Sundown

better things

Timothee's horse seemed more jittery than usual, as though mirroring his own anxiety. As the black stallion trotted through the woods, neighing at every small squirrel or monkey they passed, Timothee could not help but second guess his decision to consider Saoirse as a lover.

He had never in his life defied his parents, the system and the conventions and even the thought of having to do it at some point made bile rise inside of him. He breathed in the musky forest air and looking at the tall tower looming in the distance, reminded himself that he did not have to think about those just at this moment.

His guards waited with his horse outside as he dismounted and adjusted his sword at his waist. He made his way inside the main, double glass doors that were painted with aquamarine figures of the gods and their runes to enter a hall with the ceilings higher than any room he had ever entered, chandeliers doing their illuminating job of providing the place with the softest, most holy glow.

"My Prince," He heard the High Priest exclaim, as the short, old man with a snowy beard that touched his belly, made to sept down the altar to greet Timothee.

"Stay there sir, don't trouble your knees." Timothee said, making the priest stop in his tracks as he walked the distance to him in long, swift strides.

"May the gods bless you, I did have some pain in them today." The old man said, holding his hands out to take Timothee's sword and dagger from him.

As the ritual commanded, one could not pray with a weapon at hand. In fact, weapons had to be blessed as well, so the gods gave them precision and unity with the bearer.

When Timothee only handed him the sword, the priest frowned in confusion.

"Is there no dagger today, my lord?" Timothee smiled, knowing full well where his dagger was, and he would rather it stayed there.

"No, only good old Edge." The prince replied and kneeled before the seven deities- Wisdom, Strength, Mercy, Judgement, Healing, Wit and Courage- his kingdom's gods, his gods.

The priest beside him unsheathed his sword and bathed it with milk and honey.

so it never killed the innocent as milk and granted sweet justice like honey. Timothee repeated mentally, the words of his grandmother, who had never been shy in educating him about their religion and rituals.

The priest then cleaned it with water and wiping it, handed it to Timothee for the last part of the ritual.

He took Edge by the hilt and without even flinching, sliced a bit of the skin of his thumb open with the blade to draw out a few drops of hot, crimson blood.

to seal the weapon with the blood of its owner first.

The priest then took the sword back from Timothee and sheathing it, put it aside from where the prince could retrieve it later.

As the prince prayed, the priest wandered off to give him his privacy, and it was only moments after, when he felt movement behind him.

"It's only me." Saoirse said, when he turned around urgently, reaching for his sword. His heart gave a jolt as her pretty face came into view. She looked as though descended from heaven in the white clothes of the Holy Tower, her hair falling in waves around her face.

"The gods must be generous, they answered my prayers almost instantly." He said, his shoulders easing and the breath returning in him.

Saoirse looked down at her feet so as to not give away her blushing countenance, but Timothee knew. He always knew.

"I didn't know you prayed for maidens to come meet you. Don't you have better things to ask of the gods?"

"I can't think of a better thing than you." He answered and the sudden weightlessness that comes with the confession of a truth enlightened every cell of his.

Saoirse felt dumbfounded. She had always only dreamed of such things happening to her, let alone with Timothee. She wanted to say so much but in the moment, all she was capable of doing was to stand and look at him as if he could not have said anything sweeter.

"Come." He whispered and fixing his sword in its place, he led her out of the Tower.

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Hi, so I wanted to thank each one of you for being so so so patient with me. I had exams and I usually do not pre-write chapters (I have learnt my lesson to start that now xd) so there was a massive gap of 10 days where I could not update no matter how much I wanted to.

Thanks to everyone reading and following the story, please do not forget to vote and comment!

Love you x

Smriti.