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The Meeting
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Topic Started: Jul 4 2010, 12:01 AM (600 Views)
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Vivica
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Jul 4 2010, 12:01 AM
Post #1
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The Ice Realm was colder than Caleb could have ever imagined. Whether he was outdoors or indoors, he couldn’t stop himself from shivering. Getting to the temple had been an ordeal; in spite of it being the summer season, it was harsher than any Light Realm summer. Within a minute of being outdoors, the freezing winds would penetrate his layered defense of winter gear and his body would go numb that when he sought refuge from the storm in an outpost, it felt like his skin was thawing. To his relief, the entire realm was not one big snowstorm. There were moments, such as the present, where only a flurry fell from the sky.
After he parted ways with the guide, it was only a short trip to the temple. It was late in the day, so he was quickly received by a group of acolytes, who showed him to a room with a fireplace and tapestry-covered walls. He was allowed some time to get settled in before he would be called to dinner with the priests, so the first thing he did was make a dark cup of coffee. He breathed in the rich, nutty aroma and took a sip of the bitter beverage. Feeling warmed up after he dark the coffee down to its last drop, Caleb placed the mug on the nightstand and removed his outer layers down to his black turtleneck, but kept his hat and scarf on. He couldn’t risk getting too cold. To his slight surprise, he did not have to unpack his mirror; the room had been provided with one. The gesture of understanding cultural differences put a small smile on his face. He checked himself in the mirror briefly to brush his hair and to frown in disproval of his prominent dark circles. He placed his red moon pendant around his neck, to give an indication of his status. Without it, he looked like nothing more than a thin, tired Dark Realmer. With concerns about his appearance out of the way, Caleb dropped down onto the bed to rest until dinner, covering his eyes up with his arm.
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Hiros
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Jul 4 2010, 07:25 AM
Post #2
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Sidonie made her way through the snow, returning to the temple from where her parents had set up camp. Because the weather was nice, they would probably be heading out to hunt soon. It’d be months before she saw them again. She was used to it though. The temple was her home. She had spent most of her life there, learning secret star reading techniques. Life in the village, where there was occasional foreign visitors and traders, was much more exciting than spending time hunting. From the murmur of gossip around the tiny village, they actually had a visitor now, so she was excited to see who it was.
She entered the building, and her mentor, Father Trent, paused on the way to doing something else to speak with her. “It’s almost dinner time. Could you go take more fire wood to the guest chambers, and let our guest know?” She nodded. “Good girl.”
The young ice elf grabbed several logs from the pile kept inside to stay dry, and lugged them to the guest room. She knocked awkwardly against the door with her hip, and then pushed it open. “Excuse me…” She said quietly. It seemed the guest was sleeping… Or resting. She felt her heart beat a little faster. It was warm… She set the logs down next to the fire place. It had enough wood in it for now, so it would be better to let it be for the moment. She wiped her forehead, and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She stared for a moment. Messy fluffy white hair framed a slightly masculine face. She sighed. She looked so boring. Like everyone else in the ice realm. She glanced over at the resting dark realmer, and blushed a little. Not like him. Even without seeing his face, he had beautiful dark hair and skin.
“Um… Excuse me… Dinner is ready.” She spoke quietly. If he was sleeping deeply, she didn’t want to wake him up. He could always eat later, and he was probably really tired from his journey. But she had to at least try to let him know.
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Vivica
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Jul 7 2010, 05:23 AM
Post #3
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After a long journey, the combination of the fireplace, the warm beverage in his stomach, and the soft bed were nearly enough to lull Caleb to sleep as he thought of various things. One of his concerns was whether or not the temple would serve him tiger meat. They had provided him with a mirror, so the answer to that question leaned heavily towards “no.” He had just been thinking using the stereotype of the Ice Realmer that does not welcome foreigners. That was silly of him, as he was here to build a bridge between cultures. He had unwelcome thoughts of his late lover, Moshe, and the pain that he had felt when he lost him. Flashbacks of the instances in which he nearly surrendered his vows to lustful feelings and loneliness filled his head. Every time, he had backed out of the fear of suffering another loss. It would be easier on him if for once, the thoughts would leave him. Priesthood was a fulltime commitment—did he really need anything else?
He awoke, slightly startled, from his thoughts at the sound of a woman’s voice. Propped up on his elbows, he stared at her for a moment before he glanced away. What a gracious way for him to make a first impression in front of a lady. Had he not heard her knocking? She must have been an acolyte, if she was sent to fetch him for dinner. Caleb looked to her again and sat at the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry,” he moved to rub the back of his neck, but stopped himself halfway through the motion and placed his hands in his lap. “I was thinking.” Black eyes quickly drifted over her figure when he was sure that she wasn’t looking; he was such a shameful person. Caleb stood up, cleared his throat, put on a smile, and extended his hand. “I’m Caleb, the head priest at Florentior’s Temple of Thantos.” Regardless of her position in the temple he wanted to get to know the young lady before him.
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Hiros
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Jul 7 2010, 08:20 AM
Post #4
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He seemed like he was surprised that she was there. Although, she was more used to being around full elves, so perhaps she had been quieter about entering than she thought she had been. Sidonie blushed slightly under his stare. He had lovely eyes too. Everything about him seemed so… exotic. Even Father Pathos could have physically fit in with the other ice realmers. It both drew her in and intimidated her a little. She smiled at him when he apologized. “Oh…It’s alright. I didn’t want to wake you if you were really tired from your journey…” She glanced over at the fire. “I also brought you more firewood for later-“ Ah, he was standing up. “It’s nice to meet you.” She took the offered hand. It was warm… In a nice way.
She blushed, mentally shaking her self from the thought, and introduced herself. “I’m Sidonie. I am…” She hesitated. She didn’t really have an official title. Technically, she had many of the responsibilities of an acolyte, but not all acolytes learned the things she did. And she wasn’t really in training to be a priestess. “…Studying here. I have since I was little,” she finished. It wasn’t something she technically was supposed to talk about, especially with people from outside the realm. But she didn’t want to outright lie to the man. It didn’t seem right. “Um… You’re from Florentior? Is Father Pathos well? He used to tell me stories when he’d visit when I was younger.” She smiled. Pathos was a nice man, and if Caleb had trained under him… Well, it was a point in his favor, anyway.
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Vivica
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Jul 9 2010, 11:11 PM
Post #5
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Caleb secretly wished, for a moment, that the woman’s flush wasn’t from the warmth of the room. The rosy color looked flattering on her pale skin. He pushed the thought away and reminded himself of why he was at the temple. There was a level of professionalism that had to be maintained. It bothered him that he was allowing himself to be entertained by lascivious thoughts, especially when the woman was standing right in front of him. What was his problem? “I don’t mind. I haven’t eaten for a while, so I’m feeling pretty hungry. “ The touch of her hand sent a subtle shockwave throughout his body, making him want to keep his hand clasped over hers for a little while longer. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, Sidonie...” Had this been a different time in his life, he would have been bold enough to kiss her hand, but he was in no position to court anybody. Plus, she lived in the Ice Realm. If he ever saw her again, it wouldn’t be for years.
It pleased him to know that she was studying under the temple. It led him to believe that she was religious, so perhaps there was something that they had in common. He was even happier to hear her mention Pathos. “Not exactly. I grew up in Lyrale, but I’ve been living at the temple in Florentior for about twenty years. “Caleb smiled at her and crossed his arms, so they weren’t just hanging. “He’s in good spirit and in good health, but age has slowed him down a little. He was supposed to make this trip, but it would be too much of a strain on him.” It had also been how Caleb had risen to the position of head priest. Pathos was still present at many sermons, but at his age, it was better for him to relax, rather than the constant planning that came with being the head of the temple. Though he was hungry, Caleb didn’t mind chatting with Sidonie, for at least a while. It was refreshing to have a casual conversation with a new person, which was something that he was lacking in his personal life.
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Hiros
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Jul 10 2010, 05:18 AM
Post #6
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Sidonie was glad that he was ready and willing to eat. She really would have felt bad if he had scolded her for not letting him rest. Traveling was hard work, and she was a great deal more comfortable in this environment than him. And she hoped that they were making something good that would fill him up. She wanted him to enjoy his stay here.
The way he said her name made her stomach feel like it was full of snow flurries. She reluctantly let go of his hand. The realization that he had been a priest for as long as or longer than she had been alive was a little disconcerting, but she had figured he was older anyway. Some kid couldn’t be the head of one of the bigger temples in the light realm. The feeling quickly faded when she realized that he had been to at least three different realms throughout his life. So cool… “So, you’ve been to a lot of places…” She was a little jealous. She had never left the ice realm. “I’m glad to hear that he’s alright.” She smiled at him, “And thank you for braving the cold to visit us in his place.” Perhaps she could convince Father Trent to let her go visit that temple. To visit Pathos, since he probably wouldn’t be able to come again, since it was too hard for him now, of course. It had nothing to do with wanting to see pretty people in pretty clothes. Absolutely nothing.
“Well, we should go, so they don’t start without us.” Her tone was joking. They wouldn’t be so rude to a guest, but… Ah, what a dorky joke. She ducked her head in embarrassment, and opened the door for him. “I’ll show you the way…”
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Vivica
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Jul 12 2010, 06:04 AM
Post #7
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“Well, I have traveled a lot,” Caleb said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Most of it has been for work, or for visiting family. One of them lives in the Water Realm.” While he had lived at home and with Moshe, taking the occasional vacation was not uncommon. But there was hardly time for relaxation the way he kept himself busy. His breaks from work around the temple were for meals, for a hot bath, or for sleep. He liked to constantly keep himself occupied, whether it was writing sermons, or simple work, like sweeping the resident wing of the temple at night. It took family visitations to bring him out into the sunlight to have fun for a little while. “I’ll mention you to him when I get back to the temple,” Caleb smiled calmly and chose a sly manner of attempting to coax her to talk about herself. Did she have a significant other? He wanted to know. “He still likes knowing everything that’s going on with everyone.” And, not that such a step was already on his mind, maybe Pathos would invite her to the temple, to see how she had grown. Caleb allowed himself to chuckle lightly at her statement about the cold. “I’ve never been so cold in all my life. I almost requested that somebody else came here in my place because I hate the cold so much.” He walked out of the room when she opened the door and thanked her. “But, I think that I’m going to enjoy staying here.”
As he walked with her, he wondered if the kitchen staff had prepared a stew for dinner, or if the temple was too warm for the natives to even consider eating a hot meal. He had a craving for something hearty and warm—and a lot of it. The young lady had kept him so engrossed in conversation that he had forgotten how hungry he was for food. At least he would be able to sate that hunger.
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Hiros
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Jul 12 2010, 08:18 AM
Post #8
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“That’s really cool… I’ve never left the ice realm.” Even if he seemed so casual about traveling, she thought it would be nice. Maybe she’d feel differently if she got stuck in the fire realm or something, but… It’d be nice to see the places she had grown up hearing stories about.
“Oh, really?” She smiled. “Thank you. He would want to know, wouldn’t he…” He always took time to talk to everyone, which was very sweet of him. Not everyone cared what a little kid had to talk about, but he always did. “My studies are going really well, and I got to help bring down a moose that stumbled into the village a few weeks ago, and got injured.” She patted her hip where she had been hurt. “But, I’m okay now.” She paused, and tried to figure out what else she had done recently that Pathos would want to hear about. It was hard to tell, especially since she felt like her life was boring. She would have liked to discuss her studies with someone, but she wasn’t supposed to. “Oh… And I started dating Quill about a year ago. We’ve been friends since we were little, so Father Pathos will know who I’m talking about. He’s become a really good hunter, so he’s not around the village very often.”
She felt a little subdued, talking about Quill to Caleb. If the relationship had come to mind and she avoided mentioning it, she would have felt like she was being sneaky and dirty… but, having mentioned it, she felt guilty for the fluttery feelings that Caleb was causing. To add to that little bit of misery, Caleb said that he really hated the cold. Tears welled up in her eyes. Was she not even going to be able to be friends with him? If he hated the cold so much… And she felt guilty… It wasn’t fair. But then, her little pity party was quickly broken up when he said he was going to like it here. At least it the cold wasn’t deterring him too much. She rubbed her eyes and then smiled at him. “I hope you do…” They reached the dining room where some of the others were finishing setting the table. “Ah… It smells like they made stew…” Sushi sounded better to her, but they were probably trying to be considerate and make something warm for the guest. There might even be bread, which would be nice, at least.
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Vivica
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Jul 12 2010, 07:04 PM
Post #9
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“Ah, it isn’t like I’ve visited the great sites of those realms, aside from the tower in Amir and the orchard in Florentior. I’ve been to the hot springs in the Fire Realm a couple of times, but other than visiting the other realms for temples, I haven’t done much.” Caleb’s smile was relaxed. While he had tried to sleep in the little outposts during his journey over, he had imagined that he was curled up in the hot springs and found that it prevented him from shivering off all of his weight. He realized that, in comparison to somebody who still remained in the realm that they were born, his travels may have seemed like a feat. It was all a matter of perspective.
“Don’t thank me.” Caleb waved his hand casually, as if to brush it off. “He’ll like hearing from you.” Pathos was, as he had been since Caleb met him, a busybody; always searching for bits of gossip and happenings in one’s private life. He seemed to have a sense for knowing exactly when Caleb didn’t want to be questioned about what was going on. After the times that he had come close to breaking his vows, the older elf always knew to show up and invite him to chat. The gods had a terrible sense of humor. He nearly laughed when Sidonie mentioned a moose. He knew that they were part of the Ice Realm’s wildlife and he had seen illustrations of them, but… “I’ve never seen a moose before. They actually come into the village? How did he hurt you?”
Her statement about dating nearly hit him hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Of course she would be in a relationship—a committed relationship. Sometimes he just couldn’t understand the way the gods worked. If her significant other was a hunter, maybe she was into the muscular type, which he was so far from. He had no time to exercise. But, how could he even harbor the thought of being upset over not attracting her? It wasn’t in him to be the source of infidelity. He chose not to comment on her having a boyfriend.
“I was hoping for that,” Caleb said, with a smile weaker than what he had already shown her. Over dinner, he would be able to meet the people who held important positions in the temple and, hopefully, get his mind off of the young woman. It hurt to learn of her relationship, but maybe it was for the best…
Edited by Vivica, Jul 12 2010, 10:45 PM.
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Hiros
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Jul 13 2010, 12:20 AM
Post #10
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“Except for the hotsprings, that sounds really nice.” She smiled. “I think it would be interesting to see other temples… I mean… They’re all not like this, right?” This building was fairly simple, and she thought that maybe in a realm where there was lots and lots of visitors and resources, that the temples would have a reason to be a little bit more awe inspiring.
“They don’t, usually. Something was wrong with him. He probably got lost during the storm, and was confused and frightened, which made him dangerous,” she explained. She blushed when he asked how the moose had hurt her. “Well… it wasn’t the moose, exactly. One of the other acolytes, she was trying to shoot at it with her bow, and I was ahead of her, about to throw my spear, and she hit me on accident.” The girl had gotten into trouble because of it, for taking a stupid shot when Sidonie had had it under control. “I still managed to get the moose though.” Her voice turned a little smug. Even though the injury had hurt badly, she had still managed to protect the village.
She glanced at the others working to get the table set up. “I should probably help them finish… You can sit down, if you like. Anywhere is okay.” There wasn’t really that many of them here: one other student who was learning the same things as her, four acolytes in training to become priests, and three priests including Father Trent. There was others who helped, but they were mostly volunteers from the village, and would return to their homes. Sometimes there were more priests, but many of them traveled with their tribe. It would be what she was expected to do once she finished with her training, to help with rituals and to use the stars to help guide the hunt and decide what the tribe should do. She’d prefer to stay here though, where she could still meet people from other realms. She slipped into the kitchen and was handed a pitcher of water, and ushered back out as one of the other acolytes brought out the stew. She poured water for everyone, trying to avoid looking at Caleb.
“Father Caleb.” Trent walked up to the other priest, greeting him calmly. He was a little taller than the younger priest, and better muscled through the hard chores that came with living in this small of a village. Especially when there were times it was a veritable ghost town. “Is the guest room comfortable enough for you? I’m sure we can find more blankets if you need them.”
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Vivica
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Jul 14 2010, 03:33 AM
Post #11
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“The smaller temples can be pretty simple. Not everything is elaborate.” Caleb didn’t mind places of worship with humble decorations. It was what he was used to. “Temples of Thantos have few decorations. With Thantos’s realm in the state that it is, it’s appropriate to put our funds towards a better cause, like assisting refugees.” His temple was a popular destination for Dark Realm natives who sought a better life. They did what they could. Rooms in the temple were available to families that needed a place to stay until there was a steady source of income. When a room was unavailable, the temple would pay for a space in an inexpensive apartment complex. ”Ah, but there are lavish temples out there. Athena’s temples are gorgeous… They’re decorated with a lot of gems.”
“That’s impressive,” Caleb remarked, somewhat surprised that he found it so. Sidonie had to be a strong girl in order to take down a moose and she was studious as well. In this harsh of an environment, people mostly likely had to be as fit as they could, even those in a scholarly or religious line of work. He had noticed that her arms looked rather firm. He wondered, with all of her muscle, if she was still soft to the touch…and immediately pushed the thought away. How he wished that his mind could be chaste. He needed to set aside time before bed to pray; to focus on what was important, rather than the longing and carnal desires that Sidonie invoked in him. But… Were the pleasures of the flesh all that he wanted from the young woman? No. He genuinely enjoyed talking to her.
He hesitated when she left him and tilted his body slightly as if to follow her, but decided against it. She must have had assigned chores and he had people to meet. But, he did hope that she would join him for the meal, unless she had an assigned seat elsewhere. He wouldn’t disrupt any of their rituals by request, but he did want to talk to her later. He took a seat and offered a small smile when she came by with water, only to be rejected. He watched her, slightly hurt. Why wasn’t she looking at him? Caleb stood when Trent addressed him and extended his hand out of politeness. “Father Trent. Hello. Pathos says hello.” Even their head priest had a strong physique. “The room is perfect, thank you. I’ll have no trouble sleeping tonight.” Well, mostly. He looked to the stew on the table and took in a deep breath through his nose. He was starving, but he had his manners. “Dinner smells delicious. Are you well? I’m really looking forward to studying here.” And sharing his own religion, of course. By the end of the visit, both groups were to have learned something that they could relate to their congregation and there would be a stronger bond between the temples.
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Hiros
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Jul 14 2010, 04:51 AM
Post #12
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She felt ashamed when he said that his temple had better things to put it’s funding towards better things than decorations. Of course there were more important things than making a place look pretty. Even outside of the ice realm, where people were allowed to have mirrors, and appreciate beauty. Caleb was such a good man, helping refugees and travelling to someplace like this, even though he hated it. Sid didn’t think she could measure up to that kind of niceness. Especially since she was trying very hard not to imagine running her hand through his long dark hair, and to remember that she had a boyfriend. And yet, Sidonie blushed with pleasure when he complimented her skill. He actually thought something about her was impressive? She thanked him with a bright smile.
But her nervousness and her guilty feelings made it difficult to look at him as she helped get the table ready. Why did he make her feel this way? She and Quill had eased into a relationship because they were comfortable with each other. They got along great, and cared for each other. But, what she felt towards Caleb didn’t seem comfortable at all, in the best possible way. She felt like a horrible person for thinking about a stranger like that when she had a good boyfriend. After she finished pouring water for everyone, she sat down at the table, not too far away from Caleb, but not right next to him either. Despite her guilt, she did want to talk to him. Or listen to him. Or just sneak glances at him.
Trent shook the younger priest’s hand. “Tell him I said hello, as well.” Pathos was an old friend, although the grey priest had been old when Trent had first met him. “Good.” He nodded slightly when Caleb expressed his opinion on the room. The relationship with his temple was important to Trent. Despite many dark temples having forgotten their bonds to the ice realm, he was glad that Pathos’s, and now Caleb’s temple upheld them. “I’m well, and I also look forward to sharing. I’m glad you came. But, you must be hungry, right? Sit down, and we’ll say prayer, and I’ll introduce you to everyone.” He waited to sit until the Caleb and everyone else had sat down, before sitting. He then spoke a brief prayer in his native language thanking Celest for the food and the guest, and then repeated it in Amirian for Caleb’s benefit. With that, he started introductions as the food was dished up. “Now, you’ve met Sidonie… I trust she introduced herself properly?” He glanced at her, and she nodded and blushed, embarrassed to have attention called upon her. He continued around the table until everyone had been introduced, before starting to eat.
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Vivica
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Jul 15 2010, 07:43 PM
Post #13
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It put Caleb partially at ease when he saw that Sidonie would be sitting at the same table as him. He was glad that he hadn’t offended her, but uncomfortable with his sense of achievement. He was a priest with vows and she was a nice young woman in a year-long relationship. The couple must have had a strong bond if they could stay together for that long. So, he tried not to interpret her blush as the result of his subtle flirtation and found an excuse for it: she was shy around strangers. Or, though he tended to disagree, some found his appearance to be a little intimidating; it was usually nothing more than an initial fear of Dark Realmers. She had met Pathos before, but perhaps she had never encountered someone like himself, who looked so distinctly like a Dark Realm native. Either way, he didn’t want to believe that she could be attracted to him.
He stole a quick glance at Sidonie as Trent spoke to him, but made sure to remain polite and be attentive. As interesting as the attractive young lady was, working towards an interfaith bond was engaging. “Ah, I also have a letter from him to give to you. He wishes that he could be here.” Truthfully, Caleb wished that his mentor could be with him, as well. Though he had been to temples in other realms, the Ice Realm was different from all of them. It was isolated and the natives tended to not be as accepting of non-natives as other realms. Here, he was a foreigner. Between his nervousness over making a good impression and Sidonie, Caleb wanted guidance.
“Yes, I am…” Caleb nodded and looked to the pot of stew and noticed the steam artfully rising from it. With warm food in his stomach and a warm room, he felt that he might fall asleep before he had a chance to have a serious conversation with Father Trent. He sat in his chair and stole a subtle glance of Sidonie, and then folded his hands politely for the prayer. He had read in Celest’s scriptures that one was always to be thankful for food, even outside of the harsh Ice Realm. There were those in the realms that were unable to sit down to meals, even in the most pleasant environment. A polite nod of acknowledgement was given to each individual that was introduced to him and he smiled slightly when the other priest got to Sidonie. “Yes, she did…”
After he had gotten a few spoonfuls of soup in his stomach, Caleb addressed Trent in his usual low, mellow voice. “Is it customary to thank Celest before you eat any food, or is that reserved for meals? I ask because I’ve read some texts, but what you practice may be different from what they say.”
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Hiros
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Jul 16 2010, 05:12 AM
Post #14
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- Fallen/Elf
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Trent smiled slightly. “It is good that you took the time to study before coming here.” It seemed that Caleb was curious and eager to learn already. It was a good attitude to have. “As for your question… It is customary to give thanks before eating anything, even if it is a momentary reflection, and not a formal prayer. Being wasteful or disrespectful towards food is also inappropriate.” His expression turned solemn. “Not only because there are those who are less fortunate, but also because lives were cut short in order to produce the food. We must be thankful for their sacrifice, and be aware that it very easily could have been us instead.” Hunting was dangerous, especially large game, like moose or tigers. Even going after small targets could be dangerous because of the weather and terrain. The ice realm was not a tame place, and people could very easily become food instead of obtaining it. Even if someone lived a long natural life, they would eventually become plant food. “Prayers are also said when a hunting party leaves, and when someone brings down an animal, and when the hunting party returns.”
Sidonie blushed a little harder when Caleb replied to Trent with a smile in her direction. In effort to avoid looking like a total moron, she started eating. She blew carefully on the stew, not wanting to burn her tongue, before putting it in her mouth. She liked the way his voice sounded. The low, calm tone was like a caress, at least compared to the slap of more excited tones. She very much wanted to hear him say her name again. Although she appreciated that he was asking questions already, she didn’t enjoy Trent’s lecture. It wasn’t as if that was one of the strictures of Celest that she chafed at, because she could understand that it was important to be thankful of such things, and that death was sacred, even if it was just an animal. But, she had heard the lecture often enough that the idea was second nature to her, and she would much rather hear about what Caleb had to say, rather than listening to Trent. If there hadn’t been a guest – and a handsome one to boot – she would have been more than happy to listen to Trent. She liked listening to him… but… new person. After Trent finished explaining, she piped up. “Is it different, with Thantos?”
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Vivica
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Jul 17 2010, 02:09 AM
Post #15
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- Posts:
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Caleb listened attentively to Trent, relieved that he had managed to phrase the question in an inoffensive manner. The Ice Realm was so different that he was unsure of what comments or actions may insult the natives. He wondered if it would be rude to eat while Trent spoke, but he was so hungry that he couldn’t resist taking a few spoonfuls of the delicious stew. He would make sure to finish every last drop of what he had been served. The Ice Realm’s perspective on food was interesting to Caleb, to say the least. Growing up, he had never placed much thought on the animals whose lives had been lost to put meat on his plate. “I think I understand the importance behind your prayers. Villages here are small. The hunt is significant to the lives of everyone who lives here. Is that interpretation right?” In his home realm, and in most of the realms, those not involved in the hunting business wouldn’t even notice when a skilled hunter lost his or her life. A new hunter would be prepared to take that job in a short amount of time, especially in a city.
Sidonie’s question made him happy, whether she was asking to be polite or if it was out of genuine interest. “Yes, it is.” He looked to her, but made sure to make eye contact with others as he spoke so that nobody was excluded. “I’ve never prayed before a meal before. Group prayer is not a custom, but during sermons, we allow some time for the individuals in the congregation to pray, if they choose.” Prayer was a solitary act, reserved for when one needed Thantos. “Thantos’s worshippers pray to him for strength before a battle. In the state that Thantos’s native realm is in, that sort of strength is important. We also pray that the wicked receive their retribution.” Many in the realm would attack the innocent on nothing more than a whim. If Thantos could live in his realm once more, he would be ashamed. “However, violence is not relevant to all of his followers, so praying for strength does not necessarily apply to just physical strength.” Caleb leaned back in his chair. “Having the strength to overcome one’s internal struggles is important to us, so many of us pray to that.” Caleb had spent hours in the temple with that very prayer after Moshe had died and Thantos had given him the strength to overcome his grief. Tonight, he would be praying to Thantos to help him overcome his lustful feelings. “We also pray for the state of the realm, the poor, those whose lives have not treated them well…” Nobody good wished for others to have to face hardships similar to those in the Dark Realm. Caleb hoped that that he hadn't rambled incomprehensibly and that his words would assure the religious individuals before him that his religion was not based on violence, as many assumed. Grim ends were wished only to those who deserved it.
Edited by Vivica, Jul 17 2010, 05:36 AM.
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