The Priestess' Affair [Books 1 &2]

𝐈. 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧

comment ftr-> 

-HER-

A towering shadow loomed over me, blocking the morning sun. I shuddered, knowing who it was, but I chose to concentrate on picking the Belladonna flowers instead. I waited for the owner of the shadow to leave me alone, but she didn't.

"The high priestess had a dream last night," the owner of the shadow declared.

"Everyone has dreams," I told her, not turning around to look at her yet.

"Don't pretend to be unaware of the consequences of the High Priestess' dreams!" she snapped. When I didn't say anything, she continued, "the high priestess saw your brother at war with Alexandros,"

"And?" I asked. Suddenly, the air turned cooler and changed its direction, pricking my skin with goosebumps. The shadow leaned over me before her grisly words wrapped in a whisper caressed my ear, "In her dream, he kills your brother,"

I shuddered.

"You want me to go to my brother, Matriarch?" I asked in a shaky voice. She straightened up, casting an even taller shadow over me.

"We'd have sent a messenger if this was an ordinary situation, but we're talking about your brother. I'd much prefer that you go to him yourself and convince him,"

"But he's not going to listen to me," I debated, turning around and eventually managing to look into her eerie, pitch-black, white-less eyes, but only momentarily. I looked down to her feet right after because her eyes made me feel something beyond uncomfortable. 

"But you have to make him listen if you wish to see him continue to be our Emperor and alive," she spoke in a low, wintry voice. The pace at which the words came out of her mouth suggested that she was extraordinarily mindful of them. 

"You know he has stopped taking us seriously because of the Nobles," I reminded her.

"Still, you have to go to him and tell him about this and... this is the High Priestess' orders," she declared, having the last say. "Leave within an hour if you wish to return before the sea turns wild. It's a full moon tonight. I assume you're already aware of our travelling protocols?" She enquired. I nodded.

"Get going then," she muttered before walking away.

~

"What are you doing here?" 

These were the first words my brother spoke when he saw me. It had taken me almost half the day to get there. I was expecting him to be happy to see me; instead, he was acting as if he'd seen a ghost. 

"Good to see you too," I replied coolly. He looked at me pointedly and advised, "You shouldn't be here,"

"And why is that?" I asked him, still holding all my emotions at bay. My brother was utterly unrecognizable since the last time I saw him, which was almost a year ago. 

"Because you're still under training. As far as I am aware, you're not supposed to leave the shrine until you get the priestess title," He hissed.

"Someone sent me here," I professed when he didn't show any sign of hospitality to me. Usually, royal guests were hosted and entertained in the royal parlour or a different meeting room. Instead, my brother chose to see me in the Public hall outside the Palace, where he heard his subjects' pleas. I had to wait with his other subjects for my turn after everyone else. 

Maybe, it was because of my borderline scandalous disguise, but regardless, I wasn't fond of the way he treated me for someone who was his only surviving family. My words almost turned him into a statue.