31st of Zi'da, Arc 716
The bells of the cathedral rang out to welcome the beginning of the day. Zvezdana was still attempting to get used to the deep ring of the metal instruments high above her. Her heart thumped hard against her chest as she awoke. As a new novitiate, she had been moved from her private rooms to the dormitory where the other women were housed. It was weird sleeping in a space that was shared by women of all ages from 16 and up. Zvezdana felt even weirder, as she was the only one currently with child. The bells did not scare many of the other women, whom had been here longer than she. Quietly, she got up from her small bed, rubbing her swollen belly. Angry to be woken up, the baby kicked back at her. Zvezdana rubbed the sleep from her eyes, looking around. Some of the older women were already gone to do their chores, while the younger women were picking up the rear. They were dressing quickly, energy filling their youthful bones. Zvezdana had always been the last to leave the dormitory. It was not because she had fear of working anymore. It was because she was ashamed when she changed. It made her more comfortable to change by herself. Once the room was empty, she changed from the blouse she used to sleep in. Her skin was tight over the firm belly, her belly button poking out defiantly. She was quick to slip into her white robes, fastening the rope belt sloppily beneath her belly.
She took a few extra bits than she normally would to sit at one of the desks in the dormitory. Zvezdana had bartered some paper away from the other women in hopes to send a letter to her brother. Payment would come as soon as she was paid. The women planned on holding her to this oath. Zvezdana had found it weird to have to buy paper. It had always been there in her life. Everything had been handed to her. She did not realize that even paper was worth something to the poor.
As she sat there, staring, she thought back to her brother. How had he reacted to her small note she left behind? Had Granny Ebony made moves to have him married off to some other woman? Was he ok? Had he killed their father? Had Kaleb killed him? The color in her face drained at the thought. No. She would not continue to think that. Andráska was a strong and smart man. He would have elected to keep Kaleb alive before he risked his own life. Or at least, she hoped he was smarter than risking his life recklessly. She lowered her chin to the desk, groaning. Who was she kidding? Andráska had never been the smart one. He acted out of passion and honor, not because it was the smart thing to do. Zvezdana would, begrudingly, give that title to Alistair. He was the calculating one. She was in between, knowing she should think before acting and denying many desires of her heart.
Carefully, she moved to pen the letter to him. She wrote as she felt, the words drawn out in ink as she let her mind wander to their last meeting. He had been her comfort all along. She had pushed him away when her innocence was taken, hoping that keeping him as far away as possible would spare him misery. She had been wrong. Instead, she wondered what their relationship would have become if she had remained. The forbidden notion had lurked in the back of her mind since that night. She loved Andráska in more ways than she should. Would he remember? Had he been drunk enough to allow this encounter to fade into the past?
The letter was not as easy to write as she anticipated. There were so many things she wanted to say and she found herself having to curb her thoughts. She couldn’t let on that this was his sister. If the wrong person got ahold of this letter, she would be in danger. Rharne had little reason to spare her extradition at this point. She was just about done when it came to signing her name. Again, she was hung up. She could not give herself away that easily. They would certainly have to work to find her. Then, it dawned on her. Andráska would recognize his nickname for her. That would be the safe bet.
Zvezdana was stuffing the envelope when one of the Priestesses came looking for her. “Novitiate Zvezdana. There you are. Your chores await. The Cathedral doesn’t run itself.”
“Of course Priestess,” Zvezdana called back in an abnormal subservient tone. “Coming!”
Word Count: 787
