Dark Prince & the Doe

Chapter Twenty-one: The Temple of Devine Life

Chapter Twenty-one: The Temple of Devine Life

Anne

Waiting to be called into the Temple of Devine Life, Anne shifted her weight from foot to foot. Voices chattered in a muffled stew from the other side of the thick oak doors. The skylords, their councilmen, priests and priestesses – all making their way to their seats.

The shoes she'd been given to wear were too tight and her feet were already aching. The outfit Izeal had ordered for her was gorgeous and simple, but as gorgeous as it was, it was a thousand times as uncomfortable. The dress was made of layer upon layer of sheer white silk, embroidered with thin iridescent white threads along the edges – reminiscent of an upside-down white rose with dew-tipped petals.

She adjusted her bodice again in annoyance. It wasn't large enough and had caused much exasperation for both her and her maids when they'd laced the back. Fate must have broken that vase, for if Anne had not started getting dressed when she did, she would not have been on time.

Wevoni and Sabel had come to the rescue with pins, scissors and white silk ribbons. They'd worked some sort of fiendish miracle to keep the back together. Her hair had been brushed out and smoothed with aretruschia oil into pale, golden waves that tumbled down her back – unrestrained and unadorned. She also bore no jewelry, not even the enamel pin of the princessa.

Anne had hidden Calden's True Protection flower and Izeal's Echo in-between her breasts and was seriously regretting it. This dress was so restrictive! The fabric had no give whatsoever. The crystal petals were digging into her soft flesh from all angles. There were also two obnoxious pins which kept poking her between the shoulder blades, and there was one under her armpit that kept jabbing her whenever she moved her arm. Curse this wicked dress to the Depths and back.

At first, she'd thought the seamstress had made a mistake and miscalculated the size of her chest. But as she waited before the oak door, she realized Izeal had likely requested the bodice be 'toned down' when he'd ordered it. She was to be an image of purity – just as the Life Aria's Voice was expected to be. If only Atrezin ideals of purity didn't involve crushing her poor boobs into oblivion.

It was only a matter of time before she started sweating through the white fabric. May the Life Aria protect her from such embarrassment. Although, she was about commit some serious blasphemy – claiming to be the Voice when she knew she wasn't. Hopefully, the Life Aria would understand she was doing this for the greater good.

The enormous double doors finally swung open. Four priestesses stood before her. Three robed in the palest blue and one robed in the emerald green of a high priestess, their hoods pulled over their faces. "Princessa Cezanne, you have been called before the Life Aria, the Arch Priest, the Lords of the Skies, and the Emperor of Atrezino. Do you swear to speak only the Aria of Life's truth and only that truth in full knowledge that the Life Aria may depart you in any and all untruths?"

"I do," Anne said resonantly, her head raised but her eyes humbly downturned. The priestesses nodded in unison, then turned sharply in synchronization. Anne followed a step behind, trying her best to match her steps to theirs. They led her towards a white columned podium at the center of the circular room.

The room was partitioned into six sections under a high domed ceiling. The seating rose around her. Everyone else stood above her. Trials for nobles or criminals of wicked repute were often held in this room. But the nobles in this audience weren't here today to vote on her guilt, instead they'd vote on whether she spoke truth or lie. And of lies, she was most definitely going to be guilty.

The six sections of tiered seating were separated by six spoke-like walkways, made of light blue tiles. Anne watched these blue tiles shimmer under her feet as she drew nearer to the podium. The other walkways lead out onto wide, dramatic balconies with aretruschia trees – still in bloom. Pink, heart-shaped petals danced lightly in delicate breezes and bounced across the tiles. The only light in the room came from these five balconies and the central yellow stained-glass window above her head in the shape of the Life Aria's eye. The door behind her shut with a clang.