"Sir, your wife urgently requires your presence. She is waiting at the palace gates in her chariot."
"Thanks. Tell her I will be on my way. Wait, did you say that she is waiting at her chariot? She can drive at the state she's in? Where is her escort?"
"No sir, she is accompanied by her escort, and a few guards."
"Thanks. I'll be there."
It was the 2nd month of the year 980 AD when my father, Captain Saque, under the command of King Azcret, received the message that my mother, Laure, was about to give birth to a baby. As was customary in those days, any mother that was to deliver a child had to report to the Temple of the Sun to have the child's destiny prophesied. Prophet Alloe, the highest ranked priest of my time, had been appointed by the king as the religious adviser to the kingdom since it had been said that Alloe was hand-picked by the gods themselves. It was thus customary that the soon to be mother, together with the husband, were to present themselves to the temple, before Alloe.
"Those willing to see the great priest shall present themselves with the required offerings that the gods have requested from them." The priest in training ushered my parents into the temple and proceeded to help my mother to sit down at the chair that was nearby, and since she could not stand up, my father had to present the offering they had brought to the gods. He was thus lead to the door to the inner sanctuary with his offering and told to wait for Alloe to come, since he was otherwise pre-occupied with another devotee.
In the kingdom, the law stated that all those that were willing to see the priest was first required to present an offering to the gods so that if the offering was accepted, then Alloe, who would be present by that time, would then deliver the prophesy when directed. Depending on which class in society you would be, anything from cows to even birds, would be acceptable. In this case, since my family was from the higher society levels, then we were required to bring a cow to be sacrificed.
"Ahh... Captain Saque, welcome. We've not seen you around here for quite a while."
"Yes, great Alloe. The king has kept me very busy since then, you know, with those rumours about the coming war against us and the Medes."
"Yes, the war... no news there. I can see your wife is expecting."
"She apologises about not being able to offer this offering with me. She's too...you know."
"Please, you don't have to tell me about that. Well,"-as he rubbed his hands together,-"let's get this show on the road. You know what you must do, so get on with it, and I'll be right there."
The priests helped my father to guide the animal as Alloe went and greeted my mother. He then left to wear his ceremonial garb before joining my father in the inner sanctuary of the temple. He then faced the idol that was before him, the Great Arytha, and began his speech.
"May those willing to consult and speak to the Great Arytha present their offering before her, and that in her mercy may she answer those that follow her willingly. Bring the animal before me, and we may begin the ceremony."
