Tujuheim 180

Having eaten and rested, my diary, I can continue writing in you.

The man in white, as I had written before, helped me up as the armored guards outside the heavy double-doors continued to slam their fists upon the door.

There were templar knights arriving in the circular room in which we all stood with looks of curiosity on their faces; they were all different ages and all were men.

I nervously hid behind Caerwyn with all the attention I was getting and hoped he would defend me if anyone tried to harm me.

I was so afraid, my diary! Any one of these humans could harm or kill me--for none of them surely cared for a creature they were taught was a beast!

But, I was surprised when many of the templars merely chuckled.

“Caerwyn, I can’t believe you actually rescued her! And all the more surprised that you survived doing so!” Said a black-haired templar.

Despite my hiding behind Caerwyn, all the templars circled around us and tried to get a good look at me.

They thought I was some kind of a freakshow… I sniffled sadly.

Terry spoke up melodramatically, stepping in front of me as I trembled, “give her space, you cads! She is not an animal to be gawked at!”

The templars backed off a little at that, but still tried to get a look at me.

The guards stopped banging on the door outside the temple called with a note of finality, “we shall tell the king of this!”

The old man in white replied fearlessly, “he will need to take it up with God, the one of blessed him to be king in the first place.”

The guards left, and the old man waved away all the templars who were crowding me. He said to me with a sigh, “girl, you will prove to be a very big headache. I need you to prove to me that you are worth such a headache. You may live here with us until the king arrives, and if you have proven yourself a good and kind woman and adhere to our ways, I will argue for your sovereignty with the king on your behalf.”

I didn’t know what he was talking about, and I didn’t know what to say. I quietly looked at Caerwyn and he nodded.

“O-Okay…” I replied, unsure.

The man in white smiled gently at me, then. “My name is Leon, princess. Yours is Mimi, correct? One of the children of the king of Nui?”

I nodded shyly.

“I am the head priest here in charge of the religious teachings of these young men. You will go among them and do all the same tasks they do. You understand? Terry will help you. He is still paying for his mistake, after all.” The old man said firmly.

I spoke up and held up a hand, “I want--! I mean… Can Caerwyn help me?”

The head priest looked to Caerwyn with a confused face, and then back to me with a knowing face. He must have thought my infatuation was harmless. “Both can help you. Why don’t you get her a bath, new clothes, and food? Show her to an empty room, too.”

Terry was excited as he took me by the arm and began leading me past all the pews that were lined up in the entrance and down the hall to the left. “It’s great here, Princess! I can’t wait to show you the garden! And reflection time is wonderful!”

Caerwyn was following us silently, and he looked very perturbed. I wondered what was on his mind, but I was more worried for myself. I had no idea what would happen to me. Would I live among these male templars and adhere to their religion while leaving my own religion and culture behind?

Terry gave me bits of information as we walked through many rooms; there was a shrine to honor specific people in his religion and to beg forgiveness for something called ‘sin’, a bustling room where meals were being cooked, and a large, circular room with a high roof in which a very old templar knight was teaching the young ones—two at a time—how to fight.

“This is where we’re trained to fight—but don’t worry, you won’t have to learn that.” Terry explained.

I was confused, “really? My Daddy told me that women sometimes join in your skirmishes and wars…”

“They do, but only as physicians. Sometimes they’re taught basic sword skills so they may defend themselves, but otherwise they hardly ever have to take up arms.” Terry told me.

“Oh…” That didn’t seem as savage as Daddy told me it was.

Eventually, we came to a hall which Terry explained contained quarters that housed all the templars and I would be staying in one of these rooms.

“Terry, how does one become a templar?” I asked curiously as he walked me to my door.

“I mean… You just show up. Usually people who have nowhere to go and nothing to be are the ones who do.” Terry told me simply.

That sounded like a place I should be at the moment…

But oh! To live among a bunch of wild, human men! What a terror! Moth girls were not even allowed to be alone with males who were not of their family until they were safely married! Ah, my boundaries were being pushed lately…

The door to my quarters was situated in the middle of the hall, and Terry told me he would fill the bathtub for me and he would get me some dinner and, thankfully, fresh clothes. Caerwyn, still silent, followed his squire without a word.

I sat on my soft bed in silence. These quarters were so barren… There was naught but a bed and a bathtub, and the roof was leaking! What kind of strange religion was this? They didn’t take very good care of their devotees.

Terry returned later—and with fresh clothes! I couldn’t thank him enough!—but… They were not very appealing. They were all white and plain and made of cotton…

“Sorry, Princess. While you live here, you must commit to being a priestess.” Terry said as a filled up my bathtub with a bucket of hot water.

“A priestess?” I asked.

“For now, you’ll just do most of the activities I do, and you’ll start tomorrow.” Terry explained.

I looked down. I felt like a traitor to my people and my religion. I was to go among these people who had no respect for me and adopt their ways... I wish I had paid more attention to the religion I was supposed to adhere to. I knew few things about it...

“Where’s Caerwyn?” I asked suddenly.

“Oh, he’s talking to Leon…” Terry informed me and finished dumping the water into the tub.

After a moment of silence, I had a question I still wanted to be answered.

“Terry, what is a eunuch?” I pried curiously. “I don’t understand how he is defective…”

Terry scratched his head, embarrassed. “He can’t have children.”

I understood now. The poor, sweet man! “Oh… Who would do such a thing to him?”

“Probably his parents.” Terry replied. “But I wouldn’t pry, Princess. You take your bath and rest for now.”

I was tired of resting--I crossed my arms with a glower--but I obeyed.