Chapter 1- Return to Mai'Karamara

The hazy view of the courtyard cleared as Silza stepped through the Folding and back within the walls of Mai’Karamara. The sand that swirled around her as she left Mount Sonsi did not come with her. It all would have stopped short, trapped on the other side of the Folding. Matter, not of this plain, was not able to cross from one side to the other. In reality, the sandstorm that engulfed her was just a rouse. It was meant to distort the view of those not of Mai’Karamara from seeing the priestess slice an opening in the air with Colonderé, before stepping through into Unsinwall.

Unsinwall was a parallel plain that thrived unseen by those without access. By the time the sand would have settled on Mount Sonsi, the Folding would have already closed behind her.

Silza’s hair, on the other hand, fell back down around her face in disarray. She used her fingers to brush the hair away, smoothing her locks back behind her ears. She then detached the veil that hung across the lower half of her face. It would not be needed here.

Where the air on Mount Sonsi was hot and dry and stifling to the breath, here the air was cool and fresh. Where there the sun a constant pummel against her body, here the sun cast a pleasant warmness. Breathing deeply, she was met with the sweet, earthy smells of nature.

Silza started across the green of the courtyard. Nearby, there were Nyaphia, garbed in green and yellow robes, tending to the gardens. Nyaphia did not wear the white of the Priestesses, but instead, they wore various colors of their choosing. Nyaphia who grew close in friendship tended to wear similar colors at the same time. However, once they ascended as priestesses, they would put away their colored robes and don those of the white. Until then, the colors were welcomed by the priestesses as they were seen as a beautiful array of flowers, and also a statement of the girls’ personality.

The Nyaphia in the yard briefly turned towards her and bent a knee, showing due acknowledgment and respect.

“God’s blessing,” Silza spoke to each as she passed. She always thought it was proper to acknowledge the Nyaphias well. Most of her Sisters did not, but to her, not doing so was to leave a conversation without closure. An inhale without an exhale.

The courtyard was enclosed with an assortment of yellow and red flowers, all in bloom. On the inside of the encirclement was a smoothed cobbled pathway. It began at the base of the stairs of the main doors of Mai’Karamara, ran around the courtyard, and then right back up to the base of the stairs. The stones of the pathway were shades of whites and creams. However, running right down the middle was a string of smaller black stones that looped and bent as they ran along the pathway.

To an untrained eye, the flow of the black stones looked intricate, yet patternless. But to a Priestess of Logathara, the stones were not a design, but rather, a script, written in the language of the gods. The script was a plea to Logathara to keep peace at the doors of Mai’Karamara. It was also a promise to Logathara to do the same. These stones were laid a long time ago by the first Priestesses, though, at the time, they were not yet so named.

On the other side of the flowers was a strip of greenspace, about ten-paces wide. It led to a brown stone wall that reached nearly 30 paces high, serving as the border between Mai’Karamara and the lands outside.

When Silza reached the steps of the Main Door, she raised her palm slightly and the large doors glided open. Along the frame of these doors was also black script. Here, it was a welcome of love. Some priestesses believed it was a welcome to Logathara. However, others thought a more accurate translation was a welcome from Logathara.

After Silza stepped through the threshold, the doors slid back to their original place. Directly in front of her, was the Hall of All Sight. Instead of going forward, she turned left to walk down the halls leading to the Priestesses’ dwellings.

Because it was daytime, many of her Sisters were still about, all clad in the same white garments that Silza wore. They each nodded with her in acknowledgment of each other as she walked past.

There were also Nyaphia walking the halls as well, going about their daily chores or headed to seminary. Unlike outside, within the halls, only the girls heading to seminary were expected to bend a knee to Priestesses. The girls who were busy with their chores needed only to make way.

There were two Nyaphia posted at the entrance of 2nd Daughters, the quarters for Priestesses whose birth-rit was only outmatched by that of the High Priestess herself. When Silza approached, they curtsied in unison.

The one to the right, Nia Josaia, lifted her palm and used Colonderé to push open the door. This girl was tall and sturdy. The hair that hung around her shoulders was soft brown, and she had the eyes to match. But behind those eyes, however, was a kind of shrewdness. A tight-lipped girl who took her role as doorwatch seriously, as though it was the single most important test to determine her fitness for priestess ascension. She also wore dark blue robes. Fitting for a girl who aspired to wear the black of the High Priestess.

Silza stopped at the door and looked at the other girl. “Nia Talia.”

The young girl was startled at hearing her name. Nia Talia was younger than the other, but nearly equal in birth-rit strength. Her eyes were large and crystalline blue. Her hair was gold and pinned in the traditional style of her birth region.

She was the daughter of a prince of Cromilia destined to marry a son of a duke. That was until the ritualistic Blessing of gods Logath resulted in the triggering of her birth-rit. With the blessing, her marriage was revoked, and she was sent here to Mai’Karamara to become a Priestess of Logathara.

“Yes, Priestess Silza,” the girl said with a squeak. She wore sapphire blue. Probably to illuminate the blue of her eyes.

“I’m about to leave again, but this time it might be for a longer while,” said Silza. “Could I bother you for a moment to fetch some items I will need for my journey?”

“Of course, Priestess,” Talia replied excitedly. “What would you like me to gather?”

“I’ll need a water skin imbued with Colonderé” started Silza. “I will probably spend most of the journey on horseback, so I think I’ll need riding luggage and riding trousers.”

Silza ticked her thumb and finger as she counted. “Boots, a purse…filled please, a small pillow, and a few spouts of scented bathing lye. Oh, and ask the kitchens to pack some bread and dried meats. Tell them I will be riding to Galandad. They will know how much to prepare.”

Silza tapped her chin, thinking to herself for a moment then looked back to the girl. “I think that will be all. Take everything but the ridding luggage to the stables and have them ready my horse. No…have them ready two horses. You can leave my luggage on my bed when you return.

“Yes, Priestess,” replied the girl and she took off briskly down the hall.

Silza then turned and walked through the doorway that led to her rooms. She could feel the tingling of Colonderé as the door closed behind her.

***

Sithana opened a Folding directly into her living quarters. She assumed that Sisters Natalie and Helena Folded into the main courtyard as was custom.

Sithana did not bother to fix her hair or garments from the wind of the distraction. Instead, she twitched a finger, and a bell rang. She waited a moment for her attending Nyaphia to come in and help her undress.

Two young girls entered the room. “High Priestess,” each said, bending a knee, then glided to her and began gently sliding the folds of her garment from her shoulders and down around her waist. At each side, the girls lifted Sithana’s hands and grasped her under the elbow. They guided her as she stepped out of her garments and walked slowly through the entryway that led to her private bathing room.

The room was dimly lit. In preparation for her return, the Nyaphia had readied her bathing pool. They filled it with water, heating it with Colonderé until steam rose from its surface. They also added lavender oil, chamomile, and bathing salt not only to heal her body but also to soothe her mind. The girls placed small candles around the pool. The candles cast a soft yellow glow across the ground. The flames flickered as the steam wafted from the water.

The Nyaphia held her gently as she stepped into the water, lowering herself until her entire body was submerged. Resting her head back against the cool stone of the floor, the girls then brought a basin of water and scented lye. They sat down beside her, then lifted her hair and laid it in the water basin. Grabbing the lye, they lathered it into her hair and massaged her scalp.

Sithana’s body felt stiff. Her muscles ached and every joint throbbed in pain. The weight of gods Logath’s energy, during a Seeing, was agonizing, crushing. If she did not have priestesses alongside her to siphon some of the energy, the onslaught would leave her in a puddle of blood and body matter.

She should have taken more of her sisters with her to meet Galdon. Three were usually enough to protect her from the harshness of the aftermath, but today she wished she had brought at least three more. Being the High Priestess meant she was the strongest in birth-rit, but that did not mean she could not feel pain or withstand a Seeing from gods Logath without consequence.

Sithana breathed in deeply, taking in the calming scents of the bathing oils. With each breath, she could feel her muscles reflex, allowing her arms and legs to float effortlessly within the hot waters.

It was good to see Galdon. It had been many years. But she could see the changes in his face and presence, brought on by aging. The space between his brows had the tale signs of strain, revealing creases from constant scowling or worry. He also held himself differently. He no longer walked with the swagger of a boy who knew he was just too good-looking. Instead, he stood a bit more erect, each stride that he took made on purpose.

Chuckling to herself, Sithana knew she must have looked aged to him as well. He was wise not to have mentioned it. It would have taken everything out of her not to bop him on the head like she used to when they were children.

“I just wish I could have given him more,” she sighed. “Silza will look after him, though. What Logathara would not give him, Silza will guide him through the rest.”

Truly, Silza was her strongest priestess in divinity, but she was also just as strong in birth-rit as Sithana was, herself, before being raised to High Priestess. Sometimes she seemed even stronger, but at closer look, it was not so. It wasn’t uncommon for a priestess to have an unnatural strength in one area of Colonderé but be lower in strength in other areas and in birth-rit. She assumed that was the case for Silza as well.

She believed Silza was fated to become the next High Priestess. She was stronger than the rest by far. She was also well-loved by the Nyaphia. On the other hand, a few of her Sisters were not that fond of her. Actually, Silza’s birth-rit could not be traced, and many believed the High Priestess should be of documented lineage and not illegitimately born.

It was clear Silza was not from a legitimate birth-rit line. Where all other priestesses and Nyaphia were of shades of lighter skin, Silza’s skin was dark brown. If that alone was not enough to mark her as different, her hair was starkly white against her dark skin. Even still, gods Logath blessed her with birth-rit. That too, seemed to sew dissention amongst the others.

Yes, it would be best for Silza to go to Galandad for a time. They may find her strange as well, but they will still give her respect due to a Priestess of Logathara. Maybe in her brief absence, the air in Mai’Karamara will settle. Fret as they may, it is still Logathara’s choice who will be raised the next High Priestess.

The rhythmic pulling of her hair by the Nyaphia was causing Sithana’s thoughts to slow. She did not fight it, however, but allowed her mind to relax and drift off to sleep.

***

A soft knock at the door roused Priestess Brilayn from her thoughts. Word had gotten back to her the High Priestess and the others had returned from their meeting with King Galdon. Interestingly, Priestess Silza had come back shortly before the others and was said to have headed straight to her rooms.

“Yes, yes. Come in,” she called to the disrupter.

The door slightly opened, and the top of a girl’s head showed as she peaked around the corner.

“Oh, come in, girl!” Brilayn barked in annoyance. “What do you want?”

The young girl stumbled as she pushed her way into the room. Trying to steady her balance, she gripped the door handle for support. But instead of righting herself, the pressure from the girl’s weight slammed the door shut, rattling the items and trinkets that lined the shelves against the wall. She fell against the door, just keeping herself from tumbling to the floor.

Brilayn stared at the girl, unamused by the commotion she brought with her into the room. When the girl looked up at the Priestess’s ice-blue eyes, she squeaked and hurried to stand before the woman, breathily bending a knee.

“My apologies, Priestess,” said the girl.

“Nia Amí,” started Brilayn. “If the way you entered my room, is the same way you approach your studies, I will personally ask Headmistress to block your birth-rit and toss you through a Folding 1,000 leagues from your home, so that you can have plenty of time to learn some grace.”

The girl’s face grew paler as she spoke.

“Is this how you approach your studies,” Brilayn asked.

“Na na na no, Priestess,” the girl stuttered in reply.

Brilayn studied the girl for a few moments, then shrugged her shoulders and relaxed against her chair. Her pale hair fell behind her. “We will see. Now what is it?”

“Ye ye ye yes, Priestess Brilayn,” the girl went on. “I’ve just heard that Priestess Silza asked Nia Talia to gather items for a long journey.”

The girl paused, waiting for a response. Receiving none she continued. “Silza said she will be gone for a long time, and it seems she will be traveling by horseback instead of Folding.”

Brilayn tapped her finger against her lips. “Well, that is interesting. Where is she going?”

“It is believed she will travel to Galandad and will be accompanying King Galdon,” replied the girl.

“Even more interesting,” Brilayn said to herself. “There is unrest in Galandad, for sure.” She sat thinking about what this news could mean. “You can go now,” she said to the girl.

Nia Amí turned to hurry out of the room.

“Oh, and Amí,” Brilayn called.

The girl stopped short of the door and looked back, “Yes, Priestess?”

“Tell Headmistress, that you are… ungraceful and that you would be honored to spend the night polishing the floors of the Hall of All Sight to further develop your talents.”

“Yes, Priestess,” the girl responded, shakily. Then she rushed out the door slamming it loudly behind her.

Brylain let out a long sigh. That girl might be a distant cousin, but she is showing herself to be little more than a disappointment.

***