A Witch's Word

FAITH OR FIRE

Bleary-eyed from her nights of scheming and days of improving the capital, Edith was trying to be stoic as her maids pulled her from side to side: dressing her for the day’s celebrations. It was the second week since her arrival and given that the carriage ride through the streets had been deemed an unsuccessful way to welcome princess Edith, the council, in their wisdom, had decided to have a solemn service in their temple and then open the royal balcony so that the people could witness the love between the newly married couple. Usually, she would have refused to comply, but since her exploration of the nursery, Cadmus deemed it appropriate not to speak to her, but whether his silence was from the guilt he felt on his father’s behalf, or his stubbornness to accept that she had been helping Edith couldn’t ascertain. Since she hadn’t had a reply from mother Maggie yet, she decided to put her education to good use and to acquiesce to the day’s façade, while assessing the strength of the Dri. The little guilt she felt about keeping valuable information from her husband that clearly affected him so grievously soon subsided when he reminded her that she lived in Novtexo, but it would never be her home in their latest argument: reminding her of her true purpose in the dragon’s lair.

Despite her better judgement, she decided to comply with the ridiculous requests for the time being. Hence, the maids had woken her at an ungodly hour, immediately dunking her in a bath that was barely on the endurable side of boiling. Her hair had been pulled and twisted into two horns, which they assured her was the suitable style for women of the royal family, and make-up had been shovelled onto her face so that the people at the back of the crowd would see her clearly. In Edith’s humble opinion, she had genuine concerns that the crown would confuse her with the court jester, given how dramatically it had been applied. All this may have been tolerated, but the dress they had corseted her in was gaudy and insensitive. She shimmered in the mirror when the sunlight danced over her bejeweled dress, and she wondered if the people realised that she was wearing a dress expensive enough to end food poverty throughout the empire.

“The prince will join you soon,” the women said in unison, before they left her alone.

This unusual way of speaking as one was still incredibly eerie to her.

A gentle knock interrupted her admirable adjustments, even though she knew there was little to be done to make this relic of a robe suit her any better.

“Come in Lou!” She called, knowing exactly who was on the other side of the door.

Although still as thin as ever, her young friend was already looking healthier after some care and attention that a boy of his age needed. His mother had become one of her go-to people in the city and this was where she found most of her friends.

“The task has been completed!” He smiled with pride at how well everything had been arranged.

Reaching over to her dressing table, she passed him a boiled sweet and unwrapped one for herself. Organically, every time they achieved a mission successfully, this would be their little celebration. Sweets she had bought from home that had been her and Tabitha’s favourites.

“Wait for me in the courtyard, Lou. When we go to the temple, stay behind me and keep your eye on Lizzip. She will try to sabotage it today, if given half a chance,” Edith requested, and smiled as he gave a little bow, even though they had had many discussions about why it wasn’t necessary. “Wait! Before you leave, what do you think of this…ensemble?”

He took a moment to evaluate her, before frowning, searching for polite words that most adults would struggle to locate.

“It is very traditional.” He landed on in the end, and it confirmed everything she had assumed.

He left, stepping backwards in respect.

Clipping the black cloth against her head, she made sure that she was meeting the expectations of a temple blessing. She had been schooled in excess by Lizzip about what a princess was expected to do during the holiest of blessings to the Goddess Novtex. However, for all the phony concern she offered about accuracy and piety, it was obvious that she had been sent to humiliate Edith given that her wedding contract had been binding, and the king and prince had been criticised for allowing the witches to have the upper hand regarding the consummation. Playing along, Edith pretended to know nothing about the ceremony, and it was this mock ignorance that revealed how callous Lizzip could be, as she continued to give her poor advice. Edith would be watching her closely today, her, and her entire family of lizards.

Barging into the room without consideration for her privacy, Cadmus stood against the door frame impatiently. His hand was extended, but he was staring into the corridor as if he wouldn’t demean himself to look at her. Arrogant. Curiously, his clothes were appropriately formal but not tremendous, and once again Edith wondered if this costume had been arranged to humiliate her or undermined the relationships she had built with the townspeople. Making no effort to rush, Edith smoothed her dress down and practiced her insincere smile for the court before placing her fingertips into his palm. Glancing at her, he gave a slight nod, then did a double take.

“This wasn’t what was picked out for you,” Cadmus mentioned.

“It was what the maids brought me this morning. I had assumed that it was Lizzip’s choice.”

A small smile pulled at his lips. Clearly, he approved of the way his mistress had taken license with ways to belittle her. Since he had confronted her about the night in nursery, any understanding they had found the morning after their wedding had become non-existent. However, she was surprised by his cruelty and only wished that Maggie would send word for her to come home and for this sham to be over. With her free hand, she held on to the necklace her sister had given her. It was a balm against the pettiness of this malicious and bungling bunch of aristocrats. She didn’t care for their opinions. As far as she was concerned, their moral code ranked them beneath her in every way.

The temperature increased in severity as they walked closer to the temple of Novtex. In the images that Mother Maggie had created for her, she knew that the stone wall separating the volcano from the castle was the thinnest in the temple. Novtex’s love was conveyed through heat, the same heat that allowed the dragons to safeguard their eggs and thrive in this opulent empire. As they turned the corner, the nobles were dressed in their finest apparel, their hairstyles were slick and neat, but nobody else had horns twisted from their hair or heavy fabric and jewels. Some tried to hide their glee behind their hands, others laughed openly and Lizzip and her father were overtly beaming with jubilation as Edith passed them to stand behind Emperor Nokon. The mighty doors to the temple scraped open, and the heat was a visceral pull that enticed the court inside. Taking a seat on the first run of woven mat, Nokon finally turned to look at his daughter-in-law. She was relieved to see his perplexed expression, consoling herself that at least one person wasn’t included in her mockery.

Fire roared like a caged animal in the alcoves, and the flames created images of flying dragons against the jewel-studded walls and ceiling. It was visually breathtaking, but Edith couldn’t help but notice how all the grandeur was made by man, fed by greed and cultivated by power. It lacked nature’s calling, like the rituals from her home that were centered around the beauty of an unaltered force. Off set by such splendour was the oppressive heat that was felt more keenly by her because of the quantity of layers she was wearing. Already sweat had pooled in the curve of her lower back, but Edith was determined to ignore it and focussed on the statue of Novtex instead. A hybrid creature of human and dragon traits galvanised the space at the altar of the temple. Her arms reached out as if she were a loving Goddess welcoming her devotees, but beneath the benevolence was a truer depiction of the sacrifice she demanded. To reach her, one would have to cross the flames that licked up her reptilian legs, the carnelian stones dripping like lava onto the floor beneath her while the sunstone crystalised against her calves. The extent of her power was further demonstrated by the burning coals that extended down the alter and stopped where the congregation were sat. A baptism of fire was required for the love of Novtex and from that sacrifice she entrusted her dragon eggs to her believers…or so they believed.

Bare-footed steps distracted Edith as she averted her gaze from the statue and monitored the arrival of the Dri. The Dri was the highest position within the faith of Novtex, so absolute that the holder wasn’t known by their given name, only the position that they held. For men of this realm, the sacred position of power was a choice, but for women, this would be where the daughters of lords who hadn’t been matched with a dragon egg at birth would be sent. Hoping that their flightless state could be forgiven by pious platitudes. To claim the title of Dri, Edith had been tutored that the candidate had to complete a spiritual quest that desiccated more lives than it had ever validated. Surprisingly, the man who walked atop of the burning coals without the slightest expression of pain, humbly pinning his arms by his side so that he wouldn’t be tempted to save himself if he were to fall, seemed unconventionally young to hold so much influential power. When he reached the seated gathering, Edith looked at his feet, the skin blackened and blistered, but there wasn’t a sign of pain marring his expression. The Dri opened his arms, welcoming his worshippers, and Edith noticed how the sleeves of his arms were sewn into his body, creating the dramatic effect of wings. The red strips across his chest mimicked the effects of claws and the challenges that all religious men had to endure before being welcomed into the religious order. Paused in his melodramatic position, Edith struggled not to criticise the pageantry of the occasion, but for all that she despised the hypocrisy of the court, their devotion in the room was undeniable, so Edith schooled her expression.

“Nokon’s devoted serfs, joined in our fidelity to the Goddess of goodness, gratitude and greatness, we meet today to celebrate the union of Prince Cadmus and Princess Edith. A matrimony blessed by our Goddess of greatest wisdom we praise you for your vision of peace that will allow those inferior to us to become part of your greatest empire and accept enemies as new friends.” The Dri’s voice was deep and steadfast, undoubtedly assured that his sermon was inspired by Novtex herself.

“Inferior?” Edith thought to herself, savouring the word like a chalky paste that coated her mouth with resentment. She didn’t need to look around to know that the congregation approved of this description, even Nokon seemed to be nodding in agreement. It seemed unlikely that Lizzip’s manipulation tactics could reach this far, which would mean that the Dri and therefore the entire religious group disagreed with this marriage so emphatically that they were willing to make a stand on the day of their blessing.

The crowd outside could hear the words of their religious leader, his voice amplified for the purpose of controlling as many of the people as possible to accept that their poverty was a punishment from the Goddess who was disappointed in them. However, calls of protestation rumbled in the courtyard, unbeknownst to acolytes in the temple.

“I ask you now to come before me and accept the blessing of our one true goddess. Novtex let your flames bring comfort to those who love you dearest, and punishment to those who doubt your hallowed message.”

Beside the Dri, two vessels appeared, smoke billowing from the black one on his left, but the silver one on his right-hand side was empty. The high religious minister reached into the black pot and held one of the volcanic rocks in his hand. Nokon began the ritual. Standing before the Dri, he cupped his hands in front of him and allowed the sizzling stone to be placed in them. Bowing before the statue of Novtex, he placed his forehead and cheeks into his palm before kissing it. Handing it back to the Dri, all the congregation watched as the stone was placed into the silver container.

“You are a model to us all, Emperor Nokon. The Goddess blesses you.” The Dri called out.

“Blessing from her,” the gathering cried out.

Dragon riders shared some immunity to fire after their tenth birthday, where a ritual bonded them together. It was not faith that prevented the burn but rather a magic of an ancient ilk. Edith, who had never bonded to a dragon and couldn’t openly use her magic, turned to Cadmus, who looked truly shaken.

“I didn’t know the blessing was planned today. I was only informed that it was going to be an offering of support from the temple. You cannot refuse to do this as it is a sin of the highest heresy.” He looked around as if somewhere amid the opulence a solution would be provided. “I don’t know what to do. The stone will burn you,” he whispered.

Encouragingly, the Dri ushered them forward and Edith stood beside Cadmus. The husband who couldn’t help her.