Tujuheim 180

Ah! What a trying experience my time at the temple was! For the first three days there, I worked until my hands were raw and my feet hurt! I had no friends but for Terry, and the only solace I found was in prayer to a God I should not be worshipping.

But...

There was something peaceful about praying that could not be found in sacrifice, which was how we moths pleased our gods. Indeed, I always thought sacrifice was grisly and uncouth, although a necessary function of mothran religious practices.

At the end of those first three days, Leon approached me solemnly just as I was about to go to bed.

He took me aside firmly. “Princess, the king will be coming by the week’s end. Tell me what you have learned so far.”

I looked into his eyes searchingly; I did not know what he wanted me to say. I just began speaking. “I have learned many lessons about hard work and what life is like for common people. I had never treated my servants well when I was a princess, and now I understand what it is like to be of low birth. And prayer to your god is… Soothing.”

Leon looked at me intently for a moment, and then nodded with approval. “I shall argue for your sovereignty, then.”

I did not know what he was talking about still, but I nodded. “Th-thank you…”

Leon walked away down the hall, and then I went to sleep and wrote down my thoughts of the day in you, my diary.

__

Terry fast became my best friend as the end of the week approached. He reminded me so much of my precious little brother, Kieran--the adorable brown moth! So cheerful and high-spirited and talkative! Terry had much gossip to tell me, which always cheered me up. He told me about the three princes of Ironwall.

“The oldest one is the most well-liked and will inherit the kingdom when the king dies. The second oldest prince is quite the scandal! Supposedly he secretly only likes boys! The youngest one is… Well, he’s terrifying. He’s seven-feet-tall with a gigantic scar on his face! Nobody likes him, not even the king!”

“Likes boys…?” I inquired. What a hideous thought! Marriage was for the purpose of having children! And you could not have them with boys! Such a waste that would be.

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But, then… I couldn’t have children with Caerwyn, and I nonetheless had embarrassing dreams about him. Perhaps I should not judge so harshly.

Terry nodded silently as we continued picking cabbage for dinner.

Wenberheim, 180

The end of the week came so quickly, my diary! I was told to meet with Leon at morning’s light, and he would introduce me to the king. I was very nervous about it! I did not know what would happen in this meeting, but I knew my fate hung in the balance.

We met in Leon’s personal quarters where three chairs were pulled up. Two were facing each other, and the other was facing both. I was to sit in the chair facing the other two until Leon returned with the king.

The silence was deafening. I seemed to hear every creak in the temple. Worry laid heavily on my heart and I felt sick with it. My large ears drooped sadly as I waited.

The king was a handsome man with a scar on his face. He had fair hair and the… blackest eyes I have ever seen. He looked to be in his fifties. I was silent and let Leon and the king do the talking.

“Leon, tell me why you have questioned my authority by harboring a slave?” The king demanded.

“She is not a slave, Torr; not any longer. She is a devotee of our religion now and should be made into a princess of Nui again. I will not have a member of our religion treated as anything less than human.” Leon countered.

“But this is a beast, Leon! She can say not a word as we decide her fate, just like a common ape! Not only that, but she has worshipped false gods and makes hideous sacrifices to them!”

I slouched in my chair and twiddled my fingers. I thought the king would surely sentence me to death!

“This is not a beast; she is a woman of good breeding and polite manners. She sews, she cooks, she cleans, and she admires the many figures of our religion. We can use more women like her. I propose this: Marry her to your youngest son and they can rule over Nui together.”

I clapped a hand to my mouth in horror with tears springing to my eyes; I barely withheld from protesting.

The king laughed uproariously at that. “You must be joking! I know my son is hated, even by myself, but you expect me to bring such shame to him as to marry him to this beast? He shall give me yet another scar to match the one I already have for such a transgression!”

Leon laughed with him and ever more tears sprang to my eyes at how little they both cared for me. “Truth be told, my friend, this woman has… Certain charms that seem to tame men. You remember Terry—the violent youth who used to serve you wine at your castle? The one who nearly killed one of our own templars? Well, he has become amiable and very well mannered in her presence. She is unlike many human women of today.”

The king looked me up and down skeptically—still choking back laughter. But, for a moment, I saw his expression soften and, for a moment, the blackness leave his eyes as his smile melted into a sincere frown. “You know what, I had no idea what to do with Nui, anyway. It is under reconstruction, but it is a poor land and I wouldn’t want any of my older princes to rule over it. I’ll accept your proposal, Leon. She and my wretched son will be rulers over a dead land, and she will be the one moth who is not a slave!”

I sobbed silently as the two laughed uproariously again and then they sent me out of the room.

I cannot bear to write another word, my diary! I shall cry all over the page I am writing upon!