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tamingthemuseTitle: The Living God
Fandom: Original
Prompt: Gilded Cage
Warnings: none
Rating: PG
Summary: The gods live among us, always watching, judging us for that day of reckoning. When not even the most powerful of people know who the living gods are, who are they to turn to when demons come to destroy the world?
“And it is through his will that you have a destiny at all,” a new voice said from the door through which Naxcha had entered.
As one, the women turned to the man standing in the shadows, the feathers in his hair his only distinguishing feature. Naxcha could feel a ripple of fear go through the women around her as they all recognized the man without seeing his face. When none of the women dared speak up, Naxcha gathered her feet under her and stood.
She bobbed her head in a bow as she stepped toward him minutely. “My lord, may the Living God be your friend.”
He stepped forward and returned her bow, repeating her greeting. In the soft fire’s light, his black hair seemed to shine blue, and his dark eyes glittered like tiny gems. Had Naxcha not been chosen for the life as a witch, he might have turned her head and turned her insides to jelly. She ruthlessly squashed such nonsense and wetted her lips.
“My lord high priest, why is it we have been summoned away from our homes where we could do the most good to serve the Emperor when he has the gods’ servants to serve him so capably?”
His eyes watched her like he were a hawk, and she felt like a field mouse suddenly. She bowed her head, allowing her head scarf to hide how her mouth tightened in irritation before he could see and react.
“You speak prettily for a common witch,” he said not unkindly, and went on before she could react. “The Emperor has summoned the Seers to his side, to See what they could of the demons that threaten us. The vision they saw was not well received.”
There was a faint murmur through the room as the women blessed themselves against the demons. Naxcha looked up to meet those dark eyes. “The gods?”
He shook his head. “Are not with us in this.”
That faint murmur grew as fear and terror took hold of the women. Somewhere, one started to softly sob.
Naxcha licked her lips again and asked, “And so the witches are the last resort. He gathers us here, but for what purpose?”
A small smirk curved the man’s lips as he stared at her for a long moment, studying her, before he gathered his long kilt into his hands, allowing his feet to move freely around the room. For the first time, Naxcha noticed how white his kilt was, the borders dyed a brilliant blue, threaded through with gold. Around his hips he wore the chain of his position, the keys clinking against each other with a faint ring. One three of his fingers he wore rings also of gold, and one that had been set with a pearl. Through his thick fall of hair, he had one pearl for each ear.
“My witches,” he said, his low voice steady and comforting. “The Emperor’s Seers have seen the demons come to us, beset upon us by the gods’ will.” He boldly laid a heavy hand on the sobbing woman’s shoulder. She very nearly flinched away from his touch, but he didn’t remove his hand. “He has seen the fall of our great empire.”
Naxcha’s heart was pounding loudly in her ears, and she was sure her face was devoid of color. Their empire had been around forever, at least, that’s what the legends of the gods said. Her grandmother had told her differently, but a high priest wouldn’t know that. That was witch’s knowledge. She glanced at the other women.
Several were hanging on the high priest’s every word, but the older ones were much harder to read. They too knew that every living thing has its time, and an empire was not above that law of nature.
Naxcha had never thought that she would live to see the fall of this empire that had been around for such a short time, in the grand scheme of things. She licked her lips again, her mouth far dryer than she could ever remember it being.
The high priest went on. “As a result of the council and the emperor’s secret meeting, it has been decided that the Golden City is to be finally inhabited.”
Naxcha placed a hand over the spot on her throat where her pulse thrummed like a hummingbird and closed her eyes. She willed her heart to slow. She had to hear his every word, his every vocal tick. She couldn’t do that with the wild beat of her heart still in her ears.
“To protect this city from the demons, he has ordered the priests, the Maidens, and the witches to house themselves in its golden walls.”
“We are to be prisoners,” Naxcha said, the words slipping out before she could censer them. She quickly bit her lip, but those dark hawk’s eyes were back on her. She quickly bowed her head.
“You are to serve the emperor, as is your duty.”
“Leaving behind our people to die by the demon’s hands.” She heard him move around the table, the women’s heads turning to watch him watch her. The old woman from before very nearly stood, but a young girl at her side stayed her with a hand on her arm.
Once the high priest stood before her, he looked down at her, using his height advantage to cow her, but she refused to look up at him, donning a submissive stance. Men of power, her grandmother’s voice said in the back of her mind, like women who bow to them and tremble before their power. Naxcha couldn’t bring herself to tremble, but she knew how to appear humble.
Sometimes.
“This is a great honor to serve the emperor in his city of gold and gods.”
Her eyes shot up to meet his, and then quickly away. “The gods have abandoned this empire, your words, and the city of gold will be no more than a gilded cage. Our people will suffer and die. Does the emperor not care for them?”
“Enough,” he snapped, turning sharply to step around her. Two guards entered at his words, their spears held at the ready. If Naxcha had any doubt before, now she knew that she had willingly walked into a trap. “The emperor’s will is law, and it is your duty to obey.”
He paused at the door to look over his shoulder at her, the shadows and light playing over his features, his sharp nose looking more like a beak. “Know your place, woman,” he sneered before walking out of the room.
The guards blocked the door, and Naxcha didn’t bother trying to stop the rapid pace of her heart this time.
Fandom: Original
Prompt: Gilded Cage
Warnings: none
Rating: PG
Summary: The gods live among us, always watching, judging us for that day of reckoning. When not even the most powerful of people know who the living gods are, who are they to turn to when demons come to destroy the world?
“And it is through his will that you have a destiny at all,” a new voice said from the door through which Naxcha had entered.
As one, the women turned to the man standing in the shadows, the feathers in his hair his only distinguishing feature. Naxcha could feel a ripple of fear go through the women around her as they all recognized the man without seeing his face. When none of the women dared speak up, Naxcha gathered her feet under her and stood.
She bobbed her head in a bow as she stepped toward him minutely. “My lord, may the Living God be your friend.”
He stepped forward and returned her bow, repeating her greeting. In the soft fire’s light, his black hair seemed to shine blue, and his dark eyes glittered like tiny gems. Had Naxcha not been chosen for the life as a witch, he might have turned her head and turned her insides to jelly. She ruthlessly squashed such nonsense and wetted her lips.
“My lord high priest, why is it we have been summoned away from our homes where we could do the most good to serve the Emperor when he has the gods’ servants to serve him so capably?”
His eyes watched her like he were a hawk, and she felt like a field mouse suddenly. She bowed her head, allowing her head scarf to hide how her mouth tightened in irritation before he could see and react.
“You speak prettily for a common witch,” he said not unkindly, and went on before she could react. “The Emperor has summoned the Seers to his side, to See what they could of the demons that threaten us. The vision they saw was not well received.”
There was a faint murmur through the room as the women blessed themselves against the demons. Naxcha looked up to meet those dark eyes. “The gods?”
He shook his head. “Are not with us in this.”
That faint murmur grew as fear and terror took hold of the women. Somewhere, one started to softly sob.
Naxcha licked her lips again and asked, “And so the witches are the last resort. He gathers us here, but for what purpose?”
A small smirk curved the man’s lips as he stared at her for a long moment, studying her, before he gathered his long kilt into his hands, allowing his feet to move freely around the room. For the first time, Naxcha noticed how white his kilt was, the borders dyed a brilliant blue, threaded through with gold. Around his hips he wore the chain of his position, the keys clinking against each other with a faint ring. One three of his fingers he wore rings also of gold, and one that had been set with a pearl. Through his thick fall of hair, he had one pearl for each ear.
“My witches,” he said, his low voice steady and comforting. “The Emperor’s Seers have seen the demons come to us, beset upon us by the gods’ will.” He boldly laid a heavy hand on the sobbing woman’s shoulder. She very nearly flinched away from his touch, but he didn’t remove his hand. “He has seen the fall of our great empire.”
Naxcha’s heart was pounding loudly in her ears, and she was sure her face was devoid of color. Their empire had been around forever, at least, that’s what the legends of the gods said. Her grandmother had told her differently, but a high priest wouldn’t know that. That was witch’s knowledge. She glanced at the other women.
Several were hanging on the high priest’s every word, but the older ones were much harder to read. They too knew that every living thing has its time, and an empire was not above that law of nature.
Naxcha had never thought that she would live to see the fall of this empire that had been around for such a short time, in the grand scheme of things. She licked her lips again, her mouth far dryer than she could ever remember it being.
The high priest went on. “As a result of the council and the emperor’s secret meeting, it has been decided that the Golden City is to be finally inhabited.”
Naxcha placed a hand over the spot on her throat where her pulse thrummed like a hummingbird and closed her eyes. She willed her heart to slow. She had to hear his every word, his every vocal tick. She couldn’t do that with the wild beat of her heart still in her ears.
“To protect this city from the demons, he has ordered the priests, the Maidens, and the witches to house themselves in its golden walls.”
“We are to be prisoners,” Naxcha said, the words slipping out before she could censer them. She quickly bit her lip, but those dark hawk’s eyes were back on her. She quickly bowed her head.
“You are to serve the emperor, as is your duty.”
“Leaving behind our people to die by the demon’s hands.” She heard him move around the table, the women’s heads turning to watch him watch her. The old woman from before very nearly stood, but a young girl at her side stayed her with a hand on her arm.
Once the high priest stood before her, he looked down at her, using his height advantage to cow her, but she refused to look up at him, donning a submissive stance. Men of power, her grandmother’s voice said in the back of her mind, like women who bow to them and tremble before their power. Naxcha couldn’t bring herself to tremble, but she knew how to appear humble.
Sometimes.
“This is a great honor to serve the emperor in his city of gold and gods.”
Her eyes shot up to meet his, and then quickly away. “The gods have abandoned this empire, your words, and the city of gold will be no more than a gilded cage. Our people will suffer and die. Does the emperor not care for them?”
“Enough,” he snapped, turning sharply to step around her. Two guards entered at his words, their spears held at the ready. If Naxcha had any doubt before, now she knew that she had willingly walked into a trap. “The emperor’s will is law, and it is your duty to obey.”
He paused at the door to look over his shoulder at her, the shadows and light playing over his features, his sharp nose looking more like a beak. “Know your place, woman,” he sneered before walking out of the room.
The guards blocked the door, and Naxcha didn’t bother trying to stop the rapid pace of her heart this time.
