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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2921610" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 140, “Ceremony Preparation”, Wednesday, March 22nd , 1882:Wednesday morning she had Ginnie bring her something to eat upstairs, then hurried out with one of the kind men who worked at the El Parador. Perhaps they already knew why she needed an escort, perhaps not, but they were nice enough not to ask or complain about spending some time accompanying her. She spent the morning visiting the families with children she had not yet had the chance to meet, letting them know that she would be starting a school fairly soon and listening to any ideas they had. She then did some shopping, picking up some of the items she would need for the festival. The games for children here would be more active than those she had often played. These were not children who spent their hours in a parlor. By afternoon she was on her way out to the ranch to do some work and chat with Sonoma. She had not had a chance to speak to her since they were last out, and she wanted to lend an ear in case Sonoma needed to talk. She returned to Promise City, soaked in a hot bath, and was back at the Cantina by late afternoon in time for dinner.Minerva spends the day keeping to herself and taking care of festival business. She continues working on her loom, making little tapestries to sell at the festival as well. After her bath, Kate had gone back up to her room. Her hair was loose as she liked to leave it when it was damp, and she'd dressed herself in her rust red dress. Half-gloves covered her hands. You're just putting off the inevitable, you know, she chastised herself and pulled them off. Shaking her head she went down to the evening meal at the Cantina.Dorita comes over to the table to take Kate's order.  She says, "Whatever you have on hand today is fine, Dorita. I would like some tea though. Have you seen your Grandfather this afternoon? I hope Ginnie hasn't been driving him crazy with her questions." Kate said, chatting away a bit nervously. "I see Mr. Booth isn't here yet. We had a little disagreement the other day, I hope I haven't chased one of your customers off."She replies, "Mr. Booth here for lunch earlier. Grandfather went on errand with two of Arcade's Gang, say he be back later. What can I get you to eat?"  "Well, that's good. As I said, tea, and whatever you're making for tonight." Dorita's eyes narrowed a bit and she quickly muttered out some specific items. She grabbed her napkin off the table and began to twist it in her lap, but stopped when she noticed light flash of the new ring. "I'm rather hungry tonight, if you have a little dessert tonight I'll take that as well," she finished with what she hoped was a distracting smile.   Oh, stop it, she said to herself and folded her hands neatly on the table.Just as she finished speaking Miss Florencia hurried into the Cantina and up to her table. She spoke excitedly, overriding whatever Dorita was about to say. She reminds her of what she must do to prepare repeating the same instructions that she gave Ruby. You should bathe in Rose scented water and leave your hair unbound. Do not wear any type of adornments and meet me, with your horse, at the Comstock house as soon as you are ready.  "But, I just... Nevermind," she finished as the Priestess ran off. "I guess dinner will have to be when I get back, thank you Dorita," she said and gave the woman a kiss on the cheek. Then she left to bathe. Again.As they walk back into the Lucky Lady Ruby comments. "I need to find Minerva as soon as I can. And then I need a bath!" The puppies come running out to greet them as the near and Ruby happily stops to pet them.  Once inside Jake greets Niles, "Afternoon Hoover. Anything exciting happen while we were away?"   He replies, "No, it's been pretty quiet around here. Uneventful night last night. Glad to have you back."Maria comes running out of the kitchen and hugs both Jake and Ruby. She starts asking a barrage of questions and Ruby just laughs. "Si, I will tell you all about the trip and the show later..." she smiles, "But for now can you put these beautiful flowers up in my room? Gracias." Maria takes the huge bouquet of flowers, minus a handful Ruby keeps, and takes them upstairs. Ruby places the others she kept separate in a glass on the bar.  When she finally looks up she notices Nanuet, Minerva and Chester all eating dinner together. She smiles and strides over."Nanuet, Chester, Minerva" Ruby nods to them. "I hope you haven't missed us too much while we've been away." Ruby notices Nanuet start to say something but stops, almost embarrassed. She takes note but says nothing. Instead she turns to the priestess. "May I speak with you in private, Minerva? I have something important I'd like to discuss with you." "Senorita Ruby!" Minerva exclaims and turns with a bright smile, when she hears the familiar voice "You are back! I hope your trip was as exciting as you had hoped!" She narrows her eyes when she sees the slightly fearful look on Ruby's face. "What is wrong? Let us find a place to talk."  Ruby smiles and takes Minerva’s arm. "Yes, it was very exciting and a lot happened. I'd like nothing more to talk." Ruby leads her upstairs to their room. As they walk Minerva notices a perfect red rose in Ruby's hand. "Jake's downstairs chatting, and you know how he likes to talk. We should have some privacy here for a while." Once they sit on the bed and get comfortable Ruby begins her story. She tells Minerva the dream in its entirety, concluding with holding out her hand to show her the wounds on her palm. "The goddess said to speak to you, that you would know what to do. I thought perhaps I just had a very crazy dream, except for this," she holds up her hand, "I would have thought that true. I have so many questions." Minerva listens without interruption and then closely examines the wounds on Ruby's palm. She looks up in awe, "It is quite rare for the gods to leave a mortal with proof of their visit through the Veil. Venus must believe that it is imperative to sway you, to leave you with such a tangible warning. The gods cannot force us to their will. They can only show us our choices. Have you made yours, Ruby? I will answer what questions that I am able." Ruby quickly sends a barrage of questions at Minerva, "The Veil? What is that? So this wasn't a dream? I don’t understand what she wants from me. She said I was her favored one, what does that mean? Is she saying that if I don't honor her I won't ever have love or be happy? And how do I honor her, how do I give her my heart and soul like she asked?" Ruby pauses, then continues slowly, "And she said love demands the greatest price. What is the price?" Ruby looks at Minerva with the same scared face as earlier, her hazel eyes large and frightened. A smile flits across Minerva's face and she holds up her hand, "O.K. You have many questions,” she laughs. “Let me see if I may answer them....one at a time. She referred to you as her favored one? If this is so you are indeed blessed!” “No, I do not believe that what you had was a dream. Your spirit actually journeyed through the Veil. I may have explained the Veil when I told you of my journey there. It is a door way to place between our world and Olympus. In rare instances, when the gods cannot get our attention though normal dreams, they are able to summon our spirits to this place to make their message clearer. Does this make sense to you? It is like the difference between a telegraph and a face to face encounter.” Ruby nods but stays silent. “You ask me what she wants from you? She has made herself clear. She wants you to accept her and recognize her and her son, as the bearer of all your wonderful gifts." Minerva reaches out a hand and strokes Ruby's fiery red curls. "She has certainly favored you with far more gifts than is usual.” “As for the price of such a gift? I fear to think of it," she shivers and crosses her arms thinking of Nanuet. "The acceptance of such a gift bears the greatest price of all. You will surely receive much love and happiness in return, but to love so whole heartedly you also risk an equal amount of sorrow. For to receive such a boon you must open your heart wide and make yourself vulnerable to both. As she told you, you cannot love and remain unscathed by it." She looks deeply into Ruby's eyes and mirrors her own fearful expression. "There is no greater wound than an injury to the heart, Ruby. In order to accept this gift you must give love to the gods in return. They are a greedy lot, Venus and Cupid most of all.” “I know how much you love Senor Jake. If you choose this path, I will tell you what to do. I will help you,” she says and embraces Ruby with tears in her eyes. Ruby hugs Minerva tightly in return. “I do love him, with all my heart, I can’t help myself," she says quietly, glancing at the door. "I would do anything for him.” Ruby pauses and bites her lip, trying to decide if she should reveal her secrets to Minerva. With her voice soft she continues, “I’ve been through some things, bad things, that happened in my life and I swore to myself I wouldn’t let it happen to me again, I wouldn’t let myself get used or…hurt. And that I would never love anyone because I was very wrong about it before. And then I met Jake and it was like a fire was lit in my heart, or even in my soul, and I knew from the beginning…” Ruby’s voice trails off. “But the last thing I want is to hear he loves me and it not be true. I have a hard time…trusting people. So many men have said they love me and I know it’s not true, for they don’t even know me or what’s in my heart. But Jake does, he knows. And he cares about me, I know he does, but he struggles. I tell him that I love him and how I care about him and he cannot answer in return. Sometimes I feel like he loves me so much and I am happy and content to feel that way without the words but other times I feel like he wants to tell me something, tell me he doesn’t care like I do, but he can't. I am very confused.” This time the tears come to Ruby’s eyes. “I will honor the goddess Aphrodite but I don’t know that this feeling will ever go away.” Minerva holds Ruby close and gently rocks her. "Shhh, you must have faith Ruby, I too have had my dealings with the gods and know that their ways often seem cruel, but I believe that they show us both sides of the coin to enable us to choose for they cannot force us to accept or love them.” “If they did not show you darkness, how would you be able to measure the strength of the light? Yes, you have had a hard life. Do not be bitter for it is this dark path which has made you strong and allowed you to see that which is not love.” “Do you not see the lesson? It is the darkness that enables you to recognize the light. Because of your past you will know and treasure the strength of the love which the goddess shines upon you in equal measure. I am certain that Senor Jake loves you deeply, I can see the light of it in his eyes, but even if he were to say the words to you, you would doubt him. You must accept the source of the love before you can accept the love.” “You must choose to accept that all love ultimately comes from the goddess. For all things under heaven and earth come from the gods and they demand to be recognized. Venus, or Aphrodite as you call her, must love you very deeply to have journeyed through the Veil with you. Trust in the goddess Ruby. You are her favored one. Did she not say so?" Ruby wipes the tears away and smiles. “Yes, she did say that I was her favored one. It’s sort of hard to believe. But I will do my best to have faith.” They talk quietly for a long time. Minerva reassures and instructs Ruby on what she must do to prepare for the ceremony. She tells her how Katherine has come to her also and asked to give thanks to Diana. "It is an auspicious sign that we three mortal woman are destined to give thanks to the three goddesses at this time of renewal. Only wonderful things can come of it." Ruby does not ask about Kate’s change of heart, she is too busy trying to sort out her own confused feelings. But once Minerva leaves she is confident about what she has to do.Ruby sets about quickly unpacking a few items by throwing things from her bag to the floor. She gathers up a simple fresh dress and takes off her jewelry, except her heart shaped earrings. Jake finally arrives upstairs. "Ugh, I'm exhausted!" He says dropping his bags to the floor. "I need a drink and a nap before poker tonight." Then he notices Ruby is focused on what she is doing. "What's going on?" he asks. "I spoke with Minerva. She told me what I have to do, and what I have to do is tonight." Confident things are in place she turns to him. "I'm to go with her into the desert. First I have to go take a bath." She runs her fingers lightly over her earrings. "She said no jewelry. I haven't taken these off since you gave them to me. Would you hold on to them until I get back please?"Jake seems confused and concerned. "Ya, sure, I'll hold them." He takes them and puts them in his shirt pocket. It seems like he starts to say something several times before finally, "Good luck."  Ruby takes Jake's face in her hands. "I'm doing this for me, but I'm doing it for you too. Maybe it was always meant to be this way." She kisses Jake with a lot of emotion before stepping away. "Thanks baby."So much to say, thinks Jake, but now is not the time. I want so badly that the goddess does mean you well. Jake just nods and follows Ruby to the door when she leaves, waving as she goes. Fear for Ruby and other mixed emotions wash the thoughts of a nap away. When she is out of sight he makes his way over to the El Parador.Minerva leaves Ruby and hurries off to Gilson’s to bathe.   Minerva arrives just as Laurie Gilson was getting ready to close, but she agrees to stay open longer and has Jules fill up a tub. While they are waiting Laurie asks Minerva some questions about the upcoming festival and what role she can have in participation, commenting how it feels so unusual to be socially active again."I know what you mean. I was alone for a long time too. It is so wonderful to be able to interact with people. And the People of Promise City are so friendly and helpful. I think the festival will help to bring the townspeople even closer together and get us all working in a positive direction. There is nothing like the feeling of knowing that you make a difference in your neighbors life.. Do you not agree? " she says as she sprinkles rose water into the tub and steps into the warm fragrant, bath.Ruby heads for Gilson's. She knocks and Laurie answers. "Your friend Minerva is here, she said you were coming. Is there something special going on tonight?" Ruby just smiles. "I need some rose petals please." Laurie hands Ruby the rose petals and shows her to the bath. Once inside Ruby slips into the steaming hot water and spreads the rose petals around her. She breathes in the scent with her eyes closed and it reminds her of Jake, the flowers she gathered on their picnic and all the beautiful flowers he just gave her. She washes her hair first, then the rest of her thoroughly. Once done she dons her fresh clothes and leaving her long hair unbound she heads to the El Parador. She doesn't go inside, instead heading for the stables and her new black stallion. She guides her horse to the Comstock, pets him quickly, ties him up and goes inside to Minerva's room.Kate kept her bath short, having bathed already not more than two hours ago. She took her time back at the El Parador, sifting again through her box of Tom's things. After a time she thought long enough for Miss Florencia to have finished her bath, she slipped down to the stable, got Meribel, and went over to the Comstock House in search of the Priestess.Minerva answers the door when she hears Katherine's soft knock. "Come in, Por Favor, Ruby is already here." Katherine enters to see Ruby sitting on the bed and they smile at one another in mutual re-assurance. Minerva opens a cedar chest and pulls out some garments. Once everyone is ready they quietly descend the stairs and mount their horses.</blockquote>

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