The Cultivated Girl

CHAPTER 26 - Off-World

Simone, Alexia, Nada and Bloduewedd woke up to the sound of Lady Alva ringing a tinkling hand bell: "Wake up, wake up. The Sacred Isle has a reputation to uphold and you, my girls, are her custodians".

They scrambled to their feet but didn't have time to feel bewildered. A concoction of sweet rosewater, komodo milk and spice was pressed into their hands; then they were hustled over to a gaggle of other initiates to get ceremonially dressed, and have their hair and makeup done. They were hoisted into the litters of towering komodo dragons just as a great gong reverberated through the giant cave.

"You look beautiful Simone," said Nada.

Simone looked herself over, from her bronze toe-and-ankle bracelet to her bangled arms. She'd never been so dressed up in her life. A thick, high, filigreed belt supported two long pieces of dangling white material, one in front of her and one behind. There were intricate brown and green patterns scrolled across them that made her head hurt to try follow.

The skirt would have exposed her thighs indecently if it wasn't for the matching leggings blocked with brown and green.

"I look half naked," she muttered. "You look nice though." Nada looked more than nice, the short sleeveless jacket and chunky stone jewellery she wore revealed peeks of toned bare midriff.

Simone looked the rest of her clutchmates over. They were all wearing make-up that elongated their fluttering lashes and highlighted their eyes and cheekbones without looking garish. A gauzy white veil covered the lower face. She could only hope she looked as exotic.

"Nervous?" Alexia asked Nada.

Much to Simone's surprise the normally shy Nada shook her head vigorously. "Not at all. This is going to be fun. We're in such a big crowd no one will even see us."

"Wow Nada, a bit of make-up and fancy clothes and you turn into a real party girl," said Simone.

Bloduewedd conjured a rain of petals above them and Nada blushed.

Before they could get carried away with too much bantering they were on the move, leaving the deep cave buried in an overgrown hilltop temple.

Giant tree roots created an ancient living archway for them to make a grand entrance. Thousands of Mettans were waiting silently. They moved aside and fell to their knees on the earth, face down, arms stretched in front of them but as soon as the komodos left the temple grounds, they leapt to their feet with an explosion of sound.

Thousands of bodies moved as if one, each limb neatly spliced into the next. They surged towards the singing, swaying procession. Simone looked around coolly, regally, as she had been taught, boldly scanning the environment around her while simultaneously keeping her eyes demurely lowered.

Weird but kinda cool, don't you think? she flashed to Due so that the indomitable Lady Alva wouldn't hear. Simone couldn't stop a wild grin breaking out. Far from being poisoned (unless she was dead and this was where wayward trainee priestesses ended up) the five, along with ninety-five of their fellow priestesses-in-waiting, were the centre of the biggest religious festival the world of Metta had experienced in 500 years. And Joli, although still flat on her back, was at least semi-conscious.

Each 'mini-Goddess' rode in a litter lashed to the back of their scaled komodo dragons. Most of the older initiates, the trained warriors, could have easily ridden bareback, lightly standing on their mounts' broad, swaying backs. Unfortunately, the pomp and ceremony of the occasion required them to ride in state.

Simone was amazed at the dexterity of her mount. Despite its girth, the komodo dragon dodged laughing children and navigated narrow, perilous paths with ease.