Legend of the Crescent Land Book 1

Chapter Eight

              I knocked on her door and she opened it right away.

" you're up early," I said surprised.

It wasn't like Ninish to be up early on her own. I was always the one to wake her.

" you said we needed to be up early for the festival."

She said as she pulled her hair up and pinned it. she wore a green dress today with a brown leather vest on top with a white knitted shawl around her shoulders. She was looking extra fancy today she never wore dresses like this. This dress in particular is preserved for special occasions.

" you're looking really beautiful Ninish."

" thank you. Maybe you should get dressed up too." She said as she eyed me in my clothes from yesterday.

" yeah, I guess you're right. We'll meet outside in a bit?"

She nodded. I returned to my room rummaging through my clothes trying to find something suitable to wear and failing. I sat in defeat on the floor. There was a slight tap on the door, and Ninish came in.

"This is for you, the girl said the priest sent this and is waiting for you."

I looked at her in confusion as I recalled the priest from last night. I took the box from Ninish and opened it eagerly.

I saw red. A lot of it. it was the most luxurious red velvet I had seen since Mother left. She would've loved this. I took it out of the box and held it up. It was a priestess gown. I have seen priestesses in some pretty scandalous gowns but nothing like this. This gown had a large jeweled neckpiece that cascaded over the breast area, and the red velvet began from beneath the chest area and opened at the belly showing the belly button and came down with large slits going up both sides of the legs.

" oh thank the gods Inanna this is beautiful! Look at the fabric it's so expensive ."

Ninish gushed over the dress, but I felt insulted by it. I didn't like the way the priest just expected me to be like one of his priestesses just because he allowed me it pray with him in the river. There was no chance I was going to be taken advantage of because of a beautiful and overly scandalous gown.

" I'm not wearing this."

I said as I shoved the dress in the box and stomped out the door.

" come on Ninish we need to get to the temple soon if we want to go to the festival."

I walked outside carrying the box with the gown, and Ninish and Dumuzid followed. I saw Kalisi walking towards us.

" good morning." She greeted. " are these the friends you were talking about?" she asked eyeing Dumuzid up and down.

She was dressed in a priestess gown that wasn't anything like the one I received. Her gown was a light blue with crystals all over it. she wore a headpiece with the same jewels on her dress. Long earrings and large bangles. Her long amber hair was on her shoulders and the dress complimented her blue eyes. She was stunning. She walked to Dumuzid and held out her hand,

" I'm Kalisi, a training priestess in the temple. If you ever want to pray come find me." She said.

Dumuzid rolled his eyes and answered coldly

" I don't pray."

I couldn't help but laugh internally. Dumuzid eyed me as I bit my lip to stop laughing aloud.

"Well, we should go then before we're late," Kalisi said and led the way to the temple. 

I didn't understand why I was feeling all these mixed emotions about this stranger I had allowed to enter my life. Why was I feeling this attached? This man had something to hide. He is dangerous, a fugitive! I must be going crazy, and now he's growing on me. Oh, gods! My life is so complicated. How could I have these feelings about someone I met days ago? What if he wants to kill me? I shake the thought out of my mind. No. If he wanted to kill me he would've easily done that days ago. Oh gods he was beautiful. The way he walked, and casually moved his hands as he spoke with Kalisi, made my heart flutter. His voice was so masculine and sexy, it was like a symphony to my ears. And his smile! Oh, that smile could melt a heart made of stone. It certainly melted my mountain of a heart. The way he was so protective was so romantic. He walked in front of me and every few minutes he would look back at me just to see that I'm still there. He would take a peek at our surroundings and then continue to look forward. So cute! 

There is something seriously wrong with me. Zalibaba died and I'm already falling in love. I'm the worst person in the world. I have to stop myself. I can't fall for Dumuzid. It's not right. He's not right. I couldn't betray my love for Zalibaba by falling for someone else. I promised him that I would love him forever.