#silvana the priestess

[fictionpolo]

Secrets Kept in Fire

Summary: A priestess's life is easy inside the walls of a temple but things get complicated when she needs to deal with people outside of it. But when Silvana recognizes a friendly face she can ask for help more than once. Pairing: Marcus Acacius x OC!Vestal Virgin

Series warnings: Minors DNI, age gap, slow burn, religious themes, profanum, appearance descriptions, historical inaccuracies, violence, alcohol consumption, eventually smut and mature themes

Chapter warnings: None, barely a touch WC: 6,804 Notes: I still write it just for fun but every reactions brought a smile to my face! A reminder that English is not my first language and this is my first work ever. It is a chapter 2/??? ************************************************************

Luci Vestales, the saint grove, was her favorite place to calm her mind and contemplate. Even the Vesta's Temple wasn't bringing her as much peace as the old trees. Behind the walls, all she could admire was human's work and it was not her job to appreciate people. She was meant to worship and admire Gods and nature was one of many proofs of Their generosity.

Silvana took another deep breath and focused on her physical condition. She thought about the warm wind on her face, the pleasing shadow above her head, and the soft grass underneath her.

Anything to keep her mind blank and prepared to be cluttered later today.

         A priestess almost reached the pleasing state of meditation when she heard somebody's approach.

She sighed, aware that her quiet time was over.

There was only one of them Vestals whose

 arrival was announced by humming, quiet mumbling the rustle of her robes, as she usually walked very quickly.

"I knew I was going to find you here. Why are you not getting ready for tonight?!" asked the younger priestess, kneeling nearby.

A corner of Silvana's mouth lifted.

"Ave to you too, Julia Severa. Of course, you are not interrupting my prayers, thanks for the concern!" she mocked her.

The other priestess punched her lightly in the arm, making her laugh.

"You were not praying. You're much more tensed when you're doing it."  Julia remarked, narrowing her eyes and containing her giggle. "I asked you a question."

A vestal looked at her sister with a grin. It was hard to forget about her roots when she was so demanding.

Silvana looked around her and gestured theatrically.

"But I am getting ready, right here. It is an excellent place to prepare for an evening full

Julia Severa rolled her eyes and groaned with irritation.

"Stop. I beg you. Stop with this "Oh I am so miserable 'cause I need to go out and have fun" attitude.

We're doing it so rarely, how can you be tired of it?"

"That's the thing. We are not going there to have fun but to…attend. It is refreshing to spend some time with other people, sure. But now it is me who begs you.” She began with solemnity, “Remember what we represent. Remember who we represent.”

The younger priestess nodded in agreement.

"Of course. I know my… our place. I will not embarrass you, sister.”

Silvana looked at her suddenly gloomy features and smiled awkwardly. She took one of the girl's ginger locks between two fingers and swirled it mindlessly for a moment.

She then sighed quietly and tenderly put it under the girl's veil.

"Come on, don't fret. It could have been worse. It could have been Maxima who chaperoned you to the celebration. Then you wouldn't have a single conversation, not to mention more than a half goblet of wine. I am not such a bad choice, you know."

Julia's nose wrinkled at the thought of their much older sister attending the feast with her.

"Now that would be a tragedy and a waste of evening, honestly." Silvana did her best to hide her grin, seeing the disgust on her friend's face.

"But promise me something."  Said younger Vestal, taking the other priestess's hands "Promise that you will have at least one pleasing interaction this evening. Not fun. Only a perfectly acceptable pleasure. Please?"

She couldn't say no to the girl in front of her when her amber eyes were sparkling with joy.

 Julia was so much more to her than a fellow priestess, forced to bond with each other because of the common profession.

Sure, she absorbed everyone and everything around her but there was a special she was radiating with remarkable aura and Silvana very often saw the vivid fire of Vesta in her younger companion.

How could she ever say no to this adorable creature?

Besides, you could never say "no" to the royal blood.

"I promise, sister. But if we are going to attend anything, we should go and bathe now, otherwise we're going to be  late."

The younger Vestal jumped on her feet, helping Silvana to get up.

Girls began to walk towards  Domus Vestalus, with locked arms and in much better moods.

Julia kept prattle on everyone who she was expecting to meet today.

Silvana nodded to every name, knowing the people she was talking about from short interactions from the past or from her sister's stories.

Suddenly her companion stopped in the middle of the sentence and bit her lower lip. She continued just after a few seconds of silence.

"And… I  know which lictor is escorting us tonight to the palace…"

Silvana snorted quietly, as she knew very well who is Julia talking about.

"Cato." She responded with certainty.

"Yes!" squealed the girl with excitement "I haven't seen him in ages!"

"Me neither." Agreed the other Vestal "and I missed him. He is so sweet-natured."

"And his face is also sweet." Added Julia with a dreamy face.

Silvana stiffed for a second. She had mixed feelings about conversations like this while her friend adored them.

It was not forbidden to gossip between the Vestals but it was not welcomed. Of course, when you lock up six women in their prime years you can't expect them to be fully committed to their duties for 24 hours per day – at some point, they are going to discuss different matters.

Silvana loved it when all of the priestesses were just women and shared their thoughts about various subjects with each other.

But Julia was the only one to discuss men and their appearance.

It would have been a lie to state that she didn't enjoy their conversations but she simply found them pointless.

Cause where's the point in discussing something you will never have? Sure, after thirty years of their sacred services are finished they are allowed to take a husband and set up a family but most of them will be… past their prime.

So, if she would have had decided to go back to society when her duty was over she wouldn't have had the pleasure of choosing from the pool of most handsome men in Rome – she would have to settle for anyone who would be willing to take her as his wife and offered her a decent life.

Therefore discussions about men serve no purpose to the Vestal.

Except for the pure entertainment.

"It is sweet indeed." Silvana answered after a long pause "Maybe… too sweet. Too boyish for my liking.”

Julia raised one of her eyebrows in curiosity like she was surprised that her friend even had any kind of "liking”.

It was obvious that she wanted to discuss more but they were now entering the House of Vestals and their secrets were obligated to stay outside.

******************************************************

       Silvana barely had any memories from before her service but one of them was clear in her mind.

There was a time when her parents took her and her brothers to Circo Massimo to watch a staged hunting.

It was her first opportunity to see exotic animals and her excitation was raising with each cage passed by. Huge elephants, distinguished giraffes, fierce tigers…all of them seemed out of this world and she claimed every animal as her favorite until she was the next one.

At some point, they reached a cage that gathered a small crowd and Silvana's father had to pick her up on his shoulder to see anything.

The girl opened her mouth at the view – in the middle of an enclosure, there was a huge lioness. The animal was majestic, glowing with pride. What impressed Silvana the most was the lion's calmness – other animals she saw that day acted feral and furious, scared by their position between a loud crowd surrounding them. As a small girl, Silvana didn't know if animals were aware of their destiny but they could sense that this position is not natural for them.

So she wondered why the lioness was the only calm creature, was she too proud to panic? Or maybe she was smart enough to blend into the crowd and pretend she belongs there just as much as humans do? 

These questions bothered her whole day so badly, that she decided to ask it to her parents.

The only answer she received that day was that it was the most stupid thing her mother heard in a while.

So, the lioness's secret remained a mystery until Silvana became a trapped animal herself.

Because that's how she felt every time Julia included her in every kind of Emperor's celebration. It wasn't a common case, thanks to Vesta, but the priestess got a feeling that she'll never get use to such occasions.

One Vestal was quite a sensation everywhere she went and two Vestals were considered a spectacle.

Every celebration in Rome included the same things: elite, wine, and entertainment of any kind but barely a few of them offered a rare opportunity of meeting one of the most mysterious women outside their "workplace". Most of those few parties were hosted by the same person – the Emperor himself.

Silvana was therefore obligated to attend his social gatherings not only because of the Emperor's position but also to chaperone his daughter, who happened to be Julia Severa.

***

And there she was, doing her best to blend into a place she didn't belong, just like a lioness she remembered.

The vestal admitted, that people were unwittingly doing their best to help her pass the time with all the conversations she was invited to. Some of them she truly enjoyed but most of them remained an interview in which drunk men tried to ask her some out-of-place questions.

[Ponad to] she needed to stay focused on Julia who seemed to have a night of her life.

Younger Vestal never left her brothers’s side, which brought a smile to Silvana's face.

Even in a simple and much more modest robe than the young men next to her, Julia Severa looked just as royal as the rest of her family. All the years as Vesta’s servant took nothing from her origins.

"Virgo Vestalis?” 

A man's voice woke her up from her dissociation. She turned her attention towards the person who addressed her and smiled politely.

"Salve, Domine. Is there anything I can help you with?”

A newcomer chuckled and took a sip from his goblet.

"A few things. First of all, you need to apologize."

Silvana furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me correctly, Domina. I am deeply offended and I am awaiting apologies. How is it that you don’t remember me?”

A priestess took a better look at the man's face but nothing came to her.

"Well, as you already noticed, memory is one of my many flaws."

He laughed loudly and raised his hand towards Silvana.

Judging by the movement, he was about to pat her arm or grab her elbow but she had never found out which one was it.

Vestal took a step back and was about to reprimand him but before she could start the sentence, somebody interrupted the events.

"Now, I wouldn't do that, brother. I've heard they can cut off your hand for touching a Vestal. Or was it a head?"

She recognized his deep and rich voice at instant but still turned her head instinctively. For some unknown reason, his appearance brought a small smile to her lips.

"I am not sure but they definitely cut something off. And if you don't mind, Domini, I wouldn’t like to witness such things today.”

General Marcus Acacius chuckled and lowered his head deeply, just like the last time he saw her.

"I am glad to meet you again, Vestala Silvana.”

The fact that he remembered her namewas weirdly satisfying.

"So am I, General Acacius.”

As they were exchanging pleasantries, the man who first approached Silvana started to chuckle.

"How is it that you remember Marcus and not the host of the house you were performing a ritual in?"

Silvana shrugged her arms.

"Oh, but I remember Acacia Cornelii just fine.”

General laughed at the snarky remark and patted his brother-in-law on the back but the only reaction he got from him was a curve of his lips that could have been both a smile or grimace.

"I would gladly counter this clever joke but I am too afraid to get my tongue removed if you don't like my answer, Vestala Silvana." He replied, staring at the priestess who held his gaze but decided to fix her attitude a little.

"Forgive me, Cassius Cornelius. Memory is a funny thing. I tend to remember better people who openly scorned me than those who welcomed me."

Marcus cleared his throat with embarrassment, but his companion's attention was directed elsewhere.

"As much as I would like to hear more unflattering comments about my brother-in-law, I'm afraid my presence is required somewhere else," Cassius announced, not even bothering to look at any of them, while he was already exchanging sleazy looks with some young lady.

"I hope the third time is a charm and our next encounter will be more fruitful, Virgo Vestala.”

Silvana smiled and nodded politely one last time before a man left them.

She looked at General Acacius, whose eyes followed Cassius. The look on his face was serious and strenuous but he did not comment on the situation.

Priestess wondered if she was in a position to make any but decided not to. It was both common and legal thing that husbands did not stay faithful to their wives and Marcus's brother-in-law was just another example of it. Besides, General might have found it nosey and impolite to comment on his sister's marriage.

She wondered if he wanted to interrupt Cassius or if he wanted to be left alone but before she made up her mind and said her goodbyes he sighed in defeat and returned his now much softer gaze towards her.

"I'm once again sorry for my first impression, Domina. I truly wish you had remembered me for other reasons than my maliciousness."

A sympathetic smile found her lips.

"General Acacius, I can assure you that men of your kind are hard to forget for something more than just their cockiness.”

His chest rose a little as he straightened up with pride. Silvana made a note for herself that insulting a man is just as easy as paying compliments to him.

"But," she continued, "I am truly surprised you remembered me well enough to keep my name in mind."

"It is truly unusual to meet and share an opinion with a Vestal", said Marcus.

His statement bothered her for some unknown reason.

She was deeply aware that people paid attention to her just because of her position. But, for the first time in her life, it made her feel anxious and… disappointed?

Silvana plastered a smile on her face to mask those strange emotions.

The confusion remained unnoticed to the older man, as he politely continued.

"And today we are blessed with the presence of two daughters of Vesta! People must find it… unusual?"

The priestess was thankful for this question because it was filled with compassion. He must understand well how one's feels surrounded by people who judge you by nothing else but your position and expect you to tell them all of the secrets behind it.

"I can't decide if Gods wanted to curse or bless us with a gift of curiosity but some people surely overuse it.", Marcus laughed softly while she continued, "Julia is doing so much better with all the attention we gather around us."

He raised his head among the crowd, as he was looking for confirmation of her words and the look on his face suggested that he had found it.

Silvana quickly followed his confused gaze and stiffened when her eyes laid on the scene taking place at the other end of the room.

Her fellow Vestal was surrounded by both men and women. Apparently, someone in this group must have been the funniest person alive as they all laughed obnoxiously.

Silvana would turn a blind eye to the situation but to her horror, Julia Severa was leaning on some young man's arm, which he gladly welcomed.

Nobody seemed to notice the obvious sacrilege, so she needed to act quickly.

Her attention turned back to Marcus Acacius but only for a moment.

"Forgive me, Dominus, but as much as I enjoy our conversation I need to handle a situation somewhere else."

General furrowed his brows like he was lost in a deep thought and just before the priestess left, he stopped her.

"Wait. Let me help." And when she was about to protest, he added "Your appearance is going to bring more attention to the scene, just like we were talking about. Go and find one of her brothers, they will tell you where you can take her to have some privacy."

Even though she was taken aback by his direct orders, she agreed to the plan, nodding quickly. They went their separate ways.

It didn't take long to locate the royal brothers, Caracalla and Geta, as they remain the center of the party.

Silvana has briefly interacted with each of them in the past and decided that she tolerates Geta’s company more but just because of a small detail – his smile was a little bit more bearable than Caracalla’s.

She found both brothers the kind of men who find extraordinary pleasure in the power they hold.

A sleezy smiles always deck their faces, making them look cruel.

Silvana felt uneasy and anxious when she approached Geta but she was certain that he was going to help.

"Forgive me, Domine Caesar", said the priestess, using the most polite title she could have thought of, "may I have a word with you?"

A redhead man looked at her in the way she predicted, with a creepy smile and patronizing gaze.

"Dearest Virgo Vestalis, we share a sister. How could I ever say no to you?”

A Vestal swallowed and brought a shy smile to her face.

"This is… what I would like to chat about. Our sister is… unwell.” She directed her gaze towards Julia and her companion.

Gata’s smile faded when he followed her gaze.

"I see." He said through his teeth. "Come. Let's take her aside."

She nodded in agreement and followed a royal a step behind him.

When they reached the group that included another Vestal, still clinging to a stranger's arm, Silvana noticed with pleasure that General Acacius successfully focused crowd attention on him.

She also took a deep breath of relief after Geta sent a warning look towards a young man who was enjoying Julia's state too much. One gaze was enough for him to jump away from a young priestess like she was burning him.

The appearance of two important figures brought everyone's focus on them but Geta managed to collect it all to himself, which gave Silvana a precious time to grab Julia and drag her away from curious gazes.

She didn't know the Ceasar’s palace well and Julia was way too drunk to drag her in some sensible place, so they just paced the corridor as far as possible from the party.

When they finally stopped Julia leaned on the wall giggling, while Silvana did her best to collect her breath.

"What… what were you thinking back there? I gave you all the freedom I could just to find you drunk at some stranger’s arm!”

Julia couldn't stop giggling and tried to keep her gaze on the other priestess.

"Come on, you promised me to have fun, you should focus on that!"

"I actually was enjoying my time!" the priestess answered too loud. "I was relaxed and unbothered and apparently naive 'cause I put my trust in your common sense!"

Silvana realized that there was no point in lecturing the other Vestal as she was way too drunk to care.

Julia began to slide down the wall with her eyelids closed, probably with the intention of a nap in the middle of the palace's hallways.

"Mother Vesta, give me strength and patience" muttered Silvana under her breath as she started to drag Julia up to a straight position.

"But mostly strength" she continued her prayers. Despite her state and petite figurine, the other Vestal turned out to be a challenging opponent. A redhead priestess was taller than Silvana but she was chunkier, so odd should be equal. Unfortunately, height, alcohol, and god's favors were on Julia's side.

The situation became ridiculous and reminded more of a sibling's fight than a grown-up women's interaction. Silvana was hopeless and prayed to her goddess for some advice – she couldn't just leave her sister alone and go away but her annoyance rose with every attempt of pulling a younger priestess together.

Suddenly, she heard rushed steps, and new powers entered her body. She grabbed Julia by her robes and leaned her on her right shoulder. A drunk Vestal ended up clinging to her veil, with her forehead leaned on the top of Silvana's head.

She let out the breath she was holding when she noticed Geta, accompanied by General Acacius.

The fourth of them looked at each other in a tense silence for a brief second, before a future emperor smirked and asked:

"Anyone might explain this grotesque?"

Julia raised her head once she heard her brother's voice. A smirk on Geta’s lips was quickly replaced by a grimace once he realized how much his sister was struggling to stay in a vertical position.

"She will stay here tonight. If anyone sees her like this…” he spat the last word through his teeth “I will not risk a disgrace of emperor’s family member.”

Silvana nodded in agreement but didn't find the idea appealing. Of course, she would have been a foul to disagree with a future ruler of Rome but she wasn't fond of leaving a Vestal alone outside the temple, especially with people whom she didn't trust at all.

On the other hand, in her current state, Julia would have brought even more disgrace to her sisterhood than to her blood family.

"Let's go. Her childhood chamber is just around the corner, at the end of the hallway. I think she will appreciate this gesture" said Geta with an unreadable look on his face.

She had no time to think about his sudden nostalgic mood as she was about to start an unfair fight and walk her drunk sister to bed.

For the first time since they split at the party, she brought her attention to Marcus Acacius.

 and shook her head slightly, answering his unspoken question.

She was the only one who could help Julia walk, as Vestals had no restrictions between each other when it came to physical contact. She usually appreciated it a lot, devouring gentle gestures between sisters but this was not the case.

As she slowly dragged the intoxicated priestess down to her chamber she came back to her previous thoughts.

Obviously, she had no other choice than to agree with a young emperor and let Julia stay until she sobers up a little but she wanted to make sure that the fellow Vestal would come back to the temple as soon as possible, safe and sound.

Maybe she should stay here as well?

Absolutely not, Mater Massima would be furious if not one but two Vestals had spent a night outside.

What if she asks General Acacius to guard Julia?

No, she answered herself automatically. It is unserious to ask a man of his position to do such a job. Besides, why has she even thought about it? Of course, he offered his help earlier but she barely knew him.

Her mind focused on the word "job” and found a perfect solution.

"Princeps Iuventutis,” she addressed Geta kindly "If it's not a problem I would kindly like to ask  our Lictor, Cato, to stay outside your sister's chamber and wait for her to get better."

The young royal stopped and slowly turned towards her.

"Why?"

She knew that this request was not going to be welcomed warmly. The whole idea of suggesting anything to the royal was risky.

"Just to avoid further complications. She knows him, she trusts him… and he is the best at his work. He is going to take her back to the temple as soon as possible."

"It sounds reasonable."

Silvana sighed with relief when General agreed with her. Her position as a Vestal held some power but it meant nothing compared to him. Age, experience, position, and gender – his validation has more meaning in every field.

Geta looked like he wanted to add something more but for some reason decided to answer with a fake smile and agree to the proposition. They continued their walk in silence for a few minutes, before a redheaded man stopped in front of the doors at the very end of the corridor and gestured with his hand that this was the room where she was supposed to lead Julia.

"Leave her here. I'm going back to the celebrations and I'll send your Litor here. It is the blonde one, right? Like, the one who feasts on you with his eyes on every occasion?”

Priestess' eyes widen at the comment.

Bastard. Any other person in the entire Roman Empire would have been flogged or even worse.

But of course, a future Ceasar could say whatever he pleased, to everyone he pleased.

She swallowed to wet her suddenly dry throat and gather a few words to answer.

"Yes, Dominus. I wish you a pleasant evening.”

The only goodbye she received was his satisfied smile. Geta turned his attention to the other man.

"Are you coming, General?"

Marcus Acacius bowed down politely and shook his head.

"As much as I enjoy the Emperor's feast, I feel obligated to take care of the safe return of Vestala Silvana. After all her guard is staying here.”

A royal shrugged his arms like he couldn't care less and left them. Julia, still clinging to her friend, moaned quietly and mumbled something under her nose.

"Dominus, can you please help me with these doors? I want to let her down before all the wine she had earlier pattern my robes."

He granted her request and let both priestesses in. After they enter, he politely turns around and fills up the door frame with his broad posture.

Thank you, Vesta, Silvana thought to herself as they approached the bed. She gave herself a second to look around a rich chamber, lighted by the moon outside enormous windows.

Silvana sighted with sadness – there was a great honor and splendor in the position they both were holding but deep in her soul she knew that Julia belonged here more than to the temple.

Her anger towards the younger girl almost disappeared but her patience was yet to be tested.

While carefully seating Emperor's daughter on the bed, she grabbed her veil even stronger and looked straight into the older priestess eyes.

"I'm sorry." She muttered.

Silvana caressed her cheek gently with one hand and took her wrist into the other, suggesting she release the fabric she was holding tightly.

"We will talk later. I am going home. Cato is staying with you, he is going to take you back to the temple once you…"

But Julia still mumbled, clinging more and more to the Vestal, who was trying her best to free from her arms.

"Julia, please let go of my robes… I really, really need to go and let you rest…"

A redhead priestess finally gave up and fell on the pillows but managed to do it with her sister's veil still clenched in her fist.

Silvana gasped loudly, bringing Marcus's attention.

"Is everything all right, Domina?”

“Yes. Of course. I will join you in a minute, General Acacius.”

She pulled a fabric from Julia's hand and gazed at her with fury.

"I truly hope you're about to wake up with a pounding headache, dear Sister." She said to the unconscious girl, while she struggled with her veil.

Putting the fabric on her head was a daily routine every Vestal did. Their covered hair was another symbol of priestesses' purity and modesty. Usually, they used the same type of infula but for today's celebrations, she decided to wear something more festive.

And now there was a time to regret it.

The ribbon that kept fabric secured to her hair was much longer than the usual one she used every day. They tied each other knots with Julia but right now the younger Vestal's main task was snoring.

After another failed attempt to place the damn thing back on her head, Silvana furiously spit a curse from her mouth.

Marcus chuckled in the doorframe.

"You sure you're good? I can imagine that Vestals only use so inappropriate words while in danger."

Silvana groaned into the veil and swallowed her pride.

"Well, I am not in danger but in an… emergency. I think your help will be both required and forgiven."

"Forgiven? How can a help be…?" He said with consternation, slowly turning around. He cut his sentence in the middle, seeing a priestess standing in the middle of the chamber with her long dark hair completely uncovered.

He took his time before he spoke again.

"Am I allowed to see what I see?"

"No. But if I'm not going to cover my hair it will be even more inappropriate than it is right now."

Marcus Acacius nodded and took a step toward her.

"All right. What do I need to do?"

"I need you to tie those ribbons tightly under my hair, so the veil is secured."

She handed the material to him and turned around, not needing to sit down due to their height difference.

Silvana expected some witty comment from him to light up the tension but she was so, so wrong.

General hesitated for a second before he carefully put a material over her head. Then, even more gently, he gathered her hair in one hand and lifted it over the loose ribbons.

"Can you hold them like this for me?"

Silvana took a deep breath at his whisper and gathered an improvised ponytail in her hand.

The back of her neck was not exposed and the thought alone made her dizzy.

"It truly is an emergency. How are you supposed to leave this room without his help?"

His delicate movements surprised her. The same hands that provided new lands for an Empire by killing people were now careful and tender. He was taking his time and undoubtedly did his best to avoid touching her but it was impossible with the size of his hands.

So, when his knuckles caressed her skin by accident for the first time she shook with shiver. He stopped his action for a second and she muttered a quiet “sorry” under her breath.

Marcus didn't change the pace of his work, tying not one, not two but three tight knots, feather-lightly touching her neck with each of them.

Silvana's heart was hammering but it wasn't a stress. This sensation alerted every nerve in her body and left a hot spot on her neck, in the place where his knuckles made contact with her bare skin.

General finished his tack quickly and smoothened the material of her veil as a final touch, soothing her back so, so lightly.

A completely unnecessary gesture that should have cost him his hand but she couldn't bear to turn around and face him.

Vestal cleared her throat. Slowly, she tilted her head just enough to glance over her shoulder, but her gaze didn’t meet his. Instead, her eyes lingered somewhere to the side.

„Thank you, Dominus.”

„Any time.”

General remained in the same place, just inches from her. When the priestess rose her eyes and looked at him he tilted his head to the side, his expression curious, as if silently asking a question.

"Silvana?"

She quickly moved away from Marcus when she heard a Lictor calling her name.

"I'm… we're here, Cato."

A young man entered the room and looked around in confusion.

"I have been informed that you require my help. What's going on?"

Silvana sighed and looked at sleeping Julia.

"I'm truly sorry but I must ask you to spend the rest of your night here. My dear sister shouldn't leave the palace until she feels better. Can you please take care of her safe return to us as soon as she wakes up?"

"Whatever pleases you but let me walk you back to the temple first."

"I'm going to take care of that."

Cato furrowed his brows in displeasure at General's proposition.

"Forgive me, Dominus but her safety is not only my job but highest priority.”

"And my job is to command little boys like you and dismiss them if required." Said Marcus in a tone a priestess hadn't heard before. "But let me inform you that we share the same priorities."

A sudden tension between the two men made Silvana uncomfortable enough to decide that now it was her turn to speak.

"If my opinion is a priority to anyone," she said a little bit louder than necessary "then I would really like you, Cato, to stay here with Julia from now on and you, General Acacius to return to the celebrations. It is a short walk to the temple and nobody is insane enough to attack a Vestal.”

"This evening I witnessed two fools trying to do this." 

She knew that Marcus was talking about Cassius and Geta and explained to Cato what he meant by that comment.

"If this is your command, Domina” the lictor sighed, „then I will remain in the palace and take care of Julia Sewera’s safe return. But please, let General Acacius take you to the temple as the hour is late.”

"Very well. Thank you so much, Cato. I know that she is safer with you than with anyone else in the entire Rome."

A young man straightened up with pride at her comment, which brought a small chuckle from the older one.

"And I promise you will be just as safe with me, priestess."

A corner of her mouth lifted.

"Lead the way then, Dominus Acacius. I have no idea how to leave this place.”

They paced their way through the palace, passing by only some servants. When Silvana heard the noises of the party from a distance, she felt guilty that Marcus was leaving so early because of her.

"Forgive me, General. I feel awful to bother you with my troubles for so long and for taking you away from the celebration."

A man offered her a small smile.

"No need to worry about any of this, Domina. It was the most eventful evening I had in months. Besides, I wasn't in a mood to go back there anyway."

She nodded in agreement. Now she remembered that the last thing that happened before they began the rescue intervention was Cassius, who was on his way to cheat on Marcus's sister. Once again she decided to make no comments on this kind of behavior but felt that he was upset by this.

"It was a clever idea that you had," General changed the topic "to not leave Julia Sewera alone in a place like this.”

In a place like this? Just a few minutes earlier he qualified the emperor's son as one of the "fools" and now he make suggestions about their home.

"You make comments like this very freely, General. To a person you don't know well."

Marcus smiled under his nose. They reached the exit of the bulding and walked out of it into the night.

"But I know I can trust you. Just like you trusted me back in the chamber."

Silvana was thankful for darkness as her cheeks got red when he mentioned that situation. Like previously, she cleared her throat and left his statement without a comment.

"My idea was clever indeed but also very risky. Who in their right mind suggests to an Emperor that his palace is not a safe place?"

"A conscious woman who cares for her loved ones" he complimented her. "Besides, Geta is not an Emperor. He might be one day but it is not decided yet. Right now he’s just a childish hedonist.”

Another bold statement from the general encouraged the priestess to say her own thoughts out loud.

"I guess it runs in the family. I wouldn't be here today if not for Julia and her absurd chase after fun. I truly love her but I am so fed up with her sometimes it is ridiculous.”

Marcus looked at her with amusement, clearly entertained by her tantrum.

"And where would you like to be now instead?"

"At this time? At bed."

He nodded his head and smiled but continued his investigation.

"I meant it… in a bigger picture. Not this particular evening but any other at this point of life."

She understood what he meant now. What else if not her service?

"I have never thought about it."

That was a lie but Silvana decided that after he saw her hair uncovered he didn't need to see her heart the very same evening.

"But I do think about Julia's destiny a lot." She continued. "If she would fit more into her blood family than she fits to us.."

"I think that I know already more than I'm supposed to about the royal family,” He chimed in “But I don’t know anything about yours.”

Silvana shrugged her arms, unbothered by his interruption.

"I have the most dull background a Vestal can have. My father, Magnus Silvanus is a senator with no great success on his account. My brother, Sirius, got married recently and does his best as quaestor. And my mother, Augusta… is a mother and a wife. Regular patricians with fun fact that their daughter has been chosen for a Virgo Vestalis.”

She looked at his still amused face and suddenly cringed at her own wor

"I don't know why I even included their names. Sorry, it's… not often for me to have a completely regular conversation with someone."

"I can of course ask you about Vesta or your service if you want," said Marcus Acacius with a wide smile on his face “but we’re almost at the temple and that would be a waste of precious time we have.”

A priestess relaxed and answered him with a smile of her own.

"Anything else you would like to interrogate me about?"

"Just one more thing. If you don't want to share with me who you would like  to be if not a Vestal then at least please answer this one: who do you think you would have been if not a Vestal?"

This kind of question wasn't so personal and she could have answered with no trouble.

"I'd be somebody's wife and somebody's mother. Options are very limited for women, General."

"I know. I see it in my sister's example."

They reached the main gate to Vestal's complex, which was a perfect opportunity for her to avoid speaking her mind about this matter for the third time this evening. Silvana decided that it would be in good taste to address it with no judgment.

"I'm deeply sorry that you witnessed Cassius' behavior tonight. I am also sorry that your time in the palace ended shortly after."

General chuckled under his nose.

"Like I said before: it was an eventful evening. Nothing like our first encounter."

"Oh, trust me, Dominus, most of my days remind the one  that we met each other, nights like this are rare.”

He laughed quietly and looked at her with a sparkle in his brown eyes.

"I can't wait to see how you're going to surprise me on our next run-in."

 She lowered her gaze shyly but came up with a response quickly.

"I truly hope you're gonna come up with some kind of surprise. I believe haven't asked you a single question today and gathered no information about the most famous General."

A smile never left his face.

"Thank Gods that Rome is eternal. So we still have plenty of time to catch up on things.

Good night, Domina.”

Marcus raised his fisted hand to his chest and paid his respects, just like the first time they said goodbyes. Silvana answered with a deep nod of her head.

When she finally reached her bed in the temple she kept reminding herself the same sentence she said to Marcus Acacius: her days are something completely else and nights like this are rare.

[this-boy-is-exhausted]

My top songs of 2022

1. Ethel Cain, "Thoroughfare" 2. Rosalía, "Saoko" 3. MJ Lenderman, "Tastes Just Like It Costs" 4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs ft. Perfume Genius, "Spitting Off the Edge of the World" 5. Black Country, New Road, "Snow Globes" 6. Soul Glo, "Jump!! (Or Get Jumped!!!)((by the future))" 7. Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, "It Hit Me" 8. Alex G, "Runner" 9. Zach Bryan, "Something in the Orange" 10. Silvana Estrada, "La Corriente"

Honorable Mentions:

Tove Lo, "2 Die 4" / Mitski, "Love Me More" / Fontaines D.C., "Jackie Down The Line" / Interplanetary Criminal, Eliza Rose, "B.O.T.A. (Baddest of them All)" / Big Thief, "Simulation Swarm" / Bad Bunny, "Tití Me Perguntó" / Yaya Bey, "Keisha" / Kendrick Lamar & Beth Gibbons, "Mother I Sober" / SZA, "Blind" / Naked Flames, "Carrot Car" / Santigold, "High Priestess" / Arcade Fire, "The Lightning I & II" / Julia Jacklin "Love, Try Not To Let Go" / Kelela, "Happy Ending" / Pusha T, "Diet Coke"

[starswordartblog]

The God of Cavesong

Got around to writing a sequel for one of last year’s OCtober pieces, I’ll link it in a reblog since Tumblr hates links.

Content warning for abuse and religious trauma (albeit the religion is fictional).

Silvana lost track of the days as she remained confined within the sanctuary's chamber. She was given the bare minimum of food and water and nothing else. Her time was spent praying and sometimes just talking to the God. The God answered at times, and that was enough for her.

After who knows how long, someone came to question her.

"You have been here for long, in fervent devotion no doubt. The priest requests you share the wisdom our God has imparted so far.

Silvana's breath hitched. "I'm sorry. I'm heard His voice, He asks for prayers and worship, but that was all. I don't even know what wisdom I should be asking for."

She heard nothing but the man's breath as he came closer, putting a hand under her chin to lift her face up. "My, my," he said, "don't be so hard on yourself. You don't have to ask for anything. To hear His voice so soon, you are far more blessed than we thought. Continue your work, priestess." As he talked, he brought his other hand to her hair, pushing it off her face, long nails scrapping her scalp with far more strength than the gesture required. "Make it clear that there is no part of your favored existence that cannot be offered to Him."

And he left. She wasn't brought food for much more longer than usual after that.

"On the chamber where moonlight drips on forever, miracle rain falls for but a moment."

The words were blown to her ear as soon as she woke up that time. It was the first time the God had spoken to her unprompted. Usually she would be murmuring prayers of gratitude and pleas for help for what felt like hours before the voice came by, always along the only wisps of wind she could feel in the enclosed chamber.

"On the chamber where moonlight drips... I don't understand."

"You don't have to understand. Worship me and remember my words. That will be all."

Then it clicked. "God's wisdom...! Thank you!" and she chanted the words spoken to her a dozen times, carefully and clearly, hoping to remember them and pass them on to the priest's followers next time they came by.

"You'll have time to memorize them," said the voice, "first, eat."

It was far from the first time the God interrupted her like that. In fact, it was their most frequent interaction. Hours of prayers stopped by short, stern reminders. Eat. Rest. Sleep. Stretch your legs, you've been kneeling for too long.

It all sounded so earthly, so unexpected of a higher power. Those were the only moments Silvana didn't feel so terrified, so out of her depth.

"Of course, thank you," she whispered back as usual and extended her hand to where the bowl of food was usually placed. But there was nothing there.

Before she could say anything, she felt something small bump against her back, again and again. Turning around, she felt a handful of round, soft things with a fresh smell. Putting one on her mouth confirmed her suspicions. They were berries, scattered to her side by a soft breeze.

The breeze that only came from her God.

They didn't taste miraculous, weren't even enough to sate her hunger. She actually recognized them. Those berries grew on bushes from higher on the mountains. The more adventurous villagers would bring some home at times, and gladly share with her in trade for her own cooking.

The image of a berry gathering God coming over for lunch put a smile on her face.

The next time someone came by, it was just to deliver food, but she still blurted out the God's words as fast as she could, hoping to appease them. It probably worked, as they returned to the previous feeding schedule.

"I thank my God for this and every meal, for looking out for our humble lives, for every tiny berry and huge tree of our blessed land," became an habitual prayer for her before meals. It was usually after it that the God would reveal more cryptic wisdom to her, warnings of beasts and places to be avoided, and other things she didn't understand. She only passed on the words to others as soon as she could.

It took her by surprise when the words whispered were a question.

"Why didn't you tell them?"

"I..." She was tired of saying she didn't understand things, but how else does one politely ask a God for clarification?

Luckily she didn't have to figure it out. "The berries," the voice provided. "You clearly haven't forgot about that, but you haven't told them. Why?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I should, I'll tell them of your miracle as soon as I can, my God."

"I didn't ask you to. I asked why. I wish to gaze upon your true heart, priestess. Let it speak for a moment."

Silvana's blood ran cold. Was the God dissatisfied? She hadn't ever been dishonest so far, what else did she have to say? She hated this responsibility, the fate of her people on her shoulders.

"I am not a brave person, my God," was the truest thing that could came from her lips with so many possible disasters weighting on her mind, "I tell them what they ask of me. They asked me for wisdom, so I gave them your words. I'm, not smart enough to tell the wisdom of that act, so I haven't told them."

The silence that fell did nothing to soothe her anxiety, but it didn't last long.

"You couldn't see the wisdom in that, yet you keep bringing it up. Why?"

"It's because I could see the blessing in it, my God. I was taught you are of immense power, that you share it with your followers to conquer the land and shape it to your will. As someone who lives a humble life, these designs are hard to understand. But I understand looking out for someone in need, feeding them with what the land provides, keeping them company even when they're weak and useless. Those are small things you've done for me since I came here, and to me they were easier to see as blessings. Because I have no training as a priestess, I could only hope my honest gratitude would make for better prayers."

She felt numb and winded, having talked more than she intended. It was weird, confessing to a God that she had no idea how to worship properly, but her chest felt lighter. It was probably obvious from the start, wasn't it? She had always been an honest person, there was only so much she could take of a role she wasn't made for.

She could the breeze gently blowing around her, but no voice came for a while.

"You are wiser than you believe," it finally said. "You would make a good priestess, if you hadn't been forced to it."

Silvana's head spun like the wind. So the God knew she hadn't had a choice. The cult called her blessed, favored. She thought they had acted due to some divine will she could not fathom.

"Have we angered you, my God?" She did her best to not raise her voice in panic, but couldn't stop it from trembling. "Would you rather someone else be in my place?"

A stronger gust blew. "You can't say things like that. If they think that you don't want to listen, or that I've rejected you, they might harm you. And I won't let your faith be in vain. As long as you're here, I will protect you. So even if you're afraid, please trust and keep a secret when I ask you to."

What kind of God says please to a common peasant? What kind of God sounds powerless against their own followers? The voice continued to sound more like a fellow partner than a God.

Silvana couldn't help but smile, it was better that way. "I understand, thank you. I trust you."

The wind died down and silence fell. After a while just a wisp came by, the sound so low Silvana didn't make out all the words.

"...that will be all." It sounded like the usual parting. But then it picked up again in a regular volume. "And get up and stretch a bit, your human body will be pained if you just sit here all day."

"...of course, thank you."

[queenofcandynsoda]

One Piece OC: Charlotte Silvana

Charlotte Silvana

Epithet: Passion Fatale

Age: 16

Birthday: May 14th

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Scarlet

Height: 5’10” (180 cm)

Appearance: Silvana is a young woman tan skin, scarlet eyes, dark makeup, and long black hair with dreadlocks.

Daily #1: Silvana wears a black neck and chest corsets with shorts with a garter belt, stocking, and a pair of boots.

Daily #2: Silvana wears a black and dark violet leather biker suit and boots.

Daily #3: Silvana wears a dark violet short dress with heeled boots.

Swim: Silvana wears a black and violet bikini.

Formal: Silvana wears a long white dress with her wearing her flower/skull crown. This primarily worn in rituals.

Young: As a child, Silvana wears a black and burgundy uniform with black stockings and Mary Janes.

Affiliations: Big Mom Pirates (Former); Charlotte Family, Cult of Roses and Daisies; Garden Church, While Gold Pirates

Occupation:  Deputy Minister of Jam, Pirate, Assassin (Former), Priestess, Matchmaker, Navigator

Bounty: 400,000,000 Beli

Devil Fruit: Human-Human Fruit, model: Succubus

Moves: None

Skills: Silvana is very powerful with her devil fruit. She has form leathery wings to fly, grow her fingernails to be very long, and form fangs to “mark” her followers. Silvana can kiss people to get them to obey her, feed off their “energy”, or to simply kill them. She can also appear in the dreams of others. As a succubus human, she can cause lustful romance in pairings, which is used for matchmaking, along with Souffle and Heather. She uses a whip to hit and tied up her enemies. However, in order to sustain her mind, Silvana must drink a shot of semen daily. If she doesn’t, she would go into primal instinct and would try to have sex with anyone or touches herself in public. She also is a very good navigator as she owns many compasses.

Personality: Silvana is a sadomasochist who often sexually tortures her enemies and some of her followers. Ironically, Silvana is a virgin. When a cult was formed for her, Silvana is very responsible as she set up a set of rules for the members to follow (e.i., no orgies). She has a good relationship with her father as he helps her with her devil fruit and took care of her when Ida was institutionalized. Silvana enjoys the many flowers in the cult’s garden and would often have her followers to maintain them. She has a strained relationship with her mother, Ida, due to their conflicting ideologies, religious views, Silvana’s cult, and Ida’s poor mental health. Often, it has each other insulting each other. Silvana believes that Ida is in desperate need of help despite her “therapies” provided by her parents and stepmother. Silvana is in a loving relationship with Maya and Griffith. Maya has become a mother figure to Silvana. Whenever Maya and Griffith are working, Silvana would have dolls that resemble them and play with them as she waits for them to come home.

About: Charlotte Silvana is the only child of the twenty-fourth son of the Charlotte family, Dacquoise, and his wife, Ida, who is from the now-disbanded Our Lady of Roses Church in Dressrosa run by the “Children of Gladioli”. She was an assassin serving under Pie’s fleet. After eating her devil fruit at age 10, she has displayed an interest in the occult and becomes more distant from her mother, whom she was very close to. Silvana becomes even more distant from her when her grandparents, Lina and Leon, took her mother away to a church asylum due to their conservatorship over her. During her two year absence, Silvana started matchmaking with her older cousin Souffle, Cornstrach’s daughter, and unknowingly attract followers, who then later built a church in her honor. Many of them gave her gifts, Beli, and jewelry. Dacquoise was forced to be Silvana’s father and mother during Ida’s forced absence and Viveca, Cotton’s mother and Perospero’s wife who is a semi-retired high-class BDSM prostitute, who offers to be her mother-figure. Lina and Leon got a divorce and the latter of remarried to a woman, Thea, who is very critical of Silvana, Dacquoise, Ida, and Lina. Dacquoise fights to have guardianship over his wife but was unsuccessful after several times. Ida suffers from anxiety and depression disorders, which worsens when Lina, Leon, and Thea forced her to go to a church asylum run by a cruel and sadistic soft-spoken nurse, Nurse Jeze. Nurse Jeze is obsessed with Ida since they were teenagers and was separated from her when they are forced to have ”therapy”, which mentally damages them. Ida is forced to pretend in “loving” relationship with her or suffers from cruel, out-dated treatments and punishments. Her father, mother, and stepmother are unaware of the abuse as well as Dacquoise and Silvana. Ida remains quiet about the abuse because she knows that she’ll get the blame for it. Despite their conflict, Silvana is helping her father to get custody of her mother to protect her. Silvana is in a polyamorous relationship with Griffith and Maya, the son and daughter of Marco and commanders of the White Golf Pirates fleet. Silvana and Maya recently adopted a Margarfly, a large butterfly from Oz Land, an island based on Australia, named Cherub.

Wanted Poster: Silvana is seen licking her lips.

[parviocula]

i love the screencaps of your dragon cult oc's!!! could you tell us more about them?

Sure! I’ll put them under here since it’s probably going to be a list.

After Signia lost sight in her right eye, she ended up being left-side dominant. She’s also extremely skittish and easily startled when things come up from her right side.

Joorhahkren is about half of Signias age. She’s the one who preserves knowledge and history through text and books. She mostly stays in the library in the Fortress. 

Pahlok is the only Argonian Dragon Priest in their ranks. Pahlok traded herself in to save her family from slavery and eventually became a spy for Signia after years of servitude. Pahlok does not regret her choice, even though she outlived her family.

Signia has no big dealings in the event of Skyrim. She mostly stayed hidden and had her underlings sniff out secrets and weak points (specially during the civil war)

Xalitrat is the offspring of Signia and Nahkriin.

When Signia was given the rank of “Vith” she developed an unending hunger, similar to the Serpents of old. 

Klonaas developed magical skills that allow her to nest under hot dunes and sands to strike at unsuspecting victims. She’s hoping to one day figure out how to develop it further so the Dragons can use it. 

Silvana is considered a High Priestess but she mostly keeps to Signia and herself along with her Dragon friend. Silvana is trying to decipher how Alduin resurrected Dragons.

Signia highly considers Alduin a father and at times, has almost called him by that title. I like to think Alduin knows but doesn’t really care. Or maybe he does, I can never make up my mind.

[starswordartblog]

Super duper late thing for @oc-growth-and-development​ OCtober day 14, Cornered. I was super busy this week.

This can be read on its own but it’s a direct sequel to Day 4′s piece. Because tumblr is tumblr I’ll put a link to that in a reblog.

Also, content warning for religious trauma, I think? I did not base the Cavesong Cult on anything real but I think some warning is necessary for this.

Silvana didn't know why the men of the Cavesong Cult had her cornered. She was a simple village woman in the middle of her daily chores, getting some water from the river through her usual path, one familiar enough for her to navigate in her blindness.

"Miss Silvana, it's an honor to finally be in your divine presence," one of them said, voice trembling with delight.

"Um, excuse me?" She tried her best to hold back the shocked yelp she wanted to give, it would probably be rude around those important men. "I'm sorry but you must be mistaking me for someone else, I'm, I'm no holy woman, I'm but a humble villager under the grace of our God," she explained. No one had been forced to join the cult, but the people all came to accept the Cavesong God in some way. After all, His followers brought prosperity to all the villages in the area in name of their God, and had their magic as proof of His power. The more His influence spread, the more dangerous it seemed to be to invoke His wrath, and some defiant people had already paid the price, having been cursed with bad luck or illness or dried out crops.

"Oh, but you have been chosen to be so much more," the man said, getting close enough to caress her face. She recoiled from the sudden touch, and the man grabbed her by the arm. "There's no need to be afraid. You will finally be saved. You will be the next priestess."

"N-no, I..." the whimper of protest came out before she could stop it. She trembled in his strong grasp, terrified of what could happen if she upset him.

He pressed a finger to her lips. "Now, why would you deny it? God has chosen you to bless all the people in this land. If you reject your duties, surely terrible things will befall the village. You wouldn't do that to your people, would you?"

Why her? The priestess was vital to them. She would seclude herself in the holy grounds and dedicate body and mind to God and magic, securing their holy powers. Even the common people had several prayers to thank her for such an important role.

Why would they chose one this way? How could she shoulder all that? She would fail one way or the other.

But shaken by the man's words, she couldn't find it in herself to voice any more fears. She let herself be dragged away, head low to hide the fearful tears forming in her eyes.

She had never walked that far in her life, so she had no clue where they were anymore, she could only assume she had been taken to the holy grounds in the mountains, where the cult had been born. It was said it was once only a cave, but with magic, they had turned it into a mighty sanctuary, overseeing the passage between the region they oversaw and the rest of the world.

If any of the men had seen her cry, they had thankfully said nothing. She had had time to get used to their voices by then, they were four besides the men who held her, and didn't have the same grave tone as him. In fact, they sounded relaxed, complaining that the priest was getting a bit too paranoid sending so many to escort a single lady, and playfully joking about how special she was. To her humiliation she had also heard they laugh at her tripping countless times along the way, as she struggled to keep up with the hurried man pulling her along.

"Be at ease," he said, to no effect, "there will be no need for you to see or walk. You will only have to listen."

The words hadn't become any clearer or less ominous by the time they finally arrived. At first she heard their fellow holy men greet them, and felt the air change as they came indoors. Then all noise died down. The men behind her no longer cracked jokes or said anything at all, even their footsteps sounded more regular. Were they approaching the priestess' dwelling? She didn't know what to expect. Not for the first time she wondered what had happened to the priestess to start all of that.

She heard someone close a heavy door behind her, and the man who had guided her spoke.

"We have brought her, holy priest."

That actually gave her small relief. She knew the priest. Not only did he often preach in the village and lead the cult's magical effort, he had helped her personally when she needed the most, when she buried her old mother a mere year ago. Maybe with him there things could be cleared up, she was sure it had been only some big mistake.

She was pulled further into the room, her escort having adjusted himself to be at her side instead of in front as he had been so far.

She heard something in front of her move, the scratching noise of rock against rock. It grazed against her mouth, and the man finally let go of her arm to instead grab her head and press her against the stone shape.

"You will not talk," said the voice in front of her. She could barely recognize it as the priest's voice. It had no warmth, no energy, and was followed by a raspy noise.

"You will not run. You will not fight. You will not ask or beg. You will not cry. You will not harm yourself. You will not wish or desire. Should you do that, you and your village will be punished until not even rubble remains. No one will come for you. You will be proclaimed dead tonight, any sighting of you a haunt to be banished."

The stone shifted slightly, scratching her lips. Her arm ached. Her legs trembled. He continued in the same grave, monotonous voice.

"You will kneel in the depths of that cave, until your hear God's voice. You will listen, and the only words that will escape your lips will be His. You will listen to His songs, His magic. You will listen to His every whisper and secret. You will listen until you can tell all of His miracles, His cures to every ailment."

The stone pulled back. Her legs gave in, though her escort caught her by both arms this time, twice as inescapable. Once again she let herself be dragged by him, with no tears this time. She was shocked well past that.

Before walking away without a word, the man set her body to sit against some rocks, but she let it slip and fall to the floor without resistance. Without resistance was her chosen behavior for the day, and possibly her life from there on. It wasn't that part that bothered. She knew she was weak, every peasant should accept that from birth. She didn't mind bowing to higher powers, facing unfair hardships, and being dragged into pointless things. Her entire life was pointless, and it had been peaceful and lovely just like that.

This fate however, was a cruel mockery of her. Thrown into a fancy title, passed around by cruel people who expected so much of her, things she couldn't do. No humbleness, no peace, some futile turmoil where everyone would be doomed. What would happen when she failed, as she was obvious no real priestess? Who would be hurt? How many would be hurt? Why would they hurt the villagers for her mistakes, she had no family anymore and was too shy to have close friends, no one had reason to be involved in this, why not just her? She'd gladly stay with them if they didn't touch anyone else, why make her shoulder so much?

Footsteps approached, and someone wordlessly left a bowl next to her, leaving immediately after that. She recognized the smell of common fruits, freshly peeled. The fruits she grew herself in her small patch of land, the ones she'd eat at breakfast, the ones she'd serve to weary travelers in need of some hospitality.

It was the smell that belonged to a loving home, and the last straw for her. She wailed and wept into her hands, knowing they would disapprove of the noise, they'd warned her, but the guilt only made her cry more. She had worked so hard, no matter how much others looked down on her, all she wanted was an honest life, and now she had no clue what to do, if she'd ever have water to replace all those tears, if she'd ever get to cook again, if she'd ever feel a fresh morning breeze again.

The stale air of that chamber felt like poison. Back in the river they had cornered her. Here they had buried her alive. And that seemed like a long, long death.

Her screams died out into weak sobs, then even those dried out, and she was still alone. Time passed and more time passed, and she was still alone. Her stomach grumbled, and she was still alone, still with no intention of touching any food. Would they force her? Were they even real, had today been just a long nightmare? In that silence, nothing mattered, only the panic inside her mind wouldn't shut up.

"Eat."

She thought she had imagined the whisper, but the wind caught her attention. A weak breeze had blown from somewhere, and her relief was immense. Where did it come from, she assumed she was in a closed off place. She got up to her knees and ran her fingers along the wall, looking for some crack or hole.

It blew again, playing with the curls of her hair around her ear. "Eat," she heard, a little louder.

Silvana took a fruit from the bowl, understanding now the order, even if she didn't know where it came from. She hadn't heard anyone approach, nor did she feel any presence near her.

She felt once more that anguish in the pit of her stomach, that food was now something to be ordered to eat, no love, no care, hosts who didn't even bother to stay around. She clasped the fruit tightly within both her hands and held her head down.

"Please, please," she whispered, "I don't know what to do, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please talk to me, please just tell me what to do." The weakest breeze caressed her face for a little longer and then, defying logic, twisted and picked up strength only around her arm. The pain she felt from her escort's endless grip was soothed. She touched her lips; the scratches there were also gone.

"I am God," the voice said. "Worship me, pray to me. That will be all."

It was only more orders, but Silvana held tight to the brief kindness the healing miracles had shown her.

"Thank you," she said, and murmured a simple prayer before eating. She hoped that would be enough. She hoped God did not leave her in that silence again.

Theodora risked turning on the dimmest of magical lanterns for a moment, to see the sleeping face of the human woman she had taken pity on. For weeks she had sneaked around in that endless maze of caves and tunnels, unable to escape the watch of the Cavesong Cult enough to leave the mountains. The shame of lying and hiding away burned her spirit, but it wouldn't destroy her. She wasn't throwing her pride away; that was all for the sake of surviving as the last Air Elemental left, her father's beloved Sky Gift.

The Cavesong Priest was an utter fool who had killed her father to conquer the hidden power of the mountains. Even now as it consumed his flesh he still wouldn't repent, strengthening his hold on the region and believing himself holy enough to win a miracle cure. Theodora was a miracle cure yet had no intention to serve him, but if he was desperate enough to beg for messages in the wind she'd gladly play along.

What of the new priestess, though? She was a regular human with almost no magic, what did he expect to gain from her? Maybe he just didn't want to expose himself out there in the mountains, but how would a weak woman protect him more than his subordinates? It was pointless cruelty.

Her father always told her it was a duty of Elemental Spirits to protect humans as the weaker creatures they were. Having only seem the greedy, murderous lot of them, she hadn't had the chance. The young priestess however was merely a victim. Maybe she could be just as evil and corrupted if given the right temptation, but Theodora would say the same of herself if she had looked at the weeping human without a sliver of compassion.

She was no real god, but she could hopefully do something to keep that one safe. One day they'd both escape that hell.