A Priestess in Conflict

Aron smiled to see the demon lord defeated but he had no time to celebrate his victory. He remembered Ana-Maria was still in trouble, and looked up to the balcony just in time to see her scream.

The orcs were attacking with hatchets and short swords but the weapons bounced off a white wall that surrounded her priestess. Between her screams, she recited a prayer of fortification, but it was weakening and would not hold forever. Aron knew he had to get up there to save her, just as she had saved him in the fight with the demon lord. He threw the great axe away, it was too heavy for him to properly wield anyway, and ran towards his sword, then sped up the stairs.

The orcs saw him coming and turned to face him. They had the advantage. He was outnumbered and tired from the previous fight, but he kept his sword up and waited for their attack. They waited too, watching him closely. Ana-Maria began to chant a different prayer, and little by little, Aron could feel his strength returning. His tiredness was evaporating as if he had slept and woke up well rested.

The orcs realized what was happening and one turned to stab at her again. That was Aron's chance. He attacked the Orc that was still watching him, who raised it's hatchet to parry the attack, as Aron expected. But his foot connected with the orc's torso, kicking it backwards off its feet. By the time the second orc turned around, Aron was facing it one on one. The second orc swung its blade, but this time Aron was the one who blocked the attack. He shoulder barged the orc and swun around with his sword out, successfully beheading the orc from its unarmed side.

The other orc knew when it had been beat and immediately fled. Aron drew a dagger to throw but the speedy little monster was already gone, back the way that Aron and Ana-Maria had arrived.

"Are you hurt?" He asked the priestess and offered her a hand.

"No, I'm untouched, thanks to you. You saved me."

He laughed as he pulled her onto her feet.

"No, you saved me. I would have been dead back there if it weren't for your barrier. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me."

He surprised her with a kiss. She froze and for a brief moment her tongue seemed to respond to his, but then she pushed him away and hid her face behind her hands.

"No, I can't."

"Because you're a priestess."

"Yes," she said with a nod as her eyes filled with tears. "Daughters of the Temple are Liru receive their power from being pure in body. Carnal relations are forbidden because they weaken the body's connection to the spirit. Even just a kiss can cause the mind to be in conflict with the flesh and the soul, so we are to never know the touch of another, or even...love."

"Your purity is what protected me, so I can't disrespect that, but I can't deny that I want you. In body, yes, but in many other ways too. You've made my dreams come true. I've defeated a demon lord. I'm a hero now. When we return to the village, fame and fortune will be mine too. All I've ever wanted, and it's all because of you. And I want to spend every day of the rest of my life making it up to you. If you say its your dream to remain a priestess, then I will guard the temple day and night. But if there's a way...if you want something more than what the temple can offer, then please...accept my offer...and become my wife."