After savouring the sacred fruit Bren had saved for her, it had taken them nearly an hour to wash the incriminating purple stains from their hands. Locked in the communal bathrooms in case someone came in and caught them, they had scrubbed their hands until the purple had been replaced with red.
Eboni wasn't quite certain what their punishment would be for being caught eating the sacred fruit, but from High Priest Jon's reaction to the missing fruit she was sure she did not want to find out.
The single toll of the temples bell signalling the setting of the first sun had sent them racing from their hiding place, drying their hands on their robes as they ran through the temple gardens to join the line of Brothers and Sisters slowly beginning to enter the Temple.
The six-sided building loomed above their heads, each side dominated by a large stained glass window. Falling into step behind the others, Eboni began to softly chant the evening prayer as she entered the building.
Sitting down in the last two chairs at the back of the temple, Eboni couldn't help but giggle at the glare High Priest Jon was sending Bren from the front of the temple.
"Shush." The sharp tongue of Sister Arianna said, standing in front of her, she turned to glare at her. Even after Eboni had grown up and entered the Sisterhood officially, Sister Arianna was still as unpleasant as ever to her.
Biting her lips to stop herself from making any more noise, Eboni focused on High Priest Jon, who had begun to start the ritual. The setting of the first sun cast a warm orange glow through the stained-glass window behind him, casting its light across the congregation.
Five copper bowls were laid out on wooden plinths before the High Priest, as their chanting reached its melodic end.
"The element of Water. It washes away our pain and connects us with our brethren." He lifted a large jug above his head as the Brothers and Sisters raised their hands to bless its contents.
Tipping it, water began to trickle into the bowl until it was full to its brim.
Moving onto the next bowl, High Priest Jon struck a match, raising it above his head to complete the process.
"The element of Fire. It purges the Darkness and brings us comfort in the cold." Lowering the match the bowl lit up with fire, burning the clear liquid at the bottom sending flames licking up into the air.
"The element of Earth. It gives us our sustenance and provides us land to place our feet upon." A sapling from the garden was lowered into the copper bowl and buried into the waiting earth.
"The element of Wind. It provides us with the air we breathe and holds us up when our legs are weak." A clear glass hollow globe was lowered into the copper bowl.
"And Spirit. It motivates us to lead good and thoughtful lives. It lights our way in the dark and comforts us when we need its embrace." High Priest Jon raised his hands, his eyes meeting hers as her part of the ritual began.
Focusing on the space between his raised hands, she felt the power within her stir. It flowed within her, surging to her fingertips. Pointing her palms to High Priest Jon's' waiting hands, she watched on satisfied as shards of light warmed his hands, swirling around his wrists before settling into the howl below. It was a sight that she would never grow tired of. A gift from the creator, given just to her.
High Priest Jon lowered his hands and walked backwards to stand under the window, the five bowls still containing their elements. The orange glow filtering through the window began to fade as the first sun completed its decent into the horizon, plunging the temple into darkness.
The final song of evening prayer broke out, hauntingly ringing through the temple as the candles hanging from the wall were slowly lit.
As the final candle had flickered alight, silence fell across them.
"Our creator Elementi, thank you for all that you have given us. Thank you for gifting us with strength and hope, in the face of fear and adversity. As your devout followers, we follow your guidance. Let the Light remain and the Darkness forever be banished to the shadows."
"We Thank you" Eboni said, giving her thanks along with the other Brothers and Sisters surrounding her. Bren repeating the same line next to her.
The large wooden doors to the temple were opened, letting in the last of the light from the second sun as that too began to sink slowly into the ocean. The bowls were moved to the back of the temple, left to burn away until this time next week when the evening ceremony would be repeated.
The High Priest and Priestess stood at the front, ready to address and give them guidance for the week ahead.
"There are two announcements to be made this evening." High Priestess Elena started. "Firstly, please can the fruit thief please stop taking the fruit from the sacred tree? It was the first tree ever grown in this world and gifted to the temple by our creator Elementi himself. Though delicious- so I have heard- it should not be touched again."
Both Eboni and Bren subconsciously tucked their hands into the pockets of their cloaks.
"Secondly, we will be receiving visitors from Rolezal very soon."
Murmurs spread across the room. Visitors were rare from the city below let alone another land. The last time dignitaries had come from Rolezal, Eboni had been ten years old and hidden from their prying eyes. She had though, heard the tales of their beauty and style from Bren.
He nudged her, his eyes wide with excitement. The people from Rolezal were renowned for their extravagance.
"King Gregor and his daughter the Princess Iasa will be coming to seek our council."
The murmuring turned to chatter as they processed the information.
"What do you think the Princess has done wrong to have to come with her king to seek council?" Bren wondered aloud.
"It's the Princess. Nothing she ever does is wrong." Eboni replied, they shared a rueful smile.
Not only had the extravagance of Rolezal reached their ears, but so had the tales of the Princess. Apparently in her father's eyes she could do no wrong, and if it weren't for the fact that the world worshiped Elementi, no doubt he would by royal decree order his people to worship her.
To be fair, Eboni wasn't quite sure what she should or should not believe. The tales came from traveling merchants and scriptures written by people who never seemed not to make fun of those in power.
Knowing she would now be seeing the Princess with her own eyes and able to make up her own mind, brought a smile to her face.
"Our guests will be arriving within the next few days, so I do not have to remind you that we must work hard to prepare the temple. New schedules will be handed out at breakfast tomorrow. That will be all for this evening. Please, go and enjoy dinner." The High Priestess said, silencing the room.
"Do you think you will be on garden duty?" Eboni whispered after the Brothers and Sisters began to exit the temple, catching High Priest Jon watching Bren with eagle eyes.
Bren chuckled, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they walked outside and towards the dining room. "Somehow I doubt it."
Dinner was a simple affair. With no seating plan, the Brothers and Sisters sat where they pleased. The table was situated in an open hall, the walls made from fabric and the roof held by wooden pillars.
With a hearty soup made from the vegetables that grew in the temples own garden and crusty bread made from wild wheat grown on the side of the mountain it made from a hearty meal. Desert was a mixture of baked fruits and spiced fruit punch, quickly finished and enjoyed by everyone.
"What are you going to do for the rest of the evening? We have a little while until the second sun sets." Bren asked as they walked across the courtyard to their sleeping quarters.
"The High Priestess has given me some new books, I want to start them while there is still some natural light." She replied.
"You aren't going to give them to me to read, are you?" Bren groaned dramatically.
"Hush. If it weren't for me, you would never have read a book in your life." Eboni retorted, coming to a stop at the bottom of the staircase's that separated the Brothers and Sisters dorms.
"Just promise me that if it's about something boring, like the medicinal plants grown on the side of a mountain somewhere far away, you won't make me read it." He held his little finger out waiting for her promise.
"Fine. I promise." She smiled, hooking her own little finger around his, locking it in a promise.
After saying good night and shutting the door to her room, Eboni saw a small stack of three books had been left for her on her bed.
Taking her cloak off and settling next to her window, she curiously looked over what the High Priestess had left for her.
They looked old, their leather bounds worn and the pages well read. She looked at the titles confused, wondering if the High Priestess had meant to leave these particular books.
Their topics bringing an unpleasant chill to her bones.
The Balance of Light and Darkness, volumes 1-3.
She had learnt about the balance of the Light and Darkness at the beginning of time during her studies when she was younger, how Elementi had crafted the world so that Light would always win if his followers always believed. It was one of her favourite lessons, though why the High Priestess wanted her to learn more about it was beyond her.
Settling down on the windowsill, the second sun dipping into the ocean casting a rainbow of colours into the sky, Eboni turned to the first page and began to read.