As the acolytes passed around the peoples, none of them could excuse or unsee the maiden that looked like she embodied the moon among them. She had an aura that spoke of her grace and even her smile was gentle. Akaya found her more enthralling and when by chance she came by him, he stared longingly at her but said nothing. He knew he mustn't disrupt the ritual. Everyone was quiet and he had to be too.
He could almost smell her flowery scent as she moved past him, it was intoxicating and Akaa found himself raising his head in the air to get a whiff of the maiden's scent. nobody saw him do this but not Fraus., she was watching him closely and she knew the next step to take.
While the chief priestess said some chants , she went round the people of the clan with his acolytes behind her in a straight line. they joined her in the chans and as she called the name of the Luna goddess, they all bowed their heads while the acolytes incensed. the smell of the incense filled the air.
When the ritual was done, the chief priestess and the acolytes packed up and started to move back to the temple as they came in, some other maidens snickered behind them. something about thinking they are better than the rest that would rather choose a partner, but they were jealous still. The chief priestess has always been in charge of choosing an acolyte and because not everyone of the applicants can be, they get sent back to their parents. Those that don't get sent back become an acolyte and thus have a high chance of becoming the chief priestess one day when the current one becomes one of the twinkling stars.
The day was filled with preparations for the next day. The cleansing ritual was only to prepare them and also remind them all that their desires are to be pocketed for the next three days. If only Akaya would rein in the horse in between his legs, maybe Fraus would not think of him as the best choice to ruin the clan of the Luna goddess.
Fraus watched as all they all dispersed but Akaya stayed behind, trying to adjust himself in his loins. he looked around to see if anyone noticed, still looking around and trying to be careful, he looked towards where he knew his parents were but they too had left the place only to see that one person remained. It was then that he locked eyes with Fraus who gave him a seductive look and Akaya knew immediately that he was in trouble.
"You don have to hide it, akaya," Fraus said to him when she came by where he stood. Akaya was embarrassed and almost wished for the ground to swallow him up.
"It's nothing, Fraus. nothing for you to concern yourself with." Akaya replied to her and as he did, he could feel himself go soft by the minute and he was happy about that. Fraus was beautiful but she was also trouble. She looked like she would pass for an acolyte since the Luna goddess liked to make for herself the most beautiful of all the maidens.
Fraus looked down at Akaya and noticed that he was not in any discomfort, she squeezed her face in confusion and wondered if she was not attractive enough for him. She hoped she could keep the fire burning until he was able to get the woman he desired but seeing Akaya's reactions to her presence soiled her mood. she managed to wipe off the annoyance on her face and then looked up at him with a smile on her face, she said, "Oh, well, it's nothing, if you say it is but we both know you want her,"
"Want who?" Akaya asked, feigning innocence.
"We both know who but since you want to pretend, why don't we both do that uh?" Fraus replied to him and in a bid to change the subject, she asked him again, "What exactly are we going to be doing today?"
Akaya was happy about the change in subject , so much that he sighed and started talking excitedly. "Today is all about us getting our body and soul prepared for the triduum festival of the Luna goddess. all lovers would avoid each other for the next three days and even maidens and their suitors will and must not be seen hanging around the same place together. anything that might lead to them soiling their bodies and staining their soul or angering the goddess must be avoided." he kept on explaining and Fraus listened intently like she cared, like she was planning their ultimate demise, like she was not their doom.
"So, what if someone fails and does all those things you are to avoid? what happens then?" Fraus asked curiously.
Akaya scratched his growing scruff and thought hard, he hadn't really given it much thought, he didn't think anything would happen but he didn't dare say that out loud, instead he replied, "I wouldn't know, nobody has ever dared to default. Besides, no one would want to incur the wrath of the goddess. we've heard of some who did and were cast out of the clan into the wild to be devoured by wild animals, maybe that would be their punishment but no one wants to find out, certainly not me,"
Fraus chuckled more to herself than Akaya and then she remembered something, "Didn't you say unmarried maidens are not to be seen with un-partnered males. why then are you here with me?" she asked with a raised brow.
Akaya looked at her and laughed loudly, his laugh was so smooth like honey dipped in sauce. it touched Fraud in places she wished I didn't. she was a goddess and a mere human, a pawn in her game shouldn't affect her so, but he did.
she looked at him like he grew two heads and scoffed, when Akaya saw how she reacted to his laugh, he covered it up with a cough and said, "Well, I knew you were going to say hat and that is why I am leading you to the female camp. and if anything, it is because you don't attract me and are also a stranger. it would be weird to see me losing my tunic for a woman I know nothing about."
Fraus felt embarrassed but she made sure I didn't show. She noticed they stopped at a place that looked like another clan of its own but I was just the camp where females are kept, both married and unmarried.
"I guess this is it, we will see tomorrow when the festival begins." Akaya said to her while she dropped her off to his mother Seraph who dragged Fraus off and chased him away.
Fraus looked back at Akaya as he walked off and thought to herself, 'Hmm… he has a really broad back, if I didn't have plans for him, I would take him myself,' and with that though she smiled wickedly at herself and walked off with the women.