Much has been written of the conference that took place at the Temple of the Goddess in those early summer days. The Council of the Republic entrusted High Priestess Ashala to negotiate on its behalf, perhaps understanding the esteem she held in the eyes of both King Alfard and Taneric, his Prince. Alfard, for his part, remained in Vosgir, trusting Taneric to manage the affairs of the North within the City walls. It was a role Tak relished, and for many hours he remained in secret conference with Ashala and Queen Zantina in the Temple Library. Occasionally they would call for a City administrator to be brought before them to answer questions, or a general of the City Guard, and at one point Fris was summoned to talk of his new weapons and their readiness. And finally, after three days, the following was decided:
Zantina would return to Casbur and defend the East, her forces supplemented by two thousand sons of the North under the command of Princess Kasmine. The City would send cannon and other new weapons to her as soon as they were available. The King's Guard and the Republic's single legion would combine, with Taneric at their head, to defend the City and the lands around it. Only a small militia would be maintained in the North as a final defence of those lands.
And, of course, it was at this time that all Temple boys were taken from their mistresses. The keeping of strong young men in the bedchambers of priestesses could not be justified in a time of war, when every able bodied male would be needed in the fight against the Emperor. Zantina alone took thirty seven of them; eastern boys stolen from villages in past years by Cargian slavers and, with the connivance of her father King Charton, sold in the markets of the City. The rest went to the Legion of the City, with the exception of Samon; spirited away by Peto and given to the King's Guard (well, Peto knew a good man when he saw one). There were tears in the Temple courtyard on the day of separation, for many priestesses had their favourites. And boys too.
"It is like separating husbands and wives," said Ashala to Taneric as they watched the men being led down the Temple steps by their new commanders. "I wonder how many will return."
"None, unless they wish it," replied Taneric. "Heroes of war cannot be returned to slavery, High Priestess."
Ashala sighed, "The Goddess must be served Tak. Perhaps many boys will wish to return to their mistresses. Or perhaps we will find suitable acolytes among the defeated army of the Emperor."
Tak laughed, thinking that she was joking.
"Why do you laugh Tak? A boy is a boy is a boy. He can be brought to the Goddess by love, or by the whip, or, more likely, through a mixture of both. I do not know what false deities the Emperor's people serve, but they cannot be any stranger to us than your Wodh."
"My Wodh," repeated Taneric, the words sounding strange on his tongue. Ashala turned to him and reached for his head with her hands, pulling him to her so that, with him stooping, their eyes were only inches apart.
"That's right Tak!" she almost hissed. "But you are still of the Goddess, are you not? You feel Her within you. I feel it too, when I look at you. Do not fight it Tak! Come to me when you feel doubt, or to Hanja, or to the Priestess of the Shrine! But do not turn your back on the true Goddess!"
She kissed him tenderly on the cheek before releasing him and turning to the Temple steps.
"Go see Hanja now!" she shouted. "She misses you."
****
That evening, Tak did indeed go into the Temple seeking Hanja, finding her in her chamber still clad in ceremonial Temple breastplate and baltea.
"You presided at a Ceremony of Giving?" he asked.
She nodded. "I fear, it will be the last for many men of the city before war comes. But Tak, I am angry with you! Why do you only come to me now, after so many moons?"
"Nikah____"
"Has left for his homeland, yes. But you should not have been a stranger to me while he was here."
"Nikah said much the same thing," replied Tak, sighing.
"Of course. He does not suffer from petty jealousy, and nor should you Tak. And as for me, there is room in my heart for the two of you....and in my bed also. It would not be the first time Tak."
He reddened.
"Ah, you remember. Happy days. All gone now."
Taneric noticed a portrait of two young men, propped up on Hanja's dresser, by the mirror.
"Your brothers?"
"Yes Tak. My mother, Lady Cillah, brought it for me when she came to the City with the boy Kamhet a few days ago. She knows how much I miss them."
"They ran from the cult of the Goddess in the south, did they not? Nikah told me so. They went east to find adventure."
Hanja sighed, "Yes, but I cannot hate them for it, although it was a great disgrace for my family at the time. My mother should have made better matches for them, and perhaps they would not have left. Javi she gave to a lady of the cult in Massela, a beautiful woman but sour as a Sunarian lemon. She felt a boy should be seen and not heard, and was far too fond of her whip for my liking. Artur went to a family friend who had long coveted him, a kind enough soul but old enough to be his mother. My brothers ran before either marriage ceremony could take place. I doubt I will see them again."
"The Goddess works in mysterious ways," said Taneric.
"Do not presume to lecture me on the Goddess Tak, you who have turned your back on Her!"
"I have not."
"What? Do you not worship in the church of Wodh in Vosgir? Do you not give yourself in submission to that heathen devil-woman; granddaughter of the Old Queen? To crawl before her is an abomination to the Goddess! Tak, I think I must have you leave my chamber - your presence here begins to disturb me and I do not wish to feel anger."
"You dislike Kasmine," said Tak. "You who just told me that jealousy is petty. And how would you know what passes between she and I?"
"She told me herself, Tak. Whispered it in my ear that day on the field before the gates of Vosgir. The day I took Nikah back. And she called me cruel, she who is forever tainted by the evil blood of her ancestors. That is why I struck her, Tak. And one day I will finish my dealings with her more fully."
"Shush Hanja! This is not like you. Kasmine saw only a haughty priestess applying a cruel wooden gag to a broken Temple boy. Her feelings were understandable."
"Haughty Tak? How dare you!"
"You have a confidence, Hanja, a presence that may be misinterpreted by those who do not know you as I do. I believe that one day you will come to love Kasmine as a sister, for she has only goodness in her heart. But let us not talk of these things. I came to you tonight in a spirit of love. I am still with the Goddess, Hanja. You must believe me! She has spoken to me in my dreams."
"Ha! Many are the boys who believe they have seen the Goddess in their dreams. Your night time fantasies do not interest me Tak."
"It is true. She took your form, Hanja. And also, she spoke lovingly of Kasmine. I remember every word that she said to me about her; 'Does she not love the hills? Does she not love the forests and the rivers? Does she not love the skies? And the animals? Does she not love you, Taneric, simply because she sees that you are good? You do not need to be within a Temple to bring yourself to me Taneric.'"
Hanja considered this for a moment and then said, "A starving man can survive on worms and berries, Tak, but a feast is more strengthening. Remove your garments and perform the Act of Greeting! Now Tak!"
He hesitated, shocked at her demand.
"Ah, I see," she scoffed. "You are a prince now and too good to crawl before a priestess. But you expect me to believe you are a boy within whom the Goddess lives, Tak? A boy in the chamber of a Priestess, fully clothed, talking to her as an equal. It is not appropriate Tak."
Slowly, he removed his clothing and went to her feet, kissing them, calling her 'Mistress' and promising his obedience.
