((Sorry for the delay NightRose. Weekends are bad days for me to post from a comp since my little bro is on usually and all.))
Giselle shrugged, unsure herself, but now that she thought back on it, she could have sworn to her patron goddess that she had seen one of the knights had blonde hair that didn't hang very far past his shoulders. It could have been anyone, but....no, it couldn't have been him. "I don't know, but I am wondering if maybe they were heading elsewhere and had to resupply first? Maybe they ran into the same trouble we did for all I know." If so, it would have served them right since they willfully followed Leon and his malicious power games for world domination. For now, they rode on, stopping for a half hour to eat some food and to let the horses rest before moving on. By the time the night was starting to come on heavily, the moon full in the sky, Giselle's sharp elven eyes finally saw Neria's stone temple. "There is our destination Rose. Neria's temple, or as she likes to call it, her Sacred Temple of Passion and Desire. Why such a name, you'll find out soon enough."
Stopping her horse for a moment though, Giselle turned to Rose, wanting to give her a little sound advice before they went in to see her. "Neria herself is a wonderful person, always willing to help those in need, no matter what side they are on. Even Leon, for all his evil intentions, understands how powerful a being she is and wouldn't dare to touch her or those that follow her ways. Even so, it's not Neria I stopped to warn you about. Neria I trust with my life, and would forever do so no matter what happens. Some of her followers on the other hand, I'd be wary of only because it's rumored that some orders of Sacred Prostitutes work to gain political favor and information, and they are quite skilled at getting that information during and after an intimate session, and they use it for their own advantages. I don't know if that's true here, but I wanted to warn you just in case anyway."
Having said her peace, Giselle led the way to the stone temple that overlooked a village not two miles away, as well as the mountains to the south of them, although the mountains themselves were still many days away. The fact they could be seen in the waning light meant they were huge, bigger than anything Rose had seen before today. "The mountain border is still several days away, but we are close to Celestial lands. Those mountains are commonly called Dragonteeth Mountains because of their resemblance to a dragon's bottom jaws and its countless peaks resembling the teeth such a creature possesses. There is only three passes anywhere close to where we are now, but one is the one I plan to take since it's neutral ground, and a mining city rests along the pass, about two days ride through where travelers like us can resupply or just breeze right through."
Turning to the temple itself, Giselle led them to a stable that was on the right side of the stone steps that led up to two ornately carved stone doors that were big enough to let a full grown giant through, let alone two small human sized people like themselves. A couple of stable boy were there to tend to their animals, handing their bags off and Giselle in turn handed them a couple of silver coins for their trouble, probably more money than they saw in a week. Once they were at the top of the stairs, Giselle was about to push against the heavy doors but they swung in on their own, and she merely shrugged as the woman they had come to see was already walking out to greet them. "Giselle Do'Urden, it has been too long since you've walked through my doors. And you must be Princess Crystal of the Celestial royal family finally returned home. It is a true honor to meet you at last." Neria bowed low at the waist, her sea green ageless eyes shining warmly as she stood fully again, wearing a beautiful white robe that bore her patron god's symbol, that of a crescent moon facing to the left, clear as day since it was threaded in gold across the front. "I am Neria Zathrieal, high priestess of this temple and follower of Corellan Larathain, the elven god of war and protection. Do not worry, your secret is safe with me, Rose. No one will ever find out your true identity here so long as you keep the mark you bear hidden as you have so far I hope."
"We've tried to be careful in that regard. Do you have rooms for us Neria? We've traveled a long way.....and we need your guidance." The light elf woman nodded solemnly, and led them away without any further questions since even here, Neria didn't fully trust one or two of her so called followers, but thankfully they were busy tending to other Seekers at the moment. She had seen their coming long before Giselle had made the decision to come, and so had been ready for them. Passing through the main hall, which was as ornately covered in carvings as the outside had been, of many races in many positions, most of which were intimately locked together, no matter the gender or their race, as the inside appeared to be. While meant to inspire sexual thoughts, they also seemed to tell a story, and were pleasing to the eyes, almost calming even. This place was indeed a place of healing and comfort to the weary traveler since the entire place felt peaceful and serene despite the soft moans and gasps of pleasure from many of the rooms that had the doors shut to them.
Heading up a spiral stone staircase that was in the back of the temple's main hall, Neria turned her head of long, golden blonde hair and stared at Rose, almost seeming to see through her and see the emotional scars she bore, some of which were very fresh considering what she had been through. "You've been through so much, Rose. Yet you have a pure heart, something I don't see very often. What troubles such a pure soul shouldn't be felt by anyone, least of all you. Do not worry however, you have come to the most welcoming place you shall ever see besides your own home of course. Be at ease here however, because you are safer here than you shall ever be anywhere else in the Four Thunders Kingdom." Stopping at the second floor, Neria turned right and led the way down the hall until she stopped at two doors that faced each other, as well as another that led up to the third floor tower. "These shall be your rooms for as long as you stay here. The stairs that lead up to the tower are my own personal quarters. Should you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask myself or one of the other priests or priestesses. I shall let you unpack and you can come and find me in either the pool and baths in the basement, or in my own quarters. Dinner will be served shortly, and the dining hall is on the first floor. I must bid you farewell for now however."
With another bow, Giselle bowed as well out of respect for the woman that had lost so much yet had gained far more in her young life. When she was gone and out of earshot, she turned to Rose and wondered what was on her mind. However, she did have something to add. "Remember I told you about a light elf that had lost her entire family to orcs in one night?" She turned her eyes to where Neria had gone, hoping Rose would catch on as Giselle slipped into her room to unpack just enough to make herself comfortable, but she'd be able to put everything back at a moment's notice. For now, she considered a bath, recalling from her time here before that every room was the same in their many luxuries. Full working sunken bathtubs, indoor plumping, toilets, monsoonal showers, and well stocked cabinets of perfumes, shampoos, lotions, massage oils, soaps, and other things of the same, and that was just the bathrooms themselves. The bedroom part was a literal heaven of silk or satin sheets that adorned four poster canopy king sized beds, a vanity table and walk in closet, the vanity top as well as the dresser top covered in an assortment of scented candles and incense braziers that when lit would fill the room with soothing and usually alluring scents.
((Sheesh, sorry. I'll let you reply now lol.))
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