Grant Me Your Grace

Ever since the gift of the gods appeared, the temple has been bustling with people every day. It was no exaggeration to say that the entire nation of Bahran was flocking to the temple.

After the first three days, when only nobles and priests were allowed to visit, people came from all over the region. 

The line that wrapped around the temple stretched all the way to the outskirts of the capital. The entire capital, including the imperial palace, became packed day and night.

Amid all this excitement, the only place that remained tranquil was the Princess Palace. From the towering height of the Princess Palace, which stood like a spire in the deepest part of the royal grounds, Dahlia gazed at the temple with wonder.

“It’s crowded again today.”

Standing at the window, looking out, Dahlia leaned close to the window. She could almost hear the sounds of people’s chatter and children’s laughter through the barred windows.

It’s so lively out there. Only flimsy glass, across the street.

The palace was as silent as a remote island.

“Ah…”

Another dull ache flared near her heart. Dahlia let out a low breath and swallowed the pain.

Seems like this pain might linger for a while. Although the pain was something she would have to deal with for a while after the lapse, this one hit her particularly hard.

‘I wonder if my brother is grumpy after having another injury.’

No… perhaps it was the red gash that had pierced through her normal routine.

“Your Highness, Priest Hovan is here.”

“The Priest Hovan?”

At that, a hint of life flickered across Dahlia’s otherwise colorless visage, and she ushered her visitor inside.

“Your Highness, the Princess.”

Hovan bowed politely to Dahlia.

Dahlia welcomed him in as if greeting an old friend.

“I didn’t think I’d see you for a while. I’m glad you’re here, Priest Hovan.”

Hovan’s mouth quirked up at Dahlia’s welcome.

“If I had known you would be waiting for me here, I should have walked a little faster.”

“No. I’m just worried that I might have forced you to leave the temple.”

It was high time that a gift from the gods appeared in the country of Bahran.

Despite his young age, Hovan was a capable priest who was being considered for the next high priest, and to leave the temple at such a time would be tantamount to dereliction of duty.

Sensing the worry in Dahlia’s eyes, Hovan smiled gently.

“You need not worry. Our priests are minding their own business as usual. It is also my duty to visit the Princess Palace, as I did today.”

“Ah… I see.”

Dahlia smiled weakly and lowered her gaze.

“You also have a duty to educate me.”

Though I said ‘educate,’ it was more like ‘monitor’.

Few within the palace knew of Dahlia’s abilities within her blood. As the only one of the priests who knew the secret, Hovan had been assigned the task of keeping an eye on her from afar.

Aside from her family, Hovan would be the only man who would have access to her at any given time.

Divine power was once a gift from the goddess that was passed down only to the heir to the throne. But when the Emperor died, the divine power was supposed to be passed on to the Crown Prince, but instead, it appeared in the body of a princess who had no claim to the throne.

It was a curse, indeed.

When Crown Prince Saltar realized this, he tried to kill Dahlia again and again. Unfortunately, there could only be one wielder of the divine power in a generation. 

There was no guarantee that Dahlia’s death would bring the power to Saltar.

The Emperor, fearing that his power would falter, kept this a closely guarded secret. So Dahlia was put to the stake, and her blood was disguised as Saltar’s and used for the glory of the unwavering imperial family.

From then on, the Emperor had Hovan, the next High Priest, watch over the young princess. In the name of ‘education’, he ensured that she would never dare to dream of freedom.

Hovan smiled fondly as he locked eyes with her, feeling sorry for Dahlia’s early resignation to such a fate.

“I, too, find it more enjoyable to spend time with the Princess than in a boring temple, and the lyre she plays is more beautiful than any music I’ve ever heard.”

“…Thank you for saying so, Priest Hovan. Indeed, I most enjoy spending time with Priest Hovan, as well.”

A genuine smile crossed Dahlia’s lips.

Soon, a tea table was set between them. Dahlia brewed a pot of fresh fig tea for Hovan and poured him a cup.

She waited for Hovan to sip the tea and smile at her, as she always did, before she asked a question.

“The temple must be bustling with activity.”

“It’s certainly livelier than it has been in the past, but it’s not often that so many people come to the temple at once, unless it’s Maksru.”

“So… are they all going to see the gift of the gods, up close?”

The words ‘gift of the gods’ came out of Dahlia’s lips, and Hovan’s gaze snapped to hers. His shrewd face showed that he already knew what she wanted.

It’s sharp, or maybe it’s stern. He stares at her for a moment, his eyes piercing, but then answers calmly, as if he’s willing to let her off the hook for once.

“As long as our people are there, you cannot go to the temple, Your Highness, even if you asked me to.”

Dahlia’s face quickly flushed at the realization that she had been caught red-handed. 

Though always kind, Hovan was strict when it came to boundaries. Like a child caught sneaking candy, Dahlia quickly made her excuses.

“Well, it’s not that I want to visit right away, I’ve just heard about it from the maids, and I’m curious to see what this gift from the gods is like…”

It was true, she had no intention of defying the order and stepping out in front of the people, nor did she have the courage to do so.

The regret that she’d been knocked unconscious before she’d gotten a chance to see the man himself only heightened her curiosity.

Hovan stared at Dahlia as she floundered. His amber eyes lit up for a moment with an unexpected gleam.

“It’s just, it’s the will of the Nuit Goddess.”

Sometimes, when Hovan gazed so intensely into my eyes, I felt a strange sense of dread press down on my chest.

“Only the Goddess knows what she will do with her gift here. Until then, we can only wait.”

Like teaching a child who knows nothing.

“The Goddess’ will may seem slow at times, but it is always done at the right time.”

Or, like putting the blinders back on a blind man who has just begun to see. The chilling gaze seemed to bind her soul, and Dahlia could say no more.

“Would you like to learn the lyre again today, or shall we read poetry together after all these years?”

But Hovan quickly wiped the strange glint from his eyes and smiled gently. A secret disconnect passed between them, but Dahlia was used to it.

Dahlia shook her head, knowing better than to show her curiosity about the god’s gift in front of Hovan.

“I’m going to learn archery today, it’s been a while since I’ve spent much time cooped up indoors, and I’d like to move around a bit.”

“Of course, Bertha, fetch Her Highness’s bow.”

“Yes, Priest Hovan.”

Seeing Dahlia like that, Hovan forced himself to smile a little more sharply.

✨

Another month has passed.

The crowds that flocked day after day to see the gift of the gods were forced to return as the sun set and the temple doors closed.

This allowed the capital city, which had been bustling with activity day and night, to experience its first peaceful night in a long time.

“The temple doors are closed, are you sure?”

Dahlia asked as she put on her robes. Bertha nodded as she straightened her clothes.

“Yes, Your Highness. I certainly saw it a moment ago.”

Dahlia nodded in satisfaction. Looking at her, Bertha asked worriedly.

“Are you sure you’re fine going alone?”

“Don’t worry. I always went alone.”

After patting Bertha’s head, Dahlia covered half of her face with black silk and headed out.

The desert night greeted her with a chill and darkness she hadn’t seen for years. Carrying a silver plate with a flickering candle, she traveled silently through the night.

Sometimes she encountered a palace guard. But when they saw the water lily symbol on her robes, they passed her by as if they hadn’t seen anything.

How could they stop a cursed princess on her way to ask for forgiveness from the goddess Nuit? Ironically, their belief in the rumors allowed Dahlia to walk freely.

Finally, the temple came into view. It had only been a month, but she was glad to be there, as if it hadn’t been a year.

Dahlia took a deep breath as she gazed at the serene temple. The dry desert night air filled her lungs. When she exhaled, it made her feel lighter.

Placing the candle on the stone fence, Dahlia first knelt in front of the statue of the Nuit goddess. Then she closed her eyes and began to pray.

After a long, lingering silence, she opened her eyes again and gazed at the statue of the goddess, whispering to herself.

“…Grant me the wisdom to discern between your will and what is not your will.”

At times, when reality was too painful, I was tempted to blame the Goddess. But the books she devoured reminded her that blame breeds self-destruction, and denial only leads to heartache.

So whenever Dahlia’s heart was troubled, she could only hold on to the words, ‘There is a time and a place for the goddess’s will,‘ time and time again.

However, there was also the lingering doubt that the goddess’ will might not be on my side.