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Upon bringing the pouch to the table, where it was ever so present before them.

She untied it's opening and turned it upside down, emptying it's contents on the table.

With clicking and clatting sounds, a bunch of Snow White cowries and some small amounts of strange and carved rocks and crystal fragments.

Turning around once more she picks up a simple with clothing and covered her entire face, preventing her own sight.

And with a muffling yet strangely echoing voice she asked–"what is it you would like to know?past, present or future?"

"Future...." After some careful considerations he asked.

"For yourself or for your loved ones,a place or a thing?"– she asked with her voice turning lower in frequency yet still delivering the message to the young youth.

As she said those words, she washed her hands in the nearby bowl of water.

"Tell me....tell me about the future of this land and her children...." – he asked.

Although he didn't really believe that this was going to work nor did he believe in all this magic and divination things, as he knows they are only to lead the people astray.... So he has heard from his mother.

She picked up all the scattered cowries and crystal fragments, covering them all with both her hands.

"What you wish to read,shall be read'

what you lack, you shall know'

when the flames perish' hope is not lost.... Guided by the shadows and whispers, present me once more, your poems"—she chanted and gently spread the cowries on the table.

Very quickly the Congress of cowries and crystals entered a chaotic and abstract formation.

Slowly she removed the veil from her face and her eyes which was originally closed behind it, opened slowly.

"I..... can't see anything... it's like–" she was badly frightened by what her eyes saw.

"What?what do you mean you can't see anything?" The youth asked in confusion.

"It–it's formless... A formless faith, like the future is uncertain... It's almost as though—" before her sentence was even completed the youth remarked.

"Explain what I'll understand, not all of us are daviest"

"please leave... The rain is already gone down by a vast many....one your way to the door you would see an usmaak paper umbrella,you can have it" she said as she quickly handed over the silver note back to the youth.

—"wait-what's going on?" He ask with uncertainty, as the change in atmosphere was too sudden for him.

–I thought you could give something useful but you turned out to be another scammer– was he's thoughts till he saw through the dimly light room, her eyes filled with nothing but horror and pure fear.

"Alright.... Thank you for your hospitality once more miss slaetta, I seek by the gods and olds that we meet again..."— he said as he stood up, adding a simple bow he left with gentle yet quick steps.

An hour point and above half later.

At the very front gates of the the fortress of Gae-el, stood a the young youth still covered in his hooded coat,his bag and a brownish black umbrella.

Turning around he waved at a far carriage drawn by a pair of black and brown colored horses which was moving in the opposite direction of him, believed to have been a public transport.

Standing at the mighty black gates that was dwarfing him by ten's of times, he used the wooden handle of the folded umbrella to knock on the gates in a certain pattern sounding like a drummer drumming.

All the archers and watchmen at the top of the fences and watch towers. Simple casted a glance then face their original position once more.

"Whom.... is.... it....." A hollowing voice, sounding like the forced speech of a drunkard sounded from behind the insides.

"A boy who has good wine worthy of your drunkness"– the youth replied with a strange yet stifled reply.

"I hope...burp... The wine... Is as good... As you... Say" the voice sounded as a smaller gate at the sides of the original one was open, allowing the young man to enter.

Upon entering, a huge, hairy and chubby blonde headed man standing before him. He wore a simple brownish ragged clothing cover in singlet chainmail, leather skirt and a ragged trousers beneath the skirt.

"I greet....burp.... the Lorsheir of..... the household...that we may be a star"—the man bowed with he's person thigh thick arm crossing his chest.

"May we be Stars..." The youth responded.

Looking around, he found underneath the great shadows of the gate, a great amount of bottles and wine vases. Some broken while other whole.

"shams you truly.... Never seize to amaze me with your wine craved nature, truly worthy of the title of the great sapele whale" the youth commented while taking off his bag and searching inside of it.

"You praise me too much young heir.... During the great gnisnam war your father could take down more extreme and harsher alcohol's than me -sigh-.... The good days"–the man by the name shams replied in humility.

"here....as I promised I delivered" the youth said as he handed over a small wine bottle wrapped in reddish blood color cloth.

"As expected of you, you trouble are a son of your father...." Shams said as he quick took the bottle which looked very small in he's hand and looked at it like a lover would.

"I'll be on my way then"–the youth said as he quickly walked towards the main areas.

Although it was call a fortress, it was actually a castle but the emphasises it place on defense gave it a more robust build, yet that is not truly where it's name originates from,well that's not entirely false.

During the last three great wars of of the mutual center, never has it been that it's defence are breached. From the blood and steel of the retipuj household has this forsaken lands stand.

Most of those from the retipuj bloodline never reach the age of thirty speakless of thirty five. Any born of the retipuj household that are of the age thirty to fifty, they are either worthy warriors or spineless cowards.

Walking alongs the paths of the castle, maids in pure black clothing and face covering veiling with only their eyes revealed would stand at attention and perform a bow once he passes them.

The guards are mostly stationary and wouldn't move except for the times when greeting their masters, while summoned and when changing shifts.

An old man with grey hair that was completely combed backwards stood before him. His eyes were closed and his face was relaxed, he was wearing gown like robe preventing exposure of any other parts of he's body except his neck upwards.

"Let the household rise,that we may be a star"

"may we be a star"

A quick greeting was exchanged between them both.

"Young heir, you are of many hours late....and why is it you prefer putting yourself in harms way over trivial matter like these?"–this old man asked

"na-itsab, you worry to much... If I can't handle this much how can I handle such a large territory?" He said as he handed his bag and umbrella to one of the two maid that escorted the old man.

"Please lead me to my lady mother"– asked the youth.

"Follow me..."–the old man by the name na-itsab, turned around and started walking towards another direction different from the one leading towards the main entrance of the castle.

After turning a few times and passing by a few maids and servants across the way, they came across a garden.

This garden was underneath a half spherical structure, which was made up of iron as the guide and glass covering it's sides, lastly the very top was left open for sunlight to sink through.

Very quickly they made their way into this large garden, underneath the shades of the orange trees and other smaller trees, adding to the surrounding which was in the settings of a desert at one end, a jungle at another and a swampy forest at the last, it was truly a strange artificial environment.

At the shadiest corner of the garden,a simple wooden table and wooden Beaches where placed at both sides.

Sitting on one of the sides was the ayaà-ovu of the retipuj, the lady of the territory and the mother of the true heir, Myasier.

Na-itsab stop half way towards her and perform a simple bow of sovereignty, afterwards he stood straight and closed his eyes again with his relaxed face.

Unlike him, the youth continued on his path without stop.

Very shortly he arrived at the front of the lady of the household.

"May the light shine upon us" – she said without looking at whom it was.

"that we may be a Star" he responded without hurry.

"Mother why have you come to such a desolated place.... Could something be worrying the mind of the lady of the house?"–The youth asked

"boy take off your hood when you talk to your mother, has my teachings departed from you already?" Myasier said as she raised her cup and took a sip from the cup of snakpars tea on the table.

Taking off the hood, the appearance of the youth, or more specifically teen came into view.

Standing around the height of fifty nine inches,a young man around the age of fourteen with light skin,curly black hair and a simple Brownish black pupils.

"Beloved mother...is something worrying you?" Once more he asked.

Myasier only by seeing her son's face did she feel slightly better.

-sighing-

"According to the imperial decree,You are to attend the holy enthronement banquet hosted by the crown and the holy Temple"–myasier turned a look at are son

"but that is not something to be worried about, Why have you decided to stress over it then?it was meant to happen anyways" the boy said.

"Samiel.... Have you ever heard of the 'holy baptism' ?" She asked.

"holy baptism? Is not it the ceremony performed on every new born child of this great lands? " The boy of the mane samiel inquired.

"Seems as though I haven't told you yet...the holy baptism is an ancient and ancestral act performed by the holy temple, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity as it would bring massive change across not just the crown's governance but also the entire mutual middle"– she spoke with her usual expressionless expression, but the boy samiel has known his mother for too long and could easily differentiate her moods.

—this most really by an important ceremony, as even the unmovable mother is showing such excitement– was the boy's thoughts.

"So mother...care to elaborate more in detail,like how this has any involvement in your worries?" He asked

Looking deeply at her son, she said–" I am a sacerdos ordinis of the holy temple... It is against the sacred order of the church to speak of such information before or after the ceremony... I have told you all you should know for now" her back as straight as ever.

All I should know or all I am allowed to know— the boy thought.

"Quickly go wash yourself and change out of those rags you call clothes....you appear like a wet dog in them"

Sniffing himself, he smiled bitterly.

"I'll keep what you said before in mind,mother"– samiel said has he quickly turned towards leaving.

"I will tell the servants to arrange a balancing meal for you" myasier said as she looked at the back of her son.

"Thank you for your hard work" he said as he quickly left the area.

Turning her head, she signal na-itsab with her eyes.

Very elegantly and quickly did he arrive at her side.

"How was it?" She asked

"Must have been found but It went well,the passive source has managed to get a little more valuable Intel this time.... Yet the price asked by them is seemingly of high-ticket" na-itsab said calmly.

"but it wasn't something a little threatening and bribing couldn't solve...." He added

"tell me...how is the garnamish grounded forces advancement"– her face grim face.