Cevisa was alone in a cold, dark room. Midnight hair tickled her back to spite the gloom. She had long since given up shivering, naked though she was. It was an unwelcoming waiting room, but the light of hope kept her spirits high.
The stone below burned against her knees. Above, applause and stampedes alternated with increasing intensity. More people were filing in and more people were cheering as the day drew to a close. For the final contenders, the crowd would be deafening. For him, they might start a riot.
But until he arrived, Cevisa was alone in the spartan cell. She would endure anything until then, but she conceded that the floor was harsh on her knees, her posture was uncomfortable for every other bone in her body, and the frequent breezes, well, she could do entirely without those.
Still, she knelt with her head bowed, huddling inward as much as she could while still maintaining the proper form. She should be on her knees, ready for her sacred duty when he arrived. To be overly excited or to show weakness to the weather would be unbecoming. Any small error on her part could jeopardize his performance.