The next day, a huge crowd gathered at the temple. The Lord of the Land and his daughter stood on top of a tall stone platform, with all their attendants standing behind them. They were surrounded by soldiers in full armor. The entire town was there to watch them. Everyone who had seen what happened between Vina and her father wanted to see how she'd respond.

Vina appeared on the platform wearing a simple dress made of white cloth dyed with vegetable dyes. Her hair was tied up in a single plait and she wore no jewelry. There wasn't even a crown atop her head. She looked like an ordinary village girl but for the confidence in her posture, which suggested that she was one of the most powerful people present.

The Lord of the Land stood beside his daughter. He wore a heavy robe over his armor. His bodyguards stood behind him, one on each side. The guards were dressed in the same manner as their master, though they did not have any weapons drawn. Their hands rested lightly on the hilts of swords stuck into leather scabbards slung across their backs. They gave off the impression that they would attack if necessary, but only after great deliberation. The lord's daughter took the opportunity to look around, examining everyone there. Many of the faces that greeted her were familiar: farmers and merchants, craftsmen and warriors. A few of the more prominent citizens were also there, including the mayor and the guildmaster of the Adventurers Guild.

As Vina surveyed the crowd, she caught sight of the man who had asked her about the gods the night before. He stood to the left side of the stage where the crowd was thinner. He didn't speak to anyone. Instead, he simply watched her.

She glanced at him once or twice, then looked away.

"My Lords," said the Lord of the Land. "I'm honored by your presence here today. I hope you've all enjoyed the festival."

His voice boomed through the temple. Most of the crowd clapped. The sound echoed off the surrounding buildings and bounced back to the platform.

"It is my honor to welcome Lady Vina to our community. Today marks the first time she has been able to return home since becoming a priestess of the Sun Goddess. But it will also be the last. For this evening, we celebrate her return and mourn the fact that she will soon leave us again. We wish her well in her journey back home, wherever that may take her."

A round of applause filled the air. Some people began to sing songs praising the goddess. Others wept openly. Vina's eyes were fixed straight ahead. She watched the crowd until her father finished speaking. Then she turned to face the Lord of the Land.

He smiled down at her. "You're going to make me cry too, aren't you?"

She nodded. "Yes, Father. You'll need to find someone else to carry on the family business."

"Don't say things like that! It makes me sad."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Well, don't apologize too much. This is exactly what I wanted for you. I knew you'd succeed if given a chance."

Vina raised an eyebrow. "Did you really think I'd fail? Isn't that why you allowed me to become a priestess?"

He shook his head. "No, not at all. In fact, I always hoped you could do better than that."

"What are you talking about?"

He laughed softly. "Come now, Daughter. Have some faith in yourself."

She considered that for a moment. He was right—she did have faith in herself. But she couldn't help wondering whether he truly believed that she would accomplish the impossible. "Thank you," she said.

"Now, I must ask you to forgive me. I realize that many people have traveled a long way to attend this ceremony. As such, I'm afraid this will be cut short. Please follow me to the dining hall so we can begin the feast."

"Yes, sir."

The Lord of the Land gestured toward the guards. "We'll escort you to the dining hall. And please, do try to stay out of trouble."

They followed the guards to the dining room. The crowd broke up once they arrived. Once they were inside, the guards closed the doors and removed the bars that had kept the public out. The guests were seated at long tables. Vina sat next to the Lord of the Land. He ordered food from the serving staff and poured her a glass of wine. They ate without saying anything.

After dinner, Vina helped clear the table. When she finished, the Lord of the Land led her to a small room in one of the temples. He locked the door behind them. Vina waited nervously while he rummaged through a drawer in his desk. Finally, he produced two items: a small wooden box and a copper key.

"This box contains all of my personal effects. Everything of value, anyway. The key opens a secret compartment in the wall. If you ever get lost on your quest, you can use this box to store everything you own. Just remember that it's not safe to go back to the village, and that it's best not to return unless you know you can trust the people there. I've already instructed everyone in the community to keep this information a secret."

"How will I explain the contents of the box to the other villagers?"

"That's up to you. I suppose you could tell them that whatever is in the box belongs to the goddess, if you think it would convince them to stay quiet. Or perhaps you could just explain that you need to keep it hidden because it's dangerous."

Vina hesitated. She liked the idea of keeping the contents of the box a secret, but she realized that she might not be strong enough to lie about it.

"Whatever you decide, I want you to know that I'm proud of you. Go on and achieve your dream. I'll be waiting for you when you come back."

He placed the box in her hands and handed her the key. "Good luck, Daughter. May the sun shine brightly upon you!"

He opened the door and stepped outside. Before she could say goodbye, Vina heard footsteps running toward her. The Lord of the Land poked his head inside and waved. "Please wait for me. There's something I forgot to give you."

A guard entered the room and tried to grab her arm. "Hold on there, missy. Don't move."

Vina froze. What was happening? Why was she being arrested?

The guard shoved past her and ran out of the room. He shouted something unintelligible to the Lord of the Land. Vina listened closely, trying to make sense of what he said. After a few moments, she realized that he was telling the Lord of the Land that she should hurry.

The Lord of the Land seemed confused. He started to chase the guard, but another guard grabbed him and pulled him back. The lord cursed loudly.

"What's wrong?" asked Vina.

Her father shook his head. "Nothing. Come with me, Daughter."

Together, they hurried toward the door. The guards escorted them out of the building and into the streets. There were more people in town now, watching as they passed. People walked along the road, heading to their homes. The Lord of the Land led Vina to the edge of the city. From there, they climbed onto a large stone platform overlooking the valley. It felt like they were on the top of the world.

Vina jumped off the platform. The ground rushed up to meet her feet.

***

"It's been a while since I've had to climb that high," said Vina.

The Lord of the Land looked up. "I thought you didn't like heights."

"I don't. But I've never fallen from this high before."

The Lord of the Land smiled. "Why did you choose to come here?"

Vina shrugged. "To see if I could. My father told me that the view from the top would be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. But now that I'm actually here, I think it's the most terrifying. I'd rather sit down and look at the valley from the safety of my room."

The Lord of the Land laughed. "So you're scared of falling, but not afraid of heights?"

"Of course I'm afraid of falling. But it doesn't mean I can't climb this mountain."

He chuckled again. "Well, here we are. Let's find somewhere to set up camp and get some rest."

After setting up camp, the two of them sat down to eat. "Are you really leaving tomorrow morning?" asked the Lord of the Land.

"Yes."

"There's still plenty of time to pack. Do you want me to help you?"

"Yes, thank you."

He smiled. "But I don't know how to pack for a journey like this."

"Then I'll help you."

"I don't know if that's a good idea. I don't know what you'll need."

Vina nodded. "I understand. But I promise that whatever you need, I'll bring it with me."

He sighed. "All right."

"Is there anything else I need to prepare?"

"Yes. As a member of the Adventurers Guild, I'm sure you know how important it is to bring a weapon along on your expedition. But you should also consider packing several healing potions.