STEEL AND FLESH

TIME FOR THE GODS

"I am sure you have forgotten the centaur's ode." Queen said as she dipped her fore finger in some Ash that was mixed in some holy water, after which she rubbed the mixed Ash on her husband's forehead. She drew a circle and a straight line below the circle to represent Oridon's mace. She did the same to herself then dropped the bowl of mixed Ash on the floor.

"These ashes come from blue coloured ferns that I got when I went on pilgrimage to Sergia, the ferns are called Fermishia. In the whole of the Azarian world they are found only in the temple courts of the great Oridon temple."

The King knelt down on a mat in front of the statues of the five gods.

The statue of Oridon was about ten feet tall, it depicted a man with burly structure and full black beards and a well trimmed black hair, he wore a golden toga and he held a golden mace which represented his dominance and authority of all things that transpired in the realm of the Divine, the realm of the living and the realm of the dead, the underworld.

The statue of the other gods where about six feet tall. the statue of goddess Satti depicted a beautiful blonde slender woman with six arms. Her first two hands held a tongue of fire which represented the pure passions of the heart, on her second set of arms, her left hand held a tree branch which represented fertility, while on the right arm she carried a baby which represented her ability to give the fruit of the womb to all women, and on her third set of arms she held a beautiful sunflower to represent the beauty of all things beautiful in the realm of the living and in the realm of the Divine.

God Andus depicted an elderly man with a white bald head holding a couple of scrolls on his left arm while he held a slab at his right hand.

God Heykzan depicted a warrior, who wore a phrygian helmet with a large cheekpiece that met in the center leaving a gap for the nose and eyes, with his golden chest plate armour covering a white tunic, he wore golden bracers and golden greaves while he held a golden rectangular shield with the picture of a fire breathing dragon and a golden xiphos sword which according to legends was used by god Heykzan to cut down an army of four thousand demonic centaurs who sought to seize the authority of the realm of the underworld from Oridon.

Duzatag was a bull faced centaur who with a bronze chest plate armour held a bronze trident in hand. On his left he held an hour glass which represented the set time by Oridon for every man to be transported from the realm of the living to the realm of the dead were the souls of men and women would be tried.

The souls that had pleased Oridon would be taken to the realm of the Divine while the evil souls would be made to suffer for eternity alongside the four thousand demon centaurs that tried to take authority of the underworld.

"What do you wish to pray for my love?" Queen Lana asked gently.

"Many things, many things my love." The king turned to her.

"Perhaps you have a more pressing desire in your heart." she said.

"I want victo... No I want peace and prosperity in Bauthinia." He kept secret the news of king Brothlander. The queen was confused for a moment but got over it in an instant.

"Well that means you would have the white candle which represents peace and the gold candle which represents prosperity." The queen handed the candles to king Lauihnio.

"You didn't have to remind me what the candles represent."

Queen Lana laughed. She picked up a red candle then lit it before handing over the lighted thin piece of wood to king Lauihnio so he could light his candles.

After lighting his candles he stared at queen Lana's red candle. "So you are going to pray for something relating to love."

Queen Lana turned to look into his eyes while holding her candle with both hands kneeling close to her husband.

"I want to pray for my husband who is the king of Bauthinia." King Lauihnio raised his eyebrows in surprise and in an instant he was filled with extreme love and passion for his wife who he knew loved him deeply even when he did not reciprocate that love for her or any of his children all because he was consumed with the politics of the land.

"Since you have forgotten the divine centaur's ode, you will do well to repeat after me." They both receited the divine centaur's ode successfully before praying for and reflecting on their desires in their hearts while waiting for their candles to burn off.

"How was your meeting with the Elerians?" Queen Lana asked still kneeling close to her husband in front of the statues.

"Oh, it was fine."

"And what was the reason for their visit?"

The king's heart skipped, this was not a news he desired to share with his wife, not while he was trying to figure out the solution to the forthcoming danger and to make matters worse, he was in the presence of the gods which meant that lying was not an option. With the eyes of the gods focused on him he found it difficult to entertain any lie while thinking of what to say that was not regarded as lying.

"My love your scent is so pleasant with fragrance like that of a divine soul, tell me did you get this perfume from the Arab merchants of Al Arish?"

The queen smiled. "Thank you my love, I thought you wouldn't notice, I got them from the Al Garquan merchants, not the Al Arish merchants. She said sweetly. "However you haven't answered my question, what was the reason for the Elerians visit?"

"They came and talked about how beautiful and blessed Bauthinia is and..."

"And?" She looked curious expecting words from his mouth.

"And - they are seeking an alliance."

The queen chuckled. "Which you would not make with them?"

"Yes, exactly you know my mind." He put up a one sided smile.

"So why did they want an alliance with you, are they in some trouble or..."

"No, no they are not in any trouble, they were just -" He paused unsure of what to say but sadly he couldn't think of any, he searched his mind so hard to think of an excuse, a compliment, anything that would successfully evade the current conversation queen his wife showed keen interest in.

"They were just what?"

There was a knock on the door which made king Lauihnio to jerk.

"Who is there?" The queen asked.

"Captain Lanos your majesty!" The man outside the door answered.

"Come in!" The queen said. A Bauthinian soldier on uniform wearing a red cloak walked in. He bowed his head low on one knee.

"Greetings your majesty, I come here by the order of Lord Garthine Polion, your presence is needed immediately." He said.

The queen looked confused, creasing her eyebrows to the center. "What, to where?" She asked.

"To the dun..."

"And tell him I would be there shortly." King Lauihnio interrupted him propping himself up to his feet. "So you are going leave the presence of the gods for some - politics?"

"I am afraid so my love, I fear it might be urgent." He bent towards her and kissed her cheek. "I would be back before my candle burns out." He moved out of the chamber with the captain behind him.