Ciel sighed as she finished playing a song she had learned yesterday from a high priestess. She wondered if her siblings were okay, she felt a little troubled these days. Did that mean her siblings were in danger? She silently got up after some time spent thinking on the subject and went to help around the temple. When she was about to head to her dormitory one of the older high priestesses approached her. "My dear Ciel, I been sent to give you this message. I believe the temple of Marfa in Shinning Hill needs help desperately, but there are not enough priests to look after all the people in need of their help. After some talk, we have decided that you would be of great help there and it is an opportunity for you and others to experience the different duties of a Marfa priestess." Ciel was a little tired but smiled at the priestess. "Of course! I will never refuse, especially when it's a duty to help." "I will be proud of you one day, priestess Ciel." "I hope so! When do I leave?" "Soon, very soon I hope, let all the details be finalized first."The high priestess patted the head of the ever-so-eager-to-learn priestess. Only if everyone were like the priests of Marfa, the world would be much more peaceful. They both parted ways after saying goodnight. * * * Ciel stretched and yawned a little before starting her morning routine, but today was different. She was going to Marfa's temple in Shining Hill. Ciel carefully packed her traveling gear and an extra set of priestess robes and shoes. Then Ciel busily prepared herself for the journey. She had never seen the temple at Shining Hill. She had feeling this one was going to be very interesting. She finally moved out of her room which she shared with many other novice priestesses. With her small bag on her back and lyre in her hand, she walked out to the call for breakfast. Ciel had only heard of Shining Hill through her father, who was a merchant. She finally helped loading few things on to the two horses several of the priestesses was sharing. They were to deliver several loads of herbs to help their sisters in Kanon. "Good luck my child," Priestess Lila patted the priestess whom she found wondering around lost in Valis. She was proud of her, like a mother would have been. "Thank you! I hope to help fast as possible," Ciel said, rather excited. Lila laughed, "Ah! that's the spirit. I am glad there are priestesses who want to help the people so gladly. If only the rest of the world was like this." "Do not worry about me, Priestess Lila, I will be fine. After all, Marfa will look after us." With that and a wave, Ciel and several of her fellow priestess took off to Kanon. * * * It was a little tedious for her, but at last they had been placed in to the rooms shared by Shining Hill's priestesses at the temple to Marfa. Ciel stretched and got up, it was morning and she was ready to start helping out and do her usual routine. She looked at the small mirror and combed her hair neatly and tied it up in long pony tail that reached her thighs. She sighed, wondering what would happen today. Perhaps she would hear something about her siblings, but who knows? Mother Keralian and Sister Merilla walked the halls of their recently re-constructed Temple of Marfa visiting the new sisters from Tarba and Valis. Some would be sent on missions through the nation, and others would be stationed in Shinning Hill. Keralian stopped at the next occupied room, "...assigned to a Sister Ciel Starwind," Merilla informed her. Keralian knocked on her door and waited for the sister to answer. Ciel nearly jumped at the knock on her door and went to answer it. Ciel gently opened the door, poking her head out first. It was one of the sisters and Mother Keralian. "Yes Mother Keralian?" Keralian and Merilla entered the room, Keralian took a seat in chair and Merilla stood behind her. The High priestess crossed her legs and carefully arranged her skirt. "Well, sit child," she insisted to Ciel and motioned toward the bed. "Now, I would like to talk to you about your mission in Kanon. We need priests here in the temple, but there is also a need of missionaries through the nation. There are also shrines that need a priestess or two in other towns. What sort of mission would you like sister Ciel?" "I would like to heal and teach poor young people, I would love to do that.." Ciel beamed, already smiling about her new mission, not even knowing what it would be. Not that she minded doing what ever else was needed. Keralian smiled a suffering smile. "Sister, we all want to do that, but where do you want to do it? Do you want to stay in Shinning Hill, or do you want us to send you to a town?" "I do not mind sister, but I will choose a town. They may not have enough healers to look after them, Shinning Hill has this temple but many towns do not any. So which town will I be sent to?" Ciel asked of curiosity. Keralian nodded and glanced to Merilla. Merilla pulled out a scroll from the satchel she carried and perused it. "Ah, how about the town of Silver Creek? It seems like goblin activity has been rising in that area, so we'd better send a knight or soldier with her," Merilla was half-telling Keralian and Ciel at once. Keralian nodded again. "Silver Creek then. How does that sound Ciel? They have a small shrine there." Ciel's face lit up with delightful smile, "I am happy to! But when do we get to go?" Ciel wouldn't mind if they departed that afternoon! She was rather anxious to help people with their physical hurts and the hurts in their heart. Keralian smiled. "As soon as we find someone to protect you, you can leave," she explained. "King Reona is assigning knights and soldiers to us, and there are a few mercenaries who are willing to work for us as well. As soon as a warrior arrives, you can leave with him." "Thank you sister." Ciel smiled and sat down starting to pack her things. Keralian and Merilla bowed and took their leave while Ciel packed. * * * A young priest entered the smithy. He was garbed in white robes and had a upside-down crescent of Marfa on his mantle. "Hello?" he had to yell over the din of hammers, bellows and hissing. "I'm looking for the proprietor, a Lady Veriss Trelem?" A short, stout man stopped hammering next to the priest. The place was bustling with smiths doing non-weapon metalworking, probably for repairs and reinforcements. People move to and fro with work. He looked up to the priest. "You be wantin' Miss Trelem? She be in the back with Lekretha. She be workin' on her smithin' with 'em. Last anvil in the back," he informed, pointing to the far corner. There, the rather well known warrioress of Kanon was hard at work on a sword, and a tall, muscular smithy stood behind her, and kept giving her notes. She always looked bigger than the stories... The young priest headed to the back of the room, looking for a feminine figure amongst all the burly blacksmiths. At the last anvil, he was surprised to realize that it actually was a woman at work. She was so tall and muscular with very little in the way of feminine features. "Umm...Lady Trelem?" he asked nervously. Veriss did one last bang of her blacksmith hammer before looking up. The sword she was working on was obviously not one of the best works, but it had potential to be average. She put the hammer down and slid the sword into the barrel of water next to her. Steam wafted around her for a few seconds as what was supposed to be a noble military officer looked up. "Yes? That's me. Excuse me," she said to the blacksmith next to her. He nodded and sat down. "Its a little noisy in here," she said in a tone that was some under a shout. "Come outside," she said. It sounded more of an order than a suggestion. Veriss stood up at her full height, towering over the priest, and strolling through the passage way to the front and into the street. She grabbed a cloth from a rack on her way and wiped her face with it. When they stepped out onto the side of the street, Veriss turned back to the priest. "Now then... What is it that you are here for?" The young priest was shocked to see that it actually was Veriss. He was unable to speak for a moment, but finally found his voice. "I was sent from the Temple of Marfa, milady," he stumbled over the title. "You wanted to be a guide for priests on missions through Kanon, I was told?" "I did volunteer. That is true. I am assuming you have come to tell me you want me then? Usually one doesn't send a response to one who isn't going." Veriss cracked her neck from side to side. "So, am I going?" The priest gulped as Veriss cracked her neck. The woman was taller and far stronger than he was! "Yes ma'am, please, come with me," he said and turned to lead her to the temple. At the Temple, the young priest bowed to Veriss and left her in the main worshiping hall. After a few minutes wait, the high priestess Keralian and Merilla entered and approached Veriss. "Veriss Trelem? We have a priestess in need of a guide," Keralian said as she walked to Veriss. Veriss nodded. "So I've heard. Where is it she must be taken?" Veriss asked in a nonchalant tone. "The village of Silver Creek is where we are sending her, for now. She wishes to leave as soon as possible. Will this evening suit you?" the priestess replied Veriss. "Any time will suit me as long as I have an hour's preparation time. Am I to expect any sort of trouble? Is there any reason for me to be fully armed for battle?" she asked, pretty sure of the answer. If it was only to Silver Creek, what kind of grand combat could she have? A goblin randomly pops up? She could kill it without a weapon if she wanted to. She would still take her sword. She never traveled without one. But her mace was the weapon in question... "Silver Creek is not far from a hold of goblins, but the remaining Marmo raiders are our main concern," Priestess Keralian replied. "I will send for the priestess to prepare. Return in an hour and we should be ready," Keralian motioned for a passing novice priestess. "Tyra, send for sister Ciel. Tell her to prepare to leave." Keralian turned back to Veriss. "Do you have a horse?" Tyra curtsied deeply to Keralian and scurried down the hall to find the priestess's room. "A horse resides in my stables, yes. On horse, though, we may not travel at high speed. With the weight I carry, I would not think that wearing out my horse is a good idea before entering enemy territory." Veriss shifted her weight to one leg, then the other. "If matters are done discussing for now, I shall take my leave and gather my things." Sister Ciel will be ridding, you may want to consider bringing your horse," Keralian bowed her head. "Very well, then, we will see you shortly," she said and turned away to attend to more business. * * * Ciel jumped a little before opening her door and saw sister Tyra standing there, "Am I leaving now?" she asked softly. Tyra curtsied to Ciel, since nearly everyone was the girl's superior. "Mother Keralian says to prepare to leave. Your defender has arrived, she will return prepared within an hour," Tyra explained breathlessly. Ciel warmly smiled and nodded her head, "Thank you sister Tyra, please hang on I will go and get my bag." It wasn't big, she mainly had herbal and healing supplies of her own, her lyre and few personal belongings. She came back to the door, "I am ready to go now." Tyra led Ciel to the stable at a fast pace, since she was a novice, she was used to running speedy errands. They reached the stableyard exit and Tyra curtsied and opened the door for Ciel. "Farewell, sister," the girl said and waited for Ciel to pass through the door. * * * Veriss strolled down the streets, returning to her blacksmith shop. When she arrived, she began delivering orders to everyone. She sent word to her father to inform him of her departure. She designated her blacksmithing trainer rule over her business. She found the gigantic mace and grinned. It looked very threatening... It always did. She placed her leather harness over her body and hooked the heavy mace onto it. It took up her whole back. The mace ball looked to severely strain her center of gravity. She grabbed her two handed sword and strapped it to her belt. If battle came, nothing would beat her. She said her good-byes to the workers of her business, and strolled to the stables. Only one horse resided there. Greysoul was what she named her horse. She called it that for it's mixture of darkness and light in it's heart. It had the capability to be cruel or kind, and always seemed to know when to use one or the other. She had ridden this steed into battle in the last war. He was extremely loyal in a fight. She untied the horse, saying, "We have use of each other, once again, old friend. I doubt much of war will come, but I will attempt to fuel your soul." She saddled up her horse and put her traveling packs on it. She filled them with rations, a few tools, and other traveling essentials. She pulled herself atop her steed. She noticed that Greysoul had to readjust his legs to compensate for the mace. She chose a work horse for that reason. They were strong and had endurance. Not a lot of speed, but he could carry everything for long periods of time. She liked to think of him as strong as her. After only forty minutes, Veriss Trelem and the gray clacked up to the entrance to the temple. She shifted her shoulders to make the mace harness more comfortable. IT was a pain to wield, but her talents with it, considering some of her power, made it worthwhile to drag around. She pushed off the horse and climbed the steps to the entrance of the temple. A man stood at the entrance and bowed, as was normal for a peasant to a noble. She nodded back and strolled inside. She stood at the door, waiting for the priests to come to her. Merilla was still in the main hall. She heard someone enter and looked up to see that Veriss Trelem had returned. "Ah, welcome back Lady Trelem," Merilla replied, even if the term didn't seem quite fitting. "I will lead you to the stables. Sister Ciel should be there shortly, if not waiting already." Merilla led Veriss outside, since her horse was waiting at the steps, then around the temple to the stableyard in the back. Veriss followed silently, continuing her near enigmatic presence. The gigantic warrior strolled like a noble, back straight and presence sophisticated, around the back of the temple. The heavy mace, bigger than her torso, hung off balance on her back, but she didn't seem to have an issue with it. She had left her horse in the front. Greysoul tended not to like to socialize... "Ah, there she is now," Merilla commented as she saw the door open to the stableyard with Ciel in the doorway. Ciel smiled and bowed to Merilla first, then to her 'guard' who happened to be a very tall woman. She felt like a little girl next to her. "Nice to meet you, I am Ciel Starwind." She put out her delicate hand, her the other arm full with her lyre. "Veriss Trelem," she replied, grasping the hand of the priestess' hand strongly, but only lightly shaking it. Everything about her looked daunting and strong. The humongous mace that hung across her back looked about as devastating as a war machine. She was proud of it. "You are the one I am escorting, I assume..." she said to the woman whose hand was still within her own, much larger hand. Ciel smiled bigger, "Yes, I look forward to it though we must hurry to reach the people at Silver Creek. Shall we go now then? We can talk about each other on the way there." Ciel was total opposite of Veriss, delicate and beautiful with pale face, long black hair and ice blue eyes. But that didn't matter to her. "Do you like music?" "I don't have much time to listen to performers," Veriss replied. "I do very little except for my jobs..." she trailed off, suddenly wishing that she would do it. She realized that it wasn't so much that she didn't have the time. It was more that she never felt like hearing it. She never felt like much of anything... Ciel smiled brightly, "Don't feel down, but I believe music is the highest form of art, nothing captures a heart like it. I hope it's okay with you I will playing all the time." Ciel said her goodbyes to her fellow priestesses, then they departed from the Shinning Hill temple.