The shrine was silent. Red candlelight flickered across ancient stone walls as Tarula knelt before the altar. His voice murmured low chants. Smoke curled into the air.
Suddenly his body convulsed. The candle flame burned brighter. Tarula's arms spread wide as though something unseen had seized him. The chamber shook. Objects crashed to the floor.
His eyes snapped open. They were completely white. Black tears streamed down his cheeks. He tried to scream but no sound escaped his throat.
Then—
Everything stopped.
Tarula collapsed.
The candle burned quietly again.
...
Later, Tarula lay weak in his bed.
His assistant Chiddi wiped sweat from his forehead, a look of complete worry causing folds on his face.
"I've seen you having visions before," Chiddi said nervously. "But never like this."
Tarula opened his eyes. "I must speak to the king immediately."
"You need rest—"
"This cannot wait."
Chiddi bowed and hurried away. He understood it was urgent, and after what he witnessed in the shrine, doing exactly as Tarula said was the only right thing to do.
Tarula heard Chiddi leave. He'd heard the gentle door shut.
But moments later the door opened again. Tarula kept his eyes closed. It made no sense for Chiddi to be back so soon. The king's residence was quite a distance from them.
"Did you forget something, Chiddi?"
A female voice answered. "I know your eyes are closed, but I doubt your assistant smells like plumeria flowers."
Tarula's eyes flew open.
Princess Arasinta sat beside his bed, a knowing smile curved at the corners of her lips. Tarula tried to sit up, but Arasinta gently placed her hand on his skinny thigh.
"You don't need to sit up. We can talk like this."
For a man who'd never felt a touch of a woman, that hand on his thigh was a terrible feeling. Not that it disgusted him. It was a feeling he spent all his life avoiding.
"I wasn't informed of your coming, princess." Tarula said after finding his voice.
"I meant to be discreet."
Arasinta removed her hand from his thigh. It had done what she intended for it to do.
"You convulsed violently today," she said calmly. "What were you praying about? Is the royal family in trouble or something?"
"The royal family is safe," Tarula replied quickly.
"I'm not convinced." She crossed her legs, one on top of the other, "Why did the gods make your fragile body go through all that pressure? Did you perhaps ask something you weren't supposed to?"
Tarula shook his head. Whatever he prayed for, whatever he saw, was for the king's ears only.
"You better tell me something, Tarula. Or I won't leave." Arasinta pressed on, "What did the king ask you to dig?"
But even with the princess' methods of questioning, Tarula maintained his silence. Well, she expected as much resistance from him.
Arasinta got up and walked to the door. Tarula was almost relieved that she gave up and was exiting his chambers. But his heart nearly stopped when Arasinta locked the door instead.
Tarula's heart pounded. "Wh-what are you doing?"
Arasinta removed the pin from her hair, "We're going to do this the hard way."
Her dark hair spilled down her back.
"What did my father ask you to investigate?" she asked. "And before you lie, let me warn you that my mood has been very bad lately. The king asked you for a favor, I need to know what it was."
"I can-cannot say."
Arasinta loosened the ties of her dress.
Tarula shut his eyes instantly.
"Please stop," he whispered.
"You must be the strongest man, Tarula. Eighty years old without knowing the texture of a woman's skin."
Slowly, she walked toward the bed,
"I get it. The more chaste you are, the more clear it becomes to communicate with the gods. Whatever."
Tarula gripped on the blanket, not knowing what to do in that situation. He was too weak to fight her, even weaker to fight the reactions inside his body.
Arasinta climbed onto the bed, her breasts almost poking out.
"Do you want the king to find us like this?"
Tarula trembled. "Don't do this, Your Grace. Not only will you ruin me, but you'll also ruin yourself. Your reputation."
"You men care so much about reputation, but deep down you fantasize about deflowering young girls. That's where you find most of your pride, not in wealth."
She sits on top of him, pinning his hands on the mattress like he's on the cross.
"If your servant is a good runner, he's almost at the king's quarters by now. Do you really want the king to find us like this?"
Tarula shook his head, eyes shut tight.
"What did the gods show you?" the princess asked again, "Why is my father so obsessed with Kharivanpa?"
Tarula instantly opened his eyes. Arasinta had a face of someone who knew more than what she's supposed to, and a determination of someone who wouldn't leave until she got what she wanted. It was then that he realized it was wise to speak the truth.
...
Not long afterward, King Bazi arrived outside the priest's residence.
Chiddi hurried to greet him.
"My master asked to see you urgently."
"Lead the way." The king ordered.
Chiddi's steps were quick. The king followed urgently.
They entered the chamber.
Chiddi opened the door first.
Alas-
His scream filled the hall.
King Bazi, alarmed, pushed past him—
And froze.
Tarula lay dead on the bed. His throat had been cut open. Blood soaked the sheets.
The king's face twisted with fury.
***