The rite of ancestor worship was one of the most important events for the faithful. During this period of time, the Holy Father of the Central Shrine personally visited most of the temples throughout the empire.
As the name implied, the ritual was reserved for prayers for the dead. Followers of the religion believed that the well-being of the deceased in the afterlife depended on prayers and sacrifices made, and those who observed the rituals were assured of favor with the gods. People came to the temple to pray for the souls of their relatives and loved ones.
This event was held every four years, and in the old days thousands of people flocked to the temple, so that there was nowhere for the berry to fall. In the current realities, of course, this was far from the case.....
However, even though the number of believers was rapidly decreasing every year, the religious community adhered to its traditions, and the Holy Father personally traveled the empire and held services in almost every temple. Before, Remesis had never imagined that she would ever have to attend such an event.
Just as Remesis didn't believe in astrology, she didn't follow any religion either. The girl always believed that the fate of a person is primarily in his hands. As they say, «hope in God, but do not fail yourself.
Both these organizations were not to Remesis' liking. But, unlike the astrological order, the temple still had some conscience. At least, they did not demand money from people for their rites and rituals. Therefore, choosing the lesser of two evils, the girl preferred the temple. Though she recognized that the «holy men» were far from perfect.
Despite the fact that the North occupied a huge part of the territory of the empire, there was only one temple built here. And there was not a single astrological tower. After the emperor abandoned the northern region to its fate, the order didn't stay here for long either. Apparently, they had nothing to do in such barren lands.
Thus, only a temple remained in the north. There used to be several, but in recent years almost all of them have been smashed and plundered. Because of this, the last functioning cathedral was left only in the capital. That was where the Holy Father was going to come to conduct the service.
The Holy Father traveled around the empire for a month, and during that time he visited about several dozen temples. In this list, the temple in the northern capital was predictably last. Normally, many major lords would also visit the temple during this event. Lo and behold, the North Fortress had received a corresponding letter of offer.
And Remesis was going to reply with an agreement.
— Tell her that I will attend the service.
The knight was a little surprised.
— R-really?
— What's the big deal? I'm a believer too, after all.
«At least I'm willing to be one from now on.»
Hannes blinked for a few seconds. Then he slowly said:
— Your Highness, the North has never had a good relationship with the Temple. Or rather, they never had any at all… So if you come to the ceremony, people will think that you support them.
— And what's wrong with that?
— Ah… Well… — the knight hesitated, — And if they find out about it in the capital?
— I don't care.
Remesis shrugged.
Perhaps Hannes' fears were not in vain. The confrontation between the Astrological Order and the Temple had been going on for several hundred years. And the former were obviously at the very top now. The temple, on the other hand, was not going through the best of times. In such a situation, taking one side was like openly declaring that you did not support the policies of the other.
And with the current situation in the country, it was quite risky. All the powerful families, including the emperor, favored the astrological order. Supporting the temple right now was not favorable at all. The knight worried that the North might fall into even more disfavor with the rest of the empire because of this decision.
Remesis, however, did not care about that. She saw no real threat in the knight's concerns.
«Is there any point in groveling before these dogs when we're already at rock bottom?»
Even if her life depended on it, the girl swore she would never support the Astrological Order. Better to make an alliance with the temple.
When Hannes realized the seriousness of the princess's intentions, he only sighed. «Her Highness seems to be a perceptive person. I think she knows what she's doing.»
— Good. Then I'll convey your answer to the temple.
The knight withdrew, while Remesis was in a bit of anticipation. «Holy Father. A man I have never met before. I wonder what he's like?»
***
The Holy Father's visit to the northern capital was scheduled for the following week. Remezis spent the rest of the time preparing for his arrival and taking care of the current affairs at the castle.
Their daily routine with the princess was as follows.
Remesis would get up early in the morning, before the sun had even risen above the horizon. Then she would wake Asil, who, on the other hand, tried to stay in bed until the last possible moment. The girl would pull her by her arms and legs, cooing: «Your Highness, it's time for you to get up! It's morning!» This whole process took about half an hour. After which, a white face with silver hair finally peeked out from under the blanket.
The princess, extremely dissatisfied, went to breakfast, and after the meal her mood improved noticeably.
Remesis would then work in the study, and Asil, encouraged with a full stomach, would do her writing assignments in the same room. This was how they spent almost every day.
Asil followed Remesis everywhere, just like a chicken following a chicken. Even taking a bath, she always wanted to go with her. It wasn't long before the girl managed to wean her from this habit with difficulty. «Your highness, you're an adult now. You should be able to do such things on your own.» At the very least, there were maids available for that purpose. But Asil didn't want to be washed by a stranger. So, albeit with much disapproval, she began to wash herself after all.
They spent all their time together and even slept in the same bed at night. Only occasionally did they have to be apart, when Asil went hunting with the scouting party and spent the whole day there. She would return in the evening, and if she was lucky, with a fresh carcass.
There were not many animals left in the surrounding forests. The locals had caught them all long ago, trying to save themselves from starvation. The monsters were also not averse to venison or rabbit meat in the absence of human meat. So if Asil managed to return with a catch, it was a feast.
Today she had returned from the hunt as well.
The princess's axe, which she liked to use more than crossbow and arrows, was stained with dark blood. The guardsmen were carrying the carcass of an adult deer on a sled. The carcass of an innocent animal brought out conflicting feelings in Remesis every time. But she was used to it by now.
The girl knew well that it could not be otherwise in the north.
— Your Highness, — reported the head of intelligence, — in addition to this reindeer, there are three of her cubs. What should we do with them?
Since Remesis acted like a more mature adult, the knights were accustomed to addressing her on such matters.
— Are they still alive?
— I will answer the princess. No… Her Highness killed them as well. But it's for the best. Without a mother, these cubs wouldn't have lasted long either.
Remesis picked up the folds of her dress.
— Yes, you're right… In that case, distribute the meat to the guardsmen who participated in the hunt. They have done a good job.
— It will be done, Your Highness!
Remesis sighed. So, they would have venison for dinner tonight. She should have been happy that they had food at all. Such were the thoughts the girl used to comfort herself with as she closed her eyes to another brutal scene of carnage against other living creatures.
The cook of the northern castle had prepared venison with a dressing of salt and spices. There was no garnish, of course, but the girl was already glad that the meat was at least salted. She and Asil sat at a table in the dilapidated dining hall, and Remesis watched the princess sink her teeth into the meat. She didn't know how to use cutlery. Remesis, contemplating this, only mentally added to the list in her head of what else she should be taught.
— Your Highness, how was your day today?
Even though Asil didn't care, Remesis was still uncomfortable eating dinner in complete silence. She filled that time with appropriate conversations for such occasions. It also helped them bond a little bit each day.
— Normal.
Asil replied without taking her eyes off her food.
— Was everything okay on the hunt?
— Uh… Yes.
Although thanks to Remesis' training, the princess was getting better at putting words into sentences, she still liked silence more than talking. So considering that she didn't make a sound most of the time, Remesis was happy with these few wordy answers as well.
Remesis sighed, getting ready to start eating as well. Before touching it, the girl remembered to pierce the meat with a needle beforehand. Making sure that the needle remained silver and had not darkened, she was satisfied. Remesis did this procedure every time before she drank or ate anything. Just in case.
Asil, meanwhile, took her eyes off the food for the first time and looked at her.
— What about you?
— What?
— How was your day?
Remesis hesitated for a moment.
— Nothing much, really. Worked like always…
Asil didn't usually ask about her business, so she was a little surprised. There was that look again. Every time Remesis caught it on her, she felt uncomfortable. But as usual, it soon dissipated behind her usual expression.
Asil was silent for a while before pouncing on the venison again as if nothing had happened.
— I see.
The princess concentrated on devouring her food. Remesis was able to relax. «And yet… Why do I feel like this?»
They went to bed at about the same time in the evening. Although Remesis and Asil shared the same bed, they hardly ever «crossed paths» when they slept, because there was plenty of space. They slept on different sides of the bed.
Remesis brushed her hair and did all of her nightly routines. Even as she fell asleep, her mind continued to swarm with plans of things to do.
Remesis extinguished the lamp and got into bed. She pulled the blanket up to her chin, for it was especially cold at night in the northern castle. The girl closed her eyelids and, exhausted after another hard day, quickly fell asleep.
A rustle was heard in the darkness next to her.
Asil looked at it for a long time, as usual. A very long time. Before closing her eyes and falling asleep too.
***
Chapter 22 is already available on Boosty: https://boosty.to/meredit