16ish

Mado toddled along uncertainly, her chubby hands wrapped tightly around Zula's fingers. The oddly matched pair made slow progress through the garden, but the stones echoed with the burbles of childish laughter.

She heard the thud of large bare feet along the path, and released Mado's finger as Mushad scooped her up with a roar of laughter. He tossed her into the air and caught her nimbly, and Mado squealed in delight. Zula walked slowly back to the bench that had been placed by the side of the garden path, and sat quietly. She turned her face to the west and felt the last light of the evening sun wash over her face. A slow smile spread across her face, and she could feel the warmth of the evening bathing her skin.

Ved made her way through the garden, and stood silently by the bench. Zula looked up at her; the reddish light fromt he sun illuminated the hair that seemed ginger ordinarily, and transformed it into a brilliant aureole, outlining her face in light. Her pale skin gleamed brightly like the polished bone of Zula's comb, and something in her stance gave an air of regality.

Zula reached over and gently clasped Ved's hand within her own. "Ved..." she said softly.

"Yes, lady?" Ved responded, but so quietly that Zula almost did not hear her.

"Ved, tell me who you are."

"I am Ved, lady, manager of the household of Mushad, in Kemal, in the land of Kedon. which gives tribute and homage to the priests of the Temaltan isles." She spoke quietly and evenly, revealing nothing in her tone or expression.

"No,. I want to know who you really are. I will tell no-one, and will never ask again, but Ved, I must know." She squeezed the woman's hand gently, and looked bak out towards the setting sun.

"I am Madak, of the house of Lothel, in the Selides islands. I am a priestess, and was being prepared to become the head of my order." Her pale fingers twitched nervously as she continued. "Every year, in the month of Temala, we go out on our temple boats to the spot where Suktis fell into the sea. My people fled from Suktis when she fell, lead by a priestess of the Great Temple there. When they reached the Selides, and found shelter, they thanked the gods for sparing them, and promised to return and pray for forgiveness for the sins of Suktis. We return every year, say our prayers, and send our sacrifices down into the depths."

She looked down, and clasped Zula's hand tightly with both of hers. "It is always a dnagerous mission. The warrior priests do all they can to stop us. Their ship approached as we were beginning the rite; we had just enough time to finish the prayers before they attacked. There was nothing we could do, and they killed my compnanions. I was knocked into the water, and hid underneath the wreckage of our ship until they were gone. I clung to a bit of deck that floated by, and managed to make it into a raft. I was picked up by your husband's ship two days later.

"Please, I beg you by everything you hold sacred, do not tell anyone who I am. The priests hold the power here, and they will kill me if they find out who I am. Fortunately my hair is not white, nor my eyes purple, so I cna pass far an Ersan. But if they found out...' Her voice trailed off, and Zula felt a shudder pass through her. She squeezed Madak's hand gently, and whispered, "I'll never tell anyone. You will be safe in my home, I swear it."
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