Escaping Fate, Embracing Destiny

Prologue: To Escape Their Fate

CJ Kim rolled over in bed, fighting the sheets and covers wrapped around him. He was deeply asleep as the dim light filtered through the windows in his St. Peters, Missouri, home. Turning again, images unfolded in his mind that were equally fantastic and horrible—there was no in between. He whined in his sleep and tossed once again, watching events play out.

In the pool at the river's end stood a virgin beauty like no other in existence. His eyes feasted upon her purity and newness like one would feast on the greatest offering of the gods. Her hair was midnight black and ran in perfect straightness to a point well past her knees. From where he stood, he could not see her eyes, but he knew they were very dark and large. Her skin was unblemished ebony. She was straight and still in all her beauty in the sacred bathing pool.

She stood with her head slightly bent, her hair falling over her ebon shoulders in the black night. Another maiden waded around her and cleansed her slowly with an ornate sponge. The beauty moved not one bit; the maiden instead positioned her body where it needed to be. She would wash her with steady hands and then reposition her body once more to clean a different area. The beauty looked like one drugged.

The maiden finished the ritual bathing and walked her up the riverbank on bronze steps to a disk upon which she now stood, her feet never touching the ground, thus preserving her cleanliness and integrity. Next, the maiden began applying perfumes and lotions to her. After this, she placed a white garment over her nude body, moving her arms and head as needed. The garment was edged in yellow and fell to her knees. The maiden pulled her hair from inside the back of the garment and pulled it upon the top of her head. She then began putting on ceremonial robes. They were white and accented with gold.

The dress was fine white cloth. Over this, there was a sleeveless robe. The robe was made from fine fabric and heavily jeweled with all manner of gems. Then the maiden released her hair from its confines and let it cascade around her. The maiden pulled the hair away from her face with an ornate clip. She then led her to a glimmering chair above the golden disk and the bathing pool. She then turned and left the beauty alone to wait. There should be no one to bother the beauty at this hour, and many guards were stationed along the approach. But, of course, the riverside of the approach could have been more well-guarded. No one believed anyone would come up the rocky inclines from the life-giving river.

Waiting in anticipation for the maiden to leave, he was silent and still. This was the moment he would never have again, the only opportunity he would have to be near this beauty of mind and soul. Pulling himself from his hidden place, he approached her. Kneeling at her bare, perfect feet, his lips hovered above her toes, but he dared not touch them. He looked up, expecting her to have her eyes focused on the distance as they always were, the dazed, drugged look they always carried. They were not. Her dark eyes stared into his own as though she was attempting to see into his very soul. And she probably did see that far.

"Priestess," he whispered in a shaking voice. "Allow me the pleasure of seeing your beauty without fear of death...."

His heart rose to his throat as she nodded her head in a slow-drugged way. He smiled and lowered his head, and then stood and turned to leave.

"You have been watching me for a while now," she stated, causing him to jump. He did not expect her to have a voice...

He turned, though he dared not fully face her, and nodded. She nodded back, still slowly. "I knew you were there tonight as well, watching what no mortal man should ever be allowed to see."

He bowed his head. "How did you know, oh great priestess?" he asked in a shaking voice. "And why was I not killed immediately for infringing on the rights that only the gods have?"