Auriel had never expected to get this far when he joined the jiggy sect initiates five years ago. As a teenager, he had awakened one morning with the conviction that he had been called to join the sect, and as soon as he finished school, he did just that-- despite the bewilderment of his parents and ridicule of his siblings and peers. Still, Auriel had expected only to remain an anonymous worshiper among the sect, not to move up in the ranks, and certainly not this soon.

But here he was, on the way to the temple which housed the great Crystal Jiggy, one of seven candidates chosen for a most coveted position: disciple to Master Jiggywiggy himself, the sect's leader.

Auriel trudged at the back of the line, excluded from the others as usual. They only shun you because you're smarter and more diligent than they are, Mistress Kendra, his favorite teacher and the leader of this trip to the temple, had told him in Auriel's first year of training. Maybe that was true-- and maybe that was why Auriel had been chosen as one of the seven-- but it didn't help his self-esteem any.

There's no way Master Jiggywiggy could want me for a disciple, he thought as he watched the golden heads of the other initiates bobbing along ahead of him. Especially not his first disciple ever. No one knew why Jiggywiggy had suddenly decided he needed a disciple; the rumor was that the Crystal Jiggy had told him in a vision that he was to take on an apprentice, but most of the others laughed at that. Many didn't believe in the religion or the Crystal Jiggy's power in the slightest; they were only sect members because it was a secure, easy-- if not well-paying-- job.

But if Master Jiggywiggy thinks the Crystal Jiggy spoke to him, then it did. Auriel's dark brown eyes narrowed a little as he walked, thinking in disgust on those who would dare call Jiggywiggy a liar, or worse, crazy. Hadn't Auriel also heard the jiggy in his dreams? If it spoke to me, then it must talk to someone like him all the time, Auriel thought as he slipped into the daydreams that often surrounded him. Too often-- his dreaminess was the only thing for which he had ever been scolded in his years of training.

Yet, how could he not dream of the sect's great leader? Auriel had never met Master Jiggywiggy, but the stories he had heard of the priest were more than enough to fuel his vigorous imagination. He was convinced that Jiggywiggy was the greatest mortal being in the entire world, and even though Auriel had no hope of being chosen, anticipation of this day, of the chance to see Jiggywiggy in person, had kept him awake at night for weeks.

Some of the other initiates were grumbling from tiredness by the time they reached the temple. Mistress Kendra silenced their mutters with one glare from her cobalt-blue eyes, then she arranged them in a neat line before approaching the door to the temple. She was clearly expected, for the door opened when she approached. Auriel looked at it surreptitiously, but he was unable to see inside the temple-- or to see who had opened the door.

Kendra bowed deeply, then motioned to the line of initiates, apparently explaining that they were ready for inspection. Then she stepped away from the door, and Master Jiggywiggy himself emerged.

Jiggywiggy was easily the most beautiful person Auriel had ever seen. To other species, all of the jiggy folk looked alike, with only a variation in body shape perhaps, or eye color. But Auriel instantly recognized that Jiggywiggy was far above and beyond any of the rest of them. The angles of his head were perfectly formed, and he shone a deeper, richer gold than the others. Auriel couldn't see his eyes from that distance, but when the priest moved, his blue robe shifted, revealing a long, toned arm with delicate flesh a paler color than Auriel's own skin.

The priest finished speaking with Mistress Kendra, then turned and walked slowly down the line of waiting initiates. All seven were shifting nervously, fidgeting, though some were more self-assured and cocky than others. Auriel was not one of these, and he felt like shrinking back, disappearing before Jiggywiggy reached him.

But he was the sixth in line, and he trembled as he watched the priest draw closer. When Jiggywiggy was two initiates away, he turned his head, and Auriel finally caught a glimpse of his eyes: they were a vivid green, somewhere between emerald and peridot. Auriel felt as if his heart stopped at that moment; he had never seen anything so lovely.

His shoulders grew warm in a deep blush under his tunic as he quickly looked down at the ground. How can I even look at him? He's so exquisite. . . and I'm so plain. But then Jiggywiggy was passing the initiate to Auriel's left-- Auriel saw the hem of priest's blue robe out of the corner of his eye, and he forced himself to raise his head again lest he be scolded by Kendra for being disrespectful to the great Jiggywiggy. Yet his avoidance was out of the greatest respect-- respect from one unworthy to even gaze upon the priest.

Then Jiggywiggy was before him. Auriel flicked his gaze upward, intending to look at the priest just long enough to convey his respect. However, the green eyes caught his and held them as Jiggywiggy looked down at him. Auriel shook before him, clenching fistfuls of his tunic at his sides in a vain attempt to hide his trembling. To his horror, Jiggywiggy stopped in front of him, pausing for longer than he had before any of the others.

He's going to scold me for fidgeting, Auriel wailed internally. Or for staring at him! Or. . . .

Then Jiggywiggy smiled at him. Again, other species would have seen the smile on a mouthless face as simply a shifting of the eyes, a slight drawing up of the lower lids. But Auriel-- and all the others who were watching the priest-- recognized the gesture for what it was: a smile of surprising gentleness on a face that seemed made for haughty arrogance.

Auriel's trembling ceased, and Jiggywiggy moved on, looking over the last initiate before returning to speak to Master Kendra once more. Auriel heard a rustle of unintelligible whispers from farther up the line, and the initiate to his left glared at him. Jealous, Auriel realized with a start. They think he's shown me favor. . . . His eyes darted to the tall, cyan-robed figure of the priest. Has he?

Jiggywiggy spoke to Kendra another moment, then motioned for the first initiate in line to follow him into the temple. Auriel was then the one to feel jealous: I'm nearly last. By the time he gets to me, he will have already made up his mind, even if I did have any chance to impress him. But still, he had that look, that smile which Jiggywiggy had given to no one else. I've seen him, and he's smiled at me. If I were to leave right now, it still would have been worth it. The thought left a glowing warmth in Auriel's chest.

The morning stretched on as Jiggywiggy saw one initiate after another. None stayed in the temple for more than ten minutes at a time; Auriel supposed that they were being quizzed on their religious knowledge. The ones who emerged huddled in a knot with the ones who had not gone in, whispering amongst themselves. As always, Auriel was excluded, but he didn't mind. He didn't really want to know what the inner temple was like until he saw it for himself-- and he certainly didn't want to hear about the other initiates being alone with the beautiful Jiggywiggy.

It was just past noon when the fifth initiate reappeared with Jiggywiggy gracefully drifting behind him. Auriel felt his shoulders burn again as he realized it was finally his turn. Jiggywiggy gestured at him, his face this time stern and unmoving, and Auriel followed with his hands shaking almost violently. He felt the other initiates' eyes on him as he walked up to the temple, but he did not look at them.

As he entered the temple, Auriel looked around at it instead of at the straight, tall figure walking in front of him. The temple was shaped like a huge jiggy lying on one of its faces; the entrance was housed in one knob with another to Auriel's right containing the famed Golden Monolith made of the priest's jiggy collection. In contrast, the wall to Auriel's left bowed inward in order to form one notch of the jiggy. He supposed that there was another notch in the back of the temple, past the chancel, but a large jiggy-patterned tapestry covered the back wall, obscuring his view.

Master Jiggywiggy ascended the chancel, then turned to look down at Auriel, who clutched his hands in front of him and gazed up into the beautiful green eyes.

"What is your name?" Jiggywiggy asked, the first time he had spoken directly to Auriel. His voice was deep but held a slightly hoarse quality.

"Au-auriel, sir." Even that felt unworthy of the priest before him.

"Auriel," Jiggywiggy repeated. Auriel trembled to hear his name pronounced in that voice. "Can you say the shorter catechism for me?"

"I. . . sir. . . ." Auriel felt as if all of the knowledge he'd spend five years acquiring had suddenly vacated his brain. He couldn't remember the catechism or even all of the doxology; he doubted he'd be able to answer if Jiggywiggy asked him to repeat his own name.

"Yes?"

"N-no sir, I. . . I can't remember it!" Tears threatened Auriel's eyes as he thought, It's hopeless. I've ruined any chance I ever had, and what's worse, he'll always remember me as the one who failed-- He wished he could lower his eyes, but Jiggywiggy's again held them. "I'm sorry--"

"You're only nervous," Jiggywiggy interrupted him-- and he smiled again.

"Aah--" Auriel said uselessly, staring up at that smile.

"Here." Jiggywiggy stepped down from the chancel and moved toward the Crystal Jiggy, resting his hand lightly on Auriel's shoulder to direct him to follow. Auriel felt his shoulder burn under the priest's touch.

"Lay your hands on the Crystal Jiggy, and ask for its guidance." Jiggywiggy pressed gently on Auriel's shoulder, encouraging him to kneel.

Auriel dropped to his knees even as he looked up at the priest in amazement. "M-me, touch it? But sir. . . ."

"I give you my permission."

Auriel put his shaking hands on the flawless crystal surface while Jiggywiggy withdrew his hand, dropping it to his side. The Crystal Jiggy felt cold and smooth beneath his hands, the way Auriel imagined Jiggywiggy's own golden surface would feel to his touch.

Please, Crystal Jiggy, he thought, fully believing that it could hear his prayers. Please help me to make him happy. . . . I want to make him smile again! The prayer surprised Auriel; he had meant to ask for help remembering the words he had memorized, but instead. . . instead he had prayed for what he really desired: Jiggywiggy's pleasure.

But perhaps a perfect catechism was what would incur that, for the words came flowing back into his head almost immediately. He spoke them without having to think, flooded with relief and joy that he could perform for the master after all.

And when Auriel had finished and looked back up at Jiggywiggy once more, he found that the priest was smiling.

"Excellent," Jiggywiggy murmured. Auriel's fingers curled over the Crystal Jiggy's surface as he thanked it silently.

Jiggywiggy asked him several more questions, all of which Auriel answered with no trouble, before dismissing him. Auriel got to his feet and started towards the temple's door, his wild heartbeat settling as he realized that it was all over. The last initiate would come in, then Jiggywiggy would make his choice, and Auriel would go home.

And I'll never see him again. The thought sent the tears rushing back to his eyes, and he blinked hard to hold them at bay. Yet when he reached the door, he stopped, unable to make himself step through without looking back at the priest first.

"T-thank you, sir," Auriel whispered.

Jiggywiggy blinked at him. "For what?"

Auriel himself didn't rightly know. "For. . . ." For being so beautiful. For giving me a chance to meet you, to. . . to fall in love with you. "F-for giving me another chance," he finally stammered.

"You deserved it," Jiggywiggy replied with the slightest of smiles in his eyes.

Jiggywiggy's interview with the final initiate did not take long, although Auriel would have gladly waited for hours: every minute which passed was another minute spent near the priest. But too soon, the initiate and Jiggywiggy emerged, the priest going to speak quietly to Kendra while the initiate returned to the others. After a moment, Kendra gestured for the seven students to line up again for Jiggywiggy to address them. Auriel took his place in line once more, staring at Jiggywiggy as he tried to memorize every detail of his beauty.

"Thank you all for your time and your devotion to the Crystal Jiggy," Master Jiggywiggy told them. His green eyes moved languidly over them, a formality, not meeting theirs. "I have chosen my disciple, but I hope you will all continue to pursue your studies and your service to the sect. You," he said without pause, "come here." He was looking at Auriel.

Auriel did not comprehend at first that this meant he had been chosen-- it was too far outside the realm of possibility to even be conceivable. He came forward obediently, automatically, and it was the sudden suppressed sound of jealous outrage from the others that made him understand. He stopped in his tracks, only halfway to the priest.

"Me?"

"Congratulations, Auriel," Mistress Kendra said warmly, beaming at her favorite student as he finally covered the rest of the distance to where she stood with the priest. "Master Jiggywiggy has asked that you begin your duties right away, so I will have your belongings sent to you, if that's all right."

"O-of course," Auriel breathed, not at all wanting to have to return with the other initiates who now surely hated him more than ever. Not wanting to leave the sight of the beautiful green eyes now focused on him with an almost possessive gaze.

I'm his disciple, Auriel thought. I belong to him. . . . No other realization had ever been so exciting. He said goodbye to Kendra in a daze and was hardly aware of the other initiates departing with envious murmurs.

Jiggywiggy led him back into the temple without speaking until they were both inside, standing before the Crystal Jiggy once more, then he said, "Our schedule here will be simple, I've decided. I'll spend a few hours each morning instructing you-- not that you haven't received an excellent education already, but there are certain things only I know. I want you to learn them too."

"Y-yes sir," breathed Auriel, his mind reeling with the prospect of secrets shared between the two of them, even if they were only religious teachings.

"For most of the day though, you'll be standing guard at the temple door to prevent the unworthy from entering the temple. To prove oneself worthy, one must bring jiggies to present to the Golden Monolith-- it will be up to you to determine how many jiggies are required in each case." Jiggywiggy paused and gave Auriel a look almost apologetic. "I regret that your duties will be so mundane as playing doorman."

"I don't mind," Auriel blurted out immediately. "I'd do anything for you--" He broke off in embarrassment at the confession. Jiggywiggy's steady green gaze wavered a moment, but Auriel thought he detected pleasure in it.

"You must be tired from your journey," Jiggywiggy said brusquely. He pointed at a small door on the same wall as the Golden Monolith. "The chamber there is yours; you can rest there for a few hours before assuming your duties."

"Thank you, Master," Auriel murmured for lack of knowing what else to say.

"You're welcome," replied Jiggywiggy as he turned to face the Crystal Jiggy, "Disciple." The new title sent a flood of warmth through Auriel's body. He started for his assigned room, then stopped and turned back to his master. ". . . Sir?"

Jiggywiggy did not turn. "Yes?"

"Why. . . why did you choose me?" Auriel hesitated, then continued, "Did the Crystal Jiggy tell you to?"

And then Jiggywiggy did turn, looking over his shoulder at his disciple as his eyelids drew up in another smile. "No. It didn't have to."

--

The End