PHILTATOS // Foolish X Reader

21

Excited chatter broke out amongst the tables at Anello's words - your fellow worship members tossing around thanks to the gods and ideas about what the news would be. You said nothing, just letting your nerves well up inside of you. What good news would there be, if he wasn't talking about Foolishs corporeal form? Was this why he hadn't been waiting for you in the temple earlier? Anello looked all to proud of himself for it to be anything less...

As the whispers died down, you waited with baited breath for Anello to speak again.

The corner of Anello's mouth was permanently curled in a smile as he raised his hands, calling the attention back to him as he began to speak again. Like children obeying their parents, the chatter fell silent.

Anello savored the silence for a moment, folding his hands back over his stomach. "As most of you know, I was called by the caesar." He said. "Our brother Vesapasian has been in distress over the state of the city as you know - a state that has only been getting worse, as the days pass, despite our prayers."

Around you, people were nodding and murmuring their assent. You just folded your hands in your lap, waiting for him to get to the point. You weren't sure what you were going to do - when the others found out you had been keeping a secret - one as big as a god in his corporeal form - you were sure to lose all the security you had here.

You might even lose your place on the hill.

"Our brother Vesapasian called me in a moment of desperation." Anello continued, a vigor seeping into his voice now. "He asked me, what else could be done, and I told him the truth - that we were doing what we could. This wasn't enough for Vesapasian though - he pleaded again, asking me what else could be done."

The nerves turned to confusion as Anello's words sank over you. It didn't sound like he was talking about your little rendezvous with Foolish at all... but that smile on his face made you think that whatever he was talking about couldn't be good for you either. It was eerily similar to the smile he'd had when he'd seized your hand that day - the smile that made you lie to him.

"Seeing our leader in need pained my heart." Anello said. "So delving deep into my knowledge of worship, I suggested the only thing I could think of - a cry of faith, to the wisest of the gods for any sort of direction in these trying times."

Excited whispers broke out amongst the tables again. Surely Anello wasn't suggesting...

"A festival!" Anello announced, the smile in his face widening. "In the name of Sofos, and to show the gods that no matter how long they hold out on us, our faith will remain strong."

He was. A festival - in the middle of a time like this? A festival, where there would be large scale sacrifices, parades and prayers. The limited resources the city had would have to be poured into this festival - and festivities would surely be the quickest way to drain what was left. It was possibly the worst idea you had ever heard...

Surely Anello wasn't being serious?

But no, the bells had rung, and the worship had been assembled. He was serious about this - and seriously proud, judging by his demeanor. Of course he would be though. Anello might have been the leader of the worship in it's whole, but he was devoted to Sofos first. He might have worn the symbol of the acropolis around his neck, but he also wore the silver prayer beads all Sofos' devoted did.

If you had been the one to manage to convince the caesar that the only way the city was going to return from the slump it was in now was a festival for the god you were devoted to, you would have been proud of yourself too.

"Preparations are already being made - of course, not every expense will be put forth into this festival, as the coffers are already running dry now, but what we can spare, we shall. The whole city will be involved in the worship; something the gods can't ignore." Anello said, nodding along to himself as he spoke.

You glanced around the rest of the pavilion, sneaking a look at the faces of the other worship members. Naturally, most of the priests and priestesses under Sofos seemed happy - why wouldn't they be, when the god they were devoted to was going to receive the highest form of worship a god could?

On some of the others though, you saw slight frowns and drawn brows - not everyone was as excited as Sofos' devoted were. And rightfully so - you were sure there were going to be concerns about the resources going into the festival, and if the city would be able to support something like that at a time like this. Their concerns wouldn't matter though, not if Anello had already gotten the caesar on his side.

At least with all of the festival preparations going on, hopefully Anello wouldn't try to corner you again and ask you about the real reason you'd approached him that day anymore. In the best case scenario, he would be so excited about this opportunity, he'd forget it happened at all.

It probably wouldn't play out like that, but you could hope.

As the pavilion dissolved into chatter again, you took the opportunity to slip away, heading back down one of the stone paths to a quieter part of the hill. You found yourself walking back to the bench under the olive tree as your thoughts swirled.

Your secret talks with Foolish were still safe, thank the gods.

But now, Anello was planning a festival, and had the caesar's support - during a time of turmoil, no less. And you still didn't know where your friend had gone.