little Lucieth, who was sick of weddings.
And when you asked why, he blurted âbecause I HATE dressing up!â
Weeks had passed and the wedding plans were in full motion. Your mother was busy fussing over your dress with Sanah, who wanted to make it by hand. While your mother wanted you to wear her own wedding gown. And then you had family traditions to consider; every Branch woman wore some sort of homage to the House. May it be a leaf, a stem, a ⊠branch, stitched in the gown, a piece of jewellery or make up. It was your choice to make.
The invitations soon went out as well.
Otto was quite particular with how he wanted them written, but you had the creative control. Both your House sigils were drawn, appearing on the corners of the parchment. A representation of your Houses bond.
Soon Branches from all over Westeros would soon be swarming the Capitol, giving a new feeling to Kingâs Landing. Your mother's side of the family were invited as well and although not as openly as creative as House Branch, they were well known for their musical abilities.
It had only been a month since your proposal and Sanah was becoming insufferable. In the best way. Once she heard the news, she apologised for her future actions, âI am going to be intolerable at times, but I just want this to be perfect for you.â
This was one of the most stressful times in your life, but ⊠in such a positive way. Used to the spotlight, you didnât mind the attention, especially the talk of the future with Otto.
  âAnd youâll give him even more children, hopefully more sons!â Said a lady at court, whose name you didnât care to remember. The last part stung, and you frowned (for the first time in a month).
âAny child is a blessing,â you replied, trying to keep the bite out of your voice. âGirls have just as much to offer as boys do.â
It was a curt response, and it made you up and leave the room.
You could feel your teeth grinding and you had to remind yourself to stop. Now being the Handâs future wife, you worried that every word you spoke could hurt his position somehow. But a topic such as this; you knew where you stood on the matter.
The castleâs hallways had become well-known to you. The smoothed edges of the stone walls, cold to the touch, with itâs sudden openings of light and sunshine. On days like this, it filtered through the open gaps, some paned, some completely open. One had to be careful with the latter, there were rumours that many had ⊠fallen from those openings.
Resting your back against the cool of the wall, you sighed and massaged your temple. It was safe to say that in this period of your life, you felt frazzled. It didnât help that you were on your periods and the cramps were quite terrible. Hopefully, you wouldnât have them during your wedding. Maybe that was another question for SanahâŠ
Lost in thought, you didnât register the form that had stopped to stand next to you.
  âHaving second thoughts?â Ormundâs deep voice made you jump, and in turn brought on a wave of embarrassment with a tinge of anger.
   âDonât sneak up on people like that! Itâs ⊠itâs rude.â You said breathlessly.
Ormund chuckled and rested a hand on the hilt of his sword. âWell, I give my deepest apologies,â he said mockingly, bowing low. âI mustnât upset the Handâs wife.â
 âFuture, wife,â you corrected.
âYes,â he said with faint sincerity, âfuture wife.â
                            -â¶-
The interaction with Ormund left you somewhat confused, what was he trying to say? And why was there an establishment between wife and future wife? These words danced in your head until you came to your chamber doors and gleefully opened them.
Rising from the bed, Otto gave you a slight bow as you entered the room.
 âPlease excuse my boldness, but I needed to talk to you. Alone.â
His tone caused an eruption of butterflies in your stomach. A reddening of your cheeks as well.
âItâs, fine. I think weâre past the rules of formality.â And your mind instantly went to the nights spent with each other, naked, with body parts wrapped around one another. The thought made your blush deepen.
 âWell, youâre right about that,â Ottoâs tall frame seemed to tower over your own. You noted his neatly trimmed beard and brushed hair. But some part of you missed the adventure-met Otto.
He guided you over to your sitting area, hot tea waiting for you. The sun had begun to set, emitting rays of orange, pink and purple across the sky. A beautiful sight, but one that you gladly ignored. Your focus was utterly on Otto.
  âI just wanted to have some time by ourselves,â he started, moving to take his hand in yours. âAnd to give you an opportunity to refuse the proposal.â His voice hardened at the end of the sentence, but when you looked into his eyes, all you saw was love.
 âWhy would I refuse?â You said aghast. âHave I shown any reason I wouldnât want to marry?â
There was a long pause.
And questions flooded your head, swarming your stomach, making your body tingle with anxiety.
 âNo, you have not.â
His words gave you such relief that you let out a sigh. The breath that you had unknowingly held in was released and Otto actually saw the worries escape you.
 âThen why? Why ask this?â
How could Otto explain this deep-rooted insecurity of not being enough. Being too old, too unliked, having a job that requires questionable morals. Having to lie to those he loves in favour of the King, or to keep important information from coming to light. To push for things that other people do not want nor agree with.
For Otto, it just goes deeper and deeper. More intricate that one could ever explain perfectly.
So, the only thing that he could come out with was, âI-Iâm not enough. For you. You deserve better. Someone younger, at least.â
Your grip on his hand tightened, and you stared straight into his eyes, âI want to marry you Otto Hightower. I see the good, I see the bad; I see all of you. And I still want to marry you.â Â
The intensity in which you spoke felt foreign, as was the power that seemed to radiate from you. But in this moment it felt right. Unbeknownst to you, it wasnât as if Otto didnât see your devotion. He did. And he admired it greatly. Itâs one of the reasons why he loves you so dearly. His late wife had the same devout nature.
Any doubts he had for this marriage were based on himself; his own self-reservations. Truly, they had nothing to do with you. Not even your status, which had been brought up by the small council, didnât make him think any less of you. He had stopped the slanderous talk immediately. Everyone knew not to talk ill of Lenia Branch in the presence of Otto Hightower. And it helped greatly that the King thought your family was brilliant. Your position at court was favoured, as were you. Your future, no matter what, was bright.
 âI truly cannot explain how I feel inside. Only know this: there is nothing that can make me stop loving you.â
 You seemed to move without realising it, because in an instant you were in his lap, one hand tangled in his hair and the other moving down his chest. Your lips were connected in such deep passion that you knew they would be bruised in a few hours.
Ottoâs hands wrapped around your body, pulling you closer to him. His mouth reciprocated the movements, biting your bottom lip, nipping at your tongue. Then he moved you, so your legs were either side of him. The position making it easier to rub your most sensitive parts against one another. Otto moaned, pushing you harder against himself, kissing down the nape of your neck and moving to your chest. He was about to unlace your bodice when a knock sounded at the door.
  âJ-just a moment!â You breathed out, doing your best to get off of Otto and fix yourself up. Standing there awkward for a moment, Otto motioned for you to sit down on your chair and take a sip of your now cold, tea.
  âEnter,â you said after gulping. You realised Otto had brought over your favourite herbal blend.
âOh, apologies,â said Darrick, whose eyes darted between you and Otto. You could see your brother conclude that you were alone with another man, but only having tea.
  âHow are you, Darrick?â Otto asked, in a completely neutral tone.
âFine, thank you for asking,â Darrick bowed politely and then handed you a piece of rolled up parchment.
Departing quickly, you could see the tinge of red on his cheeks and you frowned. Although you realised that it wasnât because of any indecency, but because of what he had brought you.
It was the finished wedding invitations, with your design and Ottoâs words. Together in black ink with gold and silver accents made it look absolutely beautiful. You slid the paper over to Otto and he nodded his head in approval.
Siempre estuve ahĂ, delante de tus ojos y nunca me viste, nunca viste que daba todo lo que era por ti, daba mi felicidad por la tuya incluso daba mi alma por la tuya, siempre estuve ahĂ delante de ti, esperando a que me vieras, a que abrieras los ojos y sĂłlo me vieras a mi.
((I'm never going to draw Lenia like this again...I'll change my art style but for now I'll deal with it. Lenia looks different then what I intended in doing.))
My fan apprentice Lenia, age 24.
Couldn't figure out how to add the font text for the bio since I draw and do everything else on my phone.
A bit about Lenia:
Lenia goes by they/them/their. But doesn't mind him or her.
They are special for the reason that they were born with both genders. Although the female genes are more visible. One eye has blue and green specs a birth defect.
They romance Julian and Asra. (I made my own little story line were they are in a polyamorous relationship with both, cause the drama is better)
They are a poison maker like their deceased father. They are royalty through their mother's side but they don't claim it.
Their mother was the 1st princess of a kingdom far away but she gave up her title and married a poison master who worked at the castle. They moved to the countryside and with a family butler and bodyguard they raised Lenia like any other child.
When Lenia was 8 their father was threatened by his wife's sister (who underhandedly took reign of the kingdom after the Queen fell ill and she felt threatened by her older sister), if he didn't kill his wife they'd kill his child. He told his wife and she agreed to die at his hands. He then went to raise their child until he died of overwork.
Not long after Lenia realized they were a magic user and went to find a master. Already being a master of poison, finding jobs wasn't really hard, especially working for the wealthy. And no sooner they meets Julian and Asra.
Based off of the "The Arcana" App game by @thearcanagame
