Ru’Edan Home world
Timestamp 01-090-19-7298451
Scene – Zenith Solstice
Several high priestesses gathered around a single rock monument, in the middle of the desert sands of Fu’jar province. Women holding their naked, newly birthed daughters in their arms, waited for the ceremony to begin. Other female priestesses take their places, squatting among the rocky outcrops, many holding ancient instruments in their hands. They start chanting in time with the lowing horns of the beasts of burden, and the beating measure of drums. A breeze blows warm air, faintly scented with the grasses being harvested in the distant fields.
Fiemanskar, the high priestess, steps from the circle of four practitioners positioned around the monument. The robes of her ceremonial gown, adorned with glittering gold and silver, drags on the dirt and rocks as she moves. She takes an offered child in her hands, lifting the babe into the air; it wriggles and squalls in distress at the removal from its mother. The child is an offering to the goddess who protects this planet; she is now destined to become one of the priestesses, virginal and pure, tending the sacred fires. Her mother sobs piteously behind the priestess and for an instant a stab of pain moves through the priestess, knowing the long and lonely life the child will experience. Then she brushes it aside. The child is chosen.
The four priestesses around the stone begin to gyrate, their eyes closed as they move to the beat only they can hear. The herbs they took before the ceremony have opened their minds to a higher plane of thought, allowing them to interact with the goddess in this time honored fashion.
This single Zenith Solstice Ritual can only take place once in each solar cycle. At the solstice, they gather before dawn, the cooler air refreshing before the heat of the day fills the air with oppressive warmth. She nods as the child finally ceases its movements, as if it’s spirit has now absorbed the will of the goddess. Slowly Fiemanskar lowers her arms, the precious bundle lying silent and still in her arms. The act of the offering will bring the planet good fortune for the ensuing cycle. The mother will be well compensated, entering into the band of handmaidens who serve within the temples.
“Eiis Ellane Vorgar Schevst Eiis Eiis Eiis” are intoned with great ceremony, the same words that had been spoken for generations at this time. A handmaiden proffers her the ceremonial wrap of gold and silver, and the child is carefully enfolded within the soft folds. A flying prey creature, squawks in the distance and Fiemanskar smiles, knowing the goddess has accepted this offering.
In this blog, I thought I would bring you just a snippet of what I imagine, would be a ritual that only takes place in high summer.
Because most of my books take place either on a ship, or for the coming Star of the Fleet, on an inhabited asteroid, I wanted to paint a picture of something that takes place on the Ru’Edan home world. I like to think that the planet-based citizens are similar to us, though. With their religions and ceremonies, strictly observed by a public who worships them, they have little understanding of the daily life of a priestess, of the planet they inhabit.
This is a planet that does not necessarily see women, as the equal of men, hence the reason for the interruption between the genders which shows up in the books.
You will notice none of the fathers are present. The women, as I have imagined them, are secretive, considered lesser to the men, and the fathers take little or no interest in the upbringing of their daughters. This is essentially borne out in the actions of Crick Sur Banden, who sees women as nothing more than breeders of his army. It is an intensely patriarchal society, although the more enlightened high class (caste) members are more likely to value their daughters.
As for the child who will become a priestess? Her lot is to be taken back to the temple, her mother accompanying her for as long as the child needs her for the child is not yet weaned. In this case, the child is only newly born, I imagine less than a month old, so her mother is required to feed her still. Once the child is old enough, the mother will relocate to another temple to serve another priestess. The child sent to a different province, maternal ties smashed, as the child’s future includes being brought up to be a priestess, immured in the roles and rituals.
This is singularly, the most important ritual of the cycle for these women. This is the only time when priestesses are chosen and only one can be accepted at each temple per cycle. This scene takes place in the main temple, where Fiemanskar resides with fellow high priestesses, it is the most prestigious, situated on the main continent, making the child doubly blessed. There is no choice the mothers must present their daughters as offerings.
Once the ceremony has ended, the priestesses then commune back to the temple to participate in a feast and a solemn ceremony. Ancient and forbidden, it cannot be discussed with those outside the temple walls. (Which is why I can’t tell you any more about it.)
In the streets people celebrate the coming year, leaving offerings of food, clothing and even coin for the priestesses. It is a general holiday among the populace. Of course, such celebrations will only be for half the globe, as the other half will have to wait for their Zenith Solstice to occur.
Imogene