Post by Sidonie Raviver (D) on Dec 25, 2008 18:46:41 GMT -5
Fifth week of Summer.
The weather was strange that day, over cast clouds that threatened rain but never wept and breaks of a luminescent sun that shone down in streaks of gold and yellow, cutting through the clouds. I stood there and stared at the sky for a moment, thinking on the benign nature of the moment and how I was about to do the biggest thing I had ever chosen to do. Bigger then moving to Aragonia, bigger then coming back to my home land, bigger then every book I had ever read. It wasn't till the shadow of the carriage swaying in front of me, distracted me from my deep thoughts, that I broke my trance on the sky. When it came to a stop, Elenore opened the door for me and I entered, calm and almost taciturn in my manner.
I was bringing Elenore because I didn't want to be alone until the moment I was actually lighting my candle. And since Elenore would be helping me care for the babe, it was only right that she should be here for this particular moment.
I stared out the window the whole way to the temple, taking in the sights and sounds as we passed through the city proper. Even passing a few children playing in the streets, and I would smile without hesitation making my heart lighter at every passing moment.
When we reached the Temple of Eisheth I was greeted by both a male and female, ones that knew I was coming having written a letter two days previous.
“Baronese.” They greeted me in tandem, both bowing to me, dressed in an almost gauzy looking linnen of yellow.
“Greeting acolytes.” I said curtsying deeply to them both.
“Priestess Mireio will meet with you.” Spoke the female softly, her hands clasped gently in front of her, as was the young mans.
“You will be anointed and blessed before you light your candle.” Finished the young man. If I didn't know any better I would have said they were twins, the way they spoke as it one started and the other finished.
I nodded either way and bowed slightly to them.
“This...” She began. “Way.” He finished, making the two words seem less and giving the air a strange mysticism. The day, it appeared, was feeling strangely touched by unseen hands.
I followed the pair, taking my slippers off at the entrance and began to walk with them unshod as Elua had once done. Elenore followed behind me, her bare feet padding softly at the ground as well as we walked after the pair.
I looked down for the first part of the journey, watch my feet poke out from beneath my deep red gown as I put one foot in front of the other.
After a time I looked up and glanced at this and that as we passed, statues of people, paintings of the gods and more so paintings of the Goddess Eisheth. My mind was a blank as we walked, only able to focus on the moment...plant...plant...statue...painting...floor....painting...plant...Nothing else was present but the passing of items.
I thought of nothing, felt nothing till a set of doors were open and a warm court yard spread out before me and an elderly High Priestess stood in a simple gown of yellow stood before us. The twin acolytes held open the door and gestured for me to approach the Priestess that I assumed with Mireio. She beckoned me forward with a single hand, and began to walk forward, only glancing back to see the serene faces of the acolytes and the beaming face of Elenore.
Turning forward I walked toward the Priestess and smiled faintly, nervous at what was to happen, what was to become of my future.
“Sidonie.” She said softly, reaching out her hand to me. I took it and she guided me a little further to an alter with the reminiscence of candle wax and the stones were worn from years of kneeling in front of the statue of the Goddess.
I looked to the Priestess and smiled faintly again.
“Be calm child, it won't hurt I promise.” She uttered blissfully as if sensing my discomfort. The sound of her voice soothed me and I found a easy smile coming to my lips as we settled in front of the statue.
“You have come to ask the blessing of our Goddess, to give you a fertile womb and grant you a child yes?” She asked with a ease in her voice that made it hard not to relax.
“Yes, I do.” I said slowly and at length, taking a deep breath and looking to the statue.
“Turn to me child and kneel.” She said softly. I did so slowly, bowing my head to her.
She began with oil, anointing my brow with it before speaking. In truth I couldn't hear was she was saying, my ears felt as though they were stuffed with cotton and all I heard was a low mumble. I caught bits every now and then but for the most part I was focused too deeply on my breathing, trying to keep myself calm. But there was something else there, like the beating...of wings....something deep and natured in my being. My heart pounded slow and heavy, and I could hear it in my ears, adding to the sound of beating wings. It wasn't till she touched my shoulder that I looked up at her.
“Kneel in front of the statue.” She said, and I shifted to in front of the beautiful Goddess. I focused on the face of the statue as the Priestess placed a candle down in front of me. For a moment I didn't hear her and then another hand touched my shoulder.
“Light your candle Sidonie.” She said, holding out a tapered candle already lit. I took it slowly and focused on the wick of both the blazing candle and the one I was about to light. My hand inched forward till one touched the other and in a moment both wicks burned together in harmony.
“Goddess Eisheth, hear my prayer and bring me a child.” I prayed in a whisper. Elua, help me find my way to the right man to help me bare a child. Some one good and strong, some one that will be a good father for my son or daugther. I prayed silently to myself.
When I was finished lighting them I handed her the taper and then rose slowly. I leaned forward, my hands braced on the shoulders of the statue and pressed my lips to the cheek of the cold statue marble.
“Thank you great Goddess.” I whispered before kissing the other cheek and stepping back.
“Peace be with you.” Said Mireio and then gestured to the open doors behind me where the acolytes and Elenore stood. I looked back to the Priestess.
“Thank you, and peace be with you as well.” I answered softly and then turned, heading back toward Elenore. There were no tears when I reached her, but I could tell she had been crying, she smiled and sniffed then put her hand on my arm.
“Where to madame?” She said softly. I thought for a moment and then sighed with a little smile, looking at her.
“Home Elenore. The rest is up to the Gods.”
The weather was strange that day, over cast clouds that threatened rain but never wept and breaks of a luminescent sun that shone down in streaks of gold and yellow, cutting through the clouds. I stood there and stared at the sky for a moment, thinking on the benign nature of the moment and how I was about to do the biggest thing I had ever chosen to do. Bigger then moving to Aragonia, bigger then coming back to my home land, bigger then every book I had ever read. It wasn't till the shadow of the carriage swaying in front of me, distracted me from my deep thoughts, that I broke my trance on the sky. When it came to a stop, Elenore opened the door for me and I entered, calm and almost taciturn in my manner.
I was bringing Elenore because I didn't want to be alone until the moment I was actually lighting my candle. And since Elenore would be helping me care for the babe, it was only right that she should be here for this particular moment.
I stared out the window the whole way to the temple, taking in the sights and sounds as we passed through the city proper. Even passing a few children playing in the streets, and I would smile without hesitation making my heart lighter at every passing moment.
When we reached the Temple of Eisheth I was greeted by both a male and female, ones that knew I was coming having written a letter two days previous.
“Baronese.” They greeted me in tandem, both bowing to me, dressed in an almost gauzy looking linnen of yellow.
“Greeting acolytes.” I said curtsying deeply to them both.
“Priestess Mireio will meet with you.” Spoke the female softly, her hands clasped gently in front of her, as was the young mans.
“You will be anointed and blessed before you light your candle.” Finished the young man. If I didn't know any better I would have said they were twins, the way they spoke as it one started and the other finished.
I nodded either way and bowed slightly to them.
“This...” She began. “Way.” He finished, making the two words seem less and giving the air a strange mysticism. The day, it appeared, was feeling strangely touched by unseen hands.
I followed the pair, taking my slippers off at the entrance and began to walk with them unshod as Elua had once done. Elenore followed behind me, her bare feet padding softly at the ground as well as we walked after the pair.
I looked down for the first part of the journey, watch my feet poke out from beneath my deep red gown as I put one foot in front of the other.
After a time I looked up and glanced at this and that as we passed, statues of people, paintings of the gods and more so paintings of the Goddess Eisheth. My mind was a blank as we walked, only able to focus on the moment...plant...plant...statue...painting...floor....painting...plant...Nothing else was present but the passing of items.
I thought of nothing, felt nothing till a set of doors were open and a warm court yard spread out before me and an elderly High Priestess stood in a simple gown of yellow stood before us. The twin acolytes held open the door and gestured for me to approach the Priestess that I assumed with Mireio. She beckoned me forward with a single hand, and began to walk forward, only glancing back to see the serene faces of the acolytes and the beaming face of Elenore.
Turning forward I walked toward the Priestess and smiled faintly, nervous at what was to happen, what was to become of my future.
“Sidonie.” She said softly, reaching out her hand to me. I took it and she guided me a little further to an alter with the reminiscence of candle wax and the stones were worn from years of kneeling in front of the statue of the Goddess.
I looked to the Priestess and smiled faintly again.
“Be calm child, it won't hurt I promise.” She uttered blissfully as if sensing my discomfort. The sound of her voice soothed me and I found a easy smile coming to my lips as we settled in front of the statue.
“You have come to ask the blessing of our Goddess, to give you a fertile womb and grant you a child yes?” She asked with a ease in her voice that made it hard not to relax.
“Yes, I do.” I said slowly and at length, taking a deep breath and looking to the statue.
“Turn to me child and kneel.” She said softly. I did so slowly, bowing my head to her.
She began with oil, anointing my brow with it before speaking. In truth I couldn't hear was she was saying, my ears felt as though they were stuffed with cotton and all I heard was a low mumble. I caught bits every now and then but for the most part I was focused too deeply on my breathing, trying to keep myself calm. But there was something else there, like the beating...of wings....something deep and natured in my being. My heart pounded slow and heavy, and I could hear it in my ears, adding to the sound of beating wings. It wasn't till she touched my shoulder that I looked up at her.
“Kneel in front of the statue.” She said, and I shifted to in front of the beautiful Goddess. I focused on the face of the statue as the Priestess placed a candle down in front of me. For a moment I didn't hear her and then another hand touched my shoulder.
“Light your candle Sidonie.” She said, holding out a tapered candle already lit. I took it slowly and focused on the wick of both the blazing candle and the one I was about to light. My hand inched forward till one touched the other and in a moment both wicks burned together in harmony.
“Goddess Eisheth, hear my prayer and bring me a child.” I prayed in a whisper. Elua, help me find my way to the right man to help me bare a child. Some one good and strong, some one that will be a good father for my son or daugther. I prayed silently to myself.
When I was finished lighting them I handed her the taper and then rose slowly. I leaned forward, my hands braced on the shoulders of the statue and pressed my lips to the cheek of the cold statue marble.
“Thank you great Goddess.” I whispered before kissing the other cheek and stepping back.
“Peace be with you.” Said Mireio and then gestured to the open doors behind me where the acolytes and Elenore stood. I looked back to the Priestess.
“Thank you, and peace be with you as well.” I answered softly and then turned, heading back toward Elenore. There were no tears when I reached her, but I could tell she had been crying, she smiled and sniffed then put her hand on my arm.
“Where to madame?” She said softly. I thought for a moment and then sighed with a little smile, looking at her.
“Home Elenore. The rest is up to the Gods.”