[RPG] [BT] [Avalon]: The Doubts of a Bastard

[Jamie Cheyfetz]

Péché's wanderings had taken her to Piwani. She entered the Temple
there and hoped that the priests or something would be able to help
her resolve her dilemma. She approached the small Temple, more of a
shack than anything and entered.

As with most Temples of Eretzism, it was open to the east and west to
allow praying with the rising and setting of the sun for those lucky
enough to be able to pray at those times, or those pious enough to
make the time. She arrived at sunset and joined the congregants in
evening prayer. Those that prayed at that time were much more
practiced in prayers and had some local customs that she was
unfamiliar with but she attempted to join in and they attempted to
bring her into the prayers. Their singing and dancing was flowing
while hers was somewhat clumsy as she was both unpracticed and
unfocused.

The prayers reached their crescendo as the sun broke free of its
captivity and shone its first rays across the land, dispelling the
night. As the prayers finished, she felt much happier and more in tune
with nature, but no closer to resolving her problems. The other
congregants attempted to draw her into conversations, but she politely
excused herself.

She made her way to the edge of the Temple and looked at the evening,
twilight approaching, her feet dangling over the side of the prayer
platform. <i>I can't handle all of this myself. I haven't dealt with
the political things my whole life, I'm just a peasant. I may be good
with the sword. I may have had people vouch for me being "Noble" but
the only reason they did was that I gave them something they couldn't
or wouldn't get for themselves. I need to talk to someone and ask for
their help.</i>

She looked out over the forest to the west. With the night fast
approaching, she could see the lights in the forest; the forest where
Eretzism was founded. A forest pristine for so long until the people
came from across the seas. Now it had cities, Fheuvenem, her father's
Duchy for so long. And Iato. <i>IATO! Duke Oliver!</i> Hope seized her
heart for the first time in days, though it didn't last long. <i>He
will probably deride me as the bastard I am.</i>

"Meditating on the forest, child?" Péché nearly jumped out of her
skin. She looked up to see a man standing there, his chest bare to the
night. He was one of the most beautiful people she had ever seen, his
physique one people strove for their whole lives, usually in vain.

He looked down at her, his eyes seemingly looking into her soul, "I am
the Seneschal of this Temple." He sat beside her, looking out at the
forest. She still stared at his beauty, captivated by him. "I am of
the original inhabitants of the forest. Before the men came from
across the sea, it was a utopia. The forest provided for everyone's
needs easily and, for whatever reason, there were very few predators.
Everyone's energies were focused on beauty. With the arrival of the
people from across the sea, many of us were forced from our utopic
lives into ones more conventional. With the return of Eretzism, our
times are better. Our founder was instrumental in this. But no one can
do it alone. Duke Oliver has also been instrumental in the spreading
of Eretzism. He is a very good friend of screndt2." He turned to her
and looked into her eyes, "Do you know Duke Oliver?"

She was pulled out of her daze, "Duke Oliver?" she repeated dumbly.

"The Duke of Iato."

She finally came fully to her senses, "Yes, I do know him. He was one
of the people that gave me a recommendation for becoming a Noble,
actually."

"Becoming a Noble?"

"I was a peasant until very recently. Enough Nobles were enamored with
my gifts to raise me up to a Noble."

"Well, that is quite a story. Your life must have changed quite a bit.
Perhaps Duke Oliver would be happy to find this out?"

She mulled the idea for a moment, <i>He might be able to listen and
help me with my problem.</i> She looked at the man, "Yes...yes, I
think he might."

He rose from his seat and excused himself, "I would like to sit here
all night with you, but I do have some things I must attend to. Thank
you for the talk, I enjoyed it. And good luck to you, Péché." He
walked into the Temple and walked around a corner. At the turn of the
corner, he disappeared altogether, his avatar form having done its
work, he returned to his plane of existence.