Silver

1. The Coin...

Decree of King, Bryoin of Sharhanzh

Bond Ritual for the New King will Commence

35th Of Maizya, 7023

Heads of House May Submit Tribute for their Daughter's Consideration.

~

Viewing...

The dress was so beautiful; it took her breath away seeing it lying on the bed. The sheen of it looked like shafts of silvery moonlight, and she found she wanted to run her fingers through the material, but her mother's voice echoed in her ears of not getting it dirty.

"It is time, Cira," she hears her mother, Morgayne, calling out to her.

They had arrived early this morning with plenty of time to prepare for the 'Viewing Ceremony.' Family servants followed her mother's orders as she stepped from her bedroom to the small joint sitting room where their things were being unpacked and moved between chests and their two bedrooms. On a table near a fireplace were the remnants of her midday meal that she had not eaten much of but was still there if she wanted more.

The Keep's slaves wait patiently at her chamber's doorway to take her to her bath.

When her mother joined them, the servants led them to the Keep's baths.

Cira was in awe of the King's Castle, stone walls lined with tapestries, carpet runners, and flaming torches to light their way. The one thing that she noticed was that there were no windows, and somehow it made it feel cold and unwelcoming.

They were not poor by any means, especially after they moved to the city. Their family belonged to the Merchant caste, but mother and daughter stopped, frozen when they arrived at a large, elaborate, sunken bath.

The bath area was a large room. In the center, it looked like someone had dug out an area in the ground for the bath lined with flat stones. Steps led down into the center for full submersion. Neither had seen anything like this before; it was so large it could seat six people comfortably, and both noticed steam rising from the water, showing it was hot.

Looking about, Cira noticed no fires where slaves heat the water to pour into the baths. Knowing what she was thinking, her mother nudged her and pointed to an area where she saw long, thin copper pipes on either side of the tub with water pouring out and into the bath. But how was it getting heated?

Slaves moved to her side, and she felt their fingers move over her clothes to help her out of them; her mother moved out of the way. Once naked, Cira let them lead her to the water, and slowly inch by inch, she slipped in up to her chin. It was the most wonderful experience she had ever had.

As she moved about, she found that if she went further to the center, it would go deeper. Then she found some lift on the side and could sit, with the water only coming up to her chin.

Once seated, a servant came over and placed a thin pillow to rest her head back on.

Cira had thought she had died and gone to the afterworld. The closest to this experience she could get was only when her mother allowed them to bathe in the kitchens, but the water would grow cold fast unless someone were about to take some out and pour fresh hot water in. But this... yes, she decided, she could happily stay here forever.

Small sounds made her open her tired eyes, and she watched as the two slaves gathered bottles. Being selective, she watched as they poured some of the contents into a bowl. After one stirred the contents, they picked up the bowl and a pitcher and headed in her direction.