Donning The Cleansing Robes (Ch.13)

Weylyn emerged from her bath and stood before the mirror as her attendants dried her hair and body before they brought in the cleansing robes.

Weylyn stared down at the pristine white robes enchanted by the High Oracle, to be donned by the knights in waiting as they knelt before the Creator on the somber night.

The somber night was considered a night of cleansing, where the Knights in waiting would kneel all night long as a test of their will and determination to undertake the responsibilities as protectors of the realm.

On this night, the Knights in waiting were expected to spend the long hours of the night reflecting on their lives, this was precisely why it was called the 'Somber Night'.

They were to reminisce of their pains and burdens and regrets and the cleansing pool within which they knelt was said to wash away all darkness concealed within their hearts.

This was done to ensure the knight in waiting gained enlightenment of the path of chivalry and their Creator given duties which they were to carry out for the rest of their lives, with a pure and untainted heart.

A heart that bore great love and compassion the people, a heart of loyalty and service, a heart of self sacrifice.

By the end of the somber night, the knights were considered reborn, warriors of the creator, protector's of the realm, they would be granted the Emperor's marking at dawn and conferred their titles, armor and sword.

Weylyn wondered if truly the cleansing pool washed away the darkness in the heart of it was just a tale spun by the older knights.

Weylyn did not believe one became a better man by washing away the past and being reborn,

Without the past, there would be neither present nor future, the past was what forged a man and if it's significance was not recognized, then a new man could never be born.

Ronan had always said a renewed mind came from accepting your past and the pains that came along with it, owning your faults and failures and recognizing your weaknesses,

Only then could a man be said to have been truly reborn, Weylyn agreed with her brother's words,

Ronan had been a man of great wisdom and an awe inspiring character, the kind of man whose mere presence left all around him feeling privileged to have met and known him.

Well now he was gone, and Weylyn was left with memories and grief about to be washed away in the cleansing pool.

Weylyn heaved a sigh as she shook off the saddening thoughts, stretching her hands out as her attendants helped her into the cleansing robes.

After she was dressed, Weylyn sat down and let Melanie pull her red tresses up into a firm pony tail, braiding the long length into one large braid.

Weylyn's face and body was devoid of any artificial ornament or beautifying items as was required for the somber night although this had always been Weylyn's usual routine