[Vfw-times] MK - Winter Assault part 7a

[COkane8116 at aol.com]

12/24 - 6pm 


The temple hall was more crowded than Merai had ever seen it before, and as 
she looked over the assembled acolytes and townspeople she could scarcely 
believe that they could all fit in the room.  By her rough estimate, about 
four hundred people filled the long, vaulted chamber, and there was still 
space for an aisle leading down the center to the altar at the back.  The 
acolytes had decorated the hall with red and green curtains and bunting, and 
the wall lamps cast the whole room in a soft, warm glow. There were no 
chairs; people stood or sat on the floor in small groups, waiting for the 
ceremony to begin. Raven walked among the visiting lay-people, welcoming them 
to the temple and generally playing a cordial if reserved hostess. Acolytes 
stood to either side of the large double-doors, which had been opened wide 
for the occasion, greeting people as they came in.  Behind the altar another 
group of acolytes were playing music on lutes, woodwinds and lyres, filling 
the hall with soft and peaceful music. 

Merai walked back through the doors into the corridor that led out of the 
temple chambers, watching as the acolytes collected cloaks and weapons from 
the townspeople and placed them in one of the adjoining storerooms. 

"Exciting, isn't it?" 

Merai turned to see Celine smiling at her, green eyes dancing.  The senior 
female acolyte at the Keep, she had become one of Merai's best advisors and 
most trusted friends. 

"It is for me," Merai admitted, moving out of the doorway to stand by the 
wall. "But I would've thought you've seen this before. You've served here ... 
what, twenty years?" 

The seeming-girl nodded, turning momentarily to greet a pair of women as they 
entered the hall. "Twenty-two, i'truth," she said. "But I've never seen this 
many people come for a ceremony before. Usually most of the laity leave it to 
us to deal with the gods." 

"Mayhap it has something to do with Father Hough being here," Merai 
suggested. "It seems like his presence has awakened a sense of faith in 
Metamor.  Perhaps with the Followers having their own service tonight, our 
people thought it right to be here." 

The blond-haired girl cocked her head. "'Tis possible," she said. "On the 
other hand," she laughed, "it may have had more to do with Yajiit's little 
performance last July." 

"There is that," Merai admitted with a grin. "Maybe they're expecting another 
show." 

Celine made a look of mock despair. "My god, sister! We've become a tourist 
attraction!" 

They were still laughing at that when the acolyte gestured towards the 
entrance at the far end of the corridor. "Look there, Merai -- you have 
company." 

Merai looked up, smiling broadly as she saw a group of very familiar faces 
come in. She saw her father, Dana, and her mother, Sandra, along with little 
baby Thomas cradled in her arms. Missus Caitlyn, one of Dr. Coe's assistants 
and a longtime family friend, was close behind them, and bringing up the 
rear... 

"Merai!" 

"Daria!" Merai called back, running to embrace her best friend. The young 
warrior-woman was dressed in her squire's uniform, which marked her as a 
knight-in-training with the Knights of the Red Stallion, Lord Thomas's 
personal chivalric order. The outfit was largely ceremonial, far too 
impractical for the daily work of a field scout, but it made Daria look noble 
and mature beyond her years. 

"Hello, Merai," Dana said, stepping forward to give his daughter a huge bear 
hug. "You're looking lovely this evening." 

"Thanks, Da." Merai felt herself blush a little, but it was unlikely anyone 
saw it -- her short, tawny fur had a tendency to hide such things well. 

Merai greeted her mother and Caitlyn in turn, and after they'd turned over 
their winter clothes and weapons they made their way down the corridor to the 
temple hall. 

"Where's your da tonight, Dari?" Merai asked, suddenly noticing the big 
lion-morph's absence. 

"Guard duty, if you can believe it," Daria said, sounding disgusted. 

"What?" Merai half-laughed in surprise. 

"Apparently, a few members of the mages' council have expressed concerns 
about the storm," Caitlyn explained. "They judge it unnatural, and say 
something foul may be afoot. Unfortunately Saroth and Electra are both away 
visiting Magdalain Island, so there is no way to be sure.  Master DeMule 
asked Leon to serve on the first watch -- it seems that the guard on the wall 
is being doubled." 

"How strange," Merai mused. "Do they expect an attack?" 

"A general would be daft to order an assault in this weather," Dana said over 
his shoulder. "He'd lose twice as many men to the blizzard as to the guards." 

"Still, it can't hurt to be cautious," Sandra observed. "Nasoj has surprised 
us before." 

"Well, he won't surprise us tonight," Daria declared. "Nothing is going to 
get near a double-guard without being seen." 

"… Danger ..." 

"I'm sorry, what did you say, Daria?" Merai asked. 

"I said that Nasoj wouldn't be able to get an army that close without us 
spotting it." 

"No, I heard that part," the young priestess said. "Didn't you say something 
about danger?" 

Daria frowned. "No, not a thing." 

Merai cast a suspicious glance around her, her catlike face soon wearing a 
frown of her own. "Mum? Missus Caitlyn? You didn't say anything about danger, 
did you?" 

"I didn't," Sandra said. 

"Mayhap it was someone behind you," Caitlyn suggested. 

Merai looked behind her. There were, indeed, a fair number of people still 
crowding in behind them.  But she felt certain that the voice had come from 
close by... 

She shook her head. "Aye," she said. "Aye, that must be it." 

They made their way inside, to a place where the people weren't crowded in 
quite so tightly, and took seats on the floor in a reasonably straight row. 
Merai sat closest to the aisle, which had been marked out by a long red 
carpet. 

"Will the Lightbringer be needing your assistance tonight, Merai?" Caitlyn 
asked. 

Merai shook her head. "No, 'tis a simple ceremony, and she prefers to do it 
herself. My presence is all that is required of me tonight." 

"… Danger ..." 

The cat-woman's ears pricked up, suddenly alert. She _knew_ she had heard the 
voice that time ... and it was close. _Very_ close. 

Close, and somehow familiar... 

"… Danger is coming. Be ready. Danger is coming…" 

Suddenly, it clicked. 

"Kyia?" Merai whispered. She had only heard the voice once before, during the 
confrontation with the daedra last October, but she recognized it now. 

"Merai," the voice came back in acknowledgement. "Danger is coming, Merai. Be 
ready." 

"What sort of danger?" the priestess murmured, not wanting the people around 
her to hear. 

"Not right now," the nymph answered. "I still have to warn others. Trust 
Raven, she knows." 

"Knows what?" Merai asked, feeling frustrated. 

But the voice did not answer again. 

End part 7a 



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.integral.org/archives/vfw-times/attachments/20010810/414ae847/attachment.html