Maker of Fire

Lisaykos, Healing Shrine of Mugash

The back-laced kirtle for Emily was the very best linen with Twessera's impeccable embroidery in gold around the cuffs and neck. Next was a scholar's black gown in silk velvet with the grey facings for the Shrine of Mugash. It was finished with four cloth-of-gold bands on the skirt and sleeves, which was a perfect touch to show she outranked any scholar anywhere. Over that was an open mantle in the same gold-shot grey silk as my ceremonial robes. It was lined with black satin with a stand-up collar. It was piped in gold thread with gold buttons. Two gold gilt broaches linked by a gold chain pinned it to the robe. To top it off was a scholar's four-cornered hat piped in gold. There was even a pair of gold-embroidered black velvet slips for her feet.

I didn't anticipate Lord Voymas haup Omexkel on my doorstep first thing in the morning on cold season midday. He protested that his daughter was bumped from the position of highest precedence to the second highest. Precedence goes by the highest rank of those presenting the enrollees and inductees. When I told him who was outranking him, he apologized and withdrew amiably; though he did warn me that his daughter was a bit spoiled and he hoped the shrine could help with that.

We didn't process because of Emily. She refused to be carried in. I let her win this one, given that we had conspired to get her at the ceremonies in formal robes. We had announcers herd the crowd of about five hundred into their seats in the great hall, which is in the basement of the shrine. We had moved the crystal out of the Well of Mugash and into the great hall the night before. The well was just too small for this many people.

I had warned my three deputies that the King provided a credentialed herald and royal courier to announce the ceremony. They were surprised but not at all opposed. Thus began one of the most memorable enrollment and promotion ceremonies I ever officiated over.

My son looked official and respectable with the red ochre and grey cap of Sassoo on his head, denoting that the Singing Shrine of Sassoo certified him as a herald, fit for ceremonial and diplomatic duties. Most royal couriers also hold that extra honor. Over one shoulder, he wore the ceremonial cloak of a royal courier, made with forest-green silk velvet embroidered in gold. He wore a rose wool overtunic with the pine tree of Gunndit embroidered around the hem and neck in green. Underneath he wore a white linen high-necked undertunic, white deerskin trews, and white leather boots. The fire opal tablet of his direct service to the King hung from his belt. I might be biased as his mother, but I thought he looked quite handsome.

He ran the ceremony with all the aplomb and dignity of a credentialed herald, with perfect poise and professionalism. His wonderful musical bass was a joy to listen to and he never once upstaged the ceremony participants. One by one, the thirty girls to be enrolled processed down the center aisle in their white linen kirtles, each escorted by two sponsoring adults.

Lord Voymas and his wife, who was the sister of Lord Fusso haup Ark'kos, presented their girl, who swore her oath on the crystal in a clear voice with no mistakes. She had certainly practiced. She departed to take the second-to-last seat of the front row to the right. Her mother and father took the second and third-to-the last seats of the front row to the left. The last empty seat on the left caused the whole hall to murmur since there should have been two left.

The fun started when Imstay, dressed in a silk robe of Foskos royal blue, stood up, took off his jeweled diadem and, placed it on his chair. The hall went silent, which was perfect as far as I was concerned.

He strode off the dais steps and walked up to my son. Irhessa handed the King the book of ceremonies. He then placed the cap of Sassoo on the King's head. He produced the gold circlet of a court lord from somewhere inside his cloak and placed it on his head. Then he made a bowing obeisance to the King.

"You have my leave to bring forward the last enrollee," Imstay intoned in his baritone, perfectly projected to fill the hall. The King always was a consummate showman. Irhesse ran lightly down the aisle to where my daughter and granddaughter were waiting.

They were a matched pair, my son and daughter. She was wearing a gown in the latest fashion made with the same rose-colored wool and the same embroidery as Irhessa's tunic. On her head was the gold coronet of Lord Gunndit. Between them was my granddaughter with her hair already half white, in her white kirtle, her hands held up on both sides by her escorts. They processed in perfect coordinated steps down the aisle. The crowd was spellbound.

The haup Gunndits always were a bunch of show-offs and my children were living up to that reputation. I could tell both Irhessa and Katsa were enjoying themselves.

"Who comes now before the Shrine of Mugash," Imstay began the last enrollee oathtaking.

"I am Lord of the Court Irhesse hat Kas'syo haup Gunndit, and present to you my daughter, Fedso'as Kas'syo haup Gunndit to enroll as a trainee at the Healing Shrine of Mugash.

"I am Lord Katsa haup Gunndit, and present to you my niece, Fedso'as Kas'syo haup Gunndit to enroll as a trainee at the Healing Shrine of Mugash. We bring with us recommendations for the trainee elect from Mighty One Imstay haup Foskos, King; Holy One Kamagishi haup Truvos, High Priestess of the Fated Shrine of Galt; and the Great One, Blessed Emily, named Courage, Maker of Fire, Revelator of Tiki and Mugash."

Irhessa knelt on one knee and presented the sealed parchment letters to Imstay, who in turn knelt on one knee to present them to me. I broke the seals and examined each one. I didn't know about the one from Kamagishi. That was a surprise. My granddaughter didn't know about any of them and had a wonderful gobsmacked look on her face.

"Fedso'as Kas'syo haup Gunndit, those who carry the great expectations of others must do great deeds. Knowing this, are you ready to swear to do so?" I asked.

"I am, Great One," she knelt in a full obeisance.

"Then rise, place your hands on the crystal, and swear."

"I, Fedso'as Kas'syo haup Gunndit, here do swear on my honor and my life, to heal the sick, mend the injured, and cure the ill at heart, for all speaking beings, whether they walk on two legs or four. I swear to follow the laws and precepts of the Healing Shrine of Mugash while I have breath and blood in me until I perish or the world end."

"We have heard your oath, Fedso'as Kas'syo haup Gunndit, and we accept your service," I intoned. "Take your seat now among your sisters."

As Katsa also sat down, the King and my son traded places. I too sat down, finally having the chance to take the weight off my feet for a brief moment.

"This ends the enrollment of the trainees," Irhessa announced. "Now begins the induction of Kayseo haup Pinisla as a healer blessed by Mugash. Bring forward the candidate."

Wearing an open floor-length grey surcoat with the white facings of a trainee, Kayseo processed down the aisle between Thuorfosi and Twessera. They were both in their ceremonial grey robes with the black facings, grey head cloths, and a headrail of a single roll of white wool.

It should have been her parents to escort her, but all of Kayseo's family, down to the household pets, perished in the great disaster of Pinisla, so Kayseo asked Twessera and Thuorfosi to escort her.

Kayseo was from an insignificant cadet branch of the house of Pinisla, so far removed from the succession that she only owned the right to bear the name. She was one of the few from Pinisla who survived. The only survivors were those who were elsewhere on the day a massive mudslide came down the mountainside and obliterated the town.

After the disaster, the King gave the land to General Bobbo with orders to rebuild the area's valuable timber industry, recover the fire opal mine, and seek out anyone who might have the right to inherit the lordship. That general now came barging through the back door of the hall, followed by a red-robed priestess of Galt carrying a box and a green and tan-robed priestess of Surd carrying documents.

"I call hold! Stop this ceremony!" The general was splendidly clad in his dark blue army tunic of the best wool embroidered in gold, with his bronze breastplate, backplate, and grieves polished to a mirror finish, axe and buckler on his back, and carrying his white plumed helmet in his arm.

I stood up on cue, "By what claim do you interrupt this sacred proceeding?"

"I demand the right of escort for Kayseo haup Pinisla."

"Who are you to make such a claim?" Imstay stood up and drew his sword. He stomped off the dais and stood protectively in front of the crystal.

"Know that I am Lord Bobbo haup Pinisla, general of the left of the king's army, and I claim Kayseo haup Pinisla as my daughter of the land, with the claim right for her escort in this shrine."

"Prove your claim," Imstay ordered.

"I am Arkmos, priestess of Surd, and I have found that Kayseo haup Pinisla has the right to the lordship of Pinisla through direct descent. These are the documents of her lineage."

"I am Hikued, priestess of Galt, and I have confirmed and certified the lineage of Kayseo haup Pinisla."

"Blood is not enough to claim lordship," Imstay stated. "Courage and valor to defend the land and people are required. Can you prove Kayseo haup Pinisla has both courage and valor?"

Bobbo held out his gauntleted hand and the priestess of Galt placed a sealed letter in it. He walked forward, around Twessera, Kayseo, and Thuorfosi, and up to the King. Kneeling, he presented the letter, "Mighty One, this is a letter received by me from one Usruldes, surnamed the Wraith, who claims he is in your service. Is there any in the hall who may confirm the seal aura of Usruldes?"

"General, I know both the seal and the seal aura of Usruldes, called the Wraith," I said. The King handed the letter to me. "This is indeed the spider seal and aura of Usruldes." I handed it back.

The King broke the seal and scanned the contents. Then he began reading: "I have sent this missive to General Bobbo haup Pinisla, general of the left of the king's army as a proxy for my voice. Hear my words and engrave them upon your hearts.

"On the second day of the eighth rotation of the growing season, I watched in terror as Kayseo haup Pinisla, a healer in training, defended the Blessed Emily, revelator of Tiki, from her abductors. I watched in shame as they grievously wounded Kayseo near-to-death for I knew I could not reach her in time.

"My duty was to watch over the Great One. I could not stop to attend Kayseo. To save one so valiant in the Great One's defense, I mindcasted the shrine and garrison in hope that such a brave young woman could be saved, with a prayer in my heart to Gertzpul that he not take this young hero of Mugash to his hospitable groves and gardens where the worthy have their rest.

"I here apply my seal and soul on the first day of the first rotation of the cold season in the 20th year of the reign of Imstay, so that all may know these are true words here written."

The King passed the letter to my son. "Priestesses Thuorfosi and Twessera, you may depart to go about your business," he commanded. They made bowing obeisances and took seats at the far end of the front row with the new trainees. They weren't going to miss any of this.

"Kayseo, kneel." She knelt, looking even more gobsmacked than before. I sat down to rest my feet and watch the show. The two visiting priestesses and Bobbo flanked the King. The priestess of Galt handed the King a silver goblet from the box she carried.

"Kayseo, this is your land," the King took a pinch of dirt from the box and placed it in the goblet. "This is the bounty of your land," he took a pinch of salt from the box, "and this is the fruit," he poured in wine from a wineskin the priestess of Galt handed him. "Partake of this cup that you will become your land and your land will become you."

He handed her the cup and she drank it down.

"By this act, I name you, Kayseo, the Heir of Pinisla." He held out his hand to her and helped her stand up, "behold the Heir of Pinisla!"

The healers in the hall flooded the center aisle to mob poor Kayseo, who looked she had just been dropped out of the sky by an eagle. I let them exult for a few moments. Then I took my staff of office and thumped it several times on the dais.

"May I remind you all there is still one last ceremony to conduct. Please take your seats."

"Have you only one escort, my beautiful Heir of Pinisla?" the King turned on the charm. Forty years old and still flirting. Kayseo shook her head. "Permit me, then," he took her hand.

"Now continues the induction of Kayseo haup Pinisla," my son announced. "Bring forward the candidate."

The general and the King escorted Kayseo the short way to the crystal.

"Who comes now before the Shrine of Mugash?"

"I am Lord Bobbo haup Pinisla, general of the left of the king's army, and I bring before you the Heir of Pinisla, Kayseo haup Pinisla, who is my daughter of the land."

"I am Imstay haup Foskos, King, and I bring before you Kayseo haup Pinisla, who I have made today the Heir of Pinisla as the sworn defender of our land."

"Healer in training Kayseo, I call you that for the last time. Remove the garb of your childhood and cast it off." Bobbo helped Kayseo take off her trainee robe.

"Kayseo, to become a priestess healer is not an act of mortals but a gift from the divine. Place your hand on the crystal and all will know if Mugash has accepted you," I said.

Kayseo placed her hand on the top of the crystal. At first, nothing happened. Then the light began to grow from the bottom and filled the insides. It then burst out of the crystal and enveloped Kayseo completely. It vanished suddenly. Kayseo staggered a little and caught her breath.

"Priestess healer Kayseo, you are not garbed as befits your station," I announced. "Where are your robes?"

"I have her robe here," General Bobbo stood and walked up to Kayseo, helping her to put it on. "My dearest daughter of the land, this robe is the gift of the Priestess Twessera, Priestess Thuorfosi, and Scholar Attendant Wolkayrs."

My son turned to me and said in a voice that carried everywhere in the hall: "Great One, this was the last business to come before you. Does the populace have your leave to depart?"

"They have my leave to depart and go on their way."

For those who did not have money or failed to make arrangements made for one last dinner with the enrollees, the shrine provided a dinner service in the dining hall. I had my own arrangements for dinner in my private dining room with my family and the King.