Lisbeth walked up to the shrine with slow and reverent steps. She kept her head down, as though even looking directly up at the shrine itself could be seen as improper. She took off her shoes before approaching the shrine, not wanting to dirty the place with her steps.
She was out of uniform and had brought no weapons. She felt naked without them, but it had seemed like a bad idea, in this instance. Instead, she carried only a basket filled with peaches. She'd never really prayed much to Frey, but Phoebe had told her this was the best thing to do, so she was going to give it a try.
She knelt before the shrine, her head bowed low. She placed the basket in front of her. It held seventeen peaches: one for each year of her life. She had taken great care, heading to half a dozen different market stalls, to find the sweetest, freshest peaches she could find.
"Frey," she whispered, taking the first peach and setting it on the ground far to one side, "when I was born, it was under the signs of the Old Gods."
She placed a second peach next to the first. "I knew not your names when I was but an infant.
She placed a third. "When I learned to talk, my father taught me first the name of Vi, but eventually, I learned all of your names."
She placed a fourth. "As I grew, I always questioned things. My father tolerated my curiosity, and did his best to answer my questions. But he only knew so much."
She began placing the fifth through twelfth peaches in a row. "During my years at school, I learned of your wisdom. My teachers knew much more than my father, and there were classes devoted entirely to Your teachings. But even then, my questions sometimes vexed the teachers, for they knew not all the answers."
She held up the thirteenth peach. She looked at it, a tear welling in her eyes.
She placed it down. "My father died, and for a long time, I had no answers at all."
She placed the fourteenth. "I was lost. I had nowhere to go in life."
She raised the fifteenth peach up in a fist, holding it high. "Then I heard the call to service. I began my training so that one day, I might protect the city and Your people against whatever threats might appear at the gates."
She placed the fifteenth and sixteenth peaces down side by side.
She held up the last peach in both hands. "This is where I now am. At a crossroads in life. I have completed my training. I am ready to fight. You have called for soldiers to aid you in your fight against the wicked New Gods and their blasphemous creations. They threaten Your creations, and they are motivated by pride and greed, thinking themselves your equals. They must be stopped."
She held the last peach cradled in her palms, bowing her head and holding it up towards the altar in offering. "I am here to fight for Your cause. I have devoted my life in Vi's name, and promised my soul to serve Mort in the great beyond. I have never doubted my place in this war. But there are those now who have questioned my purpose, my ability, and my devotion. They challenge my faith and attempt to convince me I walk the wrong path. And so, at the behest of the Lady Phoebe, I come before you seeking guidance. If I hear not from you, I will continue the path I have walked, ready to fight and die for the cause, to protect Your people and keep them safe from Your enemies."
She closed her eyes. "If you would offer me further guidance, I await your call..."
She remained there, kneeling, head bowed, offering held forth, awaiting a response.
She was out of uniform and had brought no weapons. She felt naked without them, but it had seemed like a bad idea, in this instance. Instead, she carried only a basket filled with peaches. She'd never really prayed much to Frey, but Phoebe had told her this was the best thing to do, so she was going to give it a try.
She knelt before the shrine, her head bowed low. She placed the basket in front of her. It held seventeen peaches: one for each year of her life. She had taken great care, heading to half a dozen different market stalls, to find the sweetest, freshest peaches she could find.
"Frey," she whispered, taking the first peach and setting it on the ground far to one side, "when I was born, it was under the signs of the Old Gods."
She placed a second peach next to the first. "I knew not your names when I was but an infant.
She placed a third. "When I learned to talk, my father taught me first the name of Vi, but eventually, I learned all of your names."
She placed a fourth. "As I grew, I always questioned things. My father tolerated my curiosity, and did his best to answer my questions. But he only knew so much."
She began placing the fifth through twelfth peaches in a row. "During my years at school, I learned of your wisdom. My teachers knew much more than my father, and there were classes devoted entirely to Your teachings. But even then, my questions sometimes vexed the teachers, for they knew not all the answers."
She held up the thirteenth peach. She looked at it, a tear welling in her eyes.
She placed it down. "My father died, and for a long time, I had no answers at all."
She placed the fourteenth. "I was lost. I had nowhere to go in life."
She raised the fifteenth peach up in a fist, holding it high. "Then I heard the call to service. I began my training so that one day, I might protect the city and Your people against whatever threats might appear at the gates."
She placed the fifteenth and sixteenth peaces down side by side.
She held up the last peach in both hands. "This is where I now am. At a crossroads in life. I have completed my training. I am ready to fight. You have called for soldiers to aid you in your fight against the wicked New Gods and their blasphemous creations. They threaten Your creations, and they are motivated by pride and greed, thinking themselves your equals. They must be stopped."
She held the last peach cradled in her palms, bowing her head and holding it up towards the altar in offering. "I am here to fight for Your cause. I have devoted my life in Vi's name, and promised my soul to serve Mort in the great beyond. I have never doubted my place in this war. But there are those now who have questioned my purpose, my ability, and my devotion. They challenge my faith and attempt to convince me I walk the wrong path. And so, at the behest of the Lady Phoebe, I come before you seeking guidance. If I hear not from you, I will continue the path I have walked, ready to fight and die for the cause, to protect Your people and keep them safe from Your enemies."
She closed her eyes. "If you would offer me further guidance, I await your call..."
She remained there, kneeling, head bowed, offering held forth, awaiting a response.
