A Dinner and A Lesson In Temple Culture

<p>Spring, Year 225, Luminous Calendar<br/><br/>Iris and Prince Regan walked silently side by side as they were escorted down the dark hallways of the Temple. They would occasionally glance at each other and sometimes even hide the quick small smiles they gave each other. It only took them and the guards about ten minutes to get to the dinning hall, where everyone already awaited them with impatient frowns spread on their faces. "It's good to finally see you two here." The King said with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "I'm very sorry father, we took the long route to the Garden. I truly hope you didn't wait too long for us." Prince Regan said and bowed politely to his father before the King waved him towards his seat. Iris stood awkwardly at the dinning hall entrance, not really sure where she was supposed to sit or who she should seek out to help her. Her eyes traveled around the table, searching for High Priestess Ruth, only to find her sitting a few chairs away from the King, with her back to the entrance, therefore not really seeing Iris as she stood there. "This way, Lady Iris." The Prince beckoned her and she gratefully nodded as she headed towards him. He gently pulled out a chair for her before sitting on her right side.<br/> "Thank you, your Highness." Iris said with a polite nod and then looked at the shiny silverware that lined either side of her assorted crystal plates. 'That's odd. We don't use silver or crystal here in the Temple. These must be the King's.' Iris thought as she focused on the things before her, missing the strange glance that the King gave her and his son who was clearly focused on her. "Is there something wrong. Lady Iris?" The Prince asked in a low voice causing Iris to look over directly at his face and then quickly divert her eyes to his chest. 'Oh no, I got so used to looking him in the eyes that I forgot that was disrespectful when we are in public.' She thought as she mentally slapped herself. "No, your Highness. I was just admiring the beauty of the silverware." Iris said, avoiding his gaze and the gazes she felt the others around her, giving her. "Hmmm. I see." Was the Prince's only responds as he turned back to look at his own silverware.<br/> The first part of the late night dinner went on in an uneventful way, to Iris's delight. They were served a light salad with colorful fresh vegetables followed by a thick mushroom soup with diced herbs that gave it a slight spice, as their first and second courses. Their third course consisted of juicy slabs of well cooked meat, soft white rice, a potato puree and salted vegetables. Their last course was a small gelatin dessert topped with a fluffy cream and sweet diced fruits. Iris was absolutely bursting by the time the dessert came around, but she thought that turning down the dessert would be deemed disrespectful, so she went on and ate it begrudgingly. Once again, she was oblivious of the Prince's constant lingering gazes and the undecipherable glances the King gave them both.<br/> "Tell me, High Priestess Ruth, are the Ladies of your Temple allowed the choice of marriage?" The King asked abruptly in his booming voice, making both High Priestess Ruth and Iris choke on their drinks while many of his men looked at him in unmasked surprise. High Priestess Ruth composed herself rather slowly, wiping her mouth with one of the white cotton napkins before looking at him with a serious frown. "If it is deemed suitable by your Majesty, may I ask where this question comes from?" High Priestess Ruth asked in a monotone voice. "I am just curious as to how your Temple culture works." The King asked in a relaxed manner waving his hand as if he was shooing a fly away. "If it is acceptable by your Majesty, I would like to ask, is your Majesty looking for a new wife within the Ladies of our Temple?" She asked with the same monotone voice, causing the King's men to gasp at her insinuation. The King stared at High Priestess Ruth with bewilderment for a few seconds before letting out a loud booming laugh and slamming his fist on the table. "Why High Priestess Ruth? Have you become tired of being a Priestess and are aiming for a place within my castle?" The King asked with amusement as he stared directly at High Priestess Ruth who clearly did not share this feeling.<br/> "I placed my eternal vow more then two decades ago, your Majesty. Even if I did become tired of my vocation, I would never seek marriage as a way out." High Priestess Ruth answered and Iris couldn't miss the strange glance she gave her. "I understand. If that is so, then where does your question originate from, High Priestess Ruth?" The King asked with a giant smile spread across his face. "It originates from the uncertainty of where your question about our Temple culture and our ideas of marriage, comes from, your Majesty." High Priestess Ruth answered while staring at her empty plate with a frown still etched on her face. The King stayed quiet while still staring at her with an expectant gleam in his eyes.<br/> "We, the Ladies of this Temple study from sunrise to sundown on subjects such as religious beliefs, economy, literature, fine arts, agriculture, musical mastery and domestic duties. After a decade of studies or once our Ladies are of age, they are allowed to choose whether they wish to go back to the outside world and society or whether they choose to stay with us and continue their religious studies and practices under a Deity of they're choosing or one that has chosen them. If the Lady in question wishes to leave, then she does have the choice to be married off to someone chosen by her respectful family members or herself. If she wishes to stay with us for the rest of her days until the Goddess of Everlasting Slumber collects her pure soul, then the Lady must fulfill an eternal vow of chastity on the eve of her twenty first day of Worldly Arrival." High Priestess Ruth said in the same clear voice she used when giving her pupils lessons. "In the time a Lady chooses to stay with us she will be promoted from a pupil to a Lady. Then she will have to study during the course of twenty seasons before she can be considered a Candidate to Priestess or she can study for thirty two seasons to be considered a Candidate to High Priestess. Only after serving our temple for a consecutive eighty seasons, can she be deemed suitable for the position of Head High Priestess as my fellow Head High Priestesses sisters and I were."<br/> High Priestess Ruth finished and took a slow sip of her water filled crystal glass. The King nodded in understanding and then looked over a Iris for a few seconds before looking back at High Priestess Ruth. "So you mean to say that, Lady Iris here, has studied under this Temple's wing for the last thirty two seasons to become a Candidate to High Priestess?" High Priestess Ruth looked over at Iris and then back at the King before she nodded slowly. The King raised his brow in surprise and then stared at Iris who looked down at her plate. "That is quite the surprise, especially seeing as how Lady Iris would definitely be a good match for anyone of noble blood, even a prince." The King said glancing over to his son, who stayed stone faced and unrevealing of what thoughts went through his head at that exact moment. "That is very kind of you, Your Majesty. However, Lady Iris is one of our most prized pupils and Candidate to High Priestess. We, my fellow High Priestesses and I, love her like our own daughter and unless she were to choose otherwise, we all want her to follow the path that she has been destined for and followed for the past nineteen years of her life." High Priestess Ruth said in a voice that almost seemed to hint that she knew why and where the King's questions were headed.<br/> "I see. Well tell me, you mentioned that Lady Iris has been here for the past eighteen years of her life. Could you tell me why? What sane parent would have their beautiful daughter serve a Temple since birth?"The King asked with a wide grin as the High Priestess stared at him seriously and Iris turned down to gaze at her plate. "I'm not sure how sane Lady Iris' parents would be considered now a days, seeing as how her mother died during childbirth and her father died during battle before she was even born. With all due respect, Your Majesty, you tell me. How sane do you think her parents are?" The High Priestess responded with a bitter edge to her tone. The King's grin quickly disappeared as his men gasped, appalled at the High Priestess' response and his guards stepped forward menacingly. The King lifted his hand quickly, signaling his guards to stand down. <br/> "My apologies, my comment was quite crude. I meant no harm by it..." He started but trailed off as he looked from the High Priestess to Iris and back. The High Priestess looked away, her lips pressed into a thin line and Iris continued to stare blankly at her plate, trying her hardest not to let her pooling tears slip past her eyes and down her cheeks. The subject of her late parents had always been a sore one for her. She counted up to ten and back down again but, no matter how hard she tried, the tears threatened to spill out at any moment. She stood up quickly, the chair falling behind her with a scrape and a loud thud as she swiftly gave a tense bow towards the King and then fled towards the dining hall doors and out.</p>