Blood of the Goddess Book I: The Locust King
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Locusts at the Gate Chapter 2: A New Name Chapter 3: The Capital Prepares Chapter 4: The Princess is Dead, Long Live the Princess Chapter 5: Outside the Gates Chapter 6: Inside the Black Tent Chapter 7: Surrender at the Temple Chapter 8: The Cult of the Locust Chapter 9: The Locust's Tenets of Faith Chapter 10: Mourners on the Cliff Chapter 11: The Eye of Betrayal Chapter 12: The Dead King's Bedchamber Chapter 13: The Arms of the Goddess Chapter 14: Zayaan of the Narim Chapter 15: The Eyes of the Priestess Chapter 16: A More Permanent Disguise Chapter 17: Tribute Chapter 18: Sacrifice of the New Moon Chapter 19: The Lost Bird Chapter 20: Manah and the Priestess Chapter 21: Desert Creatures Chapter 22: Become the Swarm Chapter 23 The Price of Betrayal Chapter 24: Life Under the Locust Chapter 25: Wild Rose Chapter 26: The Lady Wren Chapter 27: Thought and Desire Chapter 28: The Lady's Captivity Chapter 29: The Wine Maiden Chapter 30: End of Childhood Chapter 31: The Children of Aisha Chapter 32: The Forest Runner Chapter 33: Three Sisters Chapter 34: The Hunt Chapter 35: Bones in the Forest Chapter 36: Lullaby Chapter 37: The Hunter's Horn Chapter 38: Ways Between Ways Chapter 39: Morning Star Chapter 40: A Prophecy for Baraz Chapter 41: Equinox Fires Chapter 42: The Lord Prince Takri Chapter 43: Evening Star Sets Chapter 44: Chaos in the Courtyard Chapter 45: Dasha Chapter 46: Memories Chapter 47: The Body Slave Chapter 48: Caged Beasts Chapter 49: Message from the Capital Chapter 50: Heresiarch Chapter 51: The Color of Blood Chapter 52: Winter Winds Chapter 53: The Bookmaker's Closet Chapter 54: Wrapped in Dignity and Beauty Chapter 55: Vessel of the Goddess Chapter 56: Cracks in the Walls Chapter 57: Two Brothers Chapter 58: The Court of Women Chapter 59: Favored of the King Chapter 60: The Sweetest Fruit Chapter 61: Daughter of the Temple Chapter 62: A Nation of Bastards Chapter 63: The Lute Player Chapter 64: Aisha's Prayer Chapter 65: Promises Chapter 66: Lives Lost Chapter 67: The Tea Maker Chapter 68: Object of DesireChapter 3: The Capital Prepares
“I am surrendering the city at dawn,” announced the Queen in an unfaltering voice. Murmurs rose from the crowd gathered in the temple courtyard beneath the balcony on which she stood. “You have all been very brave. And you must continue to be brave, for the Locust King is upon us. I will not ask you to sacrifice any more than you already have. If we lay the city at his feet, we may yet survive as a people. If we continue to fight, we will only destroy ourselves. His numbers are superior to ours. His weapons are stronger. We would all be slaughtered.”
A voice rose from the crowd, “The Lady will protect us!” Another wave of murmuring began to rise.
“The Lady will protect us!” echoed the Queen. The crowd quieted. “Just as She went into captivity, we shall go into captivity. She experienced pain and loss of family. She will hear our cries. She will bring our deliverance. We are Her children, and we will survive, just as Her daughter, Mila the First survived. Yes, there will be hardships. We must be strong, but we also must surrender, not only to our enemy, but to the care of Our Lady.”
Irinya, now garbed in white linen as a temple acolyte, stood at the back of the crowd of nobles, servants, and temple workers. The words of her mother rang in her ears. She was not the only one who had to survive. This was about all of them, the survival of the people of Adyll. She must be strong for all of them. She looked to her right, where Manah stood in a shadowed alcove, listening intently to the words of the Queen. Irinya thought for a moment she caught tears in his eyes.
“I was born in this very temple. My family has ruled this land for thousands of years, passing the care of the people from mother to daughter. In our veins – all of our veins – runs the divine life blood of our Mother, who sacrificed Herself for the survival of Her child. Those who walk with Her and put their trust in Her will not be cast aside into darkness. We have all lost those we love, and doubtless we will lose more. But those who have been killed will be gathered into Her bosom and have peace for eternity. Those of us left behind will need to be strong, for the sake of those lost, and for the sake of our Mother. Do not be afraid, but be strong. Be vigilant. We are not without hope.” With these words, Irinya’s mother turned and stepped out of sight.
Irinya felt a hand on her shoulder. Spinning around she found herself face to face with the high priestess. The old woman looked worn and exhausted for a brief moment before her face became the serene blank face of her office.
“Come, Daughter Aisha. You must join the other acolytes in prayers to Our Lady for the deliverance of our people, and the safety of our Queen and Princess.”
And in that instant, Irinya was secreted away and only Aisha remained. She nodded and followed the High Priestess back into the temple building as the crowd dispersed. She looked back to the alcove where she had seen Manah, but he was gone.
“Has Manah explained to you what your duties are as acolyte?” whispered the High Priestess as they hurried down the hall.
“I am to dedicate myself to the service of the Temple in whatever way is necessary, from working as a scullery maid to tending the sacred fire or feeding pigs. I shall do whatever is asked of me.”
“If you are asked where you came from, you are to tell the others you were raised by a family of goatherds outside the city,” explained the old woman. “This will give you little knowledge of politicking, but will give you perhaps some familiarity with the temple. You were orphaned just before the city was laid siege, and we allowed you to join the ranks of acolytes early because of your mother's death. You have been brought out of your period of confinement and contemplation early to pray for the deliverance of our city. This is why no one knows you. We will go now and gather the rest of the new initiates and inform them of the tragedy that has fallen on all of us.”
“Manah told me of your betrayal,” whispered Aisha.
“Yes. My betrayal… but of what? Would you rather die? That would be the ultimate betrayal of your mother, your country, and your Goddess. When you are older, daughter, you will learn what a mother will do to protect her child. I am a priestess of the Mother of us all. She knows what I do is not a betrayal, but a necessity. Our Goddess does not demand the sacrifice of her children. She is our sacrifice.” The High Priestess stopped suddenly and put her face close to Aisha’s “Know this, daughter. I take no joy in any of this, but it is what I must do FOR my Goddess and FOR my Queen. To do otherwise would be the true betrayal.”
Aisha was abashed. Her feelings were conflicted. She wished to be with her mother, to die for her country. She understood what the high priestess said, but it felt wrong to survive when so many others were dying. How could this old woman betray all that was good so easily?
“Daughter, from this point you must leave your old self behind. In this Temple, you will be nothing more than an acolyte, a bare initiate, no higher than anyone else. No one knows who you are. So, expect that others will treat you as such. For now, and for the foreseeable future, you are nothing. You may not question me. Your station does not allow it. Follow instructions. Do nothing to bring attention to yourself. Obey. Submit. You and I are nothing to each other. You will not see Manah. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” answered Aisha.
“The proper response is, ‘Yes, Holy Mother.'”
“Yes, Holy Mother."
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