The Day After

A smile that is what she remembered when her eyes slowly opened. This time when she woke her body did not feel heavy and unmovable, it felt warm and refreshed. She turned her head towards the window to see it must me early morning or late at dusk. The sky was dark midnight blue but the closer it was to the ground the colors changed to a light blue to a shimmery yellow to an orange that was deep finally to a robust red. Those colors made her feel like it was all going to be ok. Turning her head to the room there was the High Priestess in a chair asleep. Just looking at the high priestess' face she could tell 'this must be the first time she had slept in a while probably because of me,' Shandra thought to herself.

Testing her body she slowly moved to a sitting position, all while trying not to make a sound to wake the high priestess. Once she was fully in the sitting position she went to grab her hair to braid it as usual but it was cut short. 'Oh I forgot it got cut at the ceremony,' she thought with a sigh. At that thought her hand raised to her forehead, when her fingers grazed the open wound she tensed and winced with pain. Well the mark is there she is a high priestess. Looking down she saw that her clothes has been changed. She was wearing a light blue long flared sleeves. As she improved her hands she has been cleaned. She looked once again to the High Priestess, she was still asleep. She moved slowly to not make any sounds.

Taking off her covers she moved her legs and rest her feet on the floor. The floor was cool to the bottom of her feet. She looked around she was back in her room. 'They moved me when I was sleeping and changed my clothes. I must have scared them,' she thought to herself. The dress that she was changed in to was not the traditional clothes of a high priestess.

Making sure that she had the strength to stand she slowly pushed herself into a standing position. Shandra's legs held her weight, there was some strain and pain but it was bearable so she took a soundless step towards her cleaning basin and mirror. Her steps were so light that they made no sound. 'Well I guess with my new position I will get some new talents as well,' these thoughts went through Shandra's head as we looked into the mirror. The reflection that looked back was a woman she almost knew but there is some differences. Her auburn hair was cut short now fell into her face, so she took a piece of string and pulled her bangs back so her face was free of hair so she could see her face better. Her blue eyes that were once a light now was very dark blue. Dark circles were very visible under her eyes like she has not slept in days. But that is all she has been doing. Then her eyes finally fell up on her high priestess mark. It looks like the rest of the high priestesses's marks. She willed some water to the basin, it took more effort then usual. This worried her a bit, 'I will ask the high priestess later no need to worry her now.' As she washed her face the high priestess awoke to Shandra not in her bed but washing her face. She let out a sign of relief. 'So you are awake. How do you feel?' Shandra let the question settle into her. 'I feel tired, and,' as to react to her saying this she could sense the world around her, 'a bit tense like something is going to happen. But I do not know what.'

The High Priestess took Shandra's hand and lead her to the library. 'I made the other priestesses look for any book that had any notion about what happened at the ceremony.' This statement made Shandra breath a bit easier. There is a possibility that somewhere in a book could be the answers to her questions.

The library was the way it always has been, full of books and smells like knowledge. As the High Priestess led her to the small table in the back corner with a dozen books sitting on top of the table. They looked very old older than most of the books. 'Looks like there is not much on what happened. I hope there is something in there.' Shandra thought to herself. 'I will go and grab you a chair my young high priestess' one of the lower priestess said as she went down an isle. Shandra glances at the High Priestess and the High Priestess nodded at her. Taking a deep breath she closed the distance to the small table. Looking at the books closer they were bound with dark leather that was cracking around the spines and corners. As she picked up the first book the other priestess came back with a chair. Shandra thanked her and turned her attention to the stack of books. 'We will be leaving you. If you need any assistance please come get priestess Elizabeth,' the lady that had handed her the chair nodded, 'if you like she can also bring you some food and drink.' The High Priestess told her with a smile. But with those words both ladies turned and headed out of the library. Shandra took another deep breath to steady her nerves and turned the book over in her hand in silver scroll letters the book was called The phases of the moon Goddess. She opened the book to the first page...

There is more than full moon priestesses there are also new moon priestesses. They are named light priestesses and dark priestesses. DARK DOSE NOT MEAN EVIL.

As she read that she could feel a weight left from her chest. Maybe the lady in my dream was right. She sighed and continued to read.