The Priestess and Her Boy Ch. 26

Chapter 26 - Reunion

The beggar rested his back against the base of the gibbet and stared up at the sky. The clouds were parting and, after a few moments, the sun was exposed and he felt warmed by it. But, nevertheless, he kept his cloak tightly wrapped around his body against the early spring breeze. As he stared up, the raven Midnight arrived, perching on the gibbet's horizontal arm above.

"I have nothing for you Midnight," said the beggar. "Not a single traveller has passed by, these last few hours."

The beggar fancied that Midnight's parents - or perhaps his grandparents - might have feasted on caged bodies hung at the crossroads by the Old Queen. Failed ministers, priests of Wodh who refused to recant, spurned lovers, traitors - both real and imagined - their cadavers had been displayed from the gibbet as a warning to others. But no poor souls had been hung there in recent summers, which made the beggar wonder why Midnight continued to visit. Perhaps the memory of carrion was somehow passed through the generations. Or perhaps the poor bird simply enjoyed the beggar's company. He chuckled to himself, 'Who else is there for Midnight to talk to?'

He turned his attention to the City, on the plain to the west of them.

"Is that smoke Midnight?" he said. "Your eyesight is better than mine."

Midnight croaked - which the beggar took to be agreement - and promptly flew away as a pair of riders, arriving from the south, startled him.

"See you later Midnight."

The riders stopped and dismounted.

"Welcome to the Besan Crossroads!" shouted the beggar, but the two ignored him. He saw that one was a beautiful lady, and her partner a young man; tall and strong.

"Do you have any coins to spare for an old warrior of the City, crippled at Tajorg? Or perhaps some food?"

But again they ignored him. He saw then that they were both weeping. They stepped close to each other and embraced, the young man facing away from the City, the lady towards it.

"I have seen many lovers meet at the Crossroads," said the beggar to himself. "But these two are parting."

"By the Goddess! The City is on fire!" cried the lady.

"No My Lady," the beggar shouted. "Perhaps just a residence, or a bakery. Looks like the East Quarter to me."

For the first time the two newcomers noticed him.

"No. No, it is the Temple! The smoke comes from the heart of the City. How long has it been burning?"

"Oh, I only noticed it just before you arrived, My Lady." he replied.

"I will come with you to the City, Mistress," said the young man. "In case there is danger."

And the two mounted and rode away as quickly as they had arrived. Midnight returned to his perch on the gibbet.

"Well, Midnight, I still have nothing for you." sighed the beggar.

****

Hanja and Nikah entered the City through the deserted South Gate and rode straight to the Temple, where a chaotic scene awaited them. The beggar had been right; the Temple did not burn. But in the City Square before it, a pyre had been lit. There were Sons of the North there - unmistakable in the uniform of the King's Guard - and with them Priestesses and warriors of the City, all gathered around the fire, watching. They could see Ashala, in the red day-robes of the High Priestess. And there was Tak, standing with her!

As they dismounted and tied their horses, they saw King's Guards descending the Temple steps carrying bales, throwing them onto the fire.

"That is the last of it Prince Taneric." said one of the men.

"Nikah, they are burning the new suf herb!" shouted Hanja, but her boy was already over with Taneric, and the two were clasped together in greeting. She ran over and prised them apart, so that she too could embrace Taneric.

"Welcome back Hanja," said Ashala. "As you can see, the Sons of the North have found our new herb. They commit sacrilege, setting foot in the Temple Gardens, trespassing in the house of the Goddess."

Hanja noticed that Princess Kasmine was there also, alongside Peto, the Captain of the King's Guard. And it was Peto who now spoke sharply to Ashala, "Trespass you say? My ancestors died building this Temple, High Priestess. Did yours?"

Ashala ignored the question and instead turned to Taneric.

"I am curious Tak, how did you know about the herb?"

"Nikah told a tavern girl before he ran from the City. It was the one from____"

"That is enough Tak! I do not need to hear the rest." said Ashala, looking around nervously to check no other priestesses were within earshot.

"Nikah," said Hanja, grasping his arm, "Is there something you have not told me? I thought we shared everything with each other these last days."

But now their attention was taken by a commotion on the far side of the fire. A northern warrior had ventured downwind and was affected by the smoke. He was offering himself to a small group of priestesses, while being pulled away by his comrades.

"Let him come to us!" shouted one of the women. "We will show him what it is to be the boy of a priestess in the Temple!"

The men laughed and, thinking it fine sport, they released him. He ran to the priestess who had spoken and knelt in front of her until Peto intervened angrily.

"Bring him back! But if any other fool stands downwind we will surely leave him here!"

"We do not want your boys, Peto. They do not meet our standards." said Ashala.

Peto laughed, "I like you, High Priestess. But if____"

"Peto!" snapped Taneric. "I would not have those that I love at each other's throats." He turned to Ashala, "My father will sit with you soon. He seeks a better way forward. As do I. He will come to the Temple soon."

"The Goddess is with your father, Taneric." said Ashala. "Just as She is with you. You already know it, do you not?". And she kissed him before turning to Hanja, "I would hear your news from the South. Let us go inside the Temple, now that these men are done."

"No, High Priestess. The Sons of the North should hear what I have to say."

And Hanja spoke to them of the threat from the East. She told them everything - of Kamhet, of his Emperor, of their weapons and plans for war, and of the shortness of time before the storm. And finally, there was silence among those gathered until Ashala spoke up:

"Well done Tak, you have destroyed the only instrument we could have perhaps used against them."

And then Kasmine stepped forward in anger, pointing at Hanja and saying, "Well, if this Priestess had been chasing a poor frightened boy then perhaps she would have travelled more quickly and your precious herb would still be sitting in bales in the Temple Garden."

And again Kasmine and Hanja had to be restrained from each other's throats, this time by Taneric who caught a clout in the face from Hanja as he stepped between the two.

"I am sorry Tak. Oh, what are we going to do? We cannot match the might of Ephirum!"

"Well," said Taneric. "I think I am going to sit in the Temple Library for a while. With your permission, High Priestess. And perhaps I might have the services of Priestess Shallie and Fris?"

"Taneric!" said Peto. "This is hardly the time to sit and read a book!"

"On the contrary," said Ashala, taking Tak's arm and turning towards the Temple steps. "Perhaps it is the perfect time."

______________

To Be Continued in Book 2 of the Temple Series: The War with Ephirum

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