There was one place that Sybella loved to visit after spending her time working in the temple. It was the furthest building from the temple grounds and at the very limit of where she was allowed to go. Not only that but it had some of her favorite animals there which she loved dearly.
This place was the stables.
One would think the stables would have an unpleasant smell, due to it housing animals and the fact that they were located in the middle of the desert, but that was not the case. Although Sybella could smell the distinct odor of food and dung as they got closer, the animals themselves never had a particular scent.
The servants on either side of Sybella intentionally slowed. Sybella could sense their reluctance and it took all she had in order to keep the amusement off her face.
“Are you two all right?” Sybella asked, knowing full well what the answer would be.
“We are fine, high priestess.” One of the servants, May, answered.
“Yes,” The other, Janice, said with a bit more unsureness than her counterpart.
Sybella slowed to a stop. “Would you like to wait out here while I go inside? I promise I will be fine. There is nowhere for me to go, so all will be well.”
The moment the words left her mouth the tension in the two girls’ shoulders released. Soft exhales escaped their mouths. There were hints of a smile in the tone of their sigh. It was palpable and the relief so immediate that Sybella was almost sure the two were on the verge of tears.
“We would like that very much.” May said.
“Yes.” Janice agreed.
Sybella nodded. “Very well. Holler for me when the time comes.”
“Yes, high priestess.” The two answered in unison.
Sybella entered the stables, the few staff that were inside halted what they were doing in order to acknowledge her with words and tapped bows.
The stables housed only one type of animal: a sand serpent.
Since sand serpents were massive creatures, the stables had to adjust to fit their size. Making the stable the second largest building in the vicinity, second only to the temple itself.
The stables, despite its size, could only house up to six sand serpents at a time. Currently they only had three. Spaced apart so that the giant lizards wouldn’t agitate each other on a day-to-day basis given their very dominant personalities. One near the front on the left, the other in the center right and one placed in the very back on the left-hand side.
Of course, Sybella loved to visit the back, whatever the sand serpent may be.
Sybella let her fingers trail across the doors and beams as she walked. Counting her steps as she did so. Rustles of feet dipped out of her way as she passed and slight tremors shook the ground as the serpents moved in their spaces.
Once she reached the end her hand searched for the knob to a man-sized door. An access point to a gate that was three times her size.
As Sybella stepped inside she shot out her hand, reaching out in order to find something to hold onto. Her hand gripped a wooden beam. The ground beneath her feet shook to the point of knocking her over. The sand serpent that was inside moved restlessly and with heavy steps as it made its way to her.
The heat from the sand serpents’ nostrils blew in Sybella’s face, sending her hair every which way. The tip of its nostrils gently pressed against her forehead. She extended her hand and a massive, scaly head, pressed into her palm.
“Lenny, if I’m right?” Sybella said aloud.
The serpent vibrated under her palm as it hummed a loud tune. The vibration of the hum traveled through her hand and jarred her whole body to the point it shook her teeth.
Sybella laughed as she continued to pet the massive, gentle lizard. Explaining her day and going on about what she had dreamed and what she had seen.
After some time had passed the sand serpent suddenly stopped humming and retreated. Sybella crossed her arms over her chest and backed herself into the wall. She strained her ears and listened. Trying to pinpoint where the intruder was or if there were any at all.
A presence materialized near Sybella, close enough to touch her. Body heat from a person much taller than herself moved in close to her.
“Boo!” The voice whispered in her ear.
Sybella covered her shriek with her hands. Her heartbeat rapidly inside her chest. Despite the scare she couldn’t help but smile as she recognized the voice.
“Don’t do that!” Sybella scolded as she swatted her hand in the direction of the voice, landing a hit on an arm. “You know I hate that. I was really scared.”
The voice, which belonged to a man named Baron, laughed with glee. “Do forgive me. It is hard to resist. You look so cute when you are scared.” Baron said.
Sybella smirked. “Such flattery from a man that was appalled when he first saw me.” Sybella said, although she couldn’t stop her cheeks from flushing. She only hoped he didn’t notice.
“That was not how it went and you know it!” Baron said defensively. “I was only stunned to see that the high priestess, the Seer of Nerahah was a Fae. It’s not a usual thing for a Fae to have that kind of ability or for one to be in a position of such power.”
“Say what you want, all I know is that you seemed disgusted by me.” Sybella continued, ignoring his protests.
“Far from the truth,” Baron said, “I actually thought you were incredibly beautiful when I saw you.”
“And now?”
“I think you grow more beautiful each time I see you.”
Sybella lowered her head and grinned. But her smile quickly faded when she remembered who she was talking to.
“When will you go?” Sybella asked. “You have been here for some time now, longer than most nomads. When will you have to travel again?”
Baron fell silent. Sand rustled under Baron’s feet. His body heat grew close then far from Sybella as he shifted from side to side.
Perhaps she shouldn’t have asked? Maybe he didn’t want to talk about it? But no matter what she wanted to know.
Needed to know.
“Soon.” Baron said, his voice unusually serious. “I will have to go soon.”
Her heart quickened in panic but she tried to keep it away from her face. “How soon?”
“Within the next few days.”
Never in her life would Sybella have thought that mere words could break her heart. And yet here she was, torn from the words that fell from Baron’s mouth.
“Do you want to have your future told? You never got to do that when you first saw me.” Sybella said.
Baron chuckled lightly. “Our first meeting was filled with surprises.”
“It was.”
Sybella thought back to when they had first met. The day was like any other. Patrons came in and out, most were not memorable. Many wanted to know if the person they loved would ever love them back. Find out the state of their wealth in the near future. Or how they would die.
Then Baron walked in.
The first thing Sybella had noticed about him was how quiet he was. She couldn’t hear his footsteps no matter how hard she tried. And when she finally did hear him, it was the sound of a gasp when he saw her.
The man muttered excuses and explanations as to why, one of them being his shock and horror at finding out that she was a Fae. Something he should have known if he was a local.
Sybella had been so offended at the way he reacted that she rejected his request before he could ask it.
The next day he returned and he had explained himself. Saying how he was a nomad who had never been to the area up till that point. How he was sorry that he had offended her and that he meant no ill will. Sybella didn’t care for his explanation. The offense was already done and she had him sent away again.
Baron kept returning in order to plead his case but after several more rejections the priests had finally forbidden him from entering the temple at all.
At the time Sybella had thought that was the end of it. But she was very wrong.
Visiting the stables was something she habitually did. And she didn’t know how but Baron ended up finding out about it and had approached her then as he had done now.
In any other case Sybella would have screamed for the servants but she had been so annoyed with his persistence that she allowed him to speak. And spoke they did. For hours until she had to be brought back to the temple. Baron returned the next day in the same spot and they continued to speak.
Before Sybella knew it she found she enjoyed spending time with the weird nomadic man. He was a nice distraction from her usual day, and he seemed to understand her worries, stresses and fears. Something that no one else in the temple seemed to get. And she began to look forward to their talks and time together. Although, in all their time together he never had his future told.
That was several weeks ago and now she was hearing that he would be leaving her soon.
“Perhaps I will have my future told on a later date.” Baron said softly. “I do not want our time together spoiled with work.”
Sybella nodded, appreciating the gesture.
“Is there any way you can stay around for a little while more?” Sybella asked. “Considering you are a nomad, there is no real reason that you would need to leave right away.”
Baron let out a heavy sigh. “I would love to stay but there are things I need to take care of. So, unfortunately I will need to go.”
The two fell into uncomfortable silence. Both unsure of what to say next.
“What about you?” Baron asked.
“What about me?”
“Have you ever considered leaving the temple?”
Sybella laughed then stopped when she realized his question was serious.
“Of course, I have thought about leaving, I want to leave!” Sybella replied. “But that won’t happen. I can’t escape on my own and the priests would never think of letting me go. I am here as their prisoner forever. But it could be worse I suppose.”
“The things they have done in order to keep you here.” Baron muttered.
Sybella reached both hands to her face and touched the edge of her blindfold. Although it covered her eyes it didn’t cover most of her cheek, so a portion of her scars were still exposed. She could still remember how the pain felt when the priests had dripped diluted acid into her eyes. She screamed and squirmed and fought against them but they didn’t stop. Not even when they missed and her cheeks caught the acid like tears of fire. They kept going until the job was done.
“The Sight is a valuable thing,” Sybella said. “But no one ever told me I would be held captive for it. Nor that I would be hurt for it as well. It is valuable and it is a curse.”
“I am sorry for all that you had to go through.” Baron said.
“There is nothing you need to apologize for.
The high-pitched voices of the servants drifted through the stables, calling out Sybella’s name. She turned to Baron and smiled sadly.
“It is time for me to go but I hope I will meet you again before you leave.”
“You will. And don’t lose hope, you may not be a prisoner forever. Who knows, there may be something that comes which will allow you your freedom?”
Sybella let out a dry laugh. “Perhaps, but I would not bet on it. Good day, Baron.”
“Good day, Sybella.”
Sybella left the stables and was returned into the hands of her servants. As she was led to her room she thought about Baron. About his voice and the way, he spoke softly. Of his scent and how he smelled of sandalwood and jasmine. How with each day she met with him the desire to keep him close grew. And the pain she would feel when he would inevitably leave.
Sybella returned to the temple, going through the motions of the rest of the day.
As the night approached Sybella continued to think of the future and how repetitive it would be. The very thought made her dread the morning. And as she lay herself to sleep, she was struck with a thought.
The future didn’t need to be seen for her to know what would happen. Her fate. Her destiny. It was all planned out for her and it would never be shaken.
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