IceAndWave/ATempleInterlude

A Temple Interlude

In which secrets are kept, offers are made, and relaxation is had by all...

The 16th Day of Descending Air, Realm Year 764

The gardens of the Temple are, as the priestess said, bountiful. They are also quite large, filling several terraces cut out of the back of the peak with fruit trees and other staple crops. There are also numerous tall hedges, walling off contemplative areas and creating small islands of peace within the rioutous greenery.

Cassia explores the garden with eager curiousity. She hadn't seen such vibrant greenery since the Realm, and even that paled before this... She finds an apple, beneath one of the trees, and takes a bite from it, as she starts to study the flowers as she eats. Such colours...

A young girl, no more than fourteen years of age, steps around the corner and stops, startled, when she sees Cassia. "Oh!" she says, and steps back, her eyes wide. Unlike the other priestesses, her head is unshaven, long brown hair cascading down her back.

"...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I was just looking at the flowers." Cassia points.

"So was I," the girl smiles shyly, "Are you... are you one of the visitors?"

Cassia nods "I'm Cassia."

"Juno," she says in response.

Cassia smiles "How often do you get vistors here?"

"You're the first person I have seen who wasn't a priestess," Juno says. "We did have some visitors a few years ago, but I wasn't allowed to see them."

Cassia tilts her head and looks at her curiously, "Should you be allowed to see me?"

"I don't know," she smiles impishly, "But if I don't ask then I won't find out."

Cassia grins and takes a bite from her apple, "Well, I won't tell."

"Thank you," Juno says, smiling again. She leans down and sniffs the flowers slightly, and then looks up with a curious expression on her face, "What... what is it like? Outside the Temple, I mean."

"It's ...very different. It would take me so long to say, everything that is. "

"Oh," the girl says, slightly saddened, "They keep saying I'm not old enough, when I ask them - the priestesses."

"Not old enough? To know about the outside? I can... kind of see why. It isn't that nice out there... sometimes."

"Oh..." Juno sighs, "I'm going to be old enough soon. I suppose I can wait a little longer." She sits down on a rounded boulder and looks up at the sky.

"When are you told?" Cassia percheson the wall, eating the apple and studying the girl.

"When I become a priestess," she says softly, "In a year or two, I think." Juno sighs, "I'll miss this, though..." running her fingers through her long hair.

"It is very pretty hair." she smiles "I wouldn't want to give it up either..."

"I'll have to. All of the priestesses shave their heads," she sighs again, "Pira says not to worry about it, but I can't help it sometimes."

"Why?" she asks "Why are you all bald?"

"I... I don't know. They... we just are. Every day we check each other to make sure."

"Oh." she shrugs and takes another bite. "What do you do here?"

"Me? Not much, I suppose. Learn the rites, help in the garden, clean the Temple. Pira says that when I become a priestess I'll understand a lot more."

Cassia nods, "I feel like that sometimes..."

Juno sighs and looks back up at the slowly darkening sky for a minute or two. A faint voice calls out, and she starts upright, "Oh! I have to go. Please don't tell anyone you saw me here, Cassia. Please?" Her eyes are wide.

"I won't. I promise!" Cassia watches the young girl go, and finishes her apple.

---

The rooms that the Temple has to offer are, while small and somewhat spartan, definitely warmer than any bed outside would be. "We are well-stocked with food, and can likely provide most things you would request for the duration of the stay," the head priestess says.

Sian guides Venia down to sit, and offers a grateful nod to the woman. "Thank you."

Venia chew idly on her bottom lip, mimicking the nod moments later.

"If you need anything, one of my sisters will be available to tend to you," she bows deeply, "Please excuse me, but I must attend to the affairs of the Temple." She walks away smoothly and quickly, back towards the central hall.

Sian waits until she's gone before looking to Venia, frowning slightly and tugging her lip free. "Hey... stop that."

"I... what? Sorry." She dips her head at him in apology.

"It's just that you might hurt yourself." He kisses her temple lightly, and starts to rummage through his pack. "Try to relax, okay?"

Venia nods. "I'm trying... it's not very easy. This is a strange and frightening place... not here, I mean, this room seems normal enough..."

"Mhmm." He finds the small case he keeps the needles in. "What did you see on the stairs?"

"Myself. If I wasn't useless."

"You aren't."

"Well... not like they were. They were strong... One was like I had never left home. Still beautiful, untouched..." She closes her eyes. "The other was scarred, but... assured, confident, sensual."

Sian nods a little, and momentarily takes her hand in his. "You'll recover, Venia. Trust me."

A long chime rings through the Temple, the sound distorted oddly. Soft chanting, fills the void left when the chime's echoes die down.

Venia shivers, pressing a little more into his side, almost as if trying to hide behind him. "I do... is the door locked? I don't want anyone seeing..."

Sian gives her a brief squeeze before going to check it, locking it when it turns out not to be. "There."

Venia nods, biting her lip for just a moment before letting go and mutely offering her arm.

Sian kneels at her feet and draws the sleeve back, finding the length of string he uses and tying it around her arm. The injection itself doesn't take long, Sian holding her up as she sags a little.

Venia lazily loops an arm around him, a soft kiss to his neck as thanks. "Thank you... so much better now."

"Mhm. Tell me when you're ready to walk."

"Walk? Why would I want to move?"

"Thought we might go see the gardens."

"Oh. As long as they aren't as strange as everywhere else..."

"I wouldn't know. I can carry you, if you just want to relax."

Venia blushes softly, wanting to answer both ways. She finally settles on standing a minute or five later, nodding at him. "I'm fine now... let's see the gardens."

Sian slides an arm around her waist, and guides her out.

The gardens of the Temple are, as the priestess said, bountiful. They are also quite large, filling several terraces cut out of the back of the peak with fruit trees and other staple crops. There are also numerous tall hedges, walling off contemplative areas and creating small islands of peace within the rioutous greenery.

Venia unsurprisingly feels even more at ease here, here and there reaching out to touch some of the plants, once plucking a small piece of fruit to idly nibble at as they walk. "Pretty."

"Mhm. Amazing they managed to grow them out here."

"Not so much... magic. You can grow all sorts of things with the right protection..."

"Gardening isn't really my specialty." He smiles faintly.

The occasional shaven-headed priestess can be seen tending to the crops, gathering fruit and pruning branches as needed. The sunlight of late afternoon bathes the whole scene in gold, somewhat at contrast with the blue and white of the mountains all around.

"No? You'd be good at it... nice hands. Patience."

"Maybe." He looks around a bit, enjoying the scenery. "We should get you a garden... just a small one, something for you to do."

"mmm... I used to have a wonderful garden. I loved it there... that would be nice."

Sian nods a little. "You can teach me how to look after the plants."

Venia giggles a little. "I'm sorry, I got lost. Are we still talking in metaphors or not?"

"Bad." He gives her a light slap on the hip as they walk.

Venia pouts at him, but can't sustain it for long. "That would be nice though, really... I'd like that."

"I'll look into it, then."

"Did you really just bring me out here to talk about pretty flowers?"

"Mostly, yes. What else do you want to talk about?"

"Mrm... i guess I'm not used to thiking of things without al.. ulterior. Ulterior motives." She shrugs.

"Mmm. I just thought it'd be nice."

"It is... I'm enjoying it anyway. And now you promised me a garden." She smiles.

"Heh. True."