The rain had stopped when they left the shop. Mikkel, carrying a small bag with their acquisitions, looked at the dark clouds. "Seems this is just a pause. So, do you still want to find that temple?"
"You think that we have enough time before the sunset?"
"I guess so. And if Gorzach's indications are correct it's on our way back to the Red Keep."
They took a narrow passage that climbed between houses that looked grey and poor. There was less people around, but the proximity allowed them to hear all the domestic chatter from inside. People were talking, fighting, complaining, begging, making love... A few faces looked at them from windows, probably asking why were those hooded strangers on black coats crossing their neighbourhood.
After a few turns and hesitations they arrived at another small square where an indistinct building had a painted heart surrounded by flames over the door. Reynir smiled. "The old lady was right! This must be the temple!"
The door was open, and they found inside an empty round space lightened by several torches on the wall. There were two small doors to each side and a larger one just ahead. Soon the sound of small paws told they weren't alone in the room.
"Meow."
Reynir found the cat next to the door on their right. It was mottled, with many patterns of brow and beige over white. It came closer, hesitantly, green eyes reflecting the torch's flames.
"Meoow!"
"Perhaps he's hungry." Said Mikkel. "I might have something for him." He removed a small package from one pocket and unfolded it, showing Reynir three strips of dried meat. Reynir took one and crouched, offering the strip on his open hand.
The cat got closer and closer and finally pulled the strip from Reynir's palm. Soon the strip disappeared.
"It's not a he, but a she."
Reynir and Mikkel turned to see a small woman on the left door. She was wearing a red coat and looked very young.
"Welcome to the temple of the Lord of Light. I'm Lith, daughter of Lieth, the priestess that cares for this temple, and I'm studying to become a priestess myself. May I ask what brings you here?"
Reynir noticed that he still had his coat turned inside out and swiftly reversed it. He kept it open, showing a red jewel that hang over his white shirt. "I'm Reynir Vhassar, a priest of R'hllor myself, and I came here to pray to our God before our departure tomorrow. And this is my friend Mikkel Forel."
Lith bowed. "Welcome priest. May your light endure, for the night is dark and full of terrors. This is your house too. We will have a small celebration when the sun sets, and you, and your friend, will be welcomed to join us."
Before Reynir could say anything he felt something touching his feet.
"Meow."
"Oh, you gave her food, and now she wants more." Lith was smiling." She lives on an abandoned house at the alley behind the temple, and since last week has three kittens to feed, so she always wants more."
It was Mikkel's turn to crouch. He placed the paper with the remaining meat on the ground. "We had one a lot like her when I was a child. What's her name?"
"Beast." Answered Lith, prompting a deep frown from Mikkel.
"Always been a fighter, this one. You must see her fighting anything that comes closer to her kittens. Then you will understand."
Meanwhile the cat came closer and began to lean her soft fur against Mikkel's hand. "Well, lady, you're quite adorable for a beast."
Reynir moved closer to the large door. "Lith, forgive me, but we don't have time to wait for the sunset. I'll go say my prayers. Mikkel, you can stay here playing with the cat if you want."
Mikkel petted the cat's head once more and raised. "No, thanks. If you don't mind I'd like to go inside with you."
Reynir looked at Lith, that nodded. "I didn't count you as a religious person, my friend, despite all the things we shared in these years."
"I wouldn't say religious, but I see only advantages in keeping a good relation with any God."
The room beyond the door was also round, but larger, some 30 feet across, and had stone benches all around. Reynir, Mikkel and Lith stood on a platform, since the floor was almost a man's height below. The stone walls curved at the top, creating a dome that had a circular opening on its center. The skylight's stained glass depicted a red heart surrounded by a circle of yellow flames, the symbol of the Lord of the Light.
They descended some steps and Mikkel noticed a narrow circular channel at the center of the stone floor, some 10 feet across. In the middle, at the room center and exactly under the skylight, stood a single burning brazier. There were no other light sources, making the room quite dark.
"Here, my friend. Please sit while I prey. It won't take long." Said Reynir, pointing at the stone bench. Meanwhile Lith went to sit on the opposite site and began muttering some prayers.
Reynir removed his coat and folded it carefully. Then he removed his shirt, boots, pants and underwear, also folding each one. Naked, apart from the string which held the red jewel, he took his clothes and placed them on a niche under the entrance platform.
Mikkel observed with curiosity. He was sure to have seen Reynir naked before, taking a bath perhaps, but didn't recall well how he looked. Maybe he had never paid attention before. Reynir stood close to the brazier, and Mikkel could see that despite being lean and tall his friend wasn't weak. The strong contrast between light and shadow revealed firm muscles with almost no fat, together with many freckles that spread over his chest, back, arms and legs. The long red braid reached his knees. Mikkel didn't feel attracted to men, but had to admit that presently Reynir looked gorgeous.
He noticed that Lith was also observing with attention, and wondered if it this kind of nakedness was usual on their celebrations.
Reynir took a small wooden stick from under the brazier and set the tip over the fire. He held the burning stick straight and came closer to the channel on the floor. When Reynir bent with his improvised torch Mikkel realized that the narrow gap was filled with some liquid, that ignited as soon as the flames touched it.
The fire spread fast along the channel, and in a moment Reynir was surrounded by a circle of fire. He looked up to the skylight and raised his arms, and began to sing on a language Mikkel didn't understand, except for the word "R'hllor". Reynir's pale skin looked as if he was in flames himself, and suddenly the fire became stronger and higher, creating a curtain of intense light around him.
The spectacle lasted for a minute or two, and Mikkel was already sweating from all the heat, when the singing stopped and the fire suddenly receded and seemingly extinguished itself, leaving a sweaty Reynir smiling at the center of the chamber.
Lith, on the opposite side, was startled, mouth open in amazement, while Reynir walked to retrieve his clothes as if nothing had happened. "It's done. I believe that R'hllor will send his blesses upon us on our adventure."
"Oh, that was... something! I've never seen the fire behaving that way! "Lith said, and there was a reverential touch on her voice. "The Lord of Light must have you on high account, priest, and we were blessed to have you on our humble temple."
There was little light in the room, but Mikkel could swear that Reynir blushed.
---
Leaving the temple, Mikkel looked around for the cat, but couldn't find her anywhere.
"She must be at the back alley, feeding her kittens." Said Lith, still looking respectfully at Reynir. "I wish you safe travels, priest. May R'hllor always cast his light over you and your friends, to push away the darkness and show the right path."
"Thanks, Lith, to you and your mother. Stay under the Lord's light."
"Will you come back? I mean... one day, after your voyages? I would like that... very much." She said, with a smile that clearly told that Reynir could expect a particularly warm welcome if he ever comes back, and bringing to Mikkel's imagination an image of Reynir and Lith both naked, together inside the circle of flames.
Mikkel shook his head, trying to focus. "We should go, Reynir. It's already raining again and looks like it will be pouring down soon."
They left Lith and the temple behind, but hadn't walk much before hearing a commotion from a very narrow alley. It involved people shouting and intense barking, clearly from a large dog. Seconds later they heard a whimper, followed by silence. Two men from the city watch came out of the alley, their uniforms spilled with blood.
"Damn animal! Did it bit you?" The older guard said. He kept his sword out, and it dripped blood on the stones.
The other, carrying a spear, replied. "Bless be the Warrior, no, it didn't! You?"
"I'm fine. One must be careful. One bite and you're over."
Mikkel approached the duo. "Forgive my curiosity. What happened?"
"A rabid dog! Big one! Some residents called us to deal with it, and now it's done."
"You mean you killed it."
"Yes, before it killed someone, like that cat on the alley."
Reynir could hear Mikkel gulping. He thanked the guards for their bravery and walked fast, almost running, into the alley. Reynir followed, already guessing what happened.
Soon he found Mikkel crouched on a corner, his hand caressing Beast's fur. The cat remained immobile. He could hear the soft meows from her kittens coming from a hole on a wall. Fallen next to the opposite wall he saw the lifeless body of a fairly large dog, covered in blood.
"She's gone. I think it just threw her, or stepped over her, I don't know... I see no bites. Maybe it broke her neck... Poor thing." Mikkel stood up. "And the kittens will probably die too, without their mother. They are too young."
Reynir knew Mikkel for a long time, and they have faced many troubles together, but this was the first time he saw that massive and cool-headed man shed a tear.
"Let's go, Reynir. I need a drink." He wiped his eyes and started to walk away, while Reynir stood there, looking at the dead cat.
---
"Tell me how you did that." Mikkel's tankard was almost empty, and he already ordered another one. Reynir, on the other hand, felt to tired to drink.
"I don't know. I never did anything like that before. I just heard... stories, but they all seemed unbelievable... Before today."
Mikkel emptied his cup. They were sitting on a dark corner of the half-empty tavern, away from other customers, and nobody seemed to care about them. Still he moved closer to Reynir and spoke on a low tone, almost a whisper. "The cat was dead. I saw it. However I also saw you knelling by her, saying some prayers and breathing over her, and she started to move! And when we left the place she was feeding her kittens as if nothing had happened!"
Reynir tried to recall exactly what he had done. "All I did was to pray to R'hllor, asking him to send his light and his fire... And I imagined the cat as we saw her before, healthy and full of life... that was it. I felt an intense heat inside of me, and blew over the cat and... and I think something like... a shadow came out of my mouth and fell over her and... Well, you know the rest."
Mikkel looked around, as if afraid that someone might be hiding, and spoke even lower. "You can't just go around resurrecting dead cats as if it's normal, Reynir! Think on the implications! If you, or your god, can do that with a cat..."
"Yes, I see! I've heard about some high priestess doing that to persons a long time ago, but thought it was just a legend!"
The waitress arrived with a filled tankard, interrupting them. "M'lords, let me remind you that we have another room on the back where you can put your luck to test."
"Thanks, but we don't gamble."
"Your loss, charming man, I feel that this could be your lucky day. Is there anything more I can do for you?" She said, winking to Mikkel.
"No, we're fine." He gave a coin to the woman. "You can keep the change."
"Oh, not only charming but generous! I hope you both come back tomorrow, maybe on a better mood."
"I'm afraid that it won't be possible. Thanks anyway."
She made a disappointed face and left. Mikkel and Reynir drank in silence for a few moments until Mikkel, having finished his beer, decided to find a place to pee before walking back to the Red Keep. The waitress pointed to a door at the back, close to the gambling room.
On his way back to their table Mikkel heard a familiar voice.
"Yeah!!! I won!"
He crossed the curtain to the other room and found a group playing cards around a table. To his astonishment Sigrun was among them, and judging by her expression had just won big time.
"Hello, gorgeous! You arrived just on time to see my crushing victory!" She said, collecting a large pile of coins from the table while the others, all men, whispered among themselves.
"Didn't you tell me this day would be dedicated to rest, getting ready to our departure?"
"Well, I got bored with resting, and since you and Reynir were away..."
Mikkel smiled. "Sig, I know you. This was your plan, one day of gambling and drinking before we get on the ship... unless you lost it on some bet!"
Sigrun stood up and hugged Mikkel. "Silly, I don't do that kind of thing anymore! Tell me about your afternoon. Is everything loaded? You found that shop? Where's Reynir?"
"You don't do that kind of thing because we don't let you, my dear. Now let's go."
"Just one more turn! Lucky is on my side!"
Mikkel just stared at her, and she stared back. They held each other's gaze for a few seconds, but this time it was Sigrun who gave up. "Fine, we go now! I'm already getting tired of winning."
The four men around the table stood up, looking angry. "That's true, winning most of the time. Nobody has such luck." Said one of them.
"She must have been cheating us!" Said other. "And now your henchman comes to tell you it's time to go! I say it's all set up!"
Another man draw a knife. "And I say you go, but leave our money. We won't get intimidated by that guy. We are four against two!" And with that the others also drew their knives.
Sigrun looked at them while her hand moved to grab her own knife, just to find it was missing. "Oops. I guess my knife stayed at home. You don't happen to have a spare one with you, my dear?" But when she finished asking Mikkel was already holding the knife he bought on the antiques shop. "Oh! What's this?"
Sigrun took a sip from her tankard while grabbing the knife on her right hand. The men around the table paused for a moment when they saw the strange white blade gleaming as crystal. She examined it, smiling. "Is this what I think? From the great Sand Sea?"
Mikkel nodded, and Sigrun gave him a brief kiss. "You're awesome! I love it! Now keep being a good man and hold my beer, please?"
"Just try not to kill anyone, right?"
She gave the tankard to Mikkel and winked, turning to face the four men, knife ready.
"You said it's four against two? You're wrong. It's four against me! Now, who wants to dance?"
