Teylin, High Priest of Raased, and Divine Light of the Gods, raised a hand to shield his eyes as he stepped into the burning white light that flooded the Temple Sanctuary. Gracefully he glided towards the sparkling fountain set in the middle of the round room, his robes flaring slightly as he walked. The white walls and floor were spotless. Servants of the temple polished them three times a day to keep their flawless luster. Not that it really mattered in Teylin's opion what the sanctum looked like. He and the cleaning servants were the only ones allowed in the room and the servants had to heavily obscure their sight.
The Temple Sanctuary reminded Teylin of himself. Kneeling in front of the fountain, Teylin arranged his robes around him so that he maintained the perfect picture of holiness.
Teylin was required by ritual to do special robes maintained specifically for his daily visits to the sanctum. His regular slippers were changed for a pair made of the softest, whitest silk. Ceremonial, simple-cut robes were exchanged for lavish robes layered on top of each other. Over a light shirt and pants went a light robe, loosly belted. A heavier robe went on top of that with draping sleeves and trailing hem, embroidered in slivers and light blues in holy patters. Over that went a heavily embroidered blue and silver hooded mantle with a matching cloth used to tie his robe shut. All of this was made from fabrics that would probably have fed one of the families in the city for at least a month, even without the decorations. Teylin was dressed by servants trained just for putting those robes on him and later taking them off. They wore gauze over their eyes. Thick enough that they could make out what they were doing but none of Teylin's features. Fabric covered every part of their body except their face, with their hair shaved off to avoid any stray hairs landing on Teylin.
The whole process of maintaining the sacredness of the sanctum seemed silly to Teylin and he would have said just to skip it all. But then no one asked him, or talked to him or looked at him or came within fifteen feet of him. The Holy Councilor was the only exception. He and Teylin's bodyguards were the only ones who did not have to fully avert their eyes when looking at him, though there were strict limits how they had to act around Teylin. They could speak to him briefly but Teylin could only respond with a nod or shake of his head.
Lowering his head, Teylin mentally ran through the formulaic prayers he said everyday. He was meant to spend this time in serene contemplation of the holy grace of the High God Raased and his gifts to the world he watched over. He prayed for the continued peace of the Faaram nation, using the same words in the holy language of their ancestors as he always did. He prayed for the health and prosperity of the people under Raased's guidance. After about half an hour of kneeling in front of the fountain Teylin came to the end of his daily prayer. He still had another half hour before it would be proper for him to emerge from the temple. Following that he would return to his rooms, separated from the rest of the Temple complex by a long corridor and surrounded by a garden that was forbidden by anyone but designated servants to enter. There he would 'rest' from the overwhelming ordeal that was his prayers. After a few hours he would be given a small meal of foods carefully chosen to maintain his health and sanctity. Following that, the Councilor would appear to advise him on the state of the nation, or more precisely only tell Teylin just what he needed to know to not appear a fool during any meetings with the kingdom's Senate and foreign diplomats. Finally after that Teylin would 'retire' for the evening and the day would start over anew when he woke well before dawn.
On a whim, Teylin turned his face up to look through the clear crystal that formed the sanctum roof. He smiled, a true smile instead of the serene half-smile he kept constantly plastered on his face, and basked in the feel of sunlight hitting his face. It was the closest he would ever get to being in direct sunlight, everything that touched him was filtered through one barrier or another.
"Divine and Most Sacred Raased, Lord of Light and God That Reigns Above All Other Gods. I, your most devout and loyal servant, raised from birth to serve only you, request that you hear this, my most freverent plea. Please, release me from the enprisonment I'm currently held in."
Teylin blinked as the words left his mouth and flushed in embarrasement. He knew that no one in the world besides himself could understand the language he spoke in. Even if there was such a person, Teylin was the only person in the sealed room but still he felt a sense of guilt inside himself for speaking such a request outloud.
Quickly, he stood and fled the room, neglecting to maintain his earlier sedate pace.
Far away in a palace of pure light, an impressive figure blinked once before turning in his throne and going back to sleep.
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