Wayfarer (Wanderlust 2)

Chapter Thirteen

  Next to the palace, the temple looked small, even though it was still easily one of the largest buildings in Esler Tigo. It was round, and entirely made of wood. Columns made of whole trees surrounded the building. The walls were intricately carved with different designs and patterns, but no scenes or specific images. Inside, the temple was lit by sunlight coming through a round hole in the roof. Directly below the hole was a round pool. The pool was the only thing not created with wood, and instead was made of rock and tiled with colourful gems and chips of stone. It was in the pond that Soren first realized he recognized an image—leaves.

There were other people in the temple, all of them kneeling on cushions around the pool. Jale led Soren and Tanden along the wall, until they reached a more secluded place to talk. She whispered, gesturing at various things as she spoke. "Tallenese temples are always round, with a pool in the middle. Temples dedicated to Tigo are traditionally made of wood, because that is the material most associated with him and his province. Here there are columns made of real trees, in other provinces they will be stone carved and sometimes painted to look like trees. The pool always represents Till, to represent the rains she gifts us in the spring. Tier is the rocks that line the pool, like the snowy mountains that protect our whole empire. The hole and the sunlight represent Tiya, and the warmth and light of summer. Every temple is like this, but the design in the pool changes for the specific god or goddess."

"It's beautiful," Tanden said. "So how do you pray?"

"Listen," Jale replied simply.

When they first walked in, Soren had thought the people kneeling around the pool were talking. Now he realized they were singing quietly. "It's a song," he said.

Jale nodded. "It's called the Song of the Seasons. There are five parts. One part is the same, but then every god or goddess has a verse. They're meant to be sung together, at the same time. When we enter a temple, we kneel at the pool and join in the song. When the verse starts, we sing whichever verse we would like to."

"They're singing Tigo's verse?" Tanden guessed.

"Yes. Tigo's verse is about strength, the ancient forest, the earth at our feet, the passage of time. Till's verse is about water and rain, new beginnings, growth, animals, plants and people starting anew. Tiya's verse is about sunlight and warmth, fire and light, prosperity and bounty. Tier's verse is about cold winds, snow, beauty, bravery against the strength of nature. Come—" She took their hands in each of hers. "I'm from Till, so I'll sing Till's verse. You two be quiet."

"Can I learn it?" Tanden asked.

She smiled at him. "Later. This time, just listen." She led them both over to the pool and knelt, one of them on either side. She was quiet at first, her head tilted slightly like she was concentrating on what she was hearing. Then she joined the song.

She started by singing the same words as the others, but then there was a change. The other worshippers' voices deepened and they sang more slowly, while Jale's verse was higher, and quicker. Her words rushed around theirs, like water trickling through dirt. It ebbed and flowed, but instead of sounding wrong, it fit into the other verse perfectly.

Soren could tell from the look on Tanden's face that he was just as in awe. The song carried on, until everyone was singing the same words again. When it stopped, there was a moment of silence, before Jale spoke up. Quietly, she said something that drew everyone's attention. Soren felt awkward, but Jale was still holding his hand so he didn't move, even when every pair of eyes gazed over him.

A few of the other worshippers replied to her, and Jale said something in return, then switched to Teltish. "I explained that you are travellers who want to learn about our culture. That woman, in red, has offered to sing Tier's verse. And the man beside you, Soren, will sing Tiya's."