The Ceremony of Trinkets

Though he wished he could, Ahsch eventually decided not to give Ariin and Elui their trinkets at the Temple. The questions that would be raised by restricting access to even the priesthood would be bad enough, and there wasn’t enough security in place to prevent spying - not to mention the mere act of trying to prevent members from observing what the two most prominent figures of the Order were up to would be suspicious. Instead, Ahsch settled for holding the little event in the Odestag suites’ gardens. It was a nice, quiet area, and Butler and Dorin would be able to keep anyone they didn’t want observing away for long enough to get it done.

Ahsch made a point to talk to Kirasiel in advance to explain why he hadn’t made her a trinket. And while she understood - Heart Sight confirmed it - she was also upset, disappointed that she couldn’t give him the answers he needed, and feeling like she had failed. And even though she said all the right things, Ahsch knew, even without checking through Heart Sight, that her reassurances that she was okay and it wasn’t a big deal weren’t true.

It concerned him that she was so obsessed with completely subsuming herself to him. Enough that he actually preferred her rebellious and antagonistic behavior from before, since a part of him delighted in having a pliant toy, even while the rest of him knew that she needed to be her own person before she was his cunt.

He spent some time reflecting on the wisdom that one’s own worst enemy was their own self.

As for the ceremony, Ahsch kept things to the point. While the rest of the inner circle, excepting the two servants on ‘guard’ duty, stood witness, he had first Ariin, then Elui come up and presented their trinket to them with a small speech - almost like a vow.

“Ariin,” he said softly when his sister stood before him. “My sister. My first true Thrall and worshiper. I’ve loved you since the day we were born - my first ever sibling. Even when we… didn’t get along, you’ve always been there, if not for me, then as someone I could look to to remind myself of the things I cared most about. You are perhaps the one who has pushed me the most, who has helped me become the person I am today. You are among the most precious things I know.

Beyond what I’ve already mentioned, you are also the embodiment of what I’m striving to become. As the Divine Submissive, you reflect the qualities of the being, the god I wish to become, and in doing so encourage me to be better and work harder.” He held up the hair pin. “This trinket is yours, made to reflect that to which you have bound yourself most closely to. Even as a mere hair pin, it represents the depths of your commitment to Enochiel, as His Archpriestess and as the Divine Submissive. It symbolizes the piercing drive you demonstrate to accomplish what you set your mind to, even bound as you are to something else. It is an artifact of your station, above and beyond all other faithful of Enochiel.”

With a gesture from him, Ariin turned and carefully removed the plain wooden pin Ahsch had requested she wear, while keeping her bun in place. Gently, Ahsch slipped the trinket into place. “Now bind yourself to it,” he instructed her.

Perhaps it was the ritual surrounding the moment, or the divine weight of a nascent god giving a sliver of His power to His most beloved, faithful, and divine worshiper; whatever it was, there was a thrum in the bare ambient Mana as Ariin followed her brother’s command and the bond took hold. In a bright, silvery glow, her revealing outfit was… not quite replaced, but rather transformed; little changed in the overall structure of it, but there was a simple aura of battle-readiness to Ariin’s new appearance. The metal of the chains which decorated her body seemed almost sharp, yet impenetrable; the wispy cloth that ornamented her seemed almost metallic, like flexible blades. And in her hand, inscribed with the seal of Enochiel and seeming to be wrapped in flat chains, was a long spear of silvery wood, the head of the weapon long and curved elegantly in a pseudo-leaf-shape, suggesting both excellent slashes as well as unstoppable thrusts.

Ahsch immediately learned three new Innate Magics - these being ‘true’ Innates, unlike what Sexual Learning gave him, so while they lacked any System Description, he understood them on an instinctual level.

Sense Dynamic was a passive Innate which allowed Ariin - and Ahsch - to detect whether someone was more dominant or submissive. It was somewhat flexible, as it would work to suss out their sexual preference, as well as hierarchical position within a different context. For example, Ahsch suspected he would be able to see that Queen Orleya was ‘submissive’ - or more accurately, subordinate - to King Solan, yet ‘dominant’ over most others in the Kingdom; he didn’t really want to guess as to the sexual dynamics of the Ruling Family.

Ecstatic Seal allowed the hrafthi twins to lock away pleasure, orgasm, or - most intriguingly - the distraction of either. It seemed oddly appropriate for Ariin, given how massive of a denial slut she was. Ideas of abusing her Arsenal of Ecstacy and Edge of Glory by removing the distraction of being so aroused and close to orgasm already swirled through Ahsch’s mind. Not to mention the idea of possibly using the same combination on any other, including himself.

Authority of the Vassal was essentially useless as it was for Ahsch, but could be incredibly powerful for Ariin. In essence, it took the gnosis that she had as Enochiel’s Archpriestess - and as the Divine Submissive - and gave it weight. If she used Authority of the Vassal, she spoke with Enochiel’s voice, acted with His blessing, and was, in essence, the embodiment of his will. The limitation was that it burned through Mana like a fire in a fuel depot, and wouldn’t work if the user’s intent clashed with that of the one they represented.

Grinning, Ariin bowed gracefully to her brother, Master, and god. “Thank you for this gift, Master,” she breathed, then backed away to allow Elui to step forward.

Taking out the ear clip, Ahsch met the eyes of his newest Thrall. “Elui… you clever girl.” He laughed softly and shook his head. “You alone, out of everyone here, figured out the truth with nothing more than your wit and intelligence. You are brave, inquisitive, honest, forthright, and were willing to take a chance on the religious equivalent of a nobody.” He held up a head to stop her protest that her faith was thanks to the truth of his gift via Cleansing Light. “Despite your doubt and skepticism, you took a chance on me - an honest, faithful chance. Your prayers were only answered because you meant them, or else Cleansing Light wouldn’t have worked. And even though you aren’t a member of the Priesthood, you’ve dedicated yourself to the Temple in different ways. Avery tells me that the researchers there can’t stop singing your praises as you dutifully document every new and wonderful thing that the Ley Spring produces, and I’ve seen for myself just how at peace and joyful you are doing it - which means more to me than you’d guess.” Spying on Elui to gauge just how much she really enjoyed her work was an unorthodox first use for Oblivious Focus, but well worth it - and not just for the confused look Elui was giving him.

Ahsch held out the ear clip. “You still dress simply, a modesty I know comes from your life before you found me. And there’s a beauty in that modesty, just as there’s a beauty in all of the nature that you cultivate, be it the flora and fauna of the Temple, or your own body’s natural fertility.” The adorable blush of the rabbit-girl made Ahsch’s heart skip a beat. “Should you accept it, Ariin and I have created the role of Temple Groundskeeper - your duties would be to research and document the changes wrought by the Ley Spring, keep and maintain the natural aspects of the Temple, and of the lands surrounding it. Regardless of your choice there, this trinket is a symbol of your love for the nature you find such joy and wonder in. Whether it is the mark of your station as Temple Groundskeeper, or simply an adornment of your natural beauty, I know you will cherish it, as I’ve come to cherish you.”

Elui was lost for words, but managed to convey her acceptance of both the trinket and the position through Daydreamweave, happy tears filling her eyes. She removed the new, simple ring piercing in her left ear, and held eagerly still as Ahsch carefully replaced it with the ear clasp. “Now bind yourself to it,” Ahsch commanded.

There was no divine thrum, no reverberation in the ambient Mana. Still, the almost rainbow-glow that enveloped Elui was remarkable in and of itself as it faded away and revealed her, dressed in an ensemble of both natural and mystic colors that Ahsch was willing to bet matched those found in the new flora and fauna of the Temple. Unlike her modest, simple garb, this outfit was cut in a much more elegant and striking way, with flowing sleeves and almost gauzy ruffles in the skirt, a bodice cinched around her waist and presenting her generous bust like silk-wrapped gifts. In her hands was a shepherd’s crook, which felt oddly appropriate given she would be guiding the Temple’s natural sections’ growth and development. And as such, Ahsch wasn’t much surprised by the Innate Magics his rabbit-girl Thrall learned and passed on to him.

Mystic Growth allowed Elui to fuel the growth - both maturation and the development of physical or mystical prowess - of both plants and animals with her own Mana. Although the overall growth provided by even draining her entire Mana Pool was relatively small - only about 10% - the fact that she could keep doing it until the natural limit of the target was remarkable.

Commune provided a way for one to ‘speak’ with both animals and plants. Though it wouldn’t be a true conversation - rather, the intent behind her words, and that of the plant or animal she was communicating with would be exchanged, to the limits of their understanding. Elui wouldn’t be able to teach mathematics to a shrub, nor would she be truly capable of understanding a predator’s need to hunt and kill. Still, it would allow the newly-minted Groundskeeper to learn the desires and needs of the flora and fauna of her domain.

Finally, Fertility Ritual gave Elui the very thing that Ahsch had told her she needn’t necessarily aim for - a way to improve her own milk production, among other things. That she would use it for that was beyond question, but it also allowed the rabbit-girl to improve the yield of plants, or increase how fecund animals were within its range, potentially providing a boom in animal populations. The latter would also work on humans and monsters, something Ahsch suspected he’d have to worry about sometime in the future.

Elui beamed thankfully at Ahsch, then bowed deeply as well. “Thank you for this gift - and the position!” she exclaimed, before backing away.