619 - In the Temple

They told me to sit and meditate.  I wasn’t sure I could.  I was too drunk and too full.  I’m drunk, did I say that out loud?  But I was in the Temple, sitting right at Muunas and Selinae’s feet.  That’s not right.  I got up and genuflected to the High Gods and staggered over to sit with Mikas.  That was better.

I was really drunk.  I checked to see if I needed to throw up.  No.  “Hi Gannara... hi Ili... hi Resh...”  They’d come back with water.  They’d said I needed water.  It really tasted good.   

“Heya, Professional God.”  I tipped my head back all the way up to look backwards up at the God where he sat with that mischievous look on His face, His chin on His hand, the one finger pointing up his cheek. I wondered if that was a joke on the part of the Temple or the God.  He pointed a bare finger at the next God... No wonder perfect Aras thought He was rude.

The bells were ringing again somewhere in the city.  Nothing to do with proper time.  But that always happened during Jitz.

Risae is watching our drunken asses you know, God.  She’s not amused.  But she gets drunk too, I mean that’s the story.  I mean... it’s how you courted Her, isn’t that right?

“Oh, hello, Virani-e.  You’re going to come visit next Jitzmitthra aren’t you?  I mean... of course you’re invited.  If I survive my Ten Tens... oh stop... it has to be left open to allow the God’s justice to be played out.  If it’s not corrupted like Dad and Grandad did.  I’m not really frightened of it.  It is just not a certain outcome.  It must not be.  Oh.  Hi, Radas... Yes I’m up for some tile scrubbing.  You know I’m getting married tomorrow?  You should be there... of course I’m being silly.  Silly is allowed.”

We were all scrubbing the Temple tiles together.  I was less drunk now.  Not too full and my stomach was just fine.  I watched the soapy scrub-brush under my hands and then the clean water and then my damp gloves holding the polishing, drying cloth working in smooth circles. The tiles really didn’t need to be cleaned this close to the Cleansing.  That was going to happen on Muunas the first when I officially began the Ascension fasting.  Kall would give me the seals on the steps of the Temple before I began the Ten Tens.  Scrubbing.  Should be thinking of my wedding, really.  All about food tomorrow.

I was still worried about... not the wedding, but the wedding night.  I wasn't sure  I... well... Gan and Farasha were going to be there.  After the public wedding the four of us would be going to go do the alesinae ritual in the Imperial bedchamber.  Kallijas said he’d be happy to leave it to the four of us.  It was too opulent for his taste.  He’d never gotten used to being Regent even, though he was good at doing the rituals.

Like tomorrow.  Kall was going to look really funny dressed in food.  “Hey!  Hey!  That’s not fair!  You Mahid girls just dirtied that tile and knocked over my bucket!  Ky?  I’m not supposed to see you... wait... wait!”

The Mahid girls, all in their whites for Faib with Ky in their midst on her own skates came skating through the Temple making a mess.  I leapt to my feet.  “Ky?  Kyriala Liren, you stop that!”

"Why?  You're not my husband yet!  Why are you ordering me around?" She answered,skating around the base of Selinae’s statue and I ran toward her.  

“You shouldn’t be out here...” Jorasa caught me by one elbow and my mother? They whirled me around and surrounded Ky and they went skating off toward the door.   

“No, you shouldn’t and you couldn’t catch her anyway!” Someone yelled back as I stood flat on my bare feet.

Ili thrust my skates into my hands.  “Here.  Sure you can catch her.” Rohad helped me tighten my skates and the girls were inexplicably circling around just outside instead of hiding in the streets around the Presentation square.

“Kyriala!”  I sprang up.  I wasn’t nearly as drunk as I’d been a few beads ago.  It might be my wedding day already and I had just lost track, especially since the bells in the city were ringing randomly.  “Don’t run away... skate away from me!”