A GODDESSES PARADISE (girlxgirlxgirl)

8; Down by the altar

"Anyway, this is where we sleep"

🌿

⚠️ mentions of sexual activities, hunger, exhaustion ⚠️

"This is our cafeteria, with an altar of course"

The taller girl lets her hand glide through the air, showing everything inside the bright space. It's a huge hall with dozens, close to one hundred tables in a pale wood. Purple and red cushions from real, soft velvet act as chairs. Candles are by the walls, but otherwise the natural light shines through into the hall. Instead of a wall against the pools outside, there are only the big marble poles that hold up the temple roof. Sounds of birds singing and people talking ring through the opening.

"She can't understand, idiot"

Furthest into the cafeteria, a big altar, more like a stage, stands out. Irene watches with awe, because for the first time, she realizes what this temple stands for. The goddess Aphrodite. A statue of her beautiful being is in the middle of the altar, surrounded by flowers and jewels, the most beautiful things the girls can find here in their city. Fabrics in different colors are layed out underneath the statue, some of them looking more expensive than Irene's entire village. She shudders at the thought. Going back to her village sounds more and more depressing each hour that she spends here.

The statue of the goddess is carrying a big golden necklace, and in the center of it, a shiny ruby lays there majestically. She has a calm expression on her face, like she's watching with satisfaction and care over her people. Irene has always felt a strong connection to Aphrodite, but unlike most young women, she hasn't really worshiped her that much. Her interests have never been in beauty or love, she doesn't have the time or money for it. She worships and prays to those gods and goddesses that provide good harvest, good fish from the sea, less storms, more luck, and so on. But looking at Aphrodites face, Irene almost regrets not worshipping her sooner. She's just so perfect.

There are only about ten or twenty people eating in, what Irene can only guess is the cafeteria. There are fruits, vegetables and bread on their plates, mixed with some other things Irene can't recognize. She's used to her staple food, being fish and some half rotten potatoes. It's hard to find anything else. While briefly looking at the food, Irene immediately feels hungry. She suddenly remembers that she hasn't eaten anything for over twenty four hours, too busy with everything that's going on. Her stomach is practically eating itself at this point.

"Oh yeah... well let's skip the tour and just take her to the leader"

The guards talk with each other, and Irene has stopped listening completely. Instead she simply lets the blond one lead her wherever she wants. They walk further into the temple, away from the main hallway with a few stray paintings and statues, sofas and candles, and up the white marble stairs. The steps are thankfully not narrow, rather wide and well lit. Irene doesn't have to stumble her way up, like in every other house she knows with stairs. On the second floor, the roof is slightly lower, but still way higher than in her own house. The two guards lead her down hallway after hallway, going left and right, and with her hunger and exhaustion Irene feels dizzy.

They come across another set of stairs, this time a little bit more hidden and narrow. The two taller girls show no sign of slowing down, instead dragging her up the stairs. Irene can only guess that they haven't eaten yet. There is no hurry known to mankind, other than the hurry to eat. On the third floor there are more guards and less of the actual girls of the temple. Instead of open rooms and hallways there are closed doors and narrow corridors. It seems like these rooms are more private and closed off. Whenever Irene manages to spot a window, through their quick twists and turns, she can only stare with awe at the beautiful scenery outside. She can see the sea, the white city below, and even trees of a forest in the distance.