Rise of Heroes

Chapter 9 - The Temple Of The Gods

Isabelle took another turn, her mind brewing with emotions as she found herself standing in front of the door of the sanctum, her eyes lingering on the gilded handles, their bright color now fading miserably under the weight of the years. She had often come here before, praying to the gods or simply seeking solitude from prying eyes. Her mind had been so occupied lately that she had forgotten that just being there brought her peace. It was also Elaine’s favorite place to hide since nobody would ever think to look for her there.

Isabelle pushed one of the wings open, sliding into the sanctum. Her eyes searched the chamber tentatively but couldn’t find any sign of human presence. The big hall was brightly lit both by candles and the light coming from the enormous glass windows that covered the better part of the walls. Thirteen gold statues stood proudly in two lines, with the exception of one which faced the door. Each of them rose over nine feet tall, crafted so skillfully that their features were almost lifelike. She was always stunned by how human those powerful beings appeared, but one long look at their wise, fearless faces and the likeness vanished.

There were fresh flowers and offerings at their feet; a few lit candles flickered lonely, their flames almost disappearing at times as if blown by an invisible wind. It was more than obvious that some of the gods were more favored by the people living in the castle, as the piles of gifts and flowers differed in size as one moved further down the aisle.

Isabelle stopped by the two statues closest to the doors — Brial, the god of harvest and crops, and Amona, the goddess-huntress, seemed neglected by the occasional worshipers. All prayers for rain and good harvest had remained unanswered for almost two autumns, so everybody felt let down and turned their back on him; Amona, on the other side, was rarely praised since few men believed a woman could be the patron of all hunters.

As she proceeded further into the hall, Isabelle’s eyes moved over the rest of the statues — the Goddess of love and desire, Eelia, was swimming in a pool of flowers; her perfect, curvy figure embodying everything a woman should strive to be. Isabelle's gaze quickly moved to the next figure, Riyana, the goddess of dreams and secrets, when her eyes caught a movement on the opposite side of the room. She switched her attention to the short, plump statue of the god of merriment and wine, Crane, where she thought she saw somebody.

“Elaine?” Isabelle called, barely raising her voice as if not to peeve the gods. She stepped deeper into the sanctum, taking a deep breath and preparing to leave. She didn’t feel right being in the sanctum, not with so many negative thoughts on her mind.

Just as she was about to turn, a figure emerged from behind one of the golden statues. Elaine wiped her cheeks with the edge of her sleeve, her skirts so wrinkled and dusty that Lady Alana, their governess, would have cried had she seen her in that moment.

“I am to be wed,” Elaine mumbled, barely pronouncing the words before a mournful sob escaped her lips. She covered her face with her hands, her body shaking from the hiccups and the crying.

“I know, El,” Isabelle gave her a small smile, stepping toward her sister and embracing her gently. “Everything will be alright, I promise.”

“How can you promise such a thing?” Elene burst, jerking away from her. The younger girl started pacing back and forth and Isabelle let her, giving her some time to calm down. Her sister’s long, wavy red hair fell over her shoulders, hands constantly gripping the edges and rolling them around her finger. “I knew it may happen one day, and I thought I was going to be ready then, but… I am not! I don’t want to marry Prince Jaden, I don’t want to marry anyone!” she shouted, throwing her hands in the air. “Why is father in such a rush to marry me off? You’re the oldest! Why aren’t you married yet?”

Isabelle held back her sigh, running her hands over her skirts to smoothen the wrinkles that had formed while walking around the castle. What Elaine said had been on her mind a lot lately, but no matter how much she turned and twisted it, thinking of reasons, she still failed to come up with a good explanation. And it wasn’t exactly a topic she wanted to bring to their father.

She shook her head, returning her attention to her little sister. Just over fourteen winters of age, Elaine was barely more than a child. Isabelle would rather imagine her running around the garden with her dog or getting caught in another mischief than as a woman taking care of a husband’s needs and ruling over anybody.

“I know, Elaine,” she said, recalling with anger and her father’s warning. “It’s not fair, the privileges we’re given and the price we must pay for them,” Isabelle said with a sigh. Elaine looked aside, her lips quivering. “Believe me, if there was any way I could do this instead of you, I would! But father won’t allow it. I’m promised to Keldar.”

“You’re promised to Keldar, I’m promised to Roder. They are separating us, Izzy! At least before, I thought that whatever happens, whomever I marry… it will bring us together.” Elaine sighed desperately and looked down at her shaking hands.

Isabelle took them in hers. A warm smile formed on her face as Elaine stopped to look at her. Her eyes were red and full of tears that left traces on her pale, freckled cheeks. Isabelle reached out and wiped them with her thumb.

“There is no land far enough to keep me away if you call for me, Elaine. Even if they send one of us to the Cursed Islands, I’m sure the other one will find a way to follow.” She pulled her into a hug and let her go after a few moments. “Besides, from what I’ve been told, Prince Jaden is quite the handsome man! Hair dark as night and eyes to get lost in. And he must be tall, with a body of a god. At least that’s what I’ve heard.”

“You know I don’t care about that!” Elaine rolled her eyes, but a small redness found its way to her cheeks. Isabelle knew her sister all too well, and she was confident that turning the matter into a playful banter was the only way to make her accept it as anything different from the end of the world. “And it’s probably not true. Why isn’t he already married if he is so handsome? He probably has one eye and no teeth!” She stopped next to the statue of Etiash, the god of justice and punishment, staring blindly at the wilting flowers and gifts around him. Lost in her thoughts, Elaine reached out to snatch one of the flowers when Isabelle slapped her hand. Believer or non-believer, it would have been unwise to disturb any of the gods. They had enough problems even without incurring their wrath.

“Maybe he was waiting for you to grow up,” Isabelle said instead. “You know, he might have heard of your beauty too.” Elaine rolled her eyes and moved away, turning her back on her sister.

“Don’t mock me,” the younger girl mumbled, taking her away from her gloomy thoughts. “I’m not in the mood. Besides, it’s a political marriage. Looks have nothing to do with it.” Isabelle held back her chuckle. Her sister didn’t seem to notice that her voice wasn’t shaking anymore and her tears had ceased. Now she was talking like she was forced to attend some boring event rather than being thrust into a life she didn’t want in the first place.

“Well, we’ll see about that,” Isabelle said, smiling. “And when we go to Roder and you see for yourself how quickly he’ll fall in love with you, I’ll be there to tell you ‘I told you so’!” Elaine froze on her spot, slowly turning to face her sister. Her face had suddenly lit up, eyes sparkling with excitement.

“You’re coming with me?” she squeaked.

“Of course I’m coming with you!” Isabelle laughed, jokingly pulling a strand of her hair. “Nobody can stop me. Besides, someone has to see to your good behavior.”

Elaine grinned, raising her eyebrows.

“My good behavior?” she exclaimed mockingly. “I heard someone sneaked out of the Citadel yesterday, dressed as a peasant. It wasn’t me, I was in my bed the whole time. I wonder who this might have been!”

“Probably Prince Nickolas. I heard he likes to break the rules all the time.”

The two of them broke into laughter at the absurdity of that statement, when the door of the sanctum opened with a creak, letting in two elderly ladies who shot them a disapproving glance. Isabelle grabbed her sister's hand, pulling her toward the exit. The younger girl did not seem to mind leaving at all, so they quickly put behind them the reprimanding glares of the women.

Isabelle led her toward the garden — Elaine loved that place, especially the meadow by the small lake where she would often kick off her shoes and wade through the water to catch one of the colorful fish or a frog, often joined by her dog which would make her even wetter as it shook the water off its coat. Alana had threatened more than once to kill that mutt, hoping that the younger princess would start behaving properly.

Today was a good day to spend some time at the lake. Elaine was allowed some leeway after everything that was going to drop on her shoulders in just a few weeks. The letter said that the wedding would be held in two months’ time, which meant they would need to leave for Roder soon.

“Where are we going?” Elaine asked, squeezing her arm.

“The lake,” Isabelle replied with a smile.

“Really? Yes!” Elaine grinned, letting go of her and walking ahead with broad, very unladylike jumps. Isabelle grimaced at the sight but said nothing.

A sudden chill ran down her spine, like a cold draft that came out of nowhere. She felt needles prickling her skin and suddenly, her chest filled with uneasiness so strong, her step faltered and she reached out to lean on the wall. She looked over her shoulder, expecting to see someone there, but the corridor stood eerily empty and quiet.

A moment passed, then two, and the heavy feeling disappeared without warning, allowing her to breathe again. Her eyes continued to search the doors and corners with alarm, she even glanced out the window but found nothing still.

“Izzy? What’s wrong? Are you coming?” Elaine called from the end of the corridor.

“Y-yes, I’m coming!” Isabelle said quickly, shaking her head to get rid of the nasty sensation. She turned around to look at her sister, giving her a broad smile. “Let’s go have some fun!”