“And if we succeed the High Priestess will have to judge whether our actions were those of the gods which of course they are as a reincarnate god is joining us,” Jesse said mocking what Dru had explained to her earlier.
“You’ve been here for long enough that you should know how things work around here, you can break the rules in plain sight as long as it’s done in a certain way,” Dru impatiently explained and just then, Mir walked in breaking their tête-à-tête.
6
The Tradition of Husband Stealing
Ellie checked her makeup in the mirror and then stepped back taking in her whole appearance. She was wearing an Alliance dress but one of her and Tamsin’s design. It was long and loose but made of an ombre pinkish-red color which was really pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable colors for an Alliance woman of maximum class to wear. The cuffs and the collar of the dress were decorated in a black geometric design which was also questionable, but as Tamsin said, “There’s no law against the embroidery there. The law only mentions the body of the dress.”
While Ellie looked at her reflection, a slave walked into without knocking and stood behind her.
“That’s an interesting color,” the slave commented.
“It’s new,” Ellie replied. She didn’t want to be disrespectful, but she wanted to wear more than just black and navy blue all the time.
“Here’s something new for you too. It seems you have caught another man’s eye,” the slave said handing her a black wooden box.
Ellie took the box which was twice the size of her hand and opened the silver clasp. Inside were two bracelets that appeared to be made from glass. She picked one up and it immediately began to produce a rainbow mist inside the bracelet. “What are these?”
The slave, who was an older woman, replied, “I’m not sure. I would guess that one is for you and the other one is for the man who sent it to you.”
Ellie looked in the box for a note, there wasn’t a note, but on the inside of the lid was the following inscription she read aloud:
Ancient laws for new citizens can bring happiness to all, even those outside the gods’ realm.
“What does that mean?” she asked the slave.
“It means that the man who sent this to you, isn’t Alliance. Anyone outside the gods’ realm lives outside the Empire and the gods’ eyes are not upon him. A human or an Outcast has sent you this.”
Ellie smiled thinking it must have been sent by Valentin, “But what does an ancient law for new citizens mean?”
“I don’t know. We have many ancient laws. He could mean that he is inviting you to marry him and leave the Empire, I don’t know. But you wouldn’t be so foolish as to do something like that, would you?”
“No, of course not,” Ellie lied and bowed her head, “The gods have humbled me with the good fortune to be the Ward of House Rega.”
The slave looked at her disbelievingly, “You shouldn’t take all of this for granted, Ellie. You could have been denied a place here had Admiral Jei not taken you in. Then where would you be? Back on Earth? Sold as a slave to Octopods? That’s what happens to most human women outside the Empire on this side of the galaxy. They are slaves if they are lucky. The gods have blessed you, don’t cross them now for lust.”
Ellie shivered at the mention of the alien race known as Octopods. They were a race that looked like mythical krakens and had a reputation for mutilating human and Alliance woman if given the chance to purchase them on the slave markets. “I know,” she replied surlier than she intended. “I’m just curious.”
“You should curb your inquisitiveness to what you see here in the Empire. Put on your blinders. Nothing outside the Empire matters. Everything worth your time is here.” The slave touched Ellie’s chest where her heart was, “You are Alliance, Ellie. This is your home. We are your home. House Rega. You belong here.”
She spoke with such seriousness and conviction; Ellie caught her breath. “I know,” she said while she held eye contact with the older woman.
“Then put these bracelets back in the box and leave them here. Don’t take them to the festival tonight. Don’t be tempted by a man outside the gods’ visions for your destiny.”
“But what if this is the destiny the gods have planned for me? What if they want me to leave the Empire?” Ellie questioned. “What if my mother blames me for her death and wants me to become an Outcast?”
“Don’t be absurd, child. The gods never want anyone to leave. We are all their subjects and we are the light of the galaxy.”
Ellie nodded that she understood, but when the slave was out the door, she gingerly picked up both bracelets and put them into one of the deep pockets of her pink ombre dress. She decided that she was going to leave her options open. She knew that when she saw Valentin tonight that she would feel whether her destiny lay with him or not. After seeing her mother’s statue at the temple in Alba she doubted her destiny was truly in the Empire. As she had said to one of her doctors afterward, ‘I couldn’t even look at the face on my mother’s statue crying bloody tears. It reminded me of the day Jei killed her. None of this feels right.’
Just then, one of Ellie’s kittens meowed for her attention and brushed up against her leg. Ellie bent down and began stroking it, “And don’t worry Prue, you and your sister will be coming with me no matter where I go.”
The kitten looked into Ellie’s eyes and Ellie thought for a minute, everything in life was completely clear and she was content with her future, but then it was gone and she felt the only thing she really saw in the kitten’s eyes was life. The purity of life for the sake of living, breathing, eating, and loving. She picked up the kitten and gave it one last hug before setting it down to leave for the festival.
Tonight, Tamsin and Ellie were going out on long traditional wooden boats in the large Lake Lavia not far from the city center of Alba. Something like fireworks would be displayed after some famous religious myths were recited. Apparently, it was lots of fun or so everyone told her. Ellie just hoped that none of the religious myths would be about her mother. She always had mixed emotions anytime anyone brought up the goddess of humanity.
After getting out of the House Rega transport, Ellie and Tamsin walked ten minutes with other festival goers to the edge of the large lake, surrounded by purple mountains which matched the sky, as the sun was setting. The clear lake reflected both the sky and mountains and the lake water that hardly moved. The Grand Priestess of Alba took her place next to the still water and said a prayer to the gods asking for the gods’ blessing on the evening’s festivities. Ellie was too excited to be bored by her long prayer. She was looking at the picturesque scene before her. Then at the crowd, there were hundreds if not thousands of people patiently waiting to enter the lake on their old-fashioned long and slender black boats with candlelit lanterns. Ellie looked through the crowd and wondered where Valentin was and how he would find her with all these people around.
Once the priestess finished her prayer, a great flare burst into the sky and everyone yelled, “Blessed it be the gods!” enthusiastically and began eagerly pushing their boats into the clear water. Each boat could sit four people, but Ellie and Tamsin had one to themselves as they didn’t have two women of maximum class to invite to join them.