"What are YOU doing here," Chloe demanded. Hands on her hips the young hand maiden glared at Kessily. She was one of a countless number of nubile young girls who worked in the temple hoping to find favor with Ares or one of his Priestesses.

"I'm spending the night. What does it look like I'm doing?" Kessily asked. She continued to make up one of the pallets with the silken sheets and heavily embroidered coverlets she had brought with her.

The other young girls of the temple slept on straw mats with wool blankets, but she was not one of them. They were the newer handmaidens. Ones who hadn't yet been granted the privilege of private quarters. Even when they rose to that status their rooms weren't anything like the Priestesses' suites that Kessily was used to.

She had never spent a night down in the dormitories, and she was less then pleased about having to do so now. Chloe's confrontational attitude had gotten her back up already. It was not improving her mood in the slightest.

"You don't belong down here with the likes of us," the raven haired kitchen wench accused. All around the room other girls nodded their agreement, muttering. Kessily was not a favorite of the lower handmaidens. She had too many privileges that they didn't have, even though she appeared to be as young as most of them.

"You can say that again," Kessily said with a sniff. The new girls were always so rude. So jealous of their places, with over swelled egos and attitudes to match. It was general months before they got over themselves enough to be friendly.

Kessily's reply had irritated the other girl. She approached Kessily, determined to start a fight. Kessily watched her warily from the corner of her eye but didn't stop what she was doing. Only when Chloe got close enough did she react.

A dagger flashed silver in the moonlight. It stopped at Chloe's throat. "Did you need something?" Kessily asked sweetly, as she watched the blood drain from Chloe's face.

"Let me explain something to you," the red haired artist said. "I am not a handmaiden like you. I am a warrior and a slave. I don't belong here you are correct. However, circumstances, " here Kessily gritted her teeth in frustration. " have led me to have to sleep here this evening. Deal with it...or regret it later," she pitched her voice to warn all in the room.

Chloe was frightened but not ready to step down. "A warrior and a slave?? How is that possible," she said in a snide voice.

Kessily lowered the blade and allowed Chloe to retreat, her pride was bruised and Kessily watched carefully to see if she would do something stupid. "Because I fought against Lord Ares' men in battle. When we lost I was taken as a slave. I fought my way free and Ares decided he liked my spirit and brought me here," Kessily explained.

She wasn't sure why she was bothering. Her situation was none of their business after all. She suspected it had something to do with the wide staring eyes of the newest of them, and overseer of the stables, Jacinda. It was to that one she aimed her story.

"Ares brought me here as a slave, a gift to Jazelle who had pleased him in some way. Jazelle became fond of me, and I of her. She didn't believe in slavery and she freed me. I remained of my own free will, so technically I am no longer a slave. I belong to Jazelle so I belong at her side," she stopped her oration.

Settling down on her pallet, Kessily yawned and stretched her tired body out under the warm covers. "If you are satisfied I'd like to sleep now," she said with eyes already closed. Her ears were pricked for any sign of Chloe's attack, but all she heard was bare feet shuffling across the room. She allowed herself to relax and drift off into dreams.

Some time later..."Kessily," came a whispered voice at her right side.

Kessily opened her eyes and looked into the nervous face of Jacinda. "What time is it? Why are you waking me? And if it is as early as I think it is I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill you now," Kessily replied.

"It's early...but but...JaZelle wants you now," the girl said urgently. "Come on." Jacinda began to tug at the red haired girl's arm. Trying to get her up.

"All right girl! Leave my arm in place if you don't mind!" Kessily finally exclaimed. She crawled out of the warm nest she had made and shivered in the chill air. "Jazelle WOULD wake me up at the crack of dawn," she muttered.

Jacinda watched wide eyed. She would never have dared to speak of one of the priestesses like that, but from what she had seen of Kessily there was very little that the girl DIDN'T dare!

"I assume she is waiting in our quarters?" Kessily asked patiently, Jacinda nodded.

"Thank you," Kessily said. She began the trek through the immense temple towards her lover. She shivered, and not from the cold this time, as she wondered what the lovely JaZelle had planned in revenge for her tattling to Miranda.