The Burning Candle

High Priest and Graduation

Ava curtsied to the High Priest, who bowed slightly back. He was wearing his formal attire that day – must be a ceremony, she thought absently. What day was it?

“How has your day been?” he asked, almost ignoring Aire.

Ava blushed, remembering her morning. “Uh, fine.”

He looked at her suspiciously. “Feeling better?”

Ava’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. So he had noticed her…sour mood. Aire smiled at him.

“She’s fine now,” he answered for her after a pause.

Ava closed her mouth and nodded.

The High Priest frowned at him, clearly recognizing him. He knew Aire had been visiting Ava – it didn’t take a genius to figure out who he was.

Ava gave a small smile, and gestured to his clothes. “Something going on?”

The Priest frowned back at her. “You don’t know?”

She shook her head.

“It’s your ‘graduation’ day tomorrow.”

“It – What?!”

Graduation? No, she still had…No, he was right! How could she have lost track of one of the biggest days of her life?

He smiled patiently. “The cleansing ritual of the grounds begins this afternoon. Tomorrow your ‘graduation’ begins.”

“I- I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

He smiled again, then his eyes darted to Aire. “You’ve had a lot on your mind.”

She nodded, feeling like an idiot. “Yes. I…”

“Tomorrow,” he told her. She nodded again.

“Yes. Tomorrow.” She said dazedly. “Tomorrow.”

After another kind smile, the Priest left.

Aire looked worriedly at Ava. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah…I just….I might need to sit down.” She stumbled to a short brick wall and sat on it, head in her head. Aire sat next to her, still worried. “I…how could I forget?” she looked at Aire. “You remembered right?”

He smiled. “I always remember. The ceremony is, if you remember, dedicated to me.”

She nodded dumbly. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her again. She took a deep breath. He always smelt differently, she noted. This time he smelt like morning dew. She buried herself in his chest.

“What am I going to do?” she moaned.