The alarm sounded throughout the castle early the next morning and the rushing sound of feet echoed down the hall. Emilia stirred softly beside Octavius. She had slipped into his room during the night after he stormed off the dining room. She had quietly entered the room, slipped off her tunic, and slid under the covers with him with hopes of comforting however way she could but Octavius couldn’t even bring himself to touch her especially not with the hands he had used to cradle Ashterah’s neck as he drank from her. Of course the conniving bitch had enjoyed it and had seized the opportunity to explore his body until she decided he had had enough. Even when Emilia had wrapped her arms around him and his body responded he held himself still.

Octavius opened his eyes to the bright sunlight that streamed in a window he knew was supposed to be covered with the curtains. He squinted his eyes against the brightness and rolled over to get his bearings, as his eyes adjusted to the brightness he saw Emilia standing by the window looking out with her hand on her belly. She had her robe hanging loosely from her body and in her hands, she held a small steaming cup of tea, the sunlight brightened the golden strands of her hair making her a beautiful morning sight. This was what Octavius had had in mind when he thought about running away with her, nights of loving and happiness, mornings waking up next to her, and days running around with children of their own. As the last thought struck his mind he sobered and tore his gaze away from her, tears welling up in his eyes.  

The night was strangely cold, even through the thick fur coat, he could feel the cold seep through, biting at his skin and fingers. He would have preferred the afternoon when it was hot to make this journey to the temple but as he stood at the tower waiting for the priests and temple helpers to finish with what they were doing he realized they had no plans of leaving any time soon. So he had waited. And then his wife had gone to sleep, the villagers and retired to their homes, people closed their windows and doors, only then did he don on his coat and sneak out of the palace.   He hated that he had to sneak out of a home that was his, he hated that he had been reduced to a stranger in his kingdom but then what choice did he have? What power did he have against a god

“I need to go back home, Ashterah, it’s almost dawn.”   He was laying on his back on Ashterah’s bed with her head on his chest as she traced patterns all over his skin. Her hair was all over his face tickling his skin and she seemed content to stay as she was. He didn’t think gods could sleep but at some point, her eyes were closed and she appeared to have fallen asleep, little wonder when she had demanded that he make love to her two more times. She stretched languidly against him, rubbing her body on him. She knew he would still get aroused but she decided to have mercy on him. She conjured a rippling image on Camelorn and noted that it was i

  Only the priests were allowed to stand before the gods, the people sat below the last step except of course the royal family; Octavius, Emilia, and Angus, who sat at the left side of the temple with the nobles a few steps below them. The priests laid the offerings the people brought on the altar they had made in front of the gods. Helena taking the place of Robos laid her hands on the fruits, wine, and bread and blessed them after that the priests took the items to a fire pit beside the temple and burnt them, the wine they poured on the ground.