This is a continuation of notes for The Story of Jasmine that were written on Italian Stationery in Cortona, Italy:
Rogan hesitated for a moment, then surrendered his weapon to whom he supposed was the Guardian of the Temple. For the first time, he felt the same frustration Thorne described. He felt naked without his sword.
“Come.” Rogan followed the dwarf, and his sword, inside inner sanctum of the temple. He immediately noticed that the light became brighter as they progressed past many columns and down many steps.
Presently, they stood in front of a small, open room. With a nod, the dwarf bid him enter. He kept Rogan’s sword at the ready.
Almost without thinking, he sank to his knees when he first beheld the maiden in white. She stood, trance-like on an elevated platform of stone. There were many white flower petals stuck on her glistening-wet skin. Wet petals also crowned her head, the water flowing down from her head like tears upon her face.
Before her was an oblong trough. Although Rogan could not see its contents, from the diamond-ripple reflections dancing upon the maiden’s ecstatic face and the wall behind her, he knew it contained water. But there was something more.
Submerged in the sparkling waters was the source of a brilliant white light.
© 2018 DARLENE
Note: This is another alternative version of events. The above must be among the first drafts.