Tesni kneeled down next to the ornate sink, splashing the cool water over her hands and face. It wasn't often that Idara's temple was empty. The Goddess of Justice and Order had a big influence over her town, and people were always coming to her for help resolving their various issues.
Idaeli was one of the only days Tesni got to spend alone with her Goddess. Everyone else took their worship to the streets, holding parades or doing volunteer work to better the town. Tesni should be out there as well, watching over the festivities with her fellow priestesses, but she always managed to wriggle her way out of the task. Someone had to watch over the temple, after all, and it gave her the peaceful solitude she wanted when offering prayers to her Goddess. Plus, it wasn’t really her scene. Something about the city, especially near the temple, always felt off. She would never say anything about it; after all, this was the town she had devoted her life to. Becoming a priestess was the easiest way to do good in the community. But she never could shake off that creeping feeling of unease, no matter how hard she tried.
And she tried very, very hard.
She removed her shoes as she approached the heart of the shrine, leaving them at the door. Once inside, she tilted her head back, taking in the smell of cinnamon that drifted through the room. It wasn't the usual incense lit on Idaeli, but it wasn't as if they never used cinnamon incense. Someone must've forgotten to switch it out.
She lowered the hood of her priestly robe, letting its silky fabric pool behind her as she took a knee at the base of her Goddess's statue. The metalsmith who'd made it deserved the high pay he'd gotten for the commission, for it truly was a beautiful thing, made of a silvery metal that gleamed in the afternoon light.
Letting the familiar words roll off her tongue, Tesni started her daily prayer, eyes closed in reverence. She only got to listing her Goddess's many epithets before a sharp voice pierced the blissful silence.
"Well well, look what we have here."
Tesni's eyes shot up, her hands already gripping the staff she kept slung to her back. "Speak! Who’s there?"
Her eyes narrowed at the fox that slunk out from behind the statue of her Lady. Her education as a priestess focused on her Goddess, naturally, but she recognized the supernatural grace the creature held itself with. She knew that gleam in its eyes.
"Relax, Priestess," the Trickster God said. "I'm just here to have a little chat. We're all friends here after all, aren't we?" It flicked the Goddess's statue with its tail, and Tesni couldn't help but tighten her grip on her staff.
"Begone, spirit. You are not welcome in the temple of Order Herself."
"They all say that. It's a shame, too. You all have such potential for good, and yet . . . " It let out a mocking laugh that pierced the temple's blissful silence. "They call me the Trickster, but Her ability to manipulate the truth is something even I have to admire!"
Tesni took a deep breath, trying to focus on the incense in an attempt to calm herself. The smell of cinnamon was stronger now, setting her senses on fire. "What are you talking about?"
Another laugh. "You don't know? Priestess, please, don't tell me you think Idara is benefiting the town?"
"She keeps order. She makes sure things don't devolve into a mess."
"A mess . . . " the fox chuckled to itself. “Follow me, priestess.”
Despite her common sense, she couldn’t help but follow the fox. It took a seat, glancing back up at her with knowing eyes. “Look out there. Take a nice, good look. What do you see?”
She was silent for a moment, studying the town, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. It was as perfect as a city could be. No trash littered the cobbled streets. Every wall you could see was clean, glowing in the sunlight. People cheered and whooped, praising the Goddess’s sacred celebration. It was beautiful.
And yet, Tesni knew what she’d always felt was wrong with the city. The problem was everywhere: in the perfectly manicured greenery, on the blank walls, and in the cookie-cutter buildings. The streets were busy with celebration, but even the raucous noise and pristine clothing felt hollow.
It was Order at its finest. Nothing was off, not a strand of hair nor a fleck of dirt.
The fox’s bright eyes were locked on her. “Unnatural, isn’t it?”
She was quiet when she spoke. “Are they happy like this?”
“I think you know the answer, Priestess,” it said. “All of this order . . . Where is the life here? The expression? The soul of the city itself?”
“But chaos — ”
“Without chaos, nothing changes. And without change, what do we have left?” It wrapped its bushy tail around her leg. “Think about it for a bit. When you’re ready, you’ll know where to find me.”
Before she could ask anything else, it was gone, taking the cinnamon smell along with it, leaving her alone with the silence of the temple. Only now, instead of it being peaceful, it was unfamiliar. Smothering. Cold.
Tesni sat down, burying her head in her hands. For the first time in a long while, she didn’t know what to do.
Idaeli was one of the only days Tesni got to spend alone with her Goddess. Everyone else took their worship to the streets, holding parades or doing volunteer work to better the town. Tesni should be out there as well, watching over the festivities with her fellow priestesses, but she always managed to wriggle her way out of the task. Someone had to watch over the temple, after all, and it gave her the peaceful solitude she wanted when offering prayers to her Goddess. Plus, it wasn’t really her scene. Something about the city, especially near the temple, always felt off. She would never say anything about it; after all, this was the town she had devoted her life to. Becoming a priestess was the easiest way to do good in the community. But she never could shake off that creeping feeling of unease, no matter how hard she tried.
And she tried very, very hard.
She removed her shoes as she approached the heart of the shrine, leaving them at the door. Once inside, she tilted her head back, taking in the smell of cinnamon that drifted through the room. It wasn't the usual incense lit on Idaeli, but it wasn't as if they never used cinnamon incense. Someone must've forgotten to switch it out.
She lowered the hood of her priestly robe, letting its silky fabric pool behind her as she took a knee at the base of her Goddess's statue. The metalsmith who'd made it deserved the high pay he'd gotten for the commission, for it truly was a beautiful thing, made of a silvery metal that gleamed in the afternoon light.
Letting the familiar words roll off her tongue, Tesni started her daily prayer, eyes closed in reverence. She only got to listing her Goddess's many epithets before a sharp voice pierced the blissful silence.
"Well well, look what we have here."
Tesni's eyes shot up, her hands already gripping the staff she kept slung to her back. "Speak! Who’s there?"
Her eyes narrowed at the fox that slunk out from behind the statue of her Lady. Her education as a priestess focused on her Goddess, naturally, but she recognized the supernatural grace the creature held itself with. She knew that gleam in its eyes.
"Relax, Priestess," the Trickster God said. "I'm just here to have a little chat. We're all friends here after all, aren't we?" It flicked the Goddess's statue with its tail, and Tesni couldn't help but tighten her grip on her staff.
"Begone, spirit. You are not welcome in the temple of Order Herself."
"They all say that. It's a shame, too. You all have such potential for good, and yet . . . " It let out a mocking laugh that pierced the temple's blissful silence. "They call me the Trickster, but Her ability to manipulate the truth is something even I have to admire!"
Tesni took a deep breath, trying to focus on the incense in an attempt to calm herself. The smell of cinnamon was stronger now, setting her senses on fire. "What are you talking about?"
Another laugh. "You don't know? Priestess, please, don't tell me you think Idara is benefiting the town?"
"She keeps order. She makes sure things don't devolve into a mess."
"A mess . . . " the fox chuckled to itself. “Follow me, priestess.”
Despite her common sense, she couldn’t help but follow the fox. It took a seat, glancing back up at her with knowing eyes. “Look out there. Take a nice, good look. What do you see?”
She was silent for a moment, studying the town, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. It was as perfect as a city could be. No trash littered the cobbled streets. Every wall you could see was clean, glowing in the sunlight. People cheered and whooped, praising the Goddess’s sacred celebration. It was beautiful.
And yet, Tesni knew what she’d always felt was wrong with the city. The problem was everywhere: in the perfectly manicured greenery, on the blank walls, and in the cookie-cutter buildings. The streets were busy with celebration, but even the raucous noise and pristine clothing felt hollow.
It was Order at its finest. Nothing was off, not a strand of hair nor a fleck of dirt.
The fox’s bright eyes were locked on her. “Unnatural, isn’t it?”
She was quiet when she spoke. “Are they happy like this?”
“I think you know the answer, Priestess,” it said. “All of this order . . . Where is the life here? The expression? The soul of the city itself?”
“But chaos — ”
“Without chaos, nothing changes. And without change, what do we have left?” It wrapped its bushy tail around her leg. “Think about it for a bit. When you’re ready, you’ll know where to find me.”
Before she could ask anything else, it was gone, taking the cinnamon smell along with it, leaving her alone with the silence of the temple. Only now, instead of it being peaceful, it was unfamiliar. Smothering. Cold.
Tesni sat down, burying her head in her hands. For the first time in a long while, she didn’t know what to do.