We had left Trent the day before, a beautiful village more akin to a major town, but a place that would be forever tainted for me by the memory of my marriage. Honestly, I couldn’t decide which wedding was the worst of them. The old men were particularly unpleasant, but the look on Alyssa’s face when Haden walked up to the altar was even worse. I felt queasy thinking about it.

  I looked at the golden bracelet on my wrist. Maybe not everything was spoiled; it was a beautiful gift from Alyssa’s grandfather. While it was elegant enough for a duchess, it was simple enough for me to enjoy as well. Lady Evelyn was rotating who rode with me in the carriage, and Kelly was riding with us today. It made it easier for her to excuse future changes as merely this rotation, and she wanted me to try to gain a rapport with the priestess if possible.

  Kelly didn’t serve the wind directly, and she was still technically a servant of Anlage. On paper at least, this meant her ultimate loyalty should be to the king. Yet, Lady Evelyn said that with the faithful, it is never quite so simple, and I may find her more easily swayed by my words. She was young, not much older than me, and her near-constant blush told me that she likely was not nearly as prepared for this pilgrimage as she ought to be.

  Not that this was an oversight, no, the king likely picked her somewhat based on her nerves, hoping it would make her less able to scheme against him. Or at least, to do so successfully. He also probably hoped her shyness would make it easier for me to confide in her. Had Lady Evelyn not been on my side, it probably would have worked.

  “So, priestess Kelly,” I said.

  She straightened her posture instantly, as if she thought she was in trouble. “Yes, Maiden of Wind?”

  “You have read the entire bible?” I asked. I already knew the answer, obviously, but I was trying to give her simple tasks to complete, such as answering my questions. Not to mention, the priest in Hatula was criminally underprepared. Listening to stories was preferable to reading if I could manage it.

  “Yes, both the modern edition, though with the previous ancient script, I only read a few books.”

  “A few books?” I asked.

  She nodded. “The bible is made up of nine separate books bound together. Though I suppose if you're simply asking religious scripture in general, that it may be fair to also include the apocrypha as well.”

  I glanced at Lady Evelyn and Alyssa. Alyssa’s eyes were closed, and I could feel her mana, so she was engaged in gale sense training. So she wouldn’t be paying attention to our chat.

  “The apocryphas are more commonly known as the book of the maidens,” Lady Evelyn said. “But there are far too many of them to be kept in a single book. And their accounts can vary greatly from region to region. So, the amount of authority people place in them varies wildly. The tale of Melissa is an apocrypha.”

  “I thought that was a children's storybook?” I asked.

  Kelly collapsed her hands. “You enjoy the tale of Melissa. Such a heart-warming story, isn’t it?” She paused as she noticed a bit of a stare from Lady Evelyn. “Yes, right. So, a book of the maidens can carry various stories, and in greater depth or detail. But sometimes a single story is used as a children's storybook. So, the storybook would not be considered a biblical account.”

  I nodded. “So, what brought you to become a priestess?”

  “Well, I was born in the care of the water in Traube. And I loved reading as a young child. So, I realized I could better serve the gods more generally than becoming a sister of water; it really isn’t a story that important.”

  Born in the care of water. I remember that meant that the orphanage took care of her. Whether her parents died or abandoned her, she was raised by nuns. Like the ones I met in Stechen. I wondered what Madaline was up to.

  “Is there anything else you’d like to know?” she asked. “It is my duty to help you in any way I can, especially with any spiritual needs I can assist with.”

  I was tempted to ask whether the Bible offered any tips for dealing with the marriage pilgrimage. But, anything I said might be leaked to Beladone. So it was best to keep my guard up. Though if I were clever, perhaps I could hear advice on the matter more indirectly.

  “What book is your favorite?” I asked.

  “Oh, gosh. Asking to pick a favorite is very difficult. Obviously, I am biased towards the book of water. The book of fire is quite good too. But lately I have been reading the book of wind again, and it is moving me much more than I remembered.”

  The book of wind. “So, do you have a favorite passage from it?”

  “Oh, I guess. Yeah, probably this one. And the storm rose upon the sea, and the winds howled with great fury, and then the waves lifted themselves like mountains. Fear seized the hearts of the people, for they saw only the destruction and believed there was no refuge. Yet, for those who endure the strife, I prepared a stillness at the center of these storms, a quiet place unseen by those who fled in panic and fear. For those who can travel within this wind, you shall bear witness to my protection.”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  It sounded pretty if nothing else. “A storm with calmness inside? Is that a spell?”

  “I wouldn’t begin to know much about magic,” Kelly said.

  “Only the maiden and hero can cast magic strong enough to create a storm. I don’t know if the spell used to create a storm is like that passage. But I do hear that a certain storm near the ocean in late summer fits that description, but I have never personally seen one. They never travel this far inland.”

  “How far is the ocean?” I asked. Kelly basically squeaked when the words left my lips. She looked at Lady Evelyn with way too much eagerness; it made me want to laugh. I really needed that today.

  “To the west, about three months by carriage. To the east, five months by carriage. Though if one were going as fast as possible, you could probably cut one month to the west and six weeks to the east.”

  “Do you think our Wind Maiden will go to the ocean?” Kelly asked, her eyes as bright and as hopeful as a child at winter packing.

  “Is it not obvious? What religious pilgrimage does not reach the ocean? She will cross it multiple times,” Lady Evelyn said.

  “Cross the ocean? How long does that take?” I asked.

  She simply shook her head. “Even I don’t know that.” I tried to imagine it. The ocean, as I understood, was just a large lake. And, with good winds, the ships that floated on them would travel fast. The basic premise I understood, we would make toy versions to float on the lake in Hatula during spring.

  I bet the ocean was big enough that it took more than three days to cross, or maybe even longer. From what I read in one of the storybooks, there is a moment when you can see nothing but water in every direction. That probably looked interesting. Though perhaps the storybook was exaggerating, I mean, even if you couldn’t see land in the distance, one simply needed to look down.

  “Do you think I will be permitted to go on one such trip?” Kelly asked.

  Lady Evelyn’s smile upturned. It might have been less than a millimeter, but I could see it, or maybe it was more accurate to say that it sent a chill down my spine. “It is too early to say with any confidence. But, if you walk into the protection of the wind, then it would be all but a certainty that you would see it.”

  “Ah,” she said with a squeak. “As one born in the protection of the water. You can understand how eager I would be to see Goddess Teich’s majesty with my own eyes. Ven if just once. Even if only for a brief moment to short to be a second.”

  “Does that mean you want to walk in the protection of the wind?” Lady Evelyn pushed.

  Poor Kelly, she had no idea that already ensnared. I didn’t fully understand what it meant to walk in the protection of the wind. Obviously, it had something to do with me, but even if this was the kind of question I could ask. Interrupting her as she continued to push Kelly was not a smart idea.

  “Uh, erm. I mean,” Kelly fidgeted. “That is a serious decision. I can’t possibly make it on the impulse of seeing the ocean. Regardless of how much I may want to.”

  My spine shuddered again, but this time I didn’t even see anything.

  “That is a relief,” Lady Evelyn said. “Any priestess who would make such an important decision after only one week would be a priestess I would doubt. Isn’t that right, Maiden of Wind?”

  I nodded. I could only vaguely guess what the plan here was. You could call that part of this, my test. It seemed like her goal was to rattle Kelly. She was trying to reassure her. I guess I should lean into that. “Naturally,” I paused, looking at her. Right, she was young like me. “A priestess so young, I had my doubts that Rosen had made the right choice. But it is a weight off my mind to hear you say that.”

  Lady Evelyn nodded at me. A success. My stomach turned when saying the king's first name. In the presence of others, it could be seen as disrespectful, but the goal here was to assert that my status was equal to the king.

  Kelly let out a big sigh. “I am so glad to hear that! You won’t believe how nervous I was when the knight order came to get me! Like me! What! My heart nearly got stolen by Goddess Kaira.”

  Goddess Karia? Agh! I wanted to ask, but I held my tongue.

  “But, surely you have thought about it, the protection of the gods?” Lady Evelyn asked. “Was the wind your first choice? Scholars such as yourself are less prone to seek protection. So perhaps you haven’t thought of it?”

  Kelly looked up. “I can’t say I have thought about it all that deeply. But the thought did occur to me. Wind is a very practical choice given the great temple. But, scholars usually seek the protection of the light.”

  “That is very true,” Lady Evelyn said as she sat back. “Though there is no need to rush. You will be traveling with us for at least the next thirteen months. Plenty of time to see how your feelings develop. But, hmm.” She paused and giggled. “It almost seems like the gods have set up such a golden opportunity for you.”

  “Oh?” Kelly asked, rubbing her chin. “I mean, to have the honor to even meet a maiden is an honor beyond what I deserve. So it almost seems greedy to seek more.”

  “Well, the Maiden of Wind will travel to the ocean, and across it. To the wind temple. The water temple and likely every temple in between. Not only that, she will venture to the top of the world. Imagine how much knowledge a priestess scholar could amass. And when the Maiden’s pilgrimage ends. She will likely be given part of Traube and Malatise as her duchy. It is the logical choice that would make Anlage’s southern border impregnable. And it would see you returned home.”

  Yep, Lady Evelyn had won. Kelly was no longer with us. She was in a fantasy as if dreaming with her eyes wide open. Not that I could follow all of it. But the end sounded nice. I could move Hatula to my land, or perhaps visit Hatula? No, no. It was far too early to be dreaming. I mustn’t fall victim to the same ploy.

  “This radiance is too pure for my hands to hold, Father, and my heart three sizes too small to contain it. Might you divide these rays like the rainbow, O Lord, so that my neighbors could share in this good fortune.”

  “My blessing be to the waters that find who has waited with patience, and to whom will gather with care. Be them collected not by the wicked or the ravenous but by the meek, with open hands and full hearts. So that my gift may be carried to the weak, the weary, and above all others, to the children. For my grace is diminished when held in avarice, or left to waste upon the ground.”

  Kelly went to say something. But instead, her mouth hung open for a moment, then she closed it and rubbed her chin. “You do make a good point. Is to be expected of the Platinum Mother.”

  “Platinum Mother?” I asked.

  She groaned and looked away. I giggled slightly. Just how many more nicknames did Lady Evelyn have?