The Three Fates

By Aisha Urooj

The world fears them, for they possess the power to shape destinies: Lachesis, Klotho, and Atropos. Yet, what truly strikes fear into the heart of one of the three Fates? Her own sisters.

 

The weaver, Lachesis, has fallen in love with a mortal and is terrified her other siblings will find out. What is thicker than blood? Could it be love… or does family and duty triumph over everything else?

 

Who is the mysterious stranger that has captured her mind and soul? Even Lachesis isn't sure. She hopes the inflexible one, Atropos, never finds out or she will cut his life cord away. Her other sister, Klotho, will rewind the thread and make it seem like he never existed. Does Klotho already know and has been keeping quiet, or has she been neglecting her duties, too?

 

Despite the danger, Lachesis plans to see him again tonight and steal a few moments away with her beloved. But her heart is in flux. Her lover said he has something important to ask of her. What could it be? Will he finally reveal his true identity… or will Lachesis discover something she wishes she had never known?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aisha Urooj
• Release date: Dec 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781738215003

Aisha Urooj

Aisha Urooj is a multi-genre writer who writes captivating coming of age fiction, and fantasy. Check out her writing journey at aishauroojbooks.wordpress.com

Book preview

The Three Fates

Copyright © Aisha Urooj, 2023 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review.

The world fears them, for they possess the power to shape destinies: Lachesis, Klotho, and Atropos. Yet, what truly strikes fear into the heart of one of the three Fates? Her own sisters.

The weaver, Lachesis, has fallen in love with a mortal and is terrified her other siblings will find out. What is thicker than blood? Could it be love... or does family and duty triumph over everything else?

Who is the mysterious stranger that has captured her mind and soul? Even Lachesis isn’t sure. She hopes the inflexible one, Atropos, never finds out or she will cut his life cord away. Her other sister, Klotho, will rewind the thread and make it seem like he never existed. Does Klotho already know and has been keeping quiet, or has she been neglecting her duties, too?

Despite the danger, Lachesis plans to see him again tonight and steal a few moments away with her beloved. But her heart is in flux. Her lover said he has something important to ask of her. What could it be? Will he finally reveal his true identity... or will Lachesis discover something she wishes she had never known?

Chapter One: The Love Letter

Lachesis did a terrible thing. She neglected her duty... and she fell in love.

Neither would have been a problem if she were a mere mortal; they fell in and out of love every day and didn’t bear as many responsibilities. But she was not them. She was one of the Fates, weaver of destinies, the dreaded Moirai... and for them, family and duty came before anything else.

How could she resist the call of her heart, though? Her eyes were filled with dreams, and his words flowed like honey to her ears, enchanting her with all things beautiful.

She might be a Fate, but she wasn’t dead inside. Not yet, anyway... as long as Atropos didn’t find out.

Lachesis was taking a risk by seeing him tonight, but her heart was beyond her control. She was playing a dangerous game with destiny. Her destiny... She smiled at the irony of it all.

What are you smiling about? Klotho asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

Nothing, Lachesis said, quietly. She resumed weaving her thread, but then noticed Klotho’s hand had stopped moving. When she looked up, her younger sister was still staring at her.

What is it? Lachesis asked, her face turning red.

Her younger sister craned her neck towards her thread. Did you see something in the life you are weaving? Klotho asked.

No. why?

No reason. I have never seen you smile like that.

I am delighted to be spending time with you, little sister, Lachesis said. The words came out smoothly. Why wouldn’t I smile?

At first Klotho was puzzled, but then she seemed content with her half-truth and resumed her work with intense concentration. As Lachesis looked at her young sister's sweet face, with her gentle eyes and rosy cheeks, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Atropos would have never believed her for a second.

Poor, sweet, innocent Klotho.

Her little sister knew nothing of the world beyond the palace they lived in, and not once has she been outside Mount Olympus. Her younger sibling took her duties seriously and never wavered for a second. Nothing made her curious or sparked her interest.

What did she know about love and how crazy it made a person? Lachesis didn’t even know it herself before yesterday.

Lachesis had no idea who her lover was and was about to meet him in the strangest of circumstances. To her, he was merely a phantom of her fantasies, a mysterious figure hiding beneath a cloak of shadows. A lover without a name or a face. That didn’t deter her, however, but only made her more determined to find out who he was...

A noise coming from the grand foyer caused both Fates to look up from their work. In walked their oldest sister, Atropos. The two siblings promptly rose to their feet to welcome her.

Atropos wore her usual white robes, flowing from her shoulders and cinched with a golden belt around her waist. She had pulled her hair into a tight bun without a single strand out of place. A mighty sword was often sheathed on her back, although her most formidable weapon remained hidden.

While white was typically associated with tenderness and romance, Lachesis observed it had the opposite effect on her older sister. The white color didn't make her look delicate; it made her seem even more severe.

Atropos was the most feared of the three sisters, for her task was the most terrible. Out of the three fates, she was the one who cut the thread, ending a mortal life. Atropos could also choose the mechanism by which a person died. Not just of mortals, but gods as well.

Her sister’s scissors, along with her sharp mind and tongue, were her most terrifying weapon.

Ever since the onset of the latest mortal war, the sisters had rarely seen Atropos. She had been busy with her duties, working alongside her associate, Death, who was possibly as formidable as her. He ferried the mortal souls to the underworld once the Fates’ designated time for them had ended.

Neither Lachesis nor Klotho had ever seen Death or knew much about him. Lachesis had no inclination to meet him at all, especially because her older sister was intimidating enough.

Sensing the arrival of her older sister, the automatons swiftly entered the room, pulling a cart filled with refreshments. The animated automatons, resembling golden tripods on wheels, had been gifted to them by the master craftsman Daedalus himself. Working autonomously, they carried their own steam and used their own energy.

Atropos spotted them and promptly dismissed them with a wave of her hand. Not now, she said, annoyed. Just as suddenly as they had appeared, the automatons scurried away from sight at her command.

How was your day? Lachesis and Klotho asked together. They looked at one another and smiled.

Atropos didn’t notice their sweet exchange, but rather she groaned and threw up her hands in frustration. He was late again! This is the third time this week!

Who was late? Klotho asked innocently.

Thanatos. I swear if he does it one more time...

Even though Atropos didn’t finish her threat, Lachesis shuddered nonetheless. There was something terrifying about seeing Atropos angry, knowing how much power she had in her hands.

She almost felt bad for her workmate.

Thanatos was the other name of Death. Only in moments of anger would her elder sister speak his true name, otherwise she addressed him as the god of death or simply, Death.

Why was he late? Lachesis asked, concerned. Did he tell you?

Most days, I could barely get a word out of him. Death only speaks in monosyllables if he’s feeling chatty, and today, he was in a mood. Atropos rolled her eyes. Of course, he didn’t say much, except that it was ‘important’. What could possibly be more important than his job?

Klotho quickly nodded in agreement. It was clear how much she admired her oldest sibling’s strong work ethic. She aspired to be like Atropos, much to Lachesis’ dismay.

Among the three siblings, Lachesis constantly felt like an outsider, plagued by guilt whenever her opinions did not align with the others. Was it wrong to want something else? She thought glumly.

I wonder if Hades knows of his tardiness, Atropos said angrily. I will have to speak to him in the next meeting.

Lachesis tried to steer the conversation away from the god of death, which was contributing to Atropos' worsening mood. How long will the mortal war last? she asked her sister.

Instantly, the atmosphere turned frigid. Atropos narrowed her eyes as she looked at her. I am surprised you are asking this, sister. Shouldn’t you know?

Lachesis blushed. You know I can look at individual lives, but I’m not as good as you are at seeing the big picture, sister, she said quietly.

Truth be told, she hadn’t been paying much attention lately, finding herself idling more often than not. She loved her work, but occasionally, she craved a break from the monotony.

Atropos’s sharp tone subsided slightly, but not by much. "It’s a skill you need to learn, Lachesis. If