Akakois gave some orders to one of the families servants, the oldish woman nodded and took Farhad and Dabiri off into the Palace, they were found a suitable white linen suit for themselves. Once the party was back together they wandered through the gardens heading towards the Shrine of Anahita. The shrine was made out of
white marble and while having a rather small floor area it had multiple floors. It had two entrances, one from the road outside that passed the Royal Palace and the other from the Palace grounds. It was almost like a portal to another world, outside in the street the Seleucid nation was dusty, the arid conditions meaning the small breeze often kicked up mini whirlwinds of dust blown in from the desert. Meanwhile the Palace gardens were lush and green, an oasis among the brown and yellows. The people near the fence that seperated the two worlds cheered when they saw the royal party coming they knew that soon they could begin drinking once more. The Palace staff had been out and about among them and flags from all three nations were being waved by children.
"Your Royal Majesty" a middle aged woman in a pale blue linen dress tied with a white sash greeted Akakois as he reached the bottom steps, a TV camera crew was present as worshippers across the nation prepared for the signal that their water fast could end. The King took his right hand touched it to his heart and then stooped to touch the bare feet of the Priestess. "May the Goddess bless you most high" she said with a smile as she was embraced by the King. The royal family lined up and one at a time greeted the Priestess. The Queens copied the Kings actions while the Princes and Princesses knelt and touched the Priestesses feet. The Priestess simply motioned for the visiting royals to follow them into the Temple, stairs lead to the left and right taking people up to a 2nd level where prayers would normally take place, the floor sloped towards a marble lined trough that ran from left to right in the centre of the Shrine. A large round stone sat in one end of it capping off the usual flow of water. To the sides of the shrine were tables. The TV cameras had switched to filming the crowd while the Priestess spoke to the group more to inform the visitors of what was going on. "Our faith teaches that their are five great evils that the Goddess has set us the challenge to overcome. We must end poverty, hunger, thirst, homelessness and lonliness. At every one of our celebrations we attempt to show the Goddess that we are making progress towards these things and if we are the Goddess blesses us. She watches carefully the royal family as they are the representative of our people." An aide appeared and handed each person something, to the two Tarrokh visitors they handed one a tray of pearls and the other a tray of polished black onyx stones. The cameras now reappeared at the royals and the Priestess got things under way.
"People of the Goddess, we gather here in search of water to quench our thirst. We have suffered through the long dark night without a drop to sustain us and now we stand ready to earn the blessings of the most Holy" she announced, "Oh, Anahita. We thank you for your blessings and dedicate ourselves for another year to do your bidding and end the Five Great Evils. Your most beloved have once more brought you gifts to earn your favour." King Akakois made his way to one of the tables and placed a heavy gold necklace on the table and a cheer came from outside, next the Queens all made their way to a table and laid their own gifts food and drink, next up the Princes who again presented gifts representing wealth, the procession continued with the Princesses repeating the cycle of food and drink before their guests rounding things off with the trays of riches. There was a pause as the Priestess made her way down to the marble trough that ran through the centre. She tilted her head back as though a wolf howling at the moon and used a small knife to slice the palm of her hand, she squeezed tightly forcing a few drops of blood to drip onto the beautifully pure white marble floor of the trough. "Anahita you have seen our progress, you have seen my sacrifice. Please see it and bless us once more" the King walked forward and knelt next to where the stone was, in truth it was nothing more than a prop but he made play of lifting it free. No sooner had he placed it into the keeping of his son Prince Hadi for him to remove it to the side of the shrine than water began flowing, at first a trickle but then a flow that would have come up well above the ankle if you stood in it. The drops of blood were washed away almost instantly and once more people cheered. The King knelt and dipped his hands into the water funneling the crystal clear cool water into his mouth. Outside a chant of "DRINK!DRINK!DRINK!" began as the King quenched his thirst. He stood, drops still coming from his short beard.
Outside was a scene of joyous chaos, people had brought bottles of water with them and watching on a nearby big screen the festival they waited for when the King stood. Loud singing began as people poured the old water over anyone around them, some children had even brought water pistols and chased through the crowd in what had become a giant water fight. Naturally everyone ensured they drank too and before long the ground was becoming a little muddy and everyone was soaked. Strangers hugged each other and wished each other well before beginning to form an orderly line. As the royal family and their guests left the shrine the general public were being allowed in. The full water bottles they had brought with them were now empty and would be refilled from the spring that the scriptures said had been where Anahita had transformed salty sea water into pure water.
As the royals made their way back towards the Palace there were still people along the fence, some still with water splashing it towards the royals including the children with waterpistols firing them at their monarch. He smiled and waved before answering his son Shahin's whispered question with a pat on the head before releasing his hand, the boy shot off towards the fence carrying his own water bottle in his hand. He was soon soaked through as he began squirting the bottle towards the public stood outside. Akakois remembered doing something similar back in his youth. A swoosh sound began and the sprinkler system kicked in.
As they reached the patio of the Palace seats had been arranged and tall iced glasses of mint tea had been prepared. "I hope you all managed to stay at least a little dry" the King handed Abbas and Farhad the first glasses. "Now please, sit relax and we shall talk some. As you saw its the need of my people to end five great evils, lonliness is one. I believe we can work hard together to make sure none of our nations are lonely. I'd appreciate your suggestions on how we do this before I present my own."
