Chapter One

Rebecca, 10 yo, will face her first challenge.

The shaft of sunlight struck the sleeping girl’s eyes. The day came too soon she thought as she stretched. Rebecca lay there hoping for a few minutes more. Her hopes dashed as the noises of a Temple coming to life came through the room’s thin door. The sounds were too loud for her to go back to sleep. Stretching again, she rolled over and pushed herself to a sitting position in the middle of her sleeping pallet.

As she looked around the room she remembered how she had been dismayed the first time she saw the room. The room at the estate had been large with rugs on the floor and decorated walls. This room was small, no rug and barren walls. At home, she had a large bed, wardrobe full of pretty dresses, and a dressing table and chair. Here she had a soft pallet on the floor. Pegs extending from the wall held her shifts and a chest held her private clothes. A bowl and ewer sat on the wash stand. A chamber pot sat hidden behind a privacy screen. To her surprise, she had come to appreciate the absence of distractions from her studies and prayers as she sought the blessings of  her goddess.

She rose and removed her night clothes. She completed her ablutions and donned a colorless shift over her underclothes and ran a comb through her auburn hair. She opened the door and stepped out to stand beside it. She was the first to be in place as was her usual. Her room being at the end of the hall, she waited for the others to exit their rooms.
The door to her right opened and Rebecca nodded to Lisa as she emerged from her room.  Lisa smiled and assumed position besides her door. The other eighteen girls soon joined them in the hall. Ten girls stood on each side of the long hall in the Temple’s west wing. Rebecca listened as some of the girls passed greetings. Most, like her, just waited for their morning assignments.

What would hers be today? Please Goddess be merciful, not cleaning chamber pots again. The thought made her stomach churn. It was the lowest of assignments and it had been hers twice last week. Rebecca saw the girls at the far end of the hall stiffen. A handmaiden came into view holding a paper in her hand. She recognize Handmaiden Gayle Taylor and gave a low groan. Gayle had taken to picking on her every opportunity. Rebecca did not know why but suspected that Gayle was jealous. Gayle was recently promoted to handmaiden after five years studying while Rebecca was on the verge of promotion after only three years. Rebecca had overheard Gayle saying that it was not right. She said Rebecca had special privileges because her father was famous. Whatever the reason, Gayle took every opportunity to humiliate her. Rebecca hoped today would be different but the look on Gayle’s face was grim, angry. She knew that chamber pot emptying and cleaning would be her assignment again.

Gayle took her time, stopping in front of each apprentice. She consulted her paper before giving the girl her assignment. When she finished, the apprentice turned and closed the door to her room and left. Some left with heads up and spring in their steps and others head down and shuffling steps. Rebecca heard the girl across the hall be assigned to the kitchen. Lisa was assigned her to the laundry. Now it was her turn. Gayle stopped in front of her.

Gayle glared at Rebecca for a moment before consulting her paper. Rebecca watched Gayle’s face reddened as she read. What is worse than chamber pots? When she looked up, Rebecca stared into cold, hard eyes. What angers her so?
Gayle struggled to get the words out. “It is not right. Not fair.”  When the next words came it was through clenched teeth. “You are to report to the sanctuary for consideration for promotion.”

“What?”

Gayle had gotten control of her emotions and repeated that Rebecca would test today. “You are to report after morning meal. Leave.”

Rebecca closed her door and left for the kitchen though hunger had fled her. She had been studying the tomes and praying to the Goddess but feared she was not ready. Goddess, am I ready? She repeated the refrain hoping for an answer or some sign one way or the other. To her dismay, no answer came before she reached the kitchen. She entered and found the cook and assistants plating morning meals for the acolytes in the dining room. Rebecca grabbed a chunk of bread and munched it as she left the kitchen for the sanctuary.

Rebecca slowed her walk as she entered the garden separating her dormitory from the sanctuary. The aroma of roses and lilac in bloom wafted on the breeze. She passed a bench flanked by blooming lilies. She fought the urge to sit and avoid the coming test. She knew this day would come but not so soon. Certainly her teachers had expressed surprise at how quickly she learned the prayers, to read and to write. Still, she had not expected to test so soon. Leaving the bench, she found herself standing before the doors to the sanctuary.

Author's Note

First attempt at a novel. I have tried revising and editing. Appreciate review and guidance on making it better.

Reviews

[paulhc]

An interesting start to a story. When revising, try and look at your style (and perspective). I find Writing-skills.com quite useful. Especially look at this: http://writing-skills.com/how-to-use-adverbs-effectively.
You have some powerful lines in this, a good style and with a bit more work it could be even better.

[MightyMouse]

This is pretty good. I'm curious to read more. I'd like to know what's going to happen to her and what it is she's actually studying to do. It's difficult to capture attention with a short first chapter, but you have. Keep up the good work.

[Gary Stringer]

Intriguing start. I'm curious about why Rebecca is there. The mention of her old room in her estate, which suggests perhaps a wealthy background. I'm also getting the impression she didn't want to be at this Temple at first, although she seems quite happy about it now. Was it her parents/guardians who sent her here or was she selected by some third party?

I look forward to learning more.

[Lerew]

You kept me reading. I didn't get bored and I want to read more.