Preperations

The abbey’s dining hall was well decorated, with various mosaics, tapestries, and stained glass windows, all religious in nature and kept with the red and black theme of the rest of the fortress cathedral.  There were only a few common tables, large enough to seat twenty sisters each and every one sat together, from the newest initiate to the abbess, or the arch bishop, if he ever deigned to eat in our abbey.  The food was very good as the cooks were sisters that had shown some talent in the culinary arts.  Today I wanted something light though as there would be a celebratory feast for Callie after Mass, so I ordered a simple chicken salad sandwich on a flakey pastry with some crisps.  I grabbed an apple and a drink as well and sat.

I picked the table that was the most occupied, since I had been stuck in my chambers with Callie for almost twenty hours, except for a bit of sleep; the company at the table would be much appreciated.  

“Sisters,” I said, greeting them all.  It was returned by those sitting closest around me.

“Prioress,” said Sister Jaqie, a short homely woman in her mid thirties.  “Are we getting a new sister in the abbey today?”  Sister Jaqie was a member of the Priory of the Bells.  All priories in the abbey were named after significant parts in the life of Saint Sagredia, the namesake and patron of our abbey.

I nodded in the affirmative.  “She passed with flying colours and will be taking her vows tonight.”  A few of the other sisters expressed their happiness at the news.  A new sister was indeed a joyous occasion.  “So don’t eat too much,” I said to the sisters and then felt immediately stupid as I saw their empty plates-everyone else was more or less finished with lunch.

“I’m very happy to hear that, prioress.  A friend of mine was actually one of her mentors in the Jahi Abbey: Canoness Alamedia.  She will be glad to hear that her student has ascended to our ranks.”

“She’s not going to be at Mass tonight?”  Usually, the mentors of the initiate would be present for the taking of vows.  Few in the Sani Sabik would want to miss a moment of personal triumph.

“Sadly, she cannot.  Other duties require her to be away,” Jaqie responded.  “Which is why she asked me to send her a message as to the outcome of the examination.”

I nodded.  “Well tell her that she is to be commended for her work.  Sister Callie was well schooled.”  As soon as the words were out of my mouth I scarfed down a couple of bites of my sandwich.  I only had a little time to eat; if I spent all of it talking, my growling stomach would bother me all through Mass.

Jaqie smiled.  “I’ll be sure to let her know.”  She stood with her empty plate in hand; most of the other sisters had left by now.  “Go with God, prioress,” she said, then left, leaving me alone to finish my meal, which I did posthaste.  

Upon leaving the dining hall I returned to the priory commons.  A quick check of my chrono, using my implants not an actual watch, revealed that we were not pressed for time, but would be if we dallied.  Callie still had her ablutions to do and I still had to get dressed in full regalia.  I threw the door open and walked quickly to the back of the room.  Two of the sisters were in the commons; I returned their greetings without slowing down.

The door to Callie’s cell was closed.  I peered through the small hole cut into the oak door; she was inside kneeling silently.  So as to not interrupt her in the middle of a prayer or some other quiet contemplation, I opened the door slowly and stood just in side, silently.  If she did not react to me in short order I would be forced to interrupt, but that was not a preferred course of action.  As it turned out, she looked up almost immediately.

“Prioress,” she said.  “Sister Lucciele got me my robe for the service.”  

“Good.  But first, we need to do your ablutions.  Come on, follow me.”  I exited the cell, with Callie in tow.  There were bathing facilities in the priory commons, but the ritual baths were in the greater abbey.  We made out way quickly through the halls to the baths.

The room was comprised solely of red marble and bedecked with golden thread silk drapes and curtains.  Sister Lucciele was already there, in a simple white, flowing pullover gown.  The ritual soaps and oils were set out in the order that they were to be used and and the large octagonal bath was filled with steamy clear water.  I started to get undressed and Callie followed my example.  There was a rack to hang my habit on.  On one of the hooks was an identical gown to the one Lucciele wore for myself, which I put on as soon as I was undressed.  Callie stayed unclothed.

We stepped over to the edge of the bath pool and I placed my hand on the top of Callie’s head, bowed my head and prayed.  “God of All, we come before you, unclean.  We purify our bodies, so that you may purify our souls.  Allet.”  Lucciele and Callie raised their heads as I did.  Callie looked up at me, as if asking for permission; which, she was.  I nodded and she stepped into the hot water, down the steps built into the bath, until she was able to submerge her head while standing.  Once she did, she walked back up and Lucciele took the first soap and washed her feet.

The process continued each time.  Into the bath and then out.  Each time Callie was out a different part of her body was washed: her feet, then calves, thighs, pelvis, stomach, chest, upper arms, lower arms, hands, face and finally hair.  There were two versions of the ritual, one with just the participant and one with the participant and the assistant.  The order favoured the latter as it increased the bond between the sisters.  Once the washing was complete Callie stood dripping on the marble floor.

Sister Lucciele poured the blessed and consecrated anointing oil into a bowl and stood beside me, holding it.  I dipped the index and middle finger of my right hand into the bowl and then placed them on top of Callie’s head.  “In the name of the Red God, I bless you,” I said.  I did the same thing to her forehead, again saying, “In the name of the Red God, I bless you.”  Again I dipped my fingers in the oil and touched her throat.  Again, I said the appropriate words.  I did the same to her heart, just below her ribs, her pelvis and the base of her spine, always with the ritualistic phrase.

When I finished I walked over to the rack and grabbed a black silk wraparound robe and put it on to Callie-who stuck out her arms to help me-and tied the sash around her waist.  “Your now ready to take your vows.  Go to the shrine to Saint Sagredia in the cloister and spend the time in contemplation until someone comes for you.”  The sun was setting and the exterior cloister would be a bit chilly and the robe would do nothing to keep her warm.  She bowed and left.

I helped Sister Lucciele clean up the soaps and oils and then drained the bath.  Once everything was away we gave the baths a light cleaning, but a more thorough one would be needed when we were not pressed for time.  “This will have to do,” I said.  “For now at least.  We’ll finish up tomorrow.”  

Lucciele gave her assent and put the tools up.  I grabbed my habit from the rack and draped it on one arm and Lucciele did the same.  We would both be changing, so there was no point in putting our habits on for the three hundred meter walk to the priory commons just to take them off again.  When we reached the priory commons I gave my parting instructions to Sister Lucciele, “Make sure that you have Callie’s habit set up before the service.”  One she had acknowledged her instructions, I walked into my chambers.

I stripped off my gown and walked to my closet, reached all the way to the left and grabbed my full regalia habit.  This would be the second time that I wore it.  It was not difficult to put on, per se, however it was so in that everything had to be perfect.  This was, however, the first time that I put on my pellegrina, the other time I had worn it, the bishop had put it on me.  Satisfied that everything was properly on, I attached my dagger and Liber Sani to my belt.

I sat in my chair, reached into my drawer and brought out a red velvet cloth, a stone, blessed oil and another softer cloth of white linen.  Then, I unsheathed my dagger and placed it on the cloth.  The silver blade gleamed and laster etched into the blade, in ancient Amarrish, was the phrase ‘To you, oh God, we Sacrifice.’  Keeping the etching clean of blood was the most difficult part of the dagger rituals.  

“Bless this blade, oh God, that I may use it to please you.  May the edges be sharp to let the blood flow to sacrifice to You.  With this dagger I claim my salvation.  I consecrate this dagger to Your service, never to be used except to please You.  Allet.”  The ritual prayer flowed from my mouth with practiced ease. I wetted the stone with the oil and ran it over the edges of the blade several times.  The sound that it made was most pleasing.  Schick, schick, shick.  I sharpened the silver alloy double edges.  When I was satisfied that I had sharpened enough, I grabbed a piece of parchment and held it out in front of me.  The sharpened edge tore through the parchment like a razor blade; I smiled.  “The Blood I spill is Yours, oh God.  This blade is Yours, oh God.  The hand that guides it is Yours, oh God.  The soul that commands the hand is Yours, oh God.  May this forever be so.  Allet.”  Upon completion of the lyrical chant I sheathed the blade and stood, and walked out the the priory commons.

There was a medium sized, about the size of my head, iron bell hanging in the front of the  commons.  I picked up a rubber hammer and hit the bell.  At my signal all the sisters emerged from their cells all dressed for the service.  The formed up in a double file.  I turned to Sister Lucciele, “Go summon Callie to the temple.”  She walked of with a purpose and I turned to the other two in line and nodded.  When I walked off they followed me.  The only sound that followed me as I walked to the temple was a rustling of skirts.