The Artifact of Absonial

[Graybeard]

Brad's shoulders sagged slightly as Drusia walked away without acknowledging his presence, let alone his message. This was bad, very bad, for reasons far beyond the damage to his ego. What he'd heard and seen inside the temple was scary. Somebody had to know about it.

Fortunately, his Lillith-seeking radar was still working just fine. He quickly found the object of his affections, walking gently in the garden.

"Sweetheart, we have to get out of here ... before we start a war."

---------

Sister Rose approached the Millenarian temple with more than a little trepidation of her own. The experiences of Provatiel had left her unwilling to have any more interactions with that cult (she'd changed her view of the Millenarians from "denomination" or "sect") than she absolutely had to, at least until she could get back to Emerylon and have some very candid conversations with some people. Still, maybe they could help Jed without getting into ... other matters.

At least the priest who met them at the door didn't conform to the blue-eyed, blond-haired, muscular pattern that seemed to have stamped out all of the soldier-priests, or whatever they were, at the Provatiel castle. He was gray-haired and wrinkled and smiling, and Rose didn't detect any menace to the man at all. He smiled a benediction as she dismounted from the wagon.

Before she could say anything, Jed spoke up. "Blessed be the True Church, sir," he said, getting a raised eyebrow from the priest. "Could I talk to Elder Jacobiel?"

Puzzlement crossed the man's face. "I'm sorry, my boy, but there has been no Elder Jacobiel here for twenty-five years. I'm told that there was a high priest by that name back then, but he got promoted to the great temple at Provatiel. I never knew the man, but he was a great servant of Our Lord Luminosita, at least by reputation. Is there something I can do to help instead?"

You just did, Rose thought as she smiled as benignly as she could manage.

[Sareth]

Lillith took Brad's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I understand."

She led the way through the garden, still holding Brad's hand in hers. Internally, however, she was debating. Drusia was quite old and learned in the ways of the world. The odds of a barely adult girl managing to trick her into leaving were laughable. But at the same time, it seemed very unlikely that Drusia would listen to a straight up warning. She wasn't certain how to approach this without seeming to wound Drusia's justifiable pride or seem to defend the one who impugned Suriah's honor...

And then she had an idea.

"Drusia," she called quietly as she and Brad approached. "We should probably leave. The priest here is no friend of ours, and quite upset." She took a deep breath. "I know that you could probably tear this place apart and he couldn't stop you. I know that you'd want to after what he said about one you love. But are you willing to risk that she, or I, might be hurt in the exchange? Please... for Suriah's sake... Can we leave here please?"

[Drannin]

Argus watched the exchange between Rose and the Millenarian priest quietly, trusting her to deal with this situation. Internally, his thoughts were starting to click. <"So we know the young man was buried for a quarter-century, at least. That's something to go on, but I'm worried if it's really wise to hand him over to the Millenarians."> Not that he had any alternatives. And, frankly... Jed kept looking at Rose in a way that left him faintly unsettled... or was it just his imagination?

(OOC: I'm baaaaaaaack. )

[Graybeard]

[OOC: Glad you're back, D! Hope you had fun! Argus behaved himself while you were gone...]

<"So we know the young man was buried for a quarter-century, at least. That's something to go on, but I'm worried if it's really wise to hand him over to the Millenarians.">

<"I'm worried too, but I'm pretty sure he's Millenarian himself,"> Sister Rose thought back. <"They're the only denomination I know of that uses the 'Elder' title, and look how much more comfortable he is here.>" That was true enough; even after digesting the apparently bad news about "Elder Jacobiel," Jed's body language spoke of much less tension than what he'd shown at the Orthodox temples.

Rose was about to say something to the priest who was the current "Elder" of the church, but the boy beat her to it. "Do you know how I can find him?" he said. "Elder Jacobiel was going to take care of my baby brother Elgin while Mom and Dad and I were away serving Luminosita. Nice Sister Rose here says Mom and Dad are still doing that. But I miss Elgie. Can I see him again? Can you help me find the Elder?"

That clinches it, Rose thought. Genuine puzzlement was passing across the older man's face, and he looked at the boy, at Rose, back again, trying to sort out the relationships ... and giving Rose time for a quick mind-speech to Argus. <"Elgin Bindiel was that priest we met with in Provatiel. Should we tell him? I'm not sure I want to ...">

"Thank you, Jed; that was a nice thing to say about me," she smiled at the boy, mainly to buy time for Argus to answer. "All of us servants of Luminosita should stick together on church things and family things, shouldn't we?" And Luminosita Himself help me if this goes the way I'm starting to expect it to.

[Drusia]

Suriah shrugged, watching Drusia unabashed. "I'm quite open to suggestions. I'm simply enjoying your company."
"Father Amalric has given us an ultimatum," he reported. "He wants us out of town before sunset."
"Drusia," she called quietly as she and Brad approached. "We should probably leave. The priest here is no friend of ours, and quite upset." She took a deep breath. "I know that you could probably tear this place apart and he couldn't stop you. I know that you'd want to after what he said about one you love. But are you willing to risk that she, or I, might be hurt in the exchange? Please... for Suriah's sake... Can we leave here please?"

Tear this place apart? Really? I mean, sure, I could probably sneak in and murder that asshole priest in his sleep, possibly his guards too, but I don't have any offensive magic. I was never any good at blowing stuff up. In a straight up fight, I need to get in close and stab things. One on one, I'm a terror; no one has eyes in the back of their head, and my speciality is getting behind people. But a group? On alert? No.

Damn it, I knew I should have killed him there on the street. Never leave an enemy at your back. Never.

"Fine," I tell Lillith, shaking my head. "I know the route Rose will want to take; I'll meet you there, a few hours out. I never intended for any of this to come down on the rest of you. I'm sorry."

I turn to Brad. "I'm also sorry if I offended you before," I tell him. "I simply had no interest in hearing any ultimatums from him. If you chance to enocunter him again, tell him that I keep my promises. And also, that I will see him again. Soon." That last bit I deliver with a cold flatness. I don't add that "soon" for an elf could mean as much as ten years - it's always fun to let the paranoia fester a bit.

I don't wait for a reply. Instead I walk back over to Suriah and take her hands. "Shall we?" I ask, smiling at her. She nods. She believes I intend to walk away with her. Not quiet what I had in mind.

I pull Suriah close in an embrace; she makes a surprised noise. I concentrate and reality bends for a moment. It's a long one, and it leaves me breathless. A little dizzy I step back, careful to keep my hand on Suriah's. We're outside of town, about half an hours walk from town. Suriah looks around. I hope the jump didn't make her ill; it happens sometimes. The first couple of times, anyway. One gets used to it.

"If you need anything from the Inn, I can jump us back there briefly," I tell her. "If not... shall we take a walk? I have some snacks, a blanket... other amusing and sundry items. We appear to have an afternoon to waste."

-- Drusia

OOC: To be fair, I was working under the assumption that Brad needed some time to get from point A to point B, get the message, and return. Ah well, it worked out in the end.
Priest Ass-Hat really doesn't know when to quit, does he? All he had to do was keep his mouth shut, but no, and now he has to die. Sigh.

[Drannin]

<"I hate to keep secrets from the child, but how does one explain something like this to him? Maybe we should gently break the news to him... slowly."> Reservations aside, Rose had a point. This was clearly where the young boy belonged. But even so, how was he going to assimilate after a quarter-century of literal inactivity?

...And more to the point, what in the weave was going on with these Millenarians, anyway?

[Caoimhe Faelan]

Suriah's eyes widened as she felt the world shift around her, and she - slid sideways? That was how it felt anyway. She kept her eyes locked on Drusia's face until the world held still, and then attempted to move. The ground was solid under her feet for a moment before her knees gave way and she cursed under her breath, catching herself on Drusia's arms. "Sorry about that," she muttered.

Shaking her head to clear it, she took another, more successful step. Turning back to Drusia, she smiled, albeit a little uncertain. "I-I think I got everything in the wagon before we left... I didn't have much. And of course I'd like to walk with you."

[Graybeard]

<"I hate to keep secrets from the child, but how does one explain something like this to him? Maybe we should gently break the news to him... slowly.">

Sister Rose had been thinking in very similar terms, and the mental conversation had bought her some time to think about how to do it. With a nervous glance at Argus, she turned back to the boy, who'd nodded meekly at her previous comment about Luminosita and family.

"Jed," she started in as gentle a voice as she could manage, "there are some things you need to know. You were -- waiting to serve Luminosita for a long time -- a very long time. Longer than you probably realize."

The boy nodded again, but this time gravely, wearing a remarkably adult expression for one so young. "I know, ma'am. Elder Jacobiel said I probably would be, and so would Mom and Dad." He cocked his head as though waiting for more.

Rose permitted herself a mental sigh of relief. With some luck, this boy might be wise beyond his years. That would make a number of things easier ... "Many things changed while you were waiting," she continued. "The young grew older. The old grew older still. Some were gathered into Luminosita's Presence. That's the way time works: it only goes forward."

"I know," the boy repeated, with yet another grave nod, but also with just the hint of tears starting to form in his eyes; it looked like he was getting the picture. "So -- you mean Elgie isn't a baby any more, is that right?"

Rose caught a breath, nodded almost imperceptibly ... and sent a thought in Argus' direction. <"We're most of the way there, but I'm going to need your help ... or I'm going to start crying too...">

[Drusia]

Her knees gave way and she cursed under her breath, catching herself on Drusia's arms. "Sorry about that," she muttered.
Shaking her head to clear it, she took another, more successful step. Turning back to Drusia, she smiled, albeit a little uncertain. "I-I think I got everything in the wagon before we left... I didn't have much. And of course I'd like to walk with you."

I don't know what it is about her. I want to say it's her quiet strength, or her kind resolve, but while both are wonderful and unique qualities, neither one explains how she can sometimes leave me speechless. What does she do to renders words so meaningless?

I lean down and kiss her lips. There is passion in my kiss, and tenderness, and yes love too. But no ungency. I am quite skilled in the art of the kiss, and like any good artist I can say exactly what I mean with it. The promise of more later, oh yes, but not right now. No, this kiss is complete in and of itself.

I straighten; I turn towards the road, my hand holding hers. I breathe deeply, smelling the air, giving her a moment. And then we begin walking.

"I never finished telling you about Snamish," I say as we walk. "There's so many little things, I hardly know where to begin. Any thoughts? I didn't get a chance to ask you if you had any questions earlier.

-- Drusia

[Drannin]

Argus nodded slowly. <"I don't know if Jed will appreciate the words of a Tsuirakuan... but I will help however I can."> Aloud, he said, "You're right. Your Elgie isn't a baby any more. And all you knew has changed. But you knew that would happen, didn't you?" Jed glanced over at him, and Argus saw some suspicion in his eyes. The child really didn't like Tsuirakuans, or him at least... but that was fine. Argus had stood up against more scorn than that.

"You knew that things would change. But perhaps the reality is more than you were expecting. It may be... overwhelming for you." Argus' voice was slowly starting to fill with compassion. Did Jed really know what he was getting into? Argus doubted it... and he had a low opinion of any parent who would subject their child to this, whatever their beliefs. "But you're here, Jed. You're here, you're awake, and you have your whole life ahead of you. And... you're strong. Not everyone could have gone through what you did and handled it so well. You're strong, and I think you're strong enough to handle the life you must now lead." Argus cocked his head. "Aren't you?"

Jed seemed to be hesitating, uncertain, and not really sure what to make of Argus' words. <"That's the voice of a Patrician, Rose. I think it's time for a gentler touch, now.">