Zion: Light of the New Moon, Ch 3.1, Doen
Zion - Light of the New Moon Chapter 3.1
Doen Get to Da'Cho Pah
Doen receives the bonus Favor point as they got the highest number of votes. The Rakken Sword goes to Taggart! Yay Taggart!
As promised, Lord Parayas provided us sanctuary within the Wayside and the caravan was given leave to remain for three days. Several members of the party I took to rescue the Lordling still had signs of injury after the first night so we elected to stay that following day. All in all, I think the rest was good for the caravan, and all of the combatants were restored to full health by that night. Having come to an arrangement, the leaders of the caravan agreed that we would leave the following morning, and so everyone slowly went their own way to enjoy the last restful night of sleep we'd get for who-knew-how-long.
I had just changed out of my day clothing. Though the robes of a priest were comfortable enough, I was content to get rid of my underclothes, and I had to admit that the Glass Hall had very light-weight, comfortable sleeping shirts. The one that the servants had left for me were for a man larger than I. Like a tunic, a sleeping shirt more normally comes to half-way down the thigh, but in my case the shoulders and sleeves drooped and the shirt terminated past my knees.
The Nightly Prayer, fresh off my lips, was practically still echoing around the bed chamber when I received a knock at my door. "Enter." I gave leave; though many travelers lock their doors at night, I'm told, I realized I never could. As a Priest of the Pregnant Moon it is my duty to serve those in need and address their concerns and frustrations, hear their problems and dilemmas, and to reinvigorate their bodies and spirits. Despite my availability, I was surprised to find any of the waysiders interested in speaking to a priest; they seemed distant and reserved. I was even more surprised to see who my supplicant was.
"Brother Zachary." the Lordling Haldyn bowed his head. In some ways he reminded me of many of the young lion acolytes in the temple, but only by his breed; he was truly a noble unto himself. He wore a burgundy robe with golden threaded seams; I remembered it distinctly because it looked as though the thread truly was spun gold rather than just colored like it.
"Young Master Haldyn." I bowed my head respectfully to him. In truth, I still didn't know all the ways to behave around nobility, but it had served me well up to that point.
"I wanted to see a priest, and we have none here." the lion admitted.
"You have me." I confirmed, "Why are you seeking one of Tah'aveen's servitors?" It was a formal question, one built around years and years of ceremony and emerged from me as surely and as naturally as breathing.
"I need to confess something," the lion acknowledged, taking a seat on a foot stool across from me. "Please." he motioned to my bed and I obligingly took a seat.
"Anything you say to me is in confidence." I confirmed.
"When the bandits captured me, I wasn't out hunting." Haldyn stated. I could tell there was more he wanted to say, but he had stalled.
"You were not hunting?" I repeated, opening the opportunity for him to continue.
"I took four of my father's trusted guards with me because I was too scared to run alone." the young lion's head hung as he lost the ability to look me in the eye. I saw a trail of dampness on his muzzle as the tears followed the line of his nose.
"You were running away?" the words came out neutrally, just as I'd always been instructed during times of confession; I was not there to pass judgment or to accuse... just to facilitate him being able to find release from what weighed him down.
"The life of a Wayside guardian isn't for me, Brother." he looked up again at me. Though I had come to find he was nearly two years my senior, all I saw at that moment was a frightened, helpless cub... he was afraid, and felt that he lacked control.
"You have spoken with your father about this?" I asked, again making certain to keep my voice steady. Empathy is something priests must work to establish, but I found myself easily identifying with Haldyn; we were both supposed to be slaves to what destiny had laid before us.
"No." the young lion lowered his head again.
I reached out and rested a paw on his shoulder; most moments of sharing required understanding, and no one maintaining distance and unfamiliarity would ever hope to accomplish such a thing, "You do not intend to live here your entire life, and you do not know how to change your fate." I paraphrased his unspoken words. The Lordling simply nodded.
"I travel to Zion for the same reason." the words escaped me before I could stifle them. Despite the fact that I told myself time and time again that the entire purpose of the caravan was to cease inaction and find answers but, facing a mirrored reflection of my own life I was unable to hide that my own personal self-interests had a part to play in my decision.
Haldyn blinked, a strange air of comfort washed over him, "You aren't lying, are you?" he asked. His eyes gained a hard aspect to them, not of someone falling back behind their defenses, but of someone who is newly fortified in a decision, or a course of direction. It was good to see.
I shook my head, "No." I confirmed, "I think everyone should be free to make of life what they will, so long as it doesn't come to harm or detract from the life of another." it was a thought posed in Brother Bronderson's book, and I'd always found it relevant... even more so at that moment.
"My future position controls my life." he noted, and I could tell that he had changed his tone from one of admission and confession to one of venting and frustration. I was comfortable enough with addressing that as well; a Priest of Doen must sometimes be there to help the Moon Goddess' followers release their stress, "Everything is laid out for me... all my decisions are made."
"There are those in life who would desire their path being chosen for them..." I pointed out, "You are not one of them?"
"Org-balls, no!" he cursed, flicking the side of the stool in frustration, "Do you know that father won't let me so much as talk to a girl alone? I have to have an advisor at all times, monitoring what I say or imply, or what I promise or suggest..." he let out a sigh, the anger starting to dissipate as he came to the main point, "He's afraid I'll sire a bastard."
"Perhaps he's just protecting you?" I offered an alternate viewpoint.
"Protecting the bloodline... and the family name, maybe." Haldyn stated, "If he were THAT worried about bastards then he should just let me court some of the younger boys."
"That would solve the problem if he were worried about bastards." I agreed.
The lion sighed, rubbing the wetness from his muzzle, "Thank you for listening, Brother Zachary... I... there's... I can't talk to anyone around here about this kind of stuff."
"That is what we are here for, Haldyn." I smiled.
"I..." there was just a moment's hesitation in the Lordling's voice, "I've never spent any time with a priest or priestess of Doen."
"Now you can say that you have." I noted calmly, gently stroking his shoulder.
"Not as much time as I would like." he countered, and loosened the belt on his robe; he wore nothing beneath.
Priests and Priestesses of Doen are charged with looking after the welfare of the faithful. We listen to them when they need to speak and we provide them a shoulder on which to shed tears when they need to cry. We provide gentle paws to touch and hold when they have no one who can and, when they can take no more time alone, we show them that there are others with whom to share themselves. There was nothing that I didn't do for Lordling Haldyn Rakken that night.
I awoke in the morning with him still in my bed. It was a strange feeling: awakening in the arms of another. Since the caravan began I had not seen to all of the aspects of my duties as a Priest. I had assumed that things would continue as they had in the temple, but I never realized just how much time I'd have filled with the many different elements involved with seeing to a caravan. I found all aspects of the trip fulfilling and it only reinforced the words I'd read in Brother Bronderson's manuscript; there are things we do as Priests and Priestess for the good of the congregation, but we should not let them master us and fill our whole lives.
Haldyn stirred behind me and his paw slid through the fur on my back, "Goddess... you're everything the stories said."
"I am a Priest of Doen." I confirmed, glancing back at him, "We cannot serve our people if we do not understand how to address every need."
"I don't want this to sound strange, or anything..." the Lordling's eyes glanced away and he cleared his throat, "But... you're beautiful... and... and I was able to forget you were even not a lady." I could tell the admission made him uncomfortable; I'd met many men who felt that way.
"It isn't strange at all." I explained with a smile, slowly standing. I began to stretch every muscle in my body, a morning work-out that had always served me well after spending a night with one of the faithful in need. I spoke to him as I did so, "I was able to feel what you needed; it is a gift from the Goddess. I can't become a female, but I can still try to be what you need."
"It's just..." Haldyn paused, eyes squinting and getting a far-off-look as he tried to put it into words, "You're soft... and smooth... your body curves in all the right ways... and... and..." he paused, then looked up at me, "I don't really like guys." he stated. I laughed despite myself.
"The Priests and Priestess of Doen do not identify ourselves by sex when we spend time with our supplicants." I explained, grabbing my traveling robe as I stretched, "Perhaps it helps as we see ourselves as whatever the one we're with needs the most." I looked back to him, smiling as I buttoned up my clothing and fastened my belt, "Does that make sense?"
Haldyn ran a paw through his mane, "It wouldn't have if we hadn't had last night." and he stood, "So... what now?" he asked, once again uncertain.
"I offer you a blessing in the name of Tah'Aveen, and wish you happiness and fulfillment." I answered calmly.
"That's.... it?" he asked.
"That's it." I smiled.
Something seemed to click for the lion at that point, and a satisfied, content smile spread across his muzzle, "Thank you, Brother Zachary." he noted, and grabbed his robe.
"You're welcome, Lordling Haldyn." I acknowledged and, with that, he donned the robe and left.
I joined the caravan a half an hour later. Everyone was already gathered together and all of the equipment was packed. The final preparations for departure were being completed, and yet everyone stopped to take the time to greet me in unison when I made my presence known. Their formal greeting was easy enough to answer in kind, and I made my way to the temple wagon.
Ahead of me I saw Jasper and Zeke on the mounts talking quietly among one another. Zeke glanced nervously over his shoulder and casually trotted further down the line after saying what I assume was a farewell to Jasper. The rat trotted his mount back around and came over to greet me, "Good morning, Brother."
"Hello, Jasper." I nodded in greeting, "Are you ready to leave?"
"Very ready." the rat confirmed, "I had a great night of rest and relaxation... well... relaxation followed by rest, if you get my meaning." Jasper winked.
"The rhino again, or someone else?" I inquired, patiently playing the priestly game of kiss-and-tell... many parishioners enjoyed it because they could share conquests appropriately with the clergy.
"The rhino... Lagras." Jasper's tail curled around the saddle horn in front of him.
"You don't appear as sore today." I observed.
"Well... when we first got here I let him go first, but it's not fair unless he's willing to reciprocate, am I right?" the rat's whiskers twitched in a wide smirk.
"As you say." I acknowledged patiently, "If you will excuse me." I offered in polite parting, catching sight of Mr Flynn at his wagon.
"Mr Flynn!" I called, strolling over to greet the ferret.
"Yes, Brother Zachary?" the merchant inquired, "Do you need some ointment after last night's activities?"
I paused at his question. "I'm sorry?" I asked.
"Never mind." the ferret waved the thought away, "How may I serve you, your holiness?" he bowed deeply.
"Brother Zachary is fine." I corrected him, "I just wanted to thank you for your help in saving Lordling Haldyn... we couldn't have done it without you." I rested a paw on his shoulder, "You performed above and beyond the call of a merchant."
"Interesting things happen when presented with the opportunity." the ferret grinned wide; he grinned very wide.
"As you say." I nodded, feeling a little uneasy about his strange behavior. Thinking little else of it, I returned to the temple's wagon and hopped up to the driver's bench; I didn't want to stay inside the entire time-- it is a priest's duty to be seen.
"Morning." Narissa noted, climbing up to join me at the head of the carriage.
"Good morning." I responded with a smile, slowly smoothing back my ears as I pulled out a band to lace them together (letting your ears stay free while you're on a moving vehicle is uncomfortable to say the least), "With both of us up here where will the driver--" and then I saw her pick up the reigns, "I didn't know you knew how to drive a carriage."
"Don't believe all the rumors," she smiled, "Not all women are horrible drivers." and, with that, we were on our way.
Our first break that day was several hours and many miles down the Highway. Taggart was making the rounds with several platters of drinks, but he took the time to come over to me, "Hello, Brother Zachary. You're looking well today." his smile was genuine; it always was.
"Thank you, Taggart...you too." I returned the smile, then paused, "Is that a sword?" I noticed the weapon sheath attached to his belt as he turned to offer a drink to Hearthsinger.
"It is!" the dog noted, tail wagging, "Lordling Haldyn gave it to me as a thank you for aiding in his rescue."
I beamed when I heard the news, "Congratulations! It's always a joy to receive recognition for a job well done."
The waiter nodded, "I agree." he offered me a drink and I accepted, "I hope you're receiving the thanks from everyone that you deserve."
I waved the comment away, "I'm a Priest, Taggart... it's expected... but I appreciate the thought." Taking a sip, I glanced back to Dillan, who was watching me like a hawk. To distract myself I looked back to the waiter, "So... when did the Lordling gift you the sword? WAs it sometime yesterday, or right before we left?"
"About twenty minutes ago." the dog responded casually. The comment made me freeze. Slowly glancing back to the ferret I saw that he was talking with Haldyn Rakken, who was leaning out of the carriage looking my way. The lion waved. I waved back... and excused myself from Taggart so I could freak out in private.
* * * * * *
The Doen Caravan leaves the Wayside and continues toward Zion.
The first part of Chapter 3 presents the group's first decision for this event arc.
This chapter starts off with a bang (pun intended) and presents contributing readers with an important question:
1) Lordling Haldyn Rakken is following the caravan with his father's permission, joining them for a few days until they're safely beyond the Wayside. (free option that provides the group some assistance for this chapter)
2) The lordling stowed away with Dillan's permission in another bid for freedom and has decided to join the caravan as another skilled swordsman. (Haldyn becomes a permanent member of the group and gains an Ally status). This option will cost the group 1 Luck.
3) As option 2, but contributing readers may bid Willpower to gain Haldyn as their specific ally. Taggart, Dillan, and Zachary automatically get +1 willpower above anything they bid after their 1st point.
Contributing Readers, make sure you make your vote before midnight (pst) on Thursday, July 14th.
Please note, this chapter marked adult due to the off-screen interaction between Zachary and Haldyn Rakken. This was edited out due to Fur Affinity's guideline on underage characters. Zachary is sixteen, and though it IS permissable in Doen's society, it isn't in most of ours, so I'd rather play it on the safe side and not include it with the story.
Doen won the vote for the bonus Faith for Chapter 2. Congratulations!
PS: Just to play to the crowd I will present an intra-chapter post detailing all the 'smutty specifics' as a blatant bribe for anyone interested in the m/m scene if people would like to post some Doen pictures. If readers post 5 pics by Friday the 15th involving Doen characters, events in the Doen storyline, or even Doen story locations then I will post a several-page story involving Zachary and Haldyn on SF and provide a link to it off of this post. That is all.