Chapter 3 Spring - Divine Honorifics

Twilight cast the world into indigo. Elenwe was tucked into a crimson carriage. She had been granted time enough to gather her scant personal belongings before being escorted there. A bundle of clothing, vestments, and a few books. She packed a small chest with holy impliments not only denoting her status, but to assist her works. The most expensive thing she owned was a golden cameo brooch that had the Verdale Family Crest on it instead of the profile of a woman. The most valuable thing Elenwe possessed was her Knottings.

The Knottings were sentimental and created from two lengths of silken cord. They interconnected in wake knots; little green and brown spiraled balls. She brushed her thumb over the one she made with Delanie, and the one she made with Clinton. As she settled into the carriage and it raced off a dull ache caught in her throat. She was oblivious if either had survived. She covered her mouth and forced her attention to the small window. Between the curtain and the side of the carriage Elenwe could catch peeks at the blackness outside.

She last saw Delanie blithe and dancing. She tried to remember more. The last time she saw Clinton was as a huge chunk of smoldering earth had started hurling itself toward the innermost circle. Shaking her thoughts from her head she asked,

"Pardon, how long until we reach Oriaron?"

The two Inquisitors sitting opposite of her had not once averted their attention from the young woman seated before them. In their uniformed garb they may as well have been identical.

"By daybreak, Ma'am.", the left one quipped dutifully.

Elenwe nodded and again aligned her eyes with the slit of window she could see. Sleep easily evaded her as the the horses were hard-pressed and labored. The beasts pushed until first rays of sunlight kissed the dewy ground good-morning. Elenwe moved to open the small curtain to watch their approach to the capitol of Velon.

These views were not foreign to her. This, after all, had been her home before she had fled to the monetary. The immaculate and orderly way of things seeped into every aspect of life here. Structure, organization, law, order, propriety. These values were reflected in the elaborate art, the staunch expressions of the denizens, and in the complex courtesy and customs. Elenwe drew her fingers across her throat as she looked at the large building drawing closer.

The pace slowed remarkably once they had made a wide circle around the massive and pointy Cathedral. The Cathedral of Daggor. The spindly towers were reinforced by intricate buttresses. In the early morning it appeared as of it were fancy scaffolding for a building that wasn't quite finished.

The carriage stalled as large wrought iron gates swung open. It came to a complete stop outside the Abbey. Though much more austare and decorated than the monestary, it was mundane compared to the rest of the Holy Grounds.

Soon inside, Elenwe was ushered through a maze of corridors until she was deposited into a long narrow parlor with a view of the gardens. Though she never checked, the doors were locked. She didn't attempt to escape, and to her surprise only a half an hour passed before the double doors opened again. Paladins who barred entry held the doors open for a slender woman with long boundless silver hair. The wrinkles from time and smiles framed her azure blue eyes with compassion.

"Oh, Elenwe...", the figure rushed to Elenwe's side. Elenwe recognized her and deferentially dipped herself and lowered her head.

"High Priestess DelaFontaine." Elenwe acknowledged the woman before her. The noblewoman returned the motions to Elenwe, as if addressing peerage. Soon Olivette enveloped the younger girl with her arms. Through the magic of Adanya, or perhaps the sheer magic of human empathy, Elenwe felt the tension and turmoil evaporate from her in the embrace. She wept there as her elder consoled her.

"It has been years and years since you were last here my sweet Elenwe." The woman cupped Elenwe's cheeks with her hands and gifted her forehead with a heartfelt kiss. Thumbs gently cleared the tears as she sighed, "Thank the gods you are alive."

Elenwe soaked in all the consolation she could handle. She mourned, and grieved. She cried and expressed her confusion and frustration about it all. Mostly she relayed her fear of the uncertianties that faced her. When Olivette was able to dry the woman's tears she whispered a soft blessing. A soothing green flicker surrounded Elenwe and she felt renewed.

The two eventually shifted topics and mood as a light meal was presented for breakfast. There was soon a sense of urgency as they discussed the strange happenings of the recent days, "Luckily no other noble bothers to do anything of importance before noon. We have some time..." Lady the High Priestess, explained the current state of things to Elenwe.

Four other incidents had been known to have happened, similar to The Grove. Olivette was confident there must have been a total of seven, and they had not been informed of the other two yet. Olivette swiftly explained what she knew of the three others who had been secured in the Abbey prior to Elenwe's arrival. This meant one was still travelling to Oriaron.

The one on the long trail from the mountains was a dwarvish blacksmith. Something occurred which had a rise in magma threatened to engulf the entire subterranean mining colony. The dwarf, somehow, and with his bare hands, held back the flow of the searing liquid rock from incinerating most of the population.

A younger human boy, a seventeen year old Savant of Annonen, somehow shouted and diverted a cyclone that crippled his entire town. He had managed to completely unravel the whirlwinds before collapsing. He had just woken this morning from the events.

A young woman had somehow stopped a monstrous swell of water before it ever was able to make landfall. Her actions saved the entire port-city of Capesford. There wasn't a single casualty reported, not even the fishermen who were trapped at sea when it occurred.

Then their own prisons produced the fourth, a disgraced Battle-Mage from the Council's Army. He had been in the Lord General's own ranks and left to await trial when suddenly every door, bar, chain, lock, key, sword, inmate, and guard, suddenly vanished without a trace. The man was found in his cell, unconscious after whatever had happened.

The pair quickly spoke as Olivette started to explain about the Selection Ceremony. She hadn't spoken more than a minute, before there was an announcement from the door. Lunch was rolled in on trays with wheels. Elenwe spied that a group of nobles and servants gathered outside the door trying to peek in.

As she tried to identify anyone she recognized she settled her searching on a set of nobles foremost in the small crowd. The Perrington Twins. A young page heralded their entrance,

"Introducing The High Commander, Duke Tybalt Perrington of Oriaron in accompaniment with The High Priestess of Ophine, Duchess Aradell Perrington!" These two were the first to cross the threshold into the room to gain a closer look at the oddity within.

Both were of uncanny grace and beauty. Rumors stated it was due to some elvish blood in their lineage. There were no elves anymore. Bards sang songs of their tales, and how they all ultimately faded to nothing. Yet the pair, as well as many others had the slender pointed ears, the longevity of life, and the appearance denoting they contained a few drops of the stubborn 'extinct' blood. Those few drops that remained in the world cycled around and were powerful enough to carve out countries and shape fate. It was no surprise to Elenwe they both sat under their father on the Council of Seven.

The pair did not say a word as Elenwe greeted them with formality and respect. Unexpectedly, as noted by the gasps of the onlookers, the pair returned the gesture to the priestess. They did not have a moment to acquaint themselves before the young page announced, in a voice which was too large for him,

"Make Way for the Church's High Inquisitor, Lord Arn and the Divine Guard!"

The jangle of armored Paladins marched in unison as they rounded the corner to enter the parlor. The small regimin of men bullied their way inward. They called to a halt and parted to reveal a stalwart and astute man in their midst. The High Inquisitor quickly assessed the situation, and levelled his gaze at Elenwe. The following bow was deep, causing more murmuring from the gawking gallery outside the door. Once he straightened, the sternness that had worn wrinkles at the corners of his mouth changed from the resting frown they were in. He appeared apologetic,

"Forgive the intrusion gentle Nobles, The Divine have requested an audience with The Divine High Priestess of Adanya."

His eyes never left Elenwe's face. She managed an overwhelmed, "Oh, where is this audience My Lord?"

Lord Arn offered a soft-spoken reply, "Near-by. Down the corridor, and of course to another, and then the reception room Ma'am."

Glimpsing at Olivette, Elenwe noticed the woman silently nodded, though her eyes returned to watch the High Inquisitor with a facade of a smile. The Duchess Aradell instinctively lowered her finger's to Elenwe's elbow with a smile. Her words were soothing and warm,

"Lady Elenwe, we can meet another time."

Once she was ready to depart, the High Inquisitor pivoted smartly on his heel and extended his elbow to the young woman. With trepidation, Elenwe's fingers found his crimson sleeve and they were escorted from the parlor down exactly two lengthy corridors, until arriving at another set of large double doors. Silhouetted against the broad windows were three figures, the other Anointed.