Post by Darien nó Lothaire (D) on Jun 11, 2009 1:03:15 GMT -5
I had been traveling for what seemed like a life age, when really it was only a few years. But never the less I had grown weary with it and had contacted Marcus apon returning to Kusheth. He suggested I try my hand at the City of Elua, and finding no reason not too, I agreed. He sent word to the head Priest of the Temple there and word returned that I was welcome and bed waiting for me to claim it.
I walked when I could, rode in caravans of travelers, some times Tsingani, some times D'Angeline. Once in a while I would come across a family that would offer a ride to me on horse back, taking me as far as they could, a border of one estate or another until I finally reached the white walls of the city.
A strange sight indeed, both familiar and not, a sight I saw when I was a child as Marcus took me away from Mandrake and set me on my path now.
I told the guards who I was, a Priest of Kushiel headed to the Temple, they gave me a bit of a strange, reverent bow, that I tended to see when those not of Kushiel's line encountered me. I walked, with my satchel over my back and found the temple district easily.
"Darien." I heard the voice of some one familiar and turned to see Charles Beauregard, a boy... now I man... I had known in Kusheth. He was near my age, separated by only months, but cast much differently from me. He had shorter flaxen hair, his skin a soft gold. His Kushieline house maid mother had bed a Siovalese lord, secret lovers, they bore Charles and sent him off to foster so that his father's wife would not become aware of his existance.
Charles was one of the first males I had ever been intimate with, something that I still did infrequently, hells, I was practically a Cassiline these days. But he was a light and airy young man, always smiling and always polite, with that brutal Kushieline streak that got us into trouble. When I say he I opened my arms wide and embraced him in a brotherly fashion.
"Charles you old dog, what are you doing here!?" I said in surprise as he embraced me back.
"I've been here for seven months now." He said, his breath moving against my hair before we both pulled back with wide smiles.
"Not all of us made Priest at twenty one." He added with a wry grin and clapped my shoulder with his hand. I chuckled softly at that.
"Its good to see you friend." I said smiling still as I looked around the front of the temple, the area that visitors saw the most of.
"How do you like it here?" I asked finally looking at him.
"I love it here," He said grinning. "The women..." He made a face and kissed the air.
"Gods man, Kushiel himself would weep over the tasty treats that run about this city." He bounced his brows playfully and I chuckled. Charles never really had an affinity to the calling of Priest, thats probably why it had taken him so long to become one. For him, it was just something to fill his days and something that his Kushieline blood craved. But he was always talking about girls, or sex, or both.
"You haven't changed much have you." I teased with a little smile of my own. He laughed and looked handsome doing it, thats what the woman loved about him, when he laughed he looked wise and I envied him that.
"Come, I'll show you to your room. Its right next to mine." I nodded and he led me into the Priest's quarters. He told me that there were currently three acolytes at the temple. Two boys age ten and twelve, and one girl, age fifteen. He told me that she was one I should keep my distance from. Surly he called her, and cruel, a right bitch. There were currently pnly one Priestess here, he said the last few ended up moving to other temples. One had actually met a patron of the temple and she had given up the cloth to wed him and they were now expecting their first child. One had been in her forties and retired to a family estate. One he said, and she was beautiful he said, she had been a distraction to some of the Priests. Charles said I would have thought her a Priestess of Eisheth or Namaah, not Kushiel. She transfered to Kusheth to be near family and away from the attentions of some of the men. I was pretty sure that included Charles. There were currently eight priests, myself and he included. The most senior and the one we reported to was near his seventies and was mostly there to watch and make sure protocal followed. Or to be there should any of the younger priests need it. He told me about who were the ones to avoid, who were the ones to speak with and told me all about the goings on until we reached my room.
"Well, dinners in about an hour. Dine with us if you wish, but I'm sure you're tired and wish to rest." He said seriously and then broke out in a laugh. I shook my head.
"I'll see you in an hour." I said and he smiled and turned, heading off in the opposite direction.
The room was small, though not overly, about the same as any other place I had lived in. There was room for a bed, just big enough for one and some space to move. There was a bed side table, a writing desk and chair which was old and warn, and an armoire. Charles had not said, but I assumed there was a communal bathing room for the men. I unpacked my things and then sat on the lumpy bed, thinking about what life would be like here in the City. Charles' talk of women had me a bit sacred. I had avoided them for the most after that day in Namarre. I lost my virginity at eighteen and it had been one drunken night with a bar matron in Kusheth, not something I remembered much of or fondly. Charles and I had fooled around but it had never been the same then it had when I was around females. I had met a woman in Alba, but the demon reared its ugly head just before we got serious and it ended in the lanquisement and nothing else. I could count on one hand how many woman I had bed, part of me despaired at it, wondering if I'd ever find some one to connect with. But part of me knew that perhaps it was supposed to be like this. I devoted my life to my master Kushiel and no one else. It was for the best that I keep my chastity intact.
I walked when I could, rode in caravans of travelers, some times Tsingani, some times D'Angeline. Once in a while I would come across a family that would offer a ride to me on horse back, taking me as far as they could, a border of one estate or another until I finally reached the white walls of the city.
A strange sight indeed, both familiar and not, a sight I saw when I was a child as Marcus took me away from Mandrake and set me on my path now.
I told the guards who I was, a Priest of Kushiel headed to the Temple, they gave me a bit of a strange, reverent bow, that I tended to see when those not of Kushiel's line encountered me. I walked, with my satchel over my back and found the temple district easily.
"Darien." I heard the voice of some one familiar and turned to see Charles Beauregard, a boy... now I man... I had known in Kusheth. He was near my age, separated by only months, but cast much differently from me. He had shorter flaxen hair, his skin a soft gold. His Kushieline house maid mother had bed a Siovalese lord, secret lovers, they bore Charles and sent him off to foster so that his father's wife would not become aware of his existance.
Charles was one of the first males I had ever been intimate with, something that I still did infrequently, hells, I was practically a Cassiline these days. But he was a light and airy young man, always smiling and always polite, with that brutal Kushieline streak that got us into trouble. When I say he I opened my arms wide and embraced him in a brotherly fashion.
"Charles you old dog, what are you doing here!?" I said in surprise as he embraced me back.
"I've been here for seven months now." He said, his breath moving against my hair before we both pulled back with wide smiles.
"Not all of us made Priest at twenty one." He added with a wry grin and clapped my shoulder with his hand. I chuckled softly at that.
"Its good to see you friend." I said smiling still as I looked around the front of the temple, the area that visitors saw the most of.
"How do you like it here?" I asked finally looking at him.
"I love it here," He said grinning. "The women..." He made a face and kissed the air.
"Gods man, Kushiel himself would weep over the tasty treats that run about this city." He bounced his brows playfully and I chuckled. Charles never really had an affinity to the calling of Priest, thats probably why it had taken him so long to become one. For him, it was just something to fill his days and something that his Kushieline blood craved. But he was always talking about girls, or sex, or both.
"You haven't changed much have you." I teased with a little smile of my own. He laughed and looked handsome doing it, thats what the woman loved about him, when he laughed he looked wise and I envied him that.
"Come, I'll show you to your room. Its right next to mine." I nodded and he led me into the Priest's quarters. He told me that there were currently three acolytes at the temple. Two boys age ten and twelve, and one girl, age fifteen. He told me that she was one I should keep my distance from. Surly he called her, and cruel, a right bitch. There were currently pnly one Priestess here, he said the last few ended up moving to other temples. One had actually met a patron of the temple and she had given up the cloth to wed him and they were now expecting their first child. One had been in her forties and retired to a family estate. One he said, and she was beautiful he said, she had been a distraction to some of the Priests. Charles said I would have thought her a Priestess of Eisheth or Namaah, not Kushiel. She transfered to Kusheth to be near family and away from the attentions of some of the men. I was pretty sure that included Charles. There were currently eight priests, myself and he included. The most senior and the one we reported to was near his seventies and was mostly there to watch and make sure protocal followed. Or to be there should any of the younger priests need it. He told me about who were the ones to avoid, who were the ones to speak with and told me all about the goings on until we reached my room.
"Well, dinners in about an hour. Dine with us if you wish, but I'm sure you're tired and wish to rest." He said seriously and then broke out in a laugh. I shook my head.
"I'll see you in an hour." I said and he smiled and turned, heading off in the opposite direction.
The room was small, though not overly, about the same as any other place I had lived in. There was room for a bed, just big enough for one and some space to move. There was a bed side table, a writing desk and chair which was old and warn, and an armoire. Charles had not said, but I assumed there was a communal bathing room for the men. I unpacked my things and then sat on the lumpy bed, thinking about what life would be like here in the City. Charles' talk of women had me a bit sacred. I had avoided them for the most after that day in Namarre. I lost my virginity at eighteen and it had been one drunken night with a bar matron in Kusheth, not something I remembered much of or fondly. Charles and I had fooled around but it had never been the same then it had when I was around females. I had met a woman in Alba, but the demon reared its ugly head just before we got serious and it ended in the lanquisement and nothing else. I could count on one hand how many woman I had bed, part of me despaired at it, wondering if I'd ever find some one to connect with. But part of me knew that perhaps it was supposed to be like this. I devoted my life to my master Kushiel and no one else. It was for the best that I keep my chastity intact.