{ORP} ~The Baptism of Aida~

[Krail]

Temple Theme

-I help others so that just like me they can live life at their fullest, after all it be selfish if I lived only for myself, right ?"~ Karcier Aisu

It had been a long time since Karcier had preformed a baptism but he remembered it very well, short and sweet just as he liked it to be. No overly long speech nor too few a words to make the event feel short handed. He took to the stand and waited quietly for Aida to arrive. The temple of Fenia city was beautiful its stained glass windows offered various images of long forgotten tales some of which Karcier knew not of. Usually children sung before and after the sermons but during Karciers baptisms he always had a special song play, one which reminded him of home and held the mystery and beauty of a temple.

	-Message sent to Aida- A page comes up and delivers a note to Aida. Aida, you are hereby summoned for your baptism. Please make haste to come by the orchard for the ceremony. You are welcome to bring as many people whom can attend.

Standard baptisms often had witnesses but in some cases such was not nessarcy. As Karcier had said on a few occassion this event is simply a step in a journey we call life, there shall always be people whom walk the path alongside you but it was up to the to be baptised. Karcier remained quiet, waiting for Aida and hoping he remembered his words.

[Aida]

She had worn a cream gown that her handmaiden Miyanda had pulled out of storage from somewhere, from someone. It was a little too big around the waist for her, but it didn't matter. It was a crisp and cold January morning so they - Miyanda and her steward Jade - had wrapped her in a cloak, dark blue and covered with silver flowers. She didn't know if this was fitting for a baptism, having never seen one nor heard of one being performed, but Aida simply went along with it, bigger thoughts on her mind. Some peasants were gathering on the temple steps with offerings for the priests, they turned and stared at her as she walked up the stairs with her two maids following. Suddenly, she felt extremely self conscious, but it was too late to turn back now. Faint music was drifting out into the cold air and Jade walked through the door ahead of them to see how busy it was inside, having a conversation with Miyanda that Aida couldn't hear over the sound of her own thoughts.

Boots clicking on the marble floors, she walked into the vast temple space for a moment, gazing at the windows she had seen so many times, with stories she had so often made up inside her own head. Mysteries to be unraveled, she thought.

"Orchard," said Jade, finishing talking to the groundskeeper. They followed him outside into an enclosed orchard, all the leaves bare except for bushes of bright red berries, stark against the remaining white snow that clung to the ground obstinately. The sun was bright, casting its rays onto a nearby pond which glinted like glass. Aida smiled when she saw Karcier, walking up to him boldly and attempting to hug him without slipping.

"You picked a good place. It's nice, private. I asked a couple of witnesses to come... I trust they won't mind being out of their beds for too long." She chuckled, thinking in some cases it was more likely out of the tavern.

[Krail]

Karcier bowed his head slightly with a smile, the fire still in his eyes remained as it had years ago. "Nah I picked this place more so that I could eat on the go" he says jokingly. There was a pause as he walked over to Aida and patted her on the shoudler. "Don't worry too much about it, its nothing complicated. Very nice dress by the way, if I remember my own baptism twas in my old Cei'ra uniform with my wife" he smiles and then walks back to where he was. "I'll wait a little while longer for those you invited to come...and if they don't then we can always ask good ol'zachy to send some thunderbolts and firaga to them." he says chuckling.

[Benn]

Wandering in,carrying a handwritten invitation from Aida, Benn is informed that there is a baptism to be performed in the Orchard. Quickening his step, hoping he's not too late, he enters the orchard, spying Aida, 2 attendants, and a man that he assumed was officiating. Smiling at the beautiful scene about to unfold, he moves close but not directly into the group, speaks softly "I do hope I made it, I'm honored to have been invited"

Nodding with the same soft smile "Excuse me, I'm Benn, I don't believe we've met."

[Duke_of_Earl]

Duke arrives at the temple in Karina's company who takes a seat at one of the pews. Duke climbs into her lap and waits for awhile before wondering where the crowd is and Aida and the priest. "rroww?" - Karina takes out Aida's invitation and reads it over again. - "oh, not the temple, there having it on the orchard!" breathing out a sigh through his nostrils he hops down from Karina's lap and begins briskly rushing towards the door -he hadn't wanted to be late for this.

Arriving shortly thereafter at the orchard, Duke happens upon the scene. He pads over towards Benn and sits on his hind legs to watch Aida, sparing a greeting blink at Karicer. Karina catches up after a few moments, winded.

[Ambrosia]

After she tossed quite a few wardrobe choices around. She finally settled for a simple,plain, navy blue dress. She had spoken to Sebastian about at least making an appearance at the baptism. Most didn't know her religious outlook of things, and perhaps that was best for the world to stay ignorant on that. The orchard wasn't a hard place to find, as her blue eyes became occupied by the surroundings of the place. She waved to those gathered, and stayed eerily silent (for her anyway) in the background. Her eyes quietly connected to watch the events to unfold. After a few minutes she exchanged the weight from hip to the other, and quietly started to second guess her last minute decision to arrive.

[Nocturne]

Shadows danced across the orchard vibrantly, a testament to the life-giving rays of the sun that shone down on the cool winter's day. Cold winters usually were not where mortals sought to have water dumped on them, but Aida wasn't quite the usual mortal, after all. So in that sense it was fitting. Nocturne's crimson eyes appeared under the shade of one of the fruit trees, and he slipped forth wearing a typical shadow priest's robes, a plethora of depth showing in the gray ranges on the attire. The people were beginning to gather, so he made his way over by his sister, Ambra, and gave a nod in greeting as he smiled to Aida while taking a seat, bringing forth a shadow table beside him.

A few hands would move across, setting a table for a few fruit salads and shepards' pies that he had prepared for the occasion. It was tricky to determine what people might like to eat, since many were picky, but he thought that with the selections given, it would be a rare thing to find a complaint. At least, he hoped so.

[Rannek]

Rannek stood in front the temple - temples always brought back memories for him... not all of them good - for a few moments, merely gazing at the structure before finally walking in. He looked around at his surroundings, it had been a long time since he last stepped foot in one, noting that this temple was slightly different than what he was used to. He mentally shrugged and took out his invitation, reading it through a bit more thoroughly than before, discovering that the baptism was taking place in the orchard and not the temple itself... he shrugged again, physically this time, thinking that there were worse places to choose. Before he walked out he decided that he would come back again some day to the temple to... 'revisit' some old friends.

Rannek wore his usual attire, without his cape and with a bottle of whiskey hanging from his belt for later. Upon entering the orchards he noted all the different people here, and also sensed the two hiding at the back with a sense that he developed over years of ceaseless fighting. Nodding to each person he came across in greeting, shaking the hands of a few, avoiding moving to the front of the small crowd or anywhere near Aida. He would more formally, or informally, congratulate her later. Most likely at the tavern with that bottle of whiskey in his hand. So he instead waved to her in greeting, making sure she was aware of his presence, before making his way over to the two shadowed figures. Once he reached them, he gave each a silent nod and turned back to watch the small crowd.

[Krail]

Karcier smiled and clapped his hands togethor "It seems we have some people here, I shall get started then !" He took his place at the centre of the orchard, there a pedestal which had two potions on it. He looked down at them, one was green in color and the other clear like water. He straightened himself up and Bowed his head towards Aida.

"Aida, listen to my words and take them as they are. Listen and you shall hear and thus you shall know if this is the right path for you." he said with a smile. "We make choices and choose a path. This is but one of many choices which you will take. The path you are taking today is an important journey, for it shows your dedication to the Faith and its ways, you show your dedication to living life at its fullest. Do not enter lightly as you will be a role model to those whom have yet to take this path, whom have yet to choose. Friends, family and followers of the faith alike."

Then in a quick motion that seemed like a blur, the potions on the pedestal began to emit a faint energy which karcier had almost forgotten how it felt. They resonated with his own aura and most likely others in the room leaving a feeling of warmth to settle.

"Do you understand the commitment that you are about to start?"

[Aida]

Aida beamed as her friends and neighbours arrived one by one, feeling herself go a bit pink around the cheeks. In truth, she had not expected anyone to show up, not everyone felt comfortable with the ritual about to be performed and she wished she could share her thoughts with them. It was her desire for knowledge that had brought her here, an inner pull to open doors that might otherwise be closed and step through portals into different ways of thinking, of being. But that, she thought, was not an easy thing to explain. So she simply waved at her friends and gave them her most genuine smile, hoping that it spoke of gratitude and happiness. Her stomach rumbled slightly at the arrival of Nocturne's food, she realised she had not eaten this morning. It would be a short while until she could, too, so she tried not to stare at the delectable fruit salads in a way that might give away how hungry she was. She noticed the whiskey bottle on Rannek's belt and she put her hand to her mouth to stop it twitching.

She turned to Karcier instead, pulling her cloak around her shoulders more securely, "I think we are ready to begin, yes," she nodded.

Listening as he began, she heard the wind in the distance speak to her. Windsong, she thought. Sometimes the witches on the moor would speak of it, as a blessing from the spirits of the land. It gave her strength as she listened and watched as, in a fluid motion, two potions appeared on the pedestal. She felt their energy too and couldn't help leaning forward to breathe it in, warmth tingling in her fingers despite the cold day. She snapped out of it when Karcier's voice returned to the forefront of her mind.

"Yes, I understand."