The Machine [Open/Accepting]

[lil_lollypop1]

The guard looked to the other guard at the door before turning back to Damien. "Right this way." He replied, leading him and Jian inside. He then walked inside to a young nun holding a clipboard and a notice.

"Sir, I just got word that..." The nun began. "Oh... They're already here. We just got their message."

"Where is the Grand Priestess? Is she busy?" The guard asked.

"Well, this is a crazy week with the festival and all." The nun replied. "She's probably still in the middle of her ceremonial dance. It shouldn't be much longer now though. How much time do you need, Mr. Blackrose?"  

[Eternal_PrinceOfFire]

"It shouldn't take too long. However, the message is rather important, so I would not like to have to wait too long" Damien said.  

[lil_lollypop1]

"Alright then. If it won't take very long, I'm sure she won't mind talking to you during her break after the ceremony. Please follow me." She told them, leading them down a set of halls through the elaborate old building. She quietly peaked through one of the large doors, then closed it and turned to Damien and Jian. "She's still doing the ceremony. You can go in and watch if you're quiet or you can wait out here if you prefer it."  

[Eternal_PrinceOfFire]

"I'm interested in seeing what this dance is like. We'll go in. We're good boys. We'll behave" Damien said, then chuckled. He awaited the answer.  

[lil_lollypop1]

"Alright then." The nun replied with a soft giggle. She slowly opened the door to an elaborate but secluded ritual area that smelled heavily of intense. The floor was covered in soft plush with pillows everywhere, and many royal family sit close to a secluded area where the Grand Priestess was dancing the ritual. Despite the amount of people there, the room seemed empty with plenty of room for visitors. The dance itself was choreographed for a man to preform, but it was hard to tell with Lianne's grace as she spun on the ball of her foot and twirled a staff around her body. Her many layers of clothes matched the movement and seemed to create a strange illusion as she pranced back and forth. If one didn't know better, it would almost seem as if she was floating.  

[Eternal_PrinceOfFire]

Damien took a seat and watched the dance. "Very odd. I never associated this kind of stuff with this religion. It seems more like something to do with those old dead religions from long ago that some of those girls back in high school were trying to revive" he whispered very softly to the Chief General.  

[lil_lollypop1]

Jian nodded in agreement, sitting down beside Damien. "Sure seems like it." Jian whispered back just as softly into Damien's ear. "Maybe they were onto something. Not the whole religion thing, but the private dance with incense." He finished with a wink, glad that the music prevented anyone in the room from hearing his voice.  

[Eternal_PrinceOfFire]

Damien chuckled and just shrugged. He then sat back and just watched the Grand Priestess do her ritual dance. He didn't care for the incense very much though. It made his nose tingle and he felt like he needed to sneeze.  

[lil_lollypop1]

After a final spin where Lianne lifted her foot to her face, she slowly lowered the staff as the ritual came to an end. She let out a few small huffs, obviously tired and hot under the heavy layers of silks. She then stood up, using the walking stick as a crutch as she left the room through the side door. The royals then stood up, following suit. The nun, who was standing at the door, walked over to Jian and Damien. "The ritual is finished now. The Grand Priestess is going to her room to change, and we have someone there to inform her of your presence. She will see you as soon as possible."  

[Eternal_PrinceOfFire]

Damien stood and nodded. "Thank you" he said, "Is there a place where we should wait for her?"  

[lil_lollypop1]

"Well... " The nun muttered, in thought. "No... no... no..." She mumbled, going down her mental list. "Most of those rooms are being prepared... Oh! The green room is right across her quarters. That should be empty, I think..." She said. "This way." She said, leading them down a hall. Jian shrugged and followed. The nun turned down a grand hall, and at the middle of the grand hall, two nuns stood outside a old wooden door talking and peaking inside and whispering to each other. "What's going on?" The nun asked.

"Oh, Lianne's in one of her..." The nun began, then stopped immediately when she saw Damien and Jian. "N-nothing's wrong. Everything is fine. Lianne's just exhausted."

"She isn't..." The nun leading Jian and Damien trailed off. The other nun gave a small nod. "Oh dear..." The nun sighed. "Uh... could you ladies take these two to the green room right there and bring them some tea." She asked, wafting to the room right across the hall before rushing inside Lianne's room and slamming the door.  

[Eternal_PrinceOfFire]

Damien wondered what was going on. Of course there would be problems now. His luck had been good for so long, and now it seemed to be turning south very quickly.  

[lil_lollypop1]

"I'll go get the tea." One of the two nun's said.

"Well, uh..." The lone nun said, opening the door to the green room. "This is... is the green room, I guess and... wait right here. I'll go check on the situation." She told them, turning and quickly going into Lianne's room. She didn't close the door all the way as the old door slowly opened back up with a creeeeeek.

Jian looked at Damien, then back at the open door, not knowing how to feel about this sudden development.  

[Eternal_PrinceOfFire]

Damien silently crept over to the door and opened it slightly more. He then started to listen intently to know what was going on.  

[lil_lollypop1]

"Lianne... Lianne, please come out." A nun pleaded, shaking a door handle. "Lianne, I know it's your break time, but... no. Yes, I know your exhausted, but... Yes, I know what the doctor said about being around too much incense smoke... Well, no, but... My lady, you have to dine with the prince tonight and... yes, I know you never agreed to that... you mean they didn't tell you?... Well, you have to see Mr. Blackrose some time. It will only be a minute, but he said it's urgent. ... Clair didn't tell you that either!? H-he's waiting for you right across the hall!"

Jian also grew close to the door, listening with curiosity.

Slowly the door opened as Lianne peaked her head out in a coughing fit. Her hair was damp and her face dripping water. "Look, can't you just ask him what he wants so I can please finish my therapy session. My lungs haven't opened up yet." Lianne pleaded between coughs. "Unless it's something that involves national security, I don't see why he can't just leave a message. And if it is a threat to national security, I don't see why he can't just tell me through the door."

"But my lady..." The nun began. "These are your 'quarters'. Think what sort of implications that will have!"

"What part of 'I'm allergic to that incense smoke and have to either do this therapy session or die from suffocation' do you people not understand? The council says I have to use it for the 'old ways'. I retort that I need an hour after so I can clear my lungs. So unless it's worth me dying over, I don't see why we can't just be logical about this and let him talk through the door. If it's for national security, I think people will understand." She replied, closing the door before her coughing fit got worse.