“The purification ceremony is to introduce the initiates to the acolytes, and the acolytes to the Offering, to help them overcome their fear.” Hanna said with a small gentle smile.

“I was only five, a few months passed my arrival at the temple, and eager to prove myself. I put on the robe, as I was expected, and acted real brave.” She smiled wryly this time. “But then the ceremony started.”

“I was laid on the altar, with the High Priestess and Temple Priestess overseeing the ceremony. I still remember her words.” She sighed softly.

“Hanna, acolyte of the goddess of death, and life from death, do you willingly offer yourself to the goddess?” The High Priestess asked.

“But aren’t I supposed to be purified?” The little girl asked, completely flustered, and full of fear. The High Priestess smiled.

“That is a no. Initiate Hanna. You need to learn more about the goddess before you can complete your purification ceremony.”

“They stopped you? Because you didn’t say yes?” Lena asked, but grimaced as those words cost her some pain.

“The purification ceremony isn’t just about a ceremony, Empress. Once I was rejected gently, I had more then a few long talks with other acolytes, and the guardians.” She kept that small smile on her lips, which made Lena all the more interested in what she had to say.

“Not only did I have to go through the ceremony, I also had to find out why I wanted to go through the ceremony. I had to learn about the goddess, and not just the simple stories I had been taught. My parents said the goddess was good, and that she protected our village. They also said that her blessings allowed the crops to grow, and for the mothers to keep giving birth to healthy babies. Those were all good things, but nothing applied to me personally.” Kata listened in from the opposite side of the room, just in case Lena needed her.

“Then, a girl my age helped me to see something I had not seen before.” Hanna sighed happily.

“People die. Animals die. Plants die. Soldiers die on the battlefield. Children die in their parents arms when they starve, or are sick and too weak. Parents grow old and die. But when it happens everyone is sad that it happened.” Hanna looked the Empress in the eyes.

“Do you know that when I was offered to the goddess, I smiled?”

“You smiled?” Kata asked incredulously, but calmed herself, and sat back to listen.  Hanna took note of the blush on her cheeks, and thought about someone in Haven who would love to meet this guardian.

“Like many before me, as we learn about the goddess, and willingly offer ourselves to her, we also learn something else. Those who offer themselves to the goddess, and she accepts, they do not die.” Hanna said with that typical small smile, but also with a look of excitement in her eyes.

“How old are you, Hanna?” Lena asked her quietly.

“I stopped the count when I reached five hundred.”

“The Offering is beautiful because we smile. We smile because we know that what we endure will end, and we’ll be at the goddess’ side not long after. She loves us, and doesn’t want us to suffer. The Offering is the method to die in a pure state.”  Hanna said with that typical small smile, but also a touch of excitement.

Nicci fed her the soup, and also wore a similar small smile.  They appeared to be almost the same woman, with small attractive smiles, and lean builds, but Hanna grew more excited from time to time, while Nicci was more businesslike.  They were not twins, but they did look similar enough that they could have been sisters.

“Pure?”  Lena frowned.

“Each step of the Offering is symbolic. First, the robes of an initiate are brown. The acolytes under the age of ten have green robes. Ages ten to fourteen have blue. Fourteen to eighteen wear beige robes. Once we turn eighteen, we wear white for the entire year. Each time we go through the purification ceremony, we become more attuned to our goddess, and also attend the ceremonies of other Offerings. We learn why each step is important.” Hanna told her the story, but Nicci could see that Lena quickly came to the end of her endurance.  She hoped that she could at least finish the soup, so she let the story continue.

“First the robe change. From the color we wear normally to the black ones that our sisters wear in Haven. We aren’t locked to the black, but it is our preferred color. When we lie on the altar, the Temple Priestess begins. Now let me tell you of my first successful purification ceremony.” Hanna said softly, and that small smile that made Lena comfortable.

“Please.”

“Initiate Hanna. You’re now seven, and another month has come to a close. Do you wish to try again?” Hanna nodded eagerly at the Temple Priestess’ question. “Very well. Hanna, put on the black robes of Consecration.” She stripped out of her clothes, set them aside, and dressed in the small black one. She was then lifted onto the altar table.

“Now we part your robe, like the spirit wishes to part from your flesh and go to the goddess.” Little Hanna took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The Priestess’ hands were gentle, and opened her robe.

“Now, the oil of consecration goes onto the skin, defying your spirit’s will to go to the goddess.” Oil was poured onto her chest, and two pairs of gentle hands rubbed it in.

“Now we open your heart to the goddess.” Hanna took more steady breaths. Those hands slid down, their fingers went over the side of her ribs, and held on firmly. They pulled only for a second or two. “Good girl.” Hanna smiled as they released her ribs.

“Now the sword touches your heart, to sear away your sins.” A red hot sword touched her chest, sizzled the oil, but pulled away.

“Now we kiss your eyes, to relieve the weight of your sins.” Gentle fingers pulled her lids back, and soft lips lightly touched her eyes.

“Now we kiss your lips, and take upon ourselves the weight of lies told, known, and unknown.” Both the High Priestess, and Temple Priestess kissed her gently on the lips.

“And your final kiss before you go the goddess.” The High Priestess kissed her on the throat. She smiled when she lifted her lips.

“Excellent. Now, Initiate Hanna, put on the robes you have earned. Become an acolyte of the goddess.”

“That is a ceremony I have not heard of before.” Kata said softly. Lena nodded, but she her eyes began to close again.

“Our Empress is exhausted. We should let her sleep for as long as she needs.” Nicci looked at Kata. “You should go with Hanna to the town. Arrange to purchase large amounts of grain for the winter, and lots of wood and charcoal. Also get root crops. In the future, you’ll be more self sustaining as the fields around the temple belong to the Empress, and she’ll decide what to do with them.” Kata looked a bit surprised.

“All belong to my Empress?” Kata asked in a low voice so she would not disturb Lena. Nicci smiled softly.

“The goddess would not deny her a single thing. This temple is hers, as are the fields, the mountains, the coast, and all the resources.” Nicci lightly touched Lena’s cheek, and tilted her head.  She stayed quiet for several seconds.

“Do not just think about yourself and the Empress. You need more people here in order to be comfortable in the future, but that is a long way in the future thing. The immediate needs, and most pressing ones are what you’ll need for the winter.” She pinned her with a hard stare.

“That includes blankets, bedding, and anything you believe you might need, but plan for many people.”  Nicci wanted to close her eyes and try to focus.  Two places, two voices, and one insisted on asking questions she didn't need the answer to.

“Why many?”  Kata asked.

“There are girl orphans that wander around that town. Do you think your Empress is hardhearted, and will ignore their desperate situation?”  The goddess, now in Haven, relayed her thoughts to Nicci, and growled.

"That guardian needs some discipline.  She needs to obey, and learn not to question."