Tears of Amber
Chapter One
Minitha's purple robes swished around her as she went to kneel by the altar in the silent temple of Mina, Goddess of Tears. The altar, made of amber and shaped like a teardrop, was covered in a black velvet and a yellow daisy sat in the middle. This daisy, blessed by Mina, never died as long as the clerics tended it. These clerics were here to welcome the faithless, the abandoned, the hopeless, the suicidal. Minitha was one of those. Her family had been killed in a fire that also consumed their home, which had perched in a vallenwood in Solace, near the Inn of the Last Home. Sixteen-year-old Minitha was struck blind, devastated and hopeless. She considered killing herself, and would have, if she had not been found by the clerics of the black obsidian Temple of Tears. Minitha had nowhere to go, and she went to the Temple, hoping to find comfort. The clerics welcomed her. She was added to their ranks, having nowhere else to go, and the goddess herself spoke to her. Mina was the reminder that pain was a necessary part of mortality, but she also comforted the pained. Minitha heard the swishing robes of a fellow cleric. She heard the clearing of a throat.
"Sorry to interrupt your prayers." said a deep male voice.
"But the High Priestess has requested a meeting with you."
Minitha rose, knowing that she was the only person at the altar, so he couldn't be talking to anyone else.
"You may take my arm, lady." said the voice.
"Thank you, sir." said Minitha, and she felt a gentle, warm hand take hers and place it on a warm muscular arm covered in velvety purple robes.
"I am Valum." said the man.
"I am Minitha. I am a low-ranking cleric. Do you know what it is the priestess wants with me?"
"I do not know." said Valum.
"It must be important, however, if she is interrupting morning prayers with it."
Minitha agreed. Through all her three months of being a cleric, the priestess had never asked for her, except at the very beginning, to welcome her.
"We're here." said Valum.
He opened the door of the priestess's chambers, and he led Minitha inside. She felt the soft carpet beneath her bare feet. Valum led her to a soft cushion on the floor, where the priestess sat across from her. He squeezed her hand and left.
"Good morning, priestess." Minitha said softly.
"May Mina bless our mornings with comfort."
Minitha nodded. Her blinded eyes could still see some, like light and shadows and colors. She could see that the priestess had dark hair and equally dark skin. She could see nothing more, however. Minitha's own hair was dark brown, but her eyes were strikingly blue, despite the fire damage. Her skin was pale ivory. She had long, slender hands with delicate fingers. She was petite and slender.
"What is it you have called me for, Priestess?"
"I have a mission for you, my dear."
"A mission? What mission can I possibly perform in my state?"
"A child has been born who has the power to destroy the world. She is child of the last Irdah and Chemosh. The Irdah knows nothing of the child, for Chemosh drugged her and kept her till she had the child. I need you to recover the child, without alerting the Chemosh to your intentions. This ch... she has the power to destroy the world, to give Chemosh power over all. Mina has spoken to me. She said you must be the one to save her and the world from Chemosh's clutches."
Minitha was terrified. How was she supposed to do this when she was pretty much incapable of doing anything? The priestess seemed to know what she was thinking, for she said,
"Mina will provide for her faithful. All you need do is agree to take on this task."
Minitha thought for a few minutes and then nodded.
"I will do it." she said softly.
"You will have help. The young man, Valum. He will go with you."
Minitha felt secretly glad, and she didn't know why. When Valum escorted her back to the altar, she asked him about it.
"You are to go on the mission with me?"
"Yes, lady. Mina has assigned me to be your guide."
Minitha smiled for the first time since she had lost her parents and sight. Perhaps the journey would not be as perilous as she thought. Perhaps she could make it worthwhile.