TGS - Chapter 43
Chapter 43: Destined
The city of Yilulaila was bathed in the gentle light of dawn. The industrious people of Solancia had already risen early, stepping out of their homes to begin a new day.
Taiyi stood anxiously outside the door, her head bowed and eyes lowered, waiting for the person inside the room to emerge.
Taiyi was the daughter of a female official in the city lord's manor. Seeing that she was of a similar age to the princess, the lord had assigned her to serve Her Highness. Her duties included not only those of a handmaiden but also acting as Alyuin's guide in Yilulaila.
However, Taiyi had heard a few rumors about the princess.
Cold, unapproachable, a god of slaughter on the battlefield—though her victims were the Sanur, the thought of a girl her own age with hands already stained in blood made Taiyi feel an involuntary sense of fear and awe.
She wondered what kind of person this princess would be.
The sun had been in the sky for some time, yet there was still no sound from the room. Perhaps the princess had not yet woken. After all, she had only arrived the day before; it was only natural that she would sleep a little longer after her long journey.
As Taiyi was lost in thought, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching. She turned to see a young woman in practical attire and tall boots walking toward her.
Seeing her standing by the door, the stunningly beautiful, golden-eyed young woman asked coolly, "What are you doing here?"
Taiyi replied cautiously, "The city lord sent me to serve Her Highness the Princess."
The young woman nodded and asked no more questions. She walked past Taiyi and pushed the door open, though not all the way, as if to prevent outsiders from seeing inside. In a flash, she slipped through the doorway.
The door snapped shut in front of Taiyi's eyes.
Taiyi stood there, stunned. Someone had just barged into the princess's room. Should she call the guards?
Before she could react, however, the door opened again. The young woman from before emerged, walking side by side with a young, black-haired woman. Both were smiling, especially the golden-eyed girl, whose radiant smile made her seem like a completely different person from before.
Taiyi was speechless.
In an instant, the scene replayed in her mind and everything clicked into place. Those golden eyes seemed to match the descriptions from the rumors. Taiyi suddenly realized that the young woman who had just entered the room was Princess Alyuin.
Like a professional handmaiden, Taiyi immediately curtsied. "Greetings, Your Highness. I failed to recognize you earlier. Please forgive my breach of etiquette and my offense."
Alyuin said nonchalantly, "It's fine. You don't need to follow us."
Taiyi was at a loss. "But the city lord instructed me to..."
"I'm not accustomed to being waited on," Alyuin cut in.
Taiyi finished her sentence, "...act as your guide."
The princess's brow furrowed. Just as she was about to say that she didn't need a guide either, Lotus, who was beside her, spoke up. "In that case, would you please take us to the temple of the River Goddess?"
Taiyi quickly agreed. "Of course!"
As a native of Yilulaila, she could find her way to the main temple with her eyes closed, so guiding them was no trouble at all. But as they walked, a detail she had overlooked suddenly came to mind.
She had been standing guard outside the room prepared for Her Highness. Why, then, had this woman, whom the princess called "teacher," emerged from that very room?
Whether she had spent the night with the princess or the princess had given up her own room for her, something seemed amiss.
The young handmaiden was lost in a tangle of confusion.
Lotus walked beside Alyuin, aware of a furtive gaze coming from ahead of them. The look held no malice, only confusion, curiosity, and hesitation, so she paid it no mind.
Lotus might not have minded, but Alyuin certainly did.
It was frustrating enough not to be able to stroll alone with her goddess. Now, this guide kept glancing back, thinking she was being subtle. To someone as perceptive as Alyuin, such stares were incredibly vexing.
When they finally reached the temple, Alyuin subtly tried to dismiss the girl. "Thank you for bringing us here. We won't trouble you any further."
Taiyi was flattered and waved her hands in dismissal. "It is my duty, Your Highness. Please think nothing of it."
Considering that Her Highness truly seemed to dislike being followed, Taiyi tactfully curtsied. "I will wait here for you both."
The strange thoughts from before still lingered in her mind, and Taiyi stole another glance at Lotus.
Alyuin was speechless.
She took the goddess's wrist and led her through the temple gates.
As the center of worship for the Goddess of the Yilu River, the temple in Yilulaila was clearly on a much grander scale than the one in Kadera.
Relief-carved stone pillars supported a colonnade that encircled a courtyard. Every dozen steps or so stood a statue of one or two women, their expressions carved with lifelike detail.
Some were depicted laughing and talking, others dancing, and still others playing music. A few faced the sacrificial chamber, bowing in reverence. All of them had butterfly- or bee-shaped wings on their backs, clearly the fairies and sprites of legend who served to please the gods.
The Yilu River flowed through the temple, dividing it in two.
They walked a few steps along the river before Alyuin realized her own abruptness and slowed her pace.
Lotus didn't notice the princess's strange behavior; she was gazing at the shadowy form of the statue within the sacrificial chamber.
The statue in the Kadera temple had been life-sized, but this one in Yilulaila was a full two stories tall. To accommodate it, the sacrificial chamber had also been built to be lofty and spacious.
The ancient Solancians believed that statues were incarnations of the gods and could not be exposed to the wind and sun, or the frost and rain. Therefore, no matter how tall a statue was, it had to be placed indoors.
It sounded a bit strange, but when one considered that they also offered three meals a day to the gods' statues, it no longer seemed so peculiar.
Just then, an old woman leaning on a cane emerged from the sacrificial chamber. She was dressed in the high-ranking robes of a priestess. Though her back was slightly stooped and her steps were unsteady, she still possessed a solemn dignity that set her apart from ordinary people. She was clearly the head priestess of this temple.
Surprised to see two unfamiliar faces, the old priestess paused before slowly making her way toward them. "Is this your first time here?" she asked politely.
Alyuin nodded. "It is."
"Oh..." The old priestess studied her carefully, as if her eyesight were poor and she was straining to see clearly. Then, she smiled. "So, it is Her Highness the Princess."
Alyuin had not yet announced her identity, yet the priestess had guessed correctly. A look of surprise involuntarily crossed her face.
The old priestess had no intention of keeping her in suspense. She looked at the princess with a kindly expression and said, "When you were just born, I traveled to Akhet to offer a blessing for you. But I imagine you wouldn't know that."
The old priestess then turned to Lotus. "And how should I address this young lady?"
"Lorja," Lotus said, pausing before adding, "I am Alyuin's teacher."
When walking beside the princess, Lotus was usually overlooked by others. It was only when they noticed Alyuin's exceptionally respectful and intimate manner toward her that they would venture to ask about her identity.
The old priestess was clearly an exception.
Since they were at the temple, it would have been improper not to enter the sacrificial chamber to pay respects to the statue.
In the old priestess's presence, Lotus couldn't just stand there idly. She had no choice but to bow her head to her own statue and feign prayer.
In truth, she should have come in her spiritual form, not only to avoid the awkwardness of worshiping herself, but also for freedom of movement. She had a feeling there was something about this statue worth investigating.
The towering statue only bore about an eighty percent resemblance to Lotus's actual face. She wondered how distorted the statues in more distant temples might have become.
After making her obeisance, Lotus turned her head and glanced to the side.
Alyuin was looking at her, her eyes crinkling in a smile and the corners of her lips turned up. A soft chuckle escaped her throat.
It seemed the sight of a goddess bowing to her own statue had struck her as hilarious. Confident that the elderly priestess couldn't hear, she let out an unrestrained laugh.
Lotus helplessly mouthed at her, Stop laughing.
The princess's smile only grew more brilliant.
When the old priestess finished murmuring to the statue and turned to look at them, they both lowered their heads in unison, appearing perfectly serious and solemn.
The old priestess was kind and patient, leading the two on a slow tour of the temple.
The temples of Solancia were pinnacles of architecture and art. Every man-made object within would undoubtedly be considered a priceless treasure in later ages.
Along the way, Lotus played the part of a serene observer, watching as the princess conversed with the old priestess.
Never pass up an opportunity to win over a potential ally—this was one of the fundamental principles the exiled princess lived by.
The old priestess was clearly very impressed with the princess.
"Speaking of which, I heard a rumor," the old priestess said. "It was in Digebia, was it not? That the goddess's messenger brought you a snowtu flower in the middle of winter, a symbol of divine favor."
Alyuin replied, "Such an event did occur, but as for the goddess's true will, I cannot claim to know it."
The old priestess's gaze grew even more benevolent. "So it is true," she said with feeling. "Destiny has decreed that you would become a follower of the goddess."
Alyuin was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
"You must know that people worship different gods. Some families invite a priest when a child is born to determine which deity is most compatible with the newborn, based on the date of birth and the parents' names. This serves as a reference when choosing a faith."
Alyuin nodded. "I am familiar with the custom."
Commoners and even some nobles were fond of having priests determine the most suitable deity for their children. The royal family, however, mostly worshiped the God of Sky and Wind. With the exception of the king's eldest daughter, who was destined to become a priestess of the Sun God, it was rare for anyone of royal blood to worship another deity.
Therefore, this practice was rarely given much thought within the royal family.
At this thought, Alyuin's eyes widened slightly. "Did I undergo such a calculation as well?"
The old priestess smiled, her expression nostalgic. "At the time, the priest summoned by the former king determined that your destiny was more closely aligned with the goddess. Although tradition dictated that you could not easily change your faith, the former king still summoned me to Akhet to offer a blessing for you in the goddess's name."
The old priestess had never forgotten those brilliant golden eyes, so clear and splendid.
The reflection of the head priestess's amulet in the newborn's eyes had moved her to her very core. As she offered the blessing, she'd even had the premonition that she was witnessing a destiny unfold.
And now, for whatever reason, the princess's faith had ultimately come to rest with the goddess of the Yilu River.
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