The sisters wordlessly followed the priestess through the dark streets. They followed closely, staying close to the light of her torch, weaving in and out of ­the forums alleyways, squeezing through passageways that weren't made for someone their size. Now and again they would see a patrolling Roman Guard, but otherwise the streets were completely empty. Livia knew the forum well enough in the daytime, but finding her way around in a moonless night was another matter entirely. As for the ceremony that awaited Livia, she was every bit as much in the dark. Livia had no idea what to expect, and she doubted her sister knew much more than she did. 

Then as they turned one last corner, Livia suddenly realized where they were taking her. In front of her, an imposing sight with its tall Doric columns, was the High Temple of Cybele. It was one of the city's great works of architecture, third only to the Royal Palace and the Great Coliseum. Bright fires were burning inside, and warm light streamed out through the windows of the Inner Sanctum. Livia had never known the temple's fires to be lit at night, and certainly not this late. But what she realized next surprised her far more.

Cybele's temple had always stood on its own, in the middle of a large public square. But to Livia's amazement, both sides of the temple were now flanked with two equally imposing buildings, each lit from inside by their own fires. It hadn't been more than a year since Livia last stepped foot in the square, and there was no sign of construction. Livia wondered how Cybele been able to construct such enormous structures so quickly, and in secret. And for what purpose? Then Livia realized what these buildings were. It seemed so obvious to her that she felt foolish for not realizing it earlier. They were temples. Twin temples for the twin sisters.

The priestess stopped in the middle of the square, parting with but two words: "Go on." Somehow, Livia knew which temple was hers. She made her way towards the temple on the right, as her sister started towards the one on the left. Julia looked at her with a knowing glance, and the two parted ways. 

***

A calvacade of ideas flew through Livia's head as she made her way to the temple, unable to stop from imagining what waited for her inside. A thousand horrors and a thousand glories, fleeting images of terror and beauty and awe and power. She didn't know what to expect as she walked through the open door of the inner santum, into firelight that blinded her. But as she heard the tall doors shut behind her, she knew she would find out soon enough. 

As her eyes adjusted, Livia gazed upon a stunning sight. The temple was even more impressive on the inside than the outside. If the temple looked huge from the outside, the interior seemed to stretch on forever. At the end of the enormous hall was a giant brazier, which seemed big enough to light up the Great Coliseum. And behind that was something even more impressive: a colossal golden statue of Livia, which stood as tall as Cybele. The likeness of the face was uncanny, and the statue was undenaibly beautiful. Livia was flattered, and more than a little embarrassed by the statue. If anything, it was a bit too flattering; her waist was a bit thinner than the real her, and her breasts and butt were far more generously proportioned. Perhaps, thought Livia, the artist thought she would take after her mother. Or perhaps, more likely, the artist was a man.

It suddenly dawned on Livia that she wasn't alone. She had been so taken by the grandeur of the temple that she failed to realize she was surrounded by people. All around her were little people, all of them staring at her, standing nearly as still as the statues. There were hundreds of men, perhaps more, dressed in the white garb of priests and the worn linens of common slaves. 

Then, from behind a nearby column stepped a beautiful woman, dressed in fine robes. She stood not quite ten feet tall, a giant next to the men, and as small as a child next to Livia. She was in her early thirties, and had a youthful face that contrasted with her vuloptuous body. She passed through the crowd of men as if they weren't there, and the men scrambled to step out of her way. Yet as she approached the Princess, she averted her gaze, keeping her eyes on the floor. From the woman's clothes and demeanor, Livia inferred that she was a High Priestess. Livia's High Priestess. 

The woman trembled as she kneeled down in front of Livia. Without looking up, she spoke three words: "I am yours."