Accolades Temple

Rowen woke up feeling disoriented. His dreams were more, life like, recaps of his time here on Twalling Cade. He felt as if his subconscious was trying to tell him something, but he couldn’t figure out what.

It was dark and when he tried to move, he couldn’t because he felt like his arms were both pinned down. He also felt a weight on his chest that continued on down to his thighs.

And something was flicking his nose.

His senses finally decerned what was happening as Kit’s ear flicked his nose again. His eyes finally adjusted, and he was able to make out that Kit was laying on his torso and Elli was laying on his right arm, while Dana was on his left.

He relaxed back and enjoyed the warm, loving envelope that he found himself in.

Then there was motion in the darkness. Something that he was barely able to register but enough that it set him on edge.

Whoever, or whatever it was, was moving towards the bed very slowly and stealthily.

He slowly moved his right arm as gently as possible to not disturb Elli and he reached up under his pillow until he had his hand on his pistol.

Just as he was getting ready to cock his pistol, he caught a golden flash in the darkness and he heard Xyarra’s voice in his head, “Are you going to shoot little ole me?”

He thought back, “Damn it!!! You nearly scared the shit out of me!”

“Sorry. I didn’t want to wake you. You were sleeping so deep.”

“Well, you did. How did your meeting go?”

“As well as expected, one of them, at least, met me. I don't know how many are here, but there can’t be many. I am quite certain of that. So, my suspicions that they are still around has been confirmed. So is my suspicion they were behind some of the most brutal elements of the resistance in town.”

“Well, that’s not important, the brutality was answered in kind. As long as they are not a threat to us, then they deserve our protection. I hope that you conveyed that?”

“Yes, I did. But they will not trust easily. Maybe not at all. They are willing to at least listen to me. They might trust me just a little, well as much as they might trust anybody not of theirs. My history with them, things I did for them long ago, will buy some deference and restraint on their part when dealing with them.”

“That I can understand. Now come to bed, so we can get some sleep before our busy day starts again.”

“Who said anything about sleep?” her thoughts dripped with lust.

Midmorning, in the empty quarter near the Accolades Temple:

A group of soldiers on horseback approached the now ruin temple. The group was led by a very young-looking woman in armor and a man wearing a cloak.

Striding on the road next to the cloaked man was a woman all in black.

The eyes that watched them were filled with anger because they recognized the woman in black as the one who humiliated her and her brother the night before.

She lined up her crossbow onto the black clad woman and was squeezing the trigger bar when a hand reached over her shoulder and removed the bolt.

The Dogua woman who removed the bolt said, “Daria, no. Let us welcome our king.”

Daria growled back, “My lady, he’s no king of mine.”

Then the Tigris woman standing behind the two of them growled and said, “Daria, don’t make me regret saving you and your brother!”

Daria looked from one to the other with anger in her eyes, but then she looked down and acquiesced.

The mounted entourage pulled up in front of the temple ruins and the cloaked man started to dismount.

The armored woman put her hand on the cloaked man’s hand and said, “Sire, please wait until the ‘all clear’ is given?”

Daria, the Dogua and Tigris women all jumped when they heard behind them, “I have them covered.”

They all turned to see a black dragon standing behind them and they were suddenly hit full force with her aura of dread.

The wolfen and even the Tigris shrunk back in near terror. Whereas the Dogua, though appearing afraid still held her composure and kneeled, “Good morning my Queen.”

Rowen watched with amusement as Xyarra transformed back into her human form, releasing her aura of dread.

He wondered, “Why am I immune to it?” He glanced over to see, though stoic in her face, Dominique still had an element of terror in her eyes.

He then placed his other hand on Dominique’s in a comforting touch then proceeded to dismount.

She followed his lead.

Jade and she took flanking positions on Rowen as he approached the temple ruins on foot.

Rowen said, “Dominique, please make a note for me to secure funds to rebuild this temple?”

“Yes, Sire!”

The Dogua and Tigris women both turned towards him and fell to a knee both saying, “Your Majesty!”

He chuckled and took off the cloak saying, “I told y’all that this damn thing was useless.”

The Wolfen woman refused to go down on her knee but stood defiantly with her crossbow hanging in her hand by her side.

Domonique said, “You WILL bow before your king!”

Rowen said, “No, no that’s quite alright. Respect sometimes must be earned of warriors such as this.” He made a motion towards the wolfen.

He went on, “The rest of you may rise also.”

He looked to the Dogua woman and asked, “I believe I have the privilege of addressing Marquese Murielle Rex?”

He was stunned for a moment by her beauty. Her long floppy ears so blended with her long blond wavy hair. He remembered about Afghan dogs on his world and how you couldn’t make out their ears from their fur.

Looking at Marquese Murielle you wouldn’t know she was a Dogua if it weren’t for her tail.

She bowed her head and said, “Indeed you do, Sire. And the privilege is mine!”

“Lady Murielle, I understand that you are also the High Priestess to the Accolades Temple?”

“Yes, Sire!”

He nodded and said, “In addition to becoming King of Tier, I have also taken on the mantle of High Lord Magedi. There is something that this church has been holding in trust from my predecessor, the previous High Lord Magedi.”

“Ah, yes Sire, you mean the Mirror of Arman?”

Rowen looked to Xyarra who nodded, and he then said, “Yes, that’s the item that I seek. I do hope that it is still intact?”

“Yes, it is indeed intact and in safe keeping down in the hidden basement, this way.” And she motioned towards an angelic statue on the side of the ruined temple.

As she conducted Rowen and Xyarra towards the statue she asked, “Sire, are you aware of the history of the worship of the Accolades?”

“No, as a matter of fact, I am not.”

“Well, I am not surprised. Not many humans are taught the history of us Beastkin other than the fact that we were a result of the desirous perversions of the sorcerer, Calamitus.”

“Yes, I’ve been made aware of that much of the history, something about he wanted to feed his appetites of perversions by combining beasts and men. Thus, creating the Beastkin.”

“Yes, Sire. What you may not be aware of was after Calamitus was brought down, not only he, but his creations were brought under judgement by the Guardians. The Accolades, were the minor guardian angels to other, naturally occurring sentient creatures that were not human.”

Xyarra looked at the 'angelic' statue as they approached. She knew Row would be seeing this as one of the angels or acolytes. She was familiar enough with earth's history to know he would make that connection, even though it was false. All she could think about was how her and the rest of the draconian brethren had failed them. Unbidden, her mind brought back the image of the stained-glass window in her true home, far away and hidden. It depicted the petition scene as it truly was, as told by those who were there. Perhaps, one day she will take Row there and show it to him.

The Hight Priestess reached behind the angelic statue and worked a hidden lever and the statue swung aside to reveal a spiral staircase leading down into the basement.

She went on, “The Accolades were petitioned by some of the ‘Naturals’ as they were called to argue on the behalf of the now created Beastkin. They argued that the creations of Calamitus were now sentient, innocent and were given free will.”

“Ah, that’s interesting” Rowen said as he followed her down the steps, “So, I am figuring that the Guardians accepted the argument because of the whole ‘Free Will’ angle?”

She paused and looked at him a moment trying to understand what he was saying, but then nodded, “Yes, Free Will was the deciding factor in their…Our case.”

Rowen nodded.

She then continued down the steps, Rowen and Xyarra following.

Once at the base of the steps she reached into an alcove and took down a lantern and mumbled a magic phrase then it lit up.

She then pointed to the left and said, “The Mirror of Arman is this way.”

She continued recounting the story, “The Accolades Church is also dedicated to our debt to the Naturals who petitioned the Accolades and ultimately the Guardians on our behalf.”

Rowen nodded understanding and thought to Xyarra, “The ‘Naturals’ are the ones that you were telling me about?”

“Yes, Row dear.”

They continued to follow the Marquese until they entered a room full of artifacts of varying kinds. In a place of honor was a mirror with a golden frame. The face of the mirror was marbled with a multitude of runes.

Rowen knew that only he and a select few can see these angelic runes. To anyone else, they just appeared to be golden squiggles or other some such shapes.

Rowen raised his hand, then paused and asked, “May I?”

She nodded.

He touched the mirror and felt the power and just knew how to work it.

He turned to Marquese Murielle and said, “I am going to need to borrow this. I promise that it will be restored to the temple after I am done. I also commit to rebuilding the temple at your directions. You only need to tell me what and how much you need.”

“You are most gracious, Sire! Thank you very much!”

Meanwhile back at the Palace:

Kit, Elli, and Dana were sitting in tribunal as certain cases were brought before them. The most egregious cases that needed to be adjudicated as soon as possible.

The first of these was the High Priestess to the Temple of the Creator.

Already there had been many testimonies of those who witnessed her ordering the burning of priests and priestesses from other churches, including the Associate Priestess of the Accolades Church.

After hearing the evidence, Kit asked the accused, “You are aware that the scriptures support and recognize the nonaligned churches, do you not?”

She looked at Kit and said, “I will not be judged by a tainted!”

Kit closed her eyes for a moment to quiet her temper. She then said, “If you ask my husband, King Rowen, he will say that it is you and your type of bigots that are the true tainted in this world. I am inclined to agree with him. You are aware that your life is in our hands, do you not?”

The accused just turned her head and said, “My soul is free, I have done no wrong.”

This elicited a grown from the majority of those who were watching.

Kit hit the gavel down and said, “We will have quiet in this court!”

She turned back to the accused and asked, “So, you see no wrong in what you did? Burning individuals at the stake for worshiping as their ‘Free Will’ dictated? Do you even understand the meaning of free will?”

“Again, my soul is free, I have done no wrong.”

Kit stood up suddenly, the other two followed. She said in a near growl, “If I had my druthers, you would be burned, revived, burned again for each of those you burned. Then, after that you would be revived again and placed in eternal servitude for those who you sold into slavery. But our King, in his mercy and wisdom has commanded that we only employ the most merciful forms of execution available.

“Since your callus acts do obviously deserve the sentence of death, you shall have it. Sentence to be carried out at the direction of King Rowen.

“May the Guardians and the Creator have mercy on your soul.” And she hit the gavel.

The Chief Justice ordered, “Remove the prisoner!”

The former Head Priestess was then conducted away.

Kit’s eyes followed her out then she suddenly felt faint.

Dana looked at her and asked, “Are you okay?” somehow adopting Rowen’s idiom.

She turned to Dana and said, “I will be…” and she passed out, to be caught by both Dana and Elli.

Kit awoke in their bed.

Rowen was looking down at her with a worried but also happy look on his face.

He said, “Hey you, stop scaring years off of my life, dearest.”

She smiled back at him and said, “You have much to spare my husband.”

“I returned to the palace as soon as I was told that you were ill.”

“I will be fine. I have been just pushing myself too much, that’s all.”

“Of course, but you also need to eat more and get more rest too. Dana examined you after you passed out and she told me the news.”

“News?” she was puzzled.

“Yes, you’re pregnant!”

She smiled and said, “I thought that I was just pushing myself too hard. But not as hard as you are pushing yourself.

“Are you happy, my husband?”

He embraced her and said, “I am happier than I ever remember being!”

“That makes me happy too, beloved.”

But she was thinking, “Should I tell him? No. My mother succumbed to it. It usually skips generations afterwards, so…”

Then she asked, “What of the tribunals?”

“Xyarra is now conducting them. We are to both just spend time together for now. So, don’t worry about anything.”

She put her hands on either side of his face and said, “Okay, husband, if you promise me that you won’t worry either.”

His smile threatened to upend his head and he said, “Today, I have only joy.”