The day before the festival was always busier than the festival itself. The kitchesn were prepping huge dishes for the visiting dignitaries and to distribute to the workers, their families, and even the small villages that surrounded the castle. Any festival was a reason to remember that we had been blessed to have such a wonderful life, that our place in life was determined by the gods. Having spent more time with people from other cultures with similar positions and no such ideals, I found myself somewhat skeptical, but for now it didn't matter.
The priests blessed the early food that would be sent out, calling out their chants over the baskets and platters that had been carefully laid out to display their beauty before the temple. While the actual festival took place the next day, mak
