The Extraordinary Accounts of One Lost Girl

-18-

The preceding wait felt like torture. Now that Syanaam was walking the path of becoming the high priestess with her spending hours in the prayer rooms, engulfed in incense and in a hazy look, I waited for my impending doom from my biological mother. I wondered when she would call me and me the way how I would be disposed from my title of the future City Lord's fiancée. I was not keen on marrying anyone, but neither was I keen on killing someone or getting physically harmed... in any way.

Surprisingly, the attitude Shyanaam had towards be improved and the coldness radiating from the high priestess worsened. I guess now that Shyanaam had secured her position as the one who would not per say "fall out of grace", she somehow pelt pity towards me. But underlying that pity was a hint of fear. I was not good at reading people's expressions. But seeing her gradually shift away from me, like I was some sort of an inhuman being was easy to take notice. Her unusual behavior earned her a glare from the high priestess.

Meanwhile, Zharu continued my studies. It wasn't vigorous as it was in the past, but simply idle talk about things that he thought I should know. I learned that the season for the Sun Festival was arriving and that it was a festival where the people would praise the creation of the city by their war god. The city would be lighted by lantern light for nine days. It wasn't festive as it was with the flower festival above ground, but it was a big deal for the underground dwellers. That was why it was required for the high priestess and her offspring to attend.

I was to wear red for the first time, with sleeves and helms sewn with golden tread and golden jewelry. Mara prepared the outfit for the so called Sun War Ritual with great passion, adding tiny bits of detail to my attire so that I would stand out.

'This would be the first time that you will meet the heir,' Mara said, 'You must look your best.'

I wanted to sigh in exasperation, but I help my annoyance to myself. I must not dampen a person's joy just because I was irritated.

The day before we were to descend underground, I was summoned by the high priestess. It was a beautiful night. Unlike usual days, the streets were bathed in warm golden light and the city was busier than usual, looking like a bazaar. I was enjoying the view when Asith interrupted me with summons from the high priestess.

Like last time, I was summoned to her office. I simply stood in front of her as she busied herself with a half-dried clay tablets, a sharp scalpel like tool digging into the clay as she gracefully wrote. She ignored me for a while before looking up. She frowned.

'I didn't give you permission to enter here.'

I left her office and simply sat on a cushion in her room, staring out to the city from the window sill. She didn't arrive for a long time. And once she did, she closed the door and closed the curtains of her room.

There was a dead silence. The only wound being the night breeze while flowed into the room from the window.

'I know you already know why you are here,' said the high priestess as she poured a red looking liquid from a bronze pitcher into two bronze goblets before handing one to me.

I sniffed the liquid. It smelled sickly sweet, unlike wine, even though it looked like it.

'What is this?'

'It's called the god's beverage,' said the high priestess. 'It's very rare to come by. But someone gifted me the fruit. It would be the gift we bear to the city lords upon out arrival.'

I never knew the clergy had to bear gifts to the lords of the city. It sounded rather strange.

'You would not get a chance to taste it again.'