Astraea

Justice or Just Revenge?

Sredi muzhchin net spravedlivosti.
There is no justice among men.
~Nicholas II of Russia

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Camilla made her way to the middle of the royal city, the Temple of Astraea. It had been a long and difficult walk back from the cemetery, which was settled far at the isolated edge of the city. But now, Camilla blended into the droves of people buying and selling their wares and making their way through the busy streets in an attempt to push through the hard life in which they existed. Camilla was beginning to wonder whether it was really she and not her brother who had ended up with the short end of the stick. She melted into the crowd, allowing its flow to direct her to the city center before stepping into the Temple of Astraea. There, she discovered a silence that was now all too familiar and none too welcome. Camilla shuddered as she remembered her brother's silent death and continued cautiously into the darker parts of the temple.

"Well, well. What have we got here?" A silky, rich voice echoed through the walls of the temple.

Camilla reached a hand behind her back to retrieve a hidden dagger. She brandished it, turning in a slow circle as she took in her surroundings, heart beating furiously.

"Honestly, Camilla." The voice was closer, wrapping all around her now, seeming to come from every which way. "Weapons of Man against me? Show some respect."

Camilla did not put away her dagger.

There were too many pillars in this temple, too many places to hide. Ferociously, she scowled at the altar located at the far end of the temple. A small pair of weighing scales teetered in the light breeze which brushed through the temple. A single flame was ablaze beside hundreds of unlit candles. Camilla made her way to the altar, picking up the light and allowing it to lick at the candlewick of a single candle until it burst into excited flames.

"Astraea, is that you?" She demanded, her scowl deepening as she set down the lighter.

Many religious fanatics would have deeply criticized Camilla for her authoritative tone and brusque manner. The gods still roamed the lands, that much was true. But man was beginning to understand the discrepancy between their societies and customs enough to realize they did not need the gods anymore than the gods needed them. Respect of their power was all man gave the gods, and the gods rarely even returned that small favor. Though for their part, they did not make a show of that power. So, Camilla felt no shame in speaking to a goddess the way she did.

"Come out from where you are hiding and face me! I demand retribution."

Silence.

Then, a woman clothed in a beautiful white toga, over which golden armor glinted in the rising sun, stepped from the shadows of her own altar and stood before Camilla. A small band of gold encircled her forehead, and her dark hair hung far down her back in plaits. Her face was regally severe, as if it had been carved from marble itself. She looked exactly as her statues all around the city claimed her to be. Only the goddess' eyes remained a mystery. Camilla noticed a silk scarf tied around Astraea's eyes, leaving her blind, though she continued to walk about as if the blindfold were nothing.

"You seek retribution?" Astraea asked with a knowing smile. "Then I am afraid you are in the wrong temple. The Temple of Alecto, my sister, the Goddess of Revenge, is across the city center."