CHP 2 The Temple Of Isis
Rameth's POV
When I reached my workroom I said good bye to Ameniuy, who returned no such gesture, and stepped into the room. I found a boy of 16 standing in the middle of it; he had black hair, brown eyes, and was under 6 feet, fairly attractive young man. "You must be Rameth. I am Khay, your assistant. Welcome to the palace." He seemed rather nervous meeting me.
"Thank you Khay." I knew that the boy had a great deal of work cut out for him, so I decided to skip greetings and get straight to what was nagging on my mind. "What do you know of the sorceress that arrived here not to long ago?" ( A/N HAHAHAH u thought he was talking bout work didn't you!!!) Khay looked rather puzzled at my question but soon got over his confusion.
"The pharaoh has called her to witness the ceremony. Since Isis is the most powerful goddess of magic, he thought having a sorceress there would increase his popularity standards with the gods. I think she's very attractive." I stopped listening to his chattering after this. I did not have to be told how her looks affected him. ( A/N and no he was not affected in that way for all you dirty minded ppl out there)
After that Khay and I collected the tools we would use and started on the first cup. The drawings given to me were fairly simple, but I had to be extra careful; while making these cups I was deciding my life expectancy. Four golden cups with religious symbols of Isis engraved in them, encrusted in blood red rubies.
For the rest of the day, I spent my time working with Khay on the first cup, which was truly fatiguing work.
When the day's light sunk down past the sandy dunes and high palace walls, I decided to go for a walk. I had to get out of the feverishly hot room. Khay had told me that we weren't supposed to leave the palace, but I had a trick or two up my sleeve. I stepped out of the oak wood door, which was engraved with graceful, descriptive designs, carefully carved into sphinxes, cats, and many other Gods and creatures. I approached the front gate guards with caution.
"Halt. You are not permitted past these gates," the first guard said in a deep, commanding tone.
"Excuse me, kind sir, but I am Rameth the goldsmith. I am making the four cups used at the ceremony of Isis. To make these cups in her honor I must go to the temple of Isis herself to have her blessing so that her cups may be perfect. Not permitting my access through these gates would be an offense towards Isis. Are you one to do so?" I said with an air of authority. In reality I had no clue what I was talking about, but hey if it worked!
The guard grunted angrily, but decided to take my words seriously and he stepped back. "Be back before the twelfth ring of the high tower." ( A/N its more of bong thingy, u know big bronze plate that goes "bong," well this is more like a clock thingy...ok yah I am making no sense)
The night was cool, stars glittered across the dark sky, glinting brightly against their black backdrop. The walk to the temple was a short one, and I passed few people for it was rather late. The temple was large, huge carvings of Isis embroidered the temple's entrance. I entered the temple quietly, looking at the surroundings I had been brought up with.
Light flickered along the temple walls, illuminating the brightly colored pictures and hieroglyphs of the gods and goddesses. It was then I noticed another was present in the room. Her small frame was knelt in front of the alter, head bowed in silent prayer. 'Amara' I thought silently to myself.
I watched her from my standing place at the temple's doors. She set a violet colored candle on the alter, which lit immediately without a match. So she really was a sorceress, I was amazed, but not completely astonished. The scent of lavender drifted to my nose and filled the temple with a pleasant aroma.
She started chanting in a low, melodious voice, her soft tones creating beautiful, smooth music that chilled me to the bone, though it was not unpleasant. Suddenly I lost my footing. I had not noticed that I had actually been leaning forward to listen to her almost unnerving chanting, knocking over a vase of white lilies that stood at the foot of the entrance.
Her chanting stopped and to my horror, she rose from her kneeling position. At once I fell to my knees in a bow as I had done for the pharaoh. " I am sorry goddess, I did not mean to intrude."
She smiled gently, kneeling over and placing a hand on my shoulder. I kept my eyes on the floor, but I could not help but notice that the red dress she had been wearing, was tucked under her, revealing silken skin. I instantly closed my eyes.
"It is alright, you do not need to bow before me." Her voice echoed in my mind, bouncing off the sides of my brain as I desperately tried to comprehend her words. I need not bow to her?
I slowly opened my eyes, hoping that she had minded to cover her legs, not that I didn't mind, but it wasn't proper for me to look at one with her status. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on the preference, my eyes met the red material of her dress, and I raised my eyes to look at her face.
"You are a goldsmith, am I correct?" I blinked up at her, nearly blinded by her beauty. Astonishing cinnamon eyes stared down at me with an expression of gentle curiosity. As my brain registered her question, it dazzled me that she should be so curious about someone who had rudely interrupted her prayer.
I nodded in answer, wondering quickly if she could read my mind. As quickly as I thought of the question, the quicker I hated it. I did not want her reading my mind, especially not with my awed thoughts of her whirling around in my head like ever annoying locusts.
"I can tell." She ran her hands down the burns from the liquid hot gold that I used for my profession. Some were so new that they stung when she touched them, though her soft caress actually did some good, making the pain melt away a bit. I felt a pleasant warmth spread over my arm, and as I looked down, the burns seemed to fade.
I looked at her, and saw the concentration in her eyes as she focused on my arm.
She moved to the other arm, and the burns disappeared. I looked down in shock at my new skin, and she let out a sigh that I assumed came after every spell.
I didn't know what I was supposed to do. Should I thank her? Or apologize again for intruding on her. I noticed much to my delight that she did not return to her prayer, although that was considered a deceitful insult to the goddess, and I silently hoped that she would not pay for her kindness later.
I took a deep breath, smelling the sweet scent of lavender that wafted off of the sorceresses skin, the aroma filling my nostrils, so strong that I could almost taste it.
The sorceress frowned, looking at her "work" with an evaluating eye. I looked about nervously, trying to focus on anything but the one thing I wanted to pay attention to. Her.
"That looks better," she said softly. I blinked, my eyes now on the floor, concentrating on the cold limestone tile. I could feel each and every curve and bump through my thin sandals, despite the maker's obsessive sanding of the smooth stone.
I could feel her staring at me, could sense her eyes assessing my appearance. Finally, I could take it no longer, and I glanced up to meet her steady gaze. I did not want her judging me by my flustered countenance.
"Thank you goddess." Her laugh bounced off the walls, soft and beautiful, not at all imposing, a friendly, gentle sound that made my heart lift.
"I am no goddess, nor even close to being one."
I paused for a minute, praying silently to Isis that the sorceress would not kill me for my next words. "What may I call you then?"
She glanced at me, her cinnamon pupils drifting, catching mine, pulling my eyes to hers as if some invisible rope connected our gazes together.
"You may call me Amara."
(A/N BUMP BUMP BUM!!! ::sings a sappy love song:: um actually i dont know ne sappy luv songs... ::sobs:: but newho that was a not so action packed chapter but hey .its there isn't it?]
Rameth's POV
When I reached my workroom I said good bye to Ameniuy, who returned no such gesture, and stepped into the room. I found a boy of 16 standing in the middle of it; he had black hair, brown eyes, and was under 6 feet, fairly attractive young man. "You must be Rameth. I am Khay, your assistant. Welcome to the palace." He seemed rather nervous meeting me.
"Thank you Khay." I knew that the boy had a great deal of work cut out for him, so I decided to skip greetings and get straight to what was nagging on my mind. "What do you know of the sorceress that arrived here not to long ago?" ( A/N HAHAHAH u thought he was talking bout work didn't you!!!) Khay looked rather puzzled at my question but soon got over his confusion.
"The pharaoh has called her to witness the ceremony. Since Isis is the most powerful goddess of magic, he thought having a sorceress there would increase his popularity standards with the gods. I think she's very attractive." I stopped listening to his chattering after this. I did not have to be told how her looks affected him. ( A/N and no he was not affected in that way for all you dirty minded ppl out there)
After that Khay and I collected the tools we would use and started on the first cup. The drawings given to me were fairly simple, but I had to be extra careful; while making these cups I was deciding my life expectancy. Four golden cups with religious symbols of Isis engraved in them, encrusted in blood red rubies.
For the rest of the day, I spent my time working with Khay on the first cup, which was truly fatiguing work.
When the day's light sunk down past the sandy dunes and high palace walls, I decided to go for a walk. I had to get out of the feverishly hot room. Khay had told me that we weren't supposed to leave the palace, but I had a trick or two up my sleeve. I stepped out of the oak wood door, which was engraved with graceful, descriptive designs, carefully carved into sphinxes, cats, and many other Gods and creatures. I approached the front gate guards with caution.
"Halt. You are not permitted past these gates," the first guard said in a deep, commanding tone.
"Excuse me, kind sir, but I am Rameth the goldsmith. I am making the four cups used at the ceremony of Isis. To make these cups in her honor I must go to the temple of Isis herself to have her blessing so that her cups may be perfect. Not permitting my access through these gates would be an offense towards Isis. Are you one to do so?" I said with an air of authority. In reality I had no clue what I was talking about, but hey if it worked!
The guard grunted angrily, but decided to take my words seriously and he stepped back. "Be back before the twelfth ring of the high tower." ( A/N its more of bong thingy, u know big bronze plate that goes "bong," well this is more like a clock thingy...ok yah I am making no sense)
The night was cool, stars glittered across the dark sky, glinting brightly against their black backdrop. The walk to the temple was a short one, and I passed few people for it was rather late. The temple was large, huge carvings of Isis embroidered the temple's entrance. I entered the temple quietly, looking at the surroundings I had been brought up with.
Light flickered along the temple walls, illuminating the brightly colored pictures and hieroglyphs of the gods and goddesses. It was then I noticed another was present in the room. Her small frame was knelt in front of the alter, head bowed in silent prayer. 'Amara' I thought silently to myself.
I watched her from my standing place at the temple's doors. She set a violet colored candle on the alter, which lit immediately without a match. So she really was a sorceress, I was amazed, but not completely astonished. The scent of lavender drifted to my nose and filled the temple with a pleasant aroma.
She started chanting in a low, melodious voice, her soft tones creating beautiful, smooth music that chilled me to the bone, though it was not unpleasant. Suddenly I lost my footing. I had not noticed that I had actually been leaning forward to listen to her almost unnerving chanting, knocking over a vase of white lilies that stood at the foot of the entrance.
Her chanting stopped and to my horror, she rose from her kneeling position. At once I fell to my knees in a bow as I had done for the pharaoh. " I am sorry goddess, I did not mean to intrude."
She smiled gently, kneeling over and placing a hand on my shoulder. I kept my eyes on the floor, but I could not help but notice that the red dress she had been wearing, was tucked under her, revealing silken skin. I instantly closed my eyes.
"It is alright, you do not need to bow before me." Her voice echoed in my mind, bouncing off the sides of my brain as I desperately tried to comprehend her words. I need not bow to her?
I slowly opened my eyes, hoping that she had minded to cover her legs, not that I didn't mind, but it wasn't proper for me to look at one with her status. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on the preference, my eyes met the red material of her dress, and I raised my eyes to look at her face.
"You are a goldsmith, am I correct?" I blinked up at her, nearly blinded by her beauty. Astonishing cinnamon eyes stared down at me with an expression of gentle curiosity. As my brain registered her question, it dazzled me that she should be so curious about someone who had rudely interrupted her prayer.
I nodded in answer, wondering quickly if she could read my mind. As quickly as I thought of the question, the quicker I hated it. I did not want her reading my mind, especially not with my awed thoughts of her whirling around in my head like ever annoying locusts.
"I can tell." She ran her hands down the burns from the liquid hot gold that I used for my profession. Some were so new that they stung when she touched them, though her soft caress actually did some good, making the pain melt away a bit. I felt a pleasant warmth spread over my arm, and as I looked down, the burns seemed to fade.
I looked at her, and saw the concentration in her eyes as she focused on my arm.
She moved to the other arm, and the burns disappeared. I looked down in shock at my new skin, and she let out a sigh that I assumed came after every spell.
I didn't know what I was supposed to do. Should I thank her? Or apologize again for intruding on her. I noticed much to my delight that she did not return to her prayer, although that was considered a deceitful insult to the goddess, and I silently hoped that she would not pay for her kindness later.
I took a deep breath, smelling the sweet scent of lavender that wafted off of the sorceresses skin, the aroma filling my nostrils, so strong that I could almost taste it.
The sorceress frowned, looking at her "work" with an evaluating eye. I looked about nervously, trying to focus on anything but the one thing I wanted to pay attention to. Her.
"That looks better," she said softly. I blinked, my eyes now on the floor, concentrating on the cold limestone tile. I could feel each and every curve and bump through my thin sandals, despite the maker's obsessive sanding of the smooth stone.
I could feel her staring at me, could sense her eyes assessing my appearance. Finally, I could take it no longer, and I glanced up to meet her steady gaze. I did not want her judging me by my flustered countenance.
"Thank you goddess." Her laugh bounced off the walls, soft and beautiful, not at all imposing, a friendly, gentle sound that made my heart lift.
"I am no goddess, nor even close to being one."
I paused for a minute, praying silently to Isis that the sorceress would not kill me for my next words. "What may I call you then?"
She glanced at me, her cinnamon pupils drifting, catching mine, pulling my eyes to hers as if some invisible rope connected our gazes together.
"You may call me Amara."
(A/N BUMP BUMP BUM!!! ::sings a sappy love song:: um actually i dont know ne sappy luv songs... ::sobs:: but newho that was a not so action packed chapter but hey .its there isn't it?]