A tentative line formed at the edge of the causeway, candidates eyeing the path ahead and each other with various degrees of apprehension. Ederra was happy to see Tahni wasn't the only terrified one. No one screamed or wailed, but they didn't have to. Tightened fists and nervously darting eyes gave them away.

"What size shoes do you wear?" whispered Ederra, already slipping hers off under the protective cover of her long gown.

"Four and a half, why?"

"It will be a bit tight, but do you think you could do it while wearing my shoes?"

"What?"

"Take yours off now. They're not looking at us, but try not to be obvious."

"Are you mad?" hissed Tahni. "They'll see I'm not wearing them, they're all raising their skirts!"

"Not all of them."

And it was true. One of the women had just taken her first few tentative steps, arms outstretched as if she were on a balancing beam, dress covering her feet.

"I don't think you'll mind getting the hem a bit wet," commented Ederra.

Even as Tahni protested, she suddenly decreased in height. Ederra fussed around her, casting furtive glances around to make sure they weren't being watched.

"Alright, done," whispered Tahni.

Ederra moved behind her, ostensibly to rearrange the cord at the back. She kneeled to slip her shoes beneath Tahni's dress and retrieve the wooden ones. Making a show of dropping a hairpin, Ederra bent down while she slid the monstrosities on.

"Move before they realize I'm taller than you now."

"How will I survive if I can't even do this much?" complained Tahni, remaining rooted to the spot. "And your shoes are very tight."

"You'll loosen them. And unlike you, these women have had practice. I thought you'd be calling on Mogara's door at the end of those steps."

Scoffing in annoyance, Tahni moved away at last, and Ederra watched her go, heart heavy with apprehension. There were only three candidates left on the shore, two of whom were looking ready to bold right back to the gate.

Ederra stood up, adjusting her stance to fit the unyielding platforms beneath her as she watched Tahni step out onto the causeway, hands balanced outwards, making small careful steps. Ederra had no doubt the woman was usually light on her feet, otherwise she wouldn't have gotten away with so much robbery. She had also come to see her determination, so she had faith she would make it to the other side.

And as her spine gave the first twinge of protest, Ederra gave herself permission to focus on her own plight. Behind her, the army of attendants was drifting along the path running parallel to the causeway, shouting words of encouragement at their toiling mistresses. In that crowd, it might just be possible for her to escape notice. The problem was keeping up with them.

The lessons came back to her as she made her first steps to follow the rest, but now she had the additional encumbrance of keeping her feet out of sight. A traditional walk involved one raising their skirts to avoid tripping, but Ederra could hardly do that. She also had to make her walk less stilted, and that soon made her knees want to give out. But she persevered. She might have been the only attendant not paying any mind to the candidates walking on the causeway, as she was too involved in her own performance. With all her efforts, she lagged behind most of the others and her joints cried out in muted pain at their unnatural abuse. If by some miracle, Tahni did become queen, Ederra would make her ban these shoes.

After several minutes that felt more like hours, Ederra's agony was nearing its end. She had powered on due to sheer stubbornness rather than physical prowess and she knew that if she stopped, she would not be able to start again. But Channa's temple was much nearer now, and she could make out the end of the causeway. All eyes were now trained on that first contestant who was just making landfall amidst whoops of joy from her entourage. Ederra made a note of inquiring who the woman was. Gritting her teeth at her protesting muscles, she did the unthinkable and picked up her pace.

Risking a glance farther back the causeway, she spotted Tahni moving steadily towards her destination. She was second to last and the final woman was a good way behind, clearly struggling.

A splashing noise drew her attention and for one instant, she thought someone had fallen in, but then she noticed in disbelief the woman trudging along the lake's bottom. It must have been very shallow, the water only reaching up to her knees, but what she was doing left Ederra aghast. She would never have considered it even in desperation.

With a start, she noticed another hurrying figure, this one following along the path on the shore behind her, skirts lifted, legs moving awkwardly in those ridiculous shoes. Two ladies-in-waiting walked alongside her, murmuring at the unfortunate woman. No wonder, because upon a closer inspection, Ederra could make out that she was crying.

Baffled at these developments, Ederra felt tempted to once again chide herself for her lack of preparation and foresight, but considering the fact that she'd only decided on this course of action a few hours ago, she had plenty of reasons to congratulate herself as well. Not yet, though.

The paved path led off into a hedgerow maze, bordered by tall statues of priestesses in service of Channa, marked by the thick, serpentine bands anchoring their veils. The shrouded figures sent chills up Ederra's spine even in broad daylight, but thankfully, her business was now taking her off that path and onto the neatly tended grass expanse in front of the temple, where the causeway ended and every other attendant gathered with bated breath. As she approached, Ederra noticed a liveried woman standing with parchment and pencil in hand at the very edge of the causeway, and watched a bedraggled contestant approach her as she stepped off the stones. The official nodded, scribbled something down, and the relieved woman stumbled into the waiting arms of one of her servants.

So this was why they were made to walk on that thing. It rankled, not having full understanding of a situation, but Ederra had to make do with picking up the details on the way. Suddenly, it was imperative for her to be as near as possible when Tahni stepped off that thing and was in danger of having her deception discovered.

She didn't have long to wait, as the final contestants filed out into the crowd, some with triumphant grins, but most with telltale tremors of lingering fright. When Tahni drew close, however, so did the reckless one who had crossed the lake floor. All eyes swiveled to watch her pouring dress as she heaved the mass of wet fabric up onto solid ground, exposing the now filthy shoes. All eyes, apart from Tahni's, who glanced desperately at the frowning official. Ederra advanced, blocking the exit off the causeway. Fortunately, the sodden contestant was flagging the official, and Ederra seized the opportunity to slip the shoes off.

"Hurry!" she mouthed at Tahni, who bit her lips and tightened her outstretched fists, but heeded her command nevertheless.

"Druelle Odarsi," came a smooth voice behind Ederra's shoulder and she dared sneak a peek at the intrepid contestant.

"And your father?" inquired the official in a haughty voice.

Several of the other contestants were eyeing this fellow of theirs wearily, lips peeled back in disapproval. Many of the attendants were frowning as well.

"Serre Garin Odarsi, of the Western Merchants' Guild."

There was no trace of shame whatsoever in Druelle Odarsi's voice as she proclaimed her background, but Ederra saw sneers deepen, heads shake, and venomous exclamations mouthed in silence.

"I can't take them off," hissed a gasping voice by her ear, and Ederra almost fell back from shock, "so just push yours over here."

"Easy, mistress," said Ederra out loud, then added in hushed tones "They're already in front of you, just step into them."

Ederra seized Tahni's trembling form as the woman pretended to stumble, but in the end, it was Ederra who was holding on for balance. She was now perched on her toes to mask her shifting height, her stockinged feet fortunately sheltered by the hem of her dress.

Tahni made a show of straightening herself and approached the official, who was still frowning after Druelle.

"Tahni Sebek," she said simply, and the official turned her head to scrutinize her. Tahni met her gaze unflinchingly, and when the woman pointedly lowered her eyes to the ground between them, Tahni lifted her skirts just enough to expose the bottom halves of the cylindrical platforms.

"We do get to sit down after this, right?" she panted, and the official's eyes darted back up to scowl at her. "Oh, Channa!"

When all she got was another frown, Tahni merely shrugged and moved on, calling behind her after Ederra.

"Come on!"

The official made no move to stop them, wrote something down in a hurry, and then her attention switched to the next approaching contestant - namely the weeping woman who had taken the path on the shore.

"She didn't ask after your father," remarked Ederra as they made their way to the temple's courtyard, their progress slowed by their choice - and lack - of footwear.

"I imagine there was no need. Everybody knows who the War Minister is."

"But you were not expected to make an appearance today," guessed Ederra. She had spotted several of the other women's baleful glares directed at Tahni, but not as many as some of the other contestants seemed to garner. "You'll have to tell me who all these women are."

"A bunch of snobbish bores, that's who," muttered Tahni. She cursed as she once again stumbled on her dress, and Ederra nearly lost her own balance.

"You've seen them," continued Tahni darkly. "Beauty and grace and all that fancy stuff. That one who went through the lake... Merciful heavens! And I saw the one walking on the shore. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Neither of them will last very long," replied Ederra. "The ladder is too weak and will be weeded out as a matter of course, the former too headstrong, the sort to get immediately targeted by the rest. They'll band together to get rid of the stronger ones, especially given that she's not noble."

"What makes them so mean?" complained Tahni. "This reminds of that time when Steppo insisted on getting a tank of cannibal fish. They killed and ate each other, and then we ate the survivors."

"How is that...?"

"First-hand experience of how cruel the world can be. And delicious, with the right spice combination."

"Are you hungry?" asked Ederra, suspicion dawning.

"Yes," confessed Tahni. "Will this take much longer?"

"I don't know. But at least you'll get to sit down for the next part."

Following Ederra's gaze, Tahni beheld the neatly arrayed floor cushions in the temple yard, placed in the glaring sunlight well beyond the shadow cast by the porch's long, low roof . A number of important-looking people stood in that shadow, and Ederra scrambled to place their uniforms and insignias as she had seen them in the dusty manuals she'd been made to memorize back home. Squinting her eyes and concentrating, she made out three nuns, ten novices, five lower guard officers, two lower cabinet ministers and one preacher.

The majority of the contestants had already seated themselves when Tahni and Ederra trudged to the end of their row. Once again, Tahni was second-to-last, but that consideration didn't stop her heartfelt sigh of relief as she carefully lowered herself onto the cushion, her shoes well and truly covered.

"Maybe I should take yours off now?" whispered Tahni as Ederra kneeled beside her to arrange the folds of her gown.

"Don't risk it," she whispered back. "We were lucky this far, but I think these ones will be watching you carefully."

She gestured subtly at the line of standing nuns and officials. Tahni shuffled uncomfortably in her seat.

A flurry of motion to their left signaled the attendants being waved back as the preacher stepped forward and silence fell among the row of contestants.

"Don't fall asleep," whispered Ederra, before standing up and following the others. 

Tahni's answering snort was enough to bring a tentative smile to her lips. She made her way to the sides of the courtyard, seeking out the shade like the rest of the attendants. No trees were kept in the immediate vicinity of the temple, so most of them were forced to retreat further down, crowding around the edges of the temple porch. When smooth motions didn't suffice, Ederra pushed and elbowed her way to a relatively good vantage point, from which she could observe the contestants and hear the preacher's speech. Taking advantage of the momentary reprieve, servants and ladies-in-waiting shifted and clamored all around her, swapping mean-spirited observations, derisive remarks, and boastful appreciations.

"What will her family think?"

"Poor girl..."

"The Finance Minister's daughter and she couldn't even do this much?"

"For shame..."

Ederra screwed up her eyes against the glaring sunlight and turned her gaze back to the causeway. To her surprise, she spotted a lone figure still standing on it, seemingly rooted to her spot far away from either shore. Back on this side of the lake, a couple of harried-looking attendants were arguing with the retreating official. Two others were waving at the woman on the causeway, one of them attempting to step in and help.

Ederra swallowed painfully as she contemplated this unfortunate outcome, but a booming voice interrupted her thoughts and she turned to watch the preacher make his address. There had been no reason to worry about missing anything, since the man was sure to be heard in every corner of the temple yard.

"Today we have gathered in the sight of Channa to offer our humble prayers and ask for her heavenly guidance. The ones who now present themselves in service of the greatest household in the nation-"

A panicked shriek pierced the charged air and Ederra watched in astonishment as the woman seated to Tahni's right stumbled over her pillow in her haste to get away from it. She fell on all fours, layers of clothing tangled in an unsightly mess, and several attendants made as if to offer assistance, but stern looks cast by the novices stopped them dead in their tracks.

The woman's wails subsided into muffled sobs as she lifted her gaze to meet the stony-faced preacher and other unwelcome visages, all fixing her with withering glares. Her lips wobbled and tears were streaming down her ruddy cheeks, but she rallied herself for one final attempt at dignity. Chin held high, she stood up, turned around and walked away. She passed behind the rest of the contestants, many of whom did nothing to disguise their sneers.

"Well, that's to be expected," commented a shrewd voice behind Ederra.

"But she's the royal physician's daughter!"

"That's still not a real title, dear."

The scornful whispers were once again silenced when the preacher resumed. If anything, his voice appeared even more unyielding now.

"-have proven themselves worthy after crossing the body of tears in the weeping nun's sandals, as only a truly devoted woman would make her pilgrimage to humble herself in our goddess' sight."

His words drowned out in Ederra's mind as an onrush of icy guilt poured down her back, from the very top of her head all the way to her aching soles. The glaringly empty places on either side of an obediently sitting Tahni only managed to accentuate the cold, and Ederra braced herself to stop her trembling. She had seen the thin, slithering shape wind its way from beneath the poor woman's cushion to disappear back into the grass.

This was no ordinary competition. It was an all-out war, between monumentally ambitious parties who would stop at nothing from ensuring they were the last ones left standing. They would employ every trick at their disposal, exploit every weakness imaginable, and hold on to no illusions. Not as she and Tahni had up until this point. It was laughable, how naive they had been. Stay in the game until near the end to meet their goals? It wasn't even certain they had cleared the first round.

Of course, many would say she was exaggerating. It was theoretically possible that all she had witnessed today had been a coincidence, but she would be a fool not to listen to her instincts screaming otherwise. Simply put, they had landed in a viper's pit, and Ederra was more than conscious of her role in guiding her new friend to her fall. It brought little consolation, seeing her confidently recite the prayers in time with the others as she was reading them from the side of her sleeves. She hadn't yet woken up to the danger, but Ederra had to be honest with her once the ceremony was over.

Though, if she were truly honest with herself, she had to admit that a different sort of feeling had stirred to life at these realizations. It was far from fear, and bordering more on... excitement? Anticipation? Ederra couldn't believe that a small part of her was actually looking forward to seeing what happened next, to finding new solutions and ways of moving forward. It was reckless, but at the same time, the culmination of all her lonely dreams from back home. Finally, she'd get to live and see how it was really done, all while fighting to stay afloat. Perhaps, in time, she might even make the excitement overcome the fear, and then her experiences would be wholly different.

She waited while the ceremony droned on, fighting to restore calm to her thoughts. She slowed her breathing, made deliberately slower motions, and drank in the sight of other people, all no doubt considering their own problems, dreams, and goals. She caught a bit of gossip here and there, analyzed the closest competitors and learned the names and functions of some high ranking officials. Alert and primed, she stood by ready to bolt as the final words of caution and restraint were uttered by a reed-thin nun in full ceremonial garb, her voice muffled by the massive veil covering her from head to toe.

And then it was over. The clergy clustered around the entrance pillars, the candidates unwound from their seated positions, and the attendants clambered to their side, offering them refreshments, shade, fans, and more than one helping hand. Most of the candidates remained in the courtyard, drifting to the shadowy places, but some elected to enter the temple, and Ederra was not surprised to see Tahni do the same. Guilt gnawed at her, as she was the one who had made her friend sin before the goddess by insisting on wearing the shoes herself. Of course she would seek to apologize.

She waited patiently by the side of the temple for a good ten minutes before Tahni stepped out. The candidates and their entourages were still crowding the yard, in no apparent hurry to leave. Several new people now mingled in, most of them noble women Ederra presumed were interested relatives of the competitors.

Tahni took longer than normal to reach her, moving as if she couldn't bend her knees all the way, her posture unusually stiff. As she neared her, Ederra was surprised to see her friend reaching out for her hands. She grasped them in turn, and felt several small, heavy items being deposited into her palms.

"Put these in your pockets," muttered Tahni through gritted teeth. "Mine are full to bursting."

Well, so much for religious devotion. Ederra reflected that rather than dedicating all her efforts to scrutinizing her competition, she should first assess the army she was going to battle with.

"I think we can go home now," she ventured.

"Good," grunted Tahni. "I've had enough excitement for today."