A Land Far Away

The House of the Lady was silent.

For a moment at least.

Later when Selune´s orb would grace the nightsky there would be the usual sounds of cracking whips, moanings of the crowd of petitioners and fools of the nobles who thought it fashionable or even fun to participate in the rites of the truly devout. The smell of burning flesh would accompany the sounds.

But that would be later.

Khallindra kneeled on the rough stone floor facing the altar that had been the centerpoint of her life since she arrived in Selgaunt. The doubt had been building, but this was the moment where she felt it most...tangible.

Her whip in her hand feeling almost as a living being she started the ritual of flogging oneself, one strike at a time. The words of the prayer pouring from her lips, the familiar words coming through, the whip landing on her flesh in rhythm of the prayer.

It started as an itch between her shoulderblades where the lash stroke repeatedly... A point of focus from where the sensation spread from mild burning to violent spasm of muscles to true agony where cold is hot and all the world blacks away...

With all the power of will she had she barely regained consciousness... but the words of Loviatar rang in her ears making them bleed in the process.

Seek, arise and serve me

All had been in place for a long time, she realized, she had the will and the means, but only now would the Lady grant the insight.

The Whipmistress Natasja ran the temple with iron fist, but Khallindra could see through the slinks in her armour. The woman had a heart of black ice and the skill in torture that would put a devil to shame, but with all her virtue she was complacent to hide in a cellar, in her domain, Lady´s domain that by the limit of her daring and imagination would ever remain small if things didn´t change.

The most promising apprentice...
That´s what Natasja had called her. A small cruel smile played in her lips as she remembered those words. Most promising, indeed...

Khallindra shook her head as she gathered her few possessions. In time those words might have more loaded meaning than they did now. However, patience, observation and tactful cunning had always been her preferred weapons and so they would remain. In time she would be back to enforce the will of the Maiden of Pain.

She turned from her packing to look to the other hard bunk in the small room supported by chains running from the wall. Ramona sat there, silent, but pale and tears in her eyes.

Memories of herself as a young girl flashed unvoluntarily through her mind and momentarily she felt her throat tighten... but forced it to pass by sheer voice of will.

"Ramona", she said to the girl that was her responsibility, had become almost as a daughter since the day she brought her to Faith from the Copper´s orphanage, "I have a task for you."

The girl looked at her with big eyes and nodded weakly.

She´s not crying at least. I´ve managed to teach her some discipline.

"I want you to be my eyes and ears in here until I return. Do you understand, child? I want you to recite everything. "

A weak nod.

This is for her better. Our growing fondness would have been an abomination in the eyes of the Lady. She will learn better without me for the time being.

"Very well. Do not forget."

With that she hoisted her pack and left the temple.

The Lady ordered to seek and serve. In other words, words that burned in the back of her brain...learn to dominate.

Very nice.