“Really, is that what you believe? Do not question, just obey what you have been told?”
His initial attraction to her had made him forget that as a priestess she would be strong-willed in her faith. Everything Sytravious had grown to despise about this kingdom is everything this beautiful young girl believed in. He knew he was more than just a little frustrated by her trust in such a flawed system, and unable to resist the urge to debate this topic with her, Sytravious decided to continue.
“I am going to be straightforward with you Raiven, despite how a person is raised and what they are taught to believe in, they should always learn to question those teachings to some extent.”
He saw her pacing back and forth. It was apparent to Sytravious that she was bothered by the turn their conversation had taken. She spun to face him, glower, and point her index finger at him.
“Those ideals of yours could be interpreted as a fool’s mentality. Those are views that lead to separation from our goddess. The temple teaches us to honor, trust and follow the wise teachings of Vesalys in order to thrive, progress, and better oneself.” She retorted while nodding as if in agreement with herself.
“Maybe I am a fool like you say, but I would rather be that than a disciple who blindly follows biased teachings because the temple instructs me to do so. I just think there should be more to our lives.”
He felt this was going to be another battle he could not win. Sytravious knew there would be no getting through to her, so rather than going another round with the headstrong girl, he thought it would be better to revert to what sparked the conversation. He stood up and took a deep breath before asking, “Meet me for a swim again? It can be our next secret.” He fixed his stare on her while he waited for her answer.
“I...I just cannot do that.”
Unwilling to give up on the opportunity to secure a meeting with the priestess again, he had to think of another strategy to win her over. Sytravious snapped his fingers, getting her attention, and then turned his back to her. He fell to his knees and lowered his head in prayer.
“What are you doing?”
“Please do not interrupt, Raiven. I am praying to Vesalys for guidance so that she may grant you the courage to meet me again.”
“I think you have gotten too much steam in that brain of yours, Sytravious.”
With a loud sigh, he threw his hands up in defeat. “Perhaps I did.” He stood up, dusted off his knees, and then smiled as he faced her once again. “Despite our little dispute, I feel grateful because this is more conversation than I ever imagined you would spare me. Being able to have taken this much of your time is a blessing. So, maybe I do have Vesalys to thank after all.”
A long stretch of silence followed his last remark. To Sytravious it was very apparent by the look on her face that rather than finding humor in his comment, the priestess was dealing with conflicting feelings.
“Sytravious, I told you before; I swim here almost every morning I can get away.”
“Wait, are you suggesting I am allowed to meet you here again?”
“I said nothing of the sort. I only said that I would be here again tomorrow. You are your own master. If you are foolish enough to risk being seen with me, then any consequences that follow will be of your own doing. I will not report you though. I mean turning a man in for swimming would not be a priestly thing to do now would it?”
He could see a small smirk forming on her face. He was enjoying this sparring match of words and wittiness between them. Secretly, he began to thank whatever gods there may be, that he too had decided to sneak away this morning.
“In that case, perhaps I shall find myself in this very spring tomorrow, as foolish as it may be. A man has a right to swim, does he not?”
Raiven’s eyes widened, her expression was a mixture of horror and fascination. “Are you not afraid? If you were to be caught here with me, they would seize you to hang, or worse! Will you really come back again?”
“I am coming back, but I would be lying if I said I was not afraid of getting caught. However, it is not your guardians finding out that concerns me.” He stopped there, not wanting to give her too much information about who he really was.
“Who then?” she probed with intrigue in her voice.
Sytravious did not know how to reply. As he pondered the explanation he would give her, he heard loud shouts in the woods, and though he was startled, he was relieved that he would not have to elaborate on his earlier statement.
Galloping horses joined the hollers they heard, and he knew it must be the priestess’ guardians. How long had they been here together? The temple must have taken notice of her disappearance and alerted her protectors. He looked around and wondered how many guardians would soon be crawling through the forest looking for her. His eyes scanned their surroundings, and then grabbed Raiven by her wrist, yanking her down with him as he hid behind a large boulder on the bank of the spring.
“Your guardians I presume? Will you be in trouble?”
Sytravious eyes darted around, searching through the surrounding trees. Seeing no immediate threat, he sighed and faced Raiven. She was gawking at him.
“Well?”
“Will I be in trouble? Compared to you, I have no worries at all. Even if I am a priestess, I am still allowed to bathe in private. However, I am not sure how to defend your presence.”
He was not fooled by her nonchalant attitude, her eyes gave away the unease she was trying so hard to disguise. He grabbed one of her hands between both of his, and he felt a slight quiver. Her cheeks flushed a rosy pink color again, and he could not help but grin at her, in spite of their current situation.
She spoke in a panicked whisper, “What are you smiling about? Are you not worried about what may happen to you? They will drag you away in chains! You will be punished!”
He gave her hand a small squeeze before letting go and putting his finger to his lips, motioning for her to be silent. Sytravious then turned and made his way back into the spring. His body sank back in, and he was grateful the rising steam provided him with a temporary cover. He looked back at the priestess one more time. Her stunning face was fixed in a worried, gaping stare. How long would it be before he would see her again? Sytravious hoped she meant it when she said she would come back.
“Until tomorrow…”
She gave him a small smile in return, though she still appeared anxious. He stole one last glance, before winking at the wide-eyed damsel, and submerging his head beneath the water.
Chapter 2
Into The City
In the center of Valcrest, was the oldest and largest city in the proud kingdom of Havencrest. While not as glamorous as the capital, Cleary Court, Havencrest was built with safety in mind, rather than beauty. The walls surrounding the city were so resilient that they would be able to withstand a siege for weeks before needing reinforcements. Within the walls, the city was crowded with markets, shops, and inns.
North Havencrest is where the temple of Vesalys was located. The temple stood out with its distinct spiraling ivory tower and enchanting gardens. Neighboring the magnificent structure was an enormous castle that stood five stories tall. It was the home of the City Warden and several noble citizens.
Raiven had been traveling with her entourage of guardians for quite some time now. As she rode on the back of a tall white horse, she wondered how much trouble she would be in once they arrived to the temple. The thoughts of her punishment became clouded by her concern for her new friend, Sytravious. She hoped he had made it back into the city unscathed, and smiled to herself as she contemplated their encounter.
Being a priestess meant her life was strict and boring. Her unique gifts given to her by Vesalys provided her with the natural ability to summon the healing and protective powers of the deity, making her a vital piece of the kingdom’s defenses. Due to her great importance, she was always surrounded by the guardians. She would spend hours a day spell casting, healing, praying and meditating. Over time, the thril
l of being one of the chosen ones dissipated and left her with a dull daily routine. She never had time to make friends or simply have fun because her schedule never allowed for it, and since she was the only child to have been touched by Vesalys, she did not even have the company of a fellow priestess. Despite how interesting she had once thought her life would be, she had come to realize it was far from that. She yearned for something more thrilling, and often dreamed of what life was like outside of the temple.
That morning, Raiven was granted a small glimpse of that life, in the form of Sytravious. Images of her new acquaintance invaded her thoughts. His chiseled body had looked like it had endured years of rigorous training. His long dark brown hair framed his handsome, unshaven face; but none of those features is what had captured her attention. What had captivated her about Sytravious were his eyes. She was taken with the translucent blue eyes that had stared at her in the spring, and recalled how a thin black rim encircled his icy, crystal blue irises. He had the kind of eyes she felt could see through her, past any façade she put up. With one glance, he had managed to draw her attention and spark her curiosity.
The sound of shouting interrupted Raiven’s thoughts. She looked down at her arms, which were covered in goosebumps, and shook her head. Her attention was drawn back to the yelling she had just heard. Orders were being barked out by knights of the elite guard that stood at the east gate as they joined her existing group of guardians. Raiven rolled her eyes, finding the extreme security measures to be ludicrous.
When the convoy took an unexpected turn in the direction of the warden’s castle, Raiven asked, “Why are we not headed to the temple?”
“General Kenshiro’s orders, Priestess,” the guardian nearest to her replied.
Her stomach sank. For a moment, she thought she would be able to get away without her cousin being alerted about her adventure that morning. She groaned and spoke under her breath, “Of course it is his orders, I should have known.”
During the next few minutes of the ride, they traveled up the highest hill in the city to the warden’s old stone castle. When they arrived, the enormous oak doors creaked open. The horses came to a sudden halt once they had passed the entryway, and just inside, a group of caretakers impatiently waited to take the horses to the royal stables. The guardians and elite guard dismounted their horses, and before any of them could help the priestess down, she was already standing next to them.
She was watching the horses as they were taken away, when she heard the distinct sound of a metallic click against the floor. The clack of those boots was a sound that most soldiers had learned to fear, but Raiven just heaved a sigh, knowing her cousin was approaching. She held her head high and readied herself for the unavoidable lecture she was about to endure.
General Kenshiro was tall, evenly tanned, and perfectly shaven. His hard, russet eyes were almond-shaped and always expressed his condescending attitude. He took pride in his appearance, which was apparent by the time he had taken to pull his glossy, soot colored hair in a slick ponytail with a golden clamp. His attire consisted of a full armored suit made of gleaming black steel that was accented with a golden trim.
His stringent, authoritative demeanor had earned him the respect of all his soldiers in the elite guard, and while his harsh ways had helped him move up in the ranks, it had not earned him any more favor with Raiven. She tired of his overbearing and pompous way of thinking. When the temple first learned of her gifts, Raiven was brought from Sorrento to Havencrest at a young age. Though she was grateful Kenshiro had been sent to watch over her when her parents had fallen terminally ill, his temperament had changed a great deal since she was a child. He was no longer the cousin who wanted to just protect her because of the gifts she had been granted. He had transformed into the bothersome cousin who watched her every move.
He came down the stairs and strode up to her. “Young Priestess, I am glad to see you have been returned to us safely. It is always good to know we can count on the guardians to protect you.” He nodded, acknowledging the guardians.
Kenshiro faced her and he forced a look of happiness. She almost laughed, because the stiff smile did nothing to hide his frustration.
“I am sure you are well aware my dear, I have been charged with the duty of protecting not only you, but the city as well. But how can I do my job when you just go riding off into the wilderness during a security breach at one of our gates?” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
She shrugged her shoulders, hoping if she reiterated the occurrence of a breach, the focus would be taken off her mischiefs. “Well, a breach seems much more significant than a priestess going for a swim in the spring.”
“A swim? You mean to tell me that while all the districts were being put on lock down, and all my elite guard was being dispatched to find you, you were swimming?” Kenshiro scoffed. “Raiven, several locals were spotted in the Rosewood Fields by the Foxfire Woods. You know it is forbidden for anyone outside of the temple to harvest the root. It is probable that they were witches hoping to use it for the creation of some unholy magic. If they had found you, who knows what could have happened. That is why once we find them, they will be dealt with accordingly.”
She pursed her lips, expressing her disagreement. “You should be easy on them. I understand it is illegal for outsiders to harvest the root, but we use it for healing potions here. I cannot imagine what benefit it could have for dark magic. Perhaps it was the elder locals who are just stubborn in their old ways, they are not out to harm me. If you treat them with patience and care, instead of acting like they are meaning to break the law with ill intentions, it might cross your mind to spare them of your harsh punishments.”
Kenshiro glared at her and folded his arms across his chest. He was displeased that she was voicing her opinion, but Raiven did not care, general or not, he still needed to be told when he was being too insensitive.
“Priestess, I have enough of a challenge trying to keep you in your quarters. I do not have the time nor the energy to be debating politics with you. You are a Priestess. I am a General. Leave the execution of the law to me. How can I aspire to become the Warden of Havencrest or General of Valcrest, if I cannot even keep my own cousin in line? These frequent lapses in your security are inexcusable and I will see to it that the detail is doubled. You will not make me look like a fool again.” He furrowed his brow as he glowered at her.
“It is evident that you are incapable of understanding what the problem here is,” Raiven shot back, “You are obsessed with every move I make and think that doubling my guards is the solution. Just like your solution for the locals, maybe you should have some consideration. Has it ever occurred to you that I escape to be able to find a few moments to myself? A brief time where no one will bother me, ask me for anything, and I can just relax. I need space to breathe, but instead you want to suffocate me more!”
Kenshiro leaned down, bringing his face close to hers. He placed his finger under her chin and tilted her head up. Raiven could feel his breath on her face.
“Then I guess I will just have to see to it that all your needs are met,” he whispered, with a hint of greed in his voice.
Raiven wanted to slap his hand away from her, but she thought she had caused enough of a commotion today. She took a step back when she heard a familiar old voice cut through the uncomfortable moment.
“You will not have to see to anything General, as I will guarantee our young priestess gets everything she asks for.”
It was the dwarf priest, Raiven’s instructor, who was scurrying over to them. Kenshiro removed his finger from her chin, and cast an annoyed glance in the dwarf’s direction as he straightened up.
“If I can do anything that will stop her from fleeing our temple, then it shall be done. There is no reason for a general to get involved.”
He was huffing as he walked up to Raiven’s side. Though Vienken lacked the natural magical abilities that Raiven had been blessed with, he had a brilliant mind, which explai
ned how he got the position of a High Priest in the temple. Raiven especially admired how he was able to master deciphering the rune works of Vesalys, allowing him to gain extensive knowledge on the history of the goddess.
A pang of shame hit her when she saw him. She had never meant to trouble her instructor, and looked down on the old dwarf apologetically.
“Master Vienken, I am so sorry if I worried you. I was only trying to---”
He held up his hand to stop her explanation and chuckled. “Nonsense, there is no need to explain yourself to this old man. It may be hard for you to imagine, but when I was young, I also enjoyed a time of adventure and mischief.”
Raiven expressed her gratitude with a smile.
“That must have been centuries ago,” Kenshiro mumbled.
Vienken’s laughter abruptly stopped, and he scowled at the general. Raiven then felt her hand being yanked by her instructor, who motioned for them to walk towards to the temple. She knew Vienken had a low tolerance for her cousin, since he firmly believed it was the sole duty of the temple to attend to her affairs. Yet, during their time in Havencrest, Kenshiro had made his excessive interest in Raiven’s dealings very clear. It was for that reason the High Priest always kept a close eye on her cousin.
As they walked away, she heard Kenshiro yell at them, “You had better start doing your job better, Priest. I am sure Her Holiness will not be pleased to hear about today’s oversight.”
Raiven looked back at her cousin, and saw he was already leaving. Vienken had kept moving on the path to the temple as if he did not hear Kenshiro. She worried for her instructor. Causing a dilemma with the High Priestess was never a part of her plan this morning.
“Master Vienken, I never meant to get you in troub---”
“You know my dear, I have never really cared for that cousin of yours.”
Sytravious: The Lost Warlock Of Moruz (The Oathbreaker Book 1) Page 3
