The Debt Of Fate
Chapter 48: The Rite

Chapter 48: The Rite

When Anastasia woke up it was an hour later like the physician had predicted. The Queen ordered someone to help her change into a new robe for the purification rite. She was then assisted to the old gods temple.

The Old gods temple was located at the remote part of the palace; it’s grand doors stood open for the first time in three generations. The temple’s inner chamber, long abandoned, was now alight with the glow of light, their flames casting restless shadows upon the stone walls. A strange scent lingered in the air; a mix of burning incense, aged parchment, and something metallic, something old.

At the center of the chamber, an altar of dark stone loomed, its surface engraved with symbols that had not been spoken aloud in decades. Before it, a circular pool of still water reflected the light from the torches, its surface strangely unbroken despite the cold wind that had begun to stir within the temple. A golden bowl sat at its edge, filled with a dark liquid that shimmered under the dim light.

Anastasia Walked towards the altar as instructed ,dressed in ceremonial robes of pure white, the delicate gold embroidery glinting faintly as she moved. A thin veil covered her face, but it could not hide the unease in her stance. She had been raised to revere the heavens, yet tonight, she stood beneath a forgotten god’s gaze, bound to a ritual she did not understand.

The king sat upon a throne brought into the temple for the occasion. His face was pale, his breath shallow, yet his eyes held a flicker of desperate hope. The queen stood beside him, her fingers twisting the edge of her sleeve, her lips moving in silent prayer.

Anastasia was still feeling sick but she was informed that, the day was the best day to perform the rite. The atmosphere of the old temple made her uneasy. If she had a choice, she would not be standing there.

"Are you willing to perform this ritual?" The seer who was waiting closer to the alter asked. Although a person’s luck could be borrowed at will, as a person favored by heaven, her consent was needed

"Yes," Anastasia answered against her heart. She convinced herself that performing the purification rite was nothing to be afraid of. At most she would be unqualified to marry the crown prince.

Hearing her Answer The seer stepped forward, his robes flowing like liquid shadow against the torchlight. He placed a withered hand upon the altar, tracing the old carvings with his fingertips. His lips moved soundlessly before his voice rose, the words unfamiliar, heavy with power. The flames of the torches trembled, the air itself shifting, as if the temple had awoken after a long slumber.

"Let the bond be sealed," the seer intoned. "Let heaven’s favor be harnessed, let fate be rewritten."

Anastasia’s pulse pounded as the seer dipped his fingers into the golden bowl, the thick liquid clinging to his skin. He turned to her, his gaze unreadable.

"Kneel."

She hesitated. The queen took a step forward, but the king raised a hand, stilling her protest before it could begin.

Anastasia had no choice. Slowly, she lowered herself before the altar.

The seer touched his fingers to her forehead, tracing a symbol with the dark liquid. The cold sensation seeped into her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. The markings began to glow, faint at first, then pulsing like a slow heartbeat.

"With this mark, we call upon the fates," the seer declared. He raised his hands, his voice carrying through the chamber. "By her destined union, let her fortune flow. Let her star’s light guide the lost. Let the heavens bear witness!"

A sudden gust of wind swept through the temple, though the doors remained closed. The torches flickered wildly, the pool of water rippling in unnatural waves. A deep hum resonated through the stone, low and unrelenting.

Anastasia gasped as warmth spread through her body, an invisible force pulling at something deep within her. It was neither pain nor relief—it was something else entirely, something unnatural. It was as if a thread of her very being was unraveling, drawn from her toward the waiting darkness of the altar.

The seer’s eyes gleamed, reflecting the glow of the markings on her forehead. "It is done."

The wind stilled. The flames steadied. The deep hum faded into silence.

Anastasia swayed slightly, her breath shallow, a strange emptiness settling in her chest. She attempted to get up but she was feeling too weak .

"Assist lady Anastasia," the queen instructed the palace maids standing by the side.

"Prepare a place for her to rest tonight, since she is not feeling well. Also have someone send a message to the Duke that she would not be going back today," the king told the Queen.

"Yes,your majesty," the queen bowed and was going to leave with the savents.

"Your Majesty, what about the poisoning?" The Queen asked. Since Anastasia was going to be a member of the royal family it was necessary to investigate the situation.

"I will let you deal with it," the king said. He trusted his wife’s judgement and he was confident that she would handle the situation well.

The Queen bowed and walked away. The king also waved his hand to dismiss all the people present.

"Then my son will return safely?" The king asked the moment he was left alone with the seer.

The seer lowered his hands, the glow in his eyes fading. "His fate has been altered. But whether he returns unscathed... that is for heaven to decide."

The King frown not satisfied with this answer. He knew that many of the lords would question his act of opening the old temple. If his son could not return to him safely then what would be the point.

"Your majesty, I have seen the lady she is indeed blessed by the heaven. Even if the prince has a problem he would be brought to the palace alive. Don’t worry with that lady as his wife, there is no problem he will have that can’t be solved," the seer said.

When the king heard this answer he was relieved. "Thank you for your help, Great one."