The Redemption (Part 4)

Dressed in their usual dirt-stained clothes, Gurgini and Fruimuah waited for their mentor in the middle court of the temple.

 Jeyah arrived with a priestess, who carried two sets of robes on her hands.

“This is what you will be wearing,” said Jeyah. Gurgini grinned and walked up to reach out for it but was stopped by Jeyah.

“…if only you choose to stay,” she said in a serious tone.

“You need to know that the temple is managed by a council,” Jeyah walked unhurriedly towards the window. The sisters followed.

“One of their men will be here next month to meet you, and will decide whether you can stay here,” Jeyah then turned around to look at them. “…or there,” she pointed towards the temple which was painted red and has a nude Fush-urah statue outside the building.

“What is the difference?” asked Gurgini.

“We serve Fush-urah by helping women. But they help men.”

“What duties do priestesses there perform?” she asked again.

“I shall tell you some other day,” Jeyah said.

***

Jeyah was appointed the chief to lead a team of teachers to guide newly recruited priestesses, or in Sawart’s words, “weary wanderers who have returned to serve the Mother of Fertility”.

The responsibility of teaching Gurgini and Gruimuah Fush-urah’s way of life - from daily chores in the temple to the obligations of the priestess - all fell on Jeyah’s shoulders.

 “Daily prayers will be carried out in the main temple. The red priestesses will come over to join us,” Jeyah explained.

“Priestesses need to cleanse themselves with sprinkles of a perfumed olive oil before entering the goddess’ presence.”

Jeyah took out two boxes of the size equivalent to a palm. The image of Fush-urah was sculpted on the covers.

“The black box is for priestesses of the main court, red for the You-Know-Who,” said Jeyah. She put down the two opened boxes on a table beside and lifted her palms upwards.

“Choose one.”

Fruimuah looked at the two boxes - one black, one red. Fruimuah pondered a while and picked the red box. Jeyah looked at her and inhaled deeply.

“Once you step into the court of the ceremony, stare only at the joint where your palms converged.”

“Do not look into the box that is filled with Kont [1], for it will enrage the goddess. She would send a wind to make your eyes blind.”

“Hold the box close to your chests as you walked along the gap beside where priestesses kneeled.

“Each time you stopped by a priestess, you halt for her to dip her finger into the box of powder. Then you wait for her to smear the powder over her forehead before you move on.”

Jeyah put down the boxes onto the table.

“You will be taking over Jiriya’s and Hae-mip’s duty, and you will do this until we have newcomers to replace you," she said.

The ceremony began soon after the lesson ended.

Red Priestesses sashayed into the Court of Ceremony with fast yet gentle pace and arranged themselves in rows. 

Priestesses of the main court then entered from the side entrances in their usual black robes.

It was a stark contrast between priestesses with simple black robe and those wearing bright red costume complete with pearl-dangling headgear over their forehead.

Sawart scanned through the crowd from corner to corner before she flourishes her hands. Priestesses fell onto their knees all at once.

“Blessings bestowed onto your servants this morning, I asked of You, Mother of Fertility. Blow Your blessings into Mont, let us inherit the mighty power to bless the people of Froyale.” 

“Go,” Jeyah instructed Gurgini and Fruimuah who stood still beside a pillar.

The girls walked cautiously into the Court of Ceremony. They positioned the box of Mont in front of the chest and looked only at the only direction they were told to look at.

None of the priestess took notice of them as they kept their eyes at a specific point in front. Gurgini served the box to priestesses of the main temple while Fruimuah the Red Priestesses. 

Priestesses took turn to touch the Mont and rubbed it across their foreheads. It glows in bright yellow. 

While observing the girls performing their first duty aside, Jeyah noticed Sawart kept her attention on the girls as if she was finding the slightest mistakes in their gestures.

Gurgini remained steady throughout her walk but Fruimuah’s lost focus half way through. A priestess was unable to reach for Mont in the box as Fruimuah was standing too far away.  

Fortunately, Fruimuah was alert enough and moved closer to her. Jeyah noticed that Sawart’s eyes were on her throughout the session.

Gurgini and Fruimuah returned to stand by the pillar after completing their duty.

“Go with the blessings of Fush-urah, pass on the blessing to the people,” said Sawart at the end of the ceremony.

Priestesses stood up and randomly walked out of the court.

Sawart turned her attention to Jeyah and gave her an approving nod. Jeyah then looked at the girls and let out a smile of relief.

Suddenly a red priestess walked up to the sisters.

Portrait of a red priestess

They immediately hid their smiles away and looked at the intimidating lady coming at them.

“Are you new?” she asked Fruimuah.

Fruimuah nodded her head repeatedly but kept her head down without uttering a word. Suddenly, she felt a gentle pat on her shoulder.

“Don't worry, I am sure you will do better next time,” said the red priestess.

Gurgini held her hands tightly while Fruimuah looked at her from the back of the red priestess as she exited the main temple.   

(to be continued...)