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Somewhere in the world (Candira and runawayninja)

Nora was about to say something in response to Candira's comment about Lionel, but she was thwarted by the door. In came Rafe who was dutifully avoiding the view of Candira in the water. She chuckled at his awkwardness. "Well, you can rest if you like. I won't be finished with Candira for a bit longer--we only need a few more minutes. Or you can stay here if you really want. What's keeping Lionel?" She asked, getting up and moving to deal with Candira's leg while the redhead dealt with what was underwater.

Candira for her part was pretty quiet. She felt really silly for having to have them help her like this. Not to mention weak. If only she could just take care of herself...but if she had, she wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.
 
"Lionel is getting everything settled with the ruler here. He's explaining are actual purposed and identities. To anyone else, even the clergy, we are pilgrims and you, Nora, are our guide and keeper. You're supposed to act as a priestess here so...they'll have duties for you. Me, Candira, and Lionel will be helping out too as part of our religious retreat, but Candira is going to rest until she's better." Rafe smiled just a bit, looking at Nora. "Those robes seem rather...earthly for priestesses. I suppose all the better to soak up Dima's light, hmm?" He gave a soft chuckle and a sly grin. "It's going to be interesting seeing Lionel keep his eyes off you wearing that..." He shrugged a bit, as if innocent of some as of yet unnamed crime. "Truthfully...some guys like priestesses, especially the cloistered away ones that are forbidden to males...makes it seem all the more desirable..."
 
Nora smiled softly as Rafe said all of this, having heard things like it before. She blushed a bit as the part about Lionel came back...the other comment about men liking cloistered priestesses, made her a little uncomfortable so she decided to deflect some of the attention she was getting to Candira who'd managed to finish scrubbing herself. "Yes well, if Candira decides to wear the robes again we might have an uprising on our hands," she said moving to the other side of the tub to help her friend back up and out of the water. "There's a reason they keep the priestesses cloistered," she said with a grunt.

Candira managed to stand with Nora's help, the water sluicing off of her as she stood, taking a towel. She really should have been angry that they were talking about her as though she wasn't even in the room. She should have been upset that Rafe seemed to be flirting with Nora right in front of her--but she was lucky she was standing at the moment--the warm bath had not helped her current state all that much. She worked with Nora to dry off and slip into her robe before Nora was telling Rafe to take Candira back into the room. "I'm not sure what to think of him anymore. He seems to have changed from the last time I met him. But men always have a hard time not looking at priestesses."

Nora frowned. "I can't really stay with her if I have a lot of duties," she said with a frown. "I'll have to figure out a way for one of us to be with her on one to be with me at all times." She frowned softly and shrugged. "Just take her in and make sure she rests."
 
Rafe nodded and helped Candira inside to the bed. He gently helped her lay down in it. "Don't worry about that, my first duty here is to see to Candira." Rafe gave Candira a soft smile before looking at Nora. "Don't worry, I'm not going to leave her side until she's fully recovered."
 
"Good. I'll see if I can get us some food--she could use something light I think...I don't think she'll be awake for too long." Nora smiled at Candira and then picked up the pile of her clothes in the corner, putting them into a basket. "I'll have these cleaned too. Never hurts to have clean clothes," she said before leaving. She felt a little bad for ducking out so quickly, but talking to Rafe when he was essentially flirting with her in front of a girl who loved him made her feel...weird to say the least. But it was clear that he cared for Candira too. She wondered more and more about what he said regarding her uniform. Was it really all that sexy? It was best to put that thought out of her mind as she headed toward the laundry area, wondering what on earth was taking Lionel so long.

Candira sat up and removed her braid, her thick hair bothering her a bit. It hung around her shoulders in waves and sprawled out on the pillow as she lay back down, much more comfortable now. She smiled at his sense of loyalty, but she wondered if, after meeting Nora, that's all he felt for her now. "Are you really going to stay with me til I get better, Rafe?" she asked quietly.
 
Rafe smiled and heard her hand softly, nuzzling it a bit before he kissed it and nodded. "I'm gonna stay next to you until you're better, just like you did for me when you found me hurt." There was not mistaking that look in his eyes. He was utterly enthralled with her and his eyes shone like jewels looking at her. He took his ocarina in hand and played very softly since it was a bit of a shrill instrument if played loudly. He played something soft and relaxing for her as she laid down, trying to relax her being.
 
Instantly her doubts melted away when he held her hand. Okay. So maybe she had been jealous of Nora. But the way he looked at her now and the way he made that promise and she forgot all that petty nonsense. Silly fevers. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand before he let go to play a song for her. Closing her eyes, she blushed softly, though the fever might have had something to do with that. She murmured something incoherently beneath the music, but she doubted he'd heard her say what exactly what she'd said to Nora: she was in love. After a few moments, she drifted into a sleep and hoped that he would always want to stay with her.
 
Rafe smiled when he saw her sleeping and played a little more to stay in good practice. He slowly got up and traversed the castle seeking out the library to find some books to read and maybe some for Candira. He wasn't looking for anyone in particular, but he ran into Nora and smiled softly. "Hey there...so...you think you'll be alright here? Be able to slip into being a priestess again?"
 
Nora had taken Candira's clothes to the laundry and gone to the library to find some scrolls on purification. She glanced up to see Rafe heading straight toward her. She fumbled a bit with a book she was holding but caught it nicely, holding it to her chest as he came to her side. She told herself to snap out of it. She was being silly. He was only trying to be friendly. And if he was here the noble was probably asleep. The princess smiled softly and nodded as he came close. "I think so. I kept up with a lot of my training at the castle," she said softly. "Being a priestess is about dedication and allowing yourself to be open to the spiritual world. It makes us sensitive to much of this world that other people may not be able to see." She refrained from mentioning the feathers that only she and Candira could see--and probably him as well. What he failed to realize was that only people with spiritual awareness could see them.

"Anyway, I'm sure I'll be fine. I'll be freer to dedicate myself to the workings of Dima. What about you? Do you think you'll be able to handle living and working here until Candira gets better?"
 
He nodded slowly. "It'll be like being a child. Where I grew up, we had land, but we were barely nobles. Our land was dense with forest and swamp so farming land was scarce and we couldn't afford much, so I spent a lot of my childhood working, helping to dig wells, build stables, that kind of thing. We only had a hundred families under us over a town and two small villages. So I think it'll be a nice way to remember the old life. Anyways, don't followers of Suma believe that hard work is good healing? Sweat on the brow sweats the soul." He gave a soft chuckle and shrugged a bit.

"The spiritual life has...never really fit for me. A lot of my life I've spent focusing on the mundane, the tangible. The spiritual world just...seems so far away."
 
"It's much closer than you might think, actually," she said with a shrug. "But it's not the right path for everyone. Suma, the goddess of harvest? Her followers believe that hard work and persistence yield great rewards. Their philosophy has much to do with personal sacrifice for the gain of all. There are many lessons about her in that section if you'd like to read more about her," she said pointing to a shelf not far from there. "I believe Lady Candira prays to Suma to help her people." She shrugged and pulled another book from the shelf.

"I'm not terribly worried that the physical labor will wear on you," she said with a chuckle. "You seem strong enough to me. What worries me is if you have the same kind of restlessness Candira has. Will the duties we assign you be enough to occupy you?"

She shrugged. "Oh, I never did see about the food. I should do that before I forget. I'll be in a room just one over from Candira. If you like, you may stay with her. I have no idea where Lionel is, much less where he's staying, but I'm sure he'll find us soon enough. In any case, I'll see you soon." With that, the priestess turned on her heel to go see about food preparation. There was so much on her mind that she didn't want to forget it again. If she kept up this pace, she'd get just as sick as Candira, and that wouldn't do.
 
Nora almost ran into Lionel while turning a corner. Lionel's combat reflexes let him pause right before they collided. Lionel gave a bit of a smile. "I've been looking for you...not used to being so far from you for so long. I spoke to the Abbess in charge of Windfall, she's aware of our true cause here. There's a paladin here staying on the grounds and another is returning from a quest having exterminated a den of rather large and vicious spiders. So...we should be quite safe. I just got a little lost...Windfall is quite large and surprisingly filled with turns and rooms."
 
The princess jumped, letting out a squeak as she came so quickly and unexpectedly face-to-face with her bodyguard. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw that it was him and that they hadn't run into each other in the literal sense of the phrase. There was a ghost of a smile on his face as he told her his news. "I was wondering what had happened to you. I know we've things to explain, but I wouldn't have thought it would take so long..." She took a moment to digest the fact that one of the men staying here had exterminated spiders...large ones. Well, alright then. Why not?

"Yes, if you don't know where you're going, I'm sure it's confusing. Most temples are set up in the same general manner and I remember this place from when I was very young...Anyway, I was going to get us food before I forget again. Rafe is in the library if you need to speak with him and Candira is resting in a room. She's got quite a head cold. I blame being out in the rain. She's traveled so much it would only make sense that her body's worn out. If you want to stay with her for awhile, that's fine, but I think she's asleep since Rafe is wandering about. Or you could come with me so you don't get lost again," she said, teasing him just a little. "It's up to you."
 
Lionel looked around at the ancient architecture modernized with marble statues. He looked at it with a mix of wonder and a feeling that this place was a formidable opponent. "I think...I had better stay with you. I don't like feeling lost, probably comes from guarding the same castle for a few years. Besides, I can give you an extra hand."
 
She chuckled at his admission and nodded. "Alright then. Follow me." She led him down a long corridor and took a few turns before they arrived in a very large kitchen. It was updated enough to serve the people who lived here and guests, and stocked well. There were priests and priestesses within each doing their jobs--cleaning, chopping, boiling, stirring, frying. It was quite an impressive operation. Nora smiled and greeted the head chef who was ordering people around and asked for some food. For Candira, there was a chicken soup with vegetables and some meat with rice crackers. For the rest, they had a small plate of meat, potatoes, and greens. cups of water were also included. This was loaded onto a large tray.

"Alright Lionel, that's for you to carry," she said with a grin, holding her books. "Follow me when you're ready."

Several priestesses who were cleaning up stations had stopped to watch Lionel, but whenever he glanced in their direction, they went right back to working. Nora chuckled and led him out of the kitchen and back to Candira's room. "Do you like it here, Lionel?" She asked as they walked along.
 
Lionel caught the gazes of them and gave a bit of a smile as he carried the tray very carefully. "I think it's very...peaceful here. I'm almost off my guard with how quiet it is compared tot he hustle and bustle of the palace." He followed Nora as they left. "Though...I don't think it is very fair to separate the men and women. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, that's what I've heard. You make something forbidden and it is more desirable. Still...it is their way and not for me to judge."
 
Nora smiled as they walked along. It was a refreshing change of pace to not have a day filled with appointments. There were still responsibilities, but at least she was free to structure her day as she pleased. In that way, she was pretty pleased with her situation. His explanation about forbidden desire made her smirk. She just couldn't resist needling him a bit. "Lionel, if that logic applied then I would be desirable to you. After all, you've made it clear that I'm about as forbidden as it gets," she teased. "But I've yet to see you show any kind of interest. So I must assume that's the case for at least some others. Anyway, it's actually a little easier to manage this way. And there are less distractions this way."

She shrugged and continued on her path toward Candira's room. "But I can see your point. I'm sure a lot of men who first join feel that way. And some still do after years. Women too."
 
Lionel turned a deep red and looked away as they walked. "Well...making it impossible, it might become an even greater distraction." He still seemed a bit flustered. Then he paused. Not for long, only for the briefest moment. Then he continued, a thought running through his head. "Lady Nora may I...?" He paused remembering that she was under disguise, asking her for anything might look suspicious. "Nora...are you saying you've showed interest in me...?" It was a bold and brazen question, maybe out of his station, but he might never have another opportunity to act outside of his limited position.
 
She chuckled softly at his new shade of red and rolled her eyes, facing forward as they walked. "I suppose I can see the logic in that," she said with a smile. She was taken aback as he asked her if she had shown interest in him, but she wasn't upset or offended--just surprised. Her cheeks colored for just a moment before she got herself under control and looked at him. "Would it matter if I have?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.
 
Lionel looked down, seeing his own logic in those words. Perhaps he had deserved that. "We have a rare opportunity here...under our disguises, through these lies, we can be truthful as we couldn't in the royal palace. I...would like the truth. If you can..." He couldn't look her in the eyes as he said that.
 
"I have," she said softly, walking along with a slightly rosier hue. "You have many attractive qualities, Lionel. It's hard not to notice them," she said softly. "But even if that's the case, does it matter?
 
He nodded slowly. "I suppose you are right..." He looked at her his usual stoic face, which had, in fact, softened a lot since they arrived. It was no less noble looking than before, but now it appeared more compassionate. "Do you enjoy it here? What if...your life was here instead of at the palace?"
 
She sighed softly at the thought. "I like the palace because I get to be of use to my people...but I like it here because I'm of use to everyone who needs me. I have more freedom here to feel. And even if we're cloistered here, love is not forbidden for priests and priestesses of Dima..." She frowned and looked up at him. "I like being a priestess. I could get used to it if that was my destiny. But I don't know if I'm mean to be anything but a princess." She sighed, thinking of the possibilities she would miss out on, and the idea of being with someone she actually enjoyed--like Lionel. "What about you? What if your life was here? Would you do things differently?"
 
"I think my service would be better suited towards Myrmidia." Myrmidia was a foreign goddess from the south, taken to Helios by crusading knights who favored her martial bent. She retains the appearance of a fierce feline anthropomorph often in full armor and with a sword and shield. Myrmidia was a patron of soldiers and fighters and she championed the just. Her temples often doubled as barracks and most of her clergy were proficient in some form of combat. "I've always had a martial bent to me...but...a life as a priest, sword in hand and faith in my heart...traveling as a paladin maybe to do good and fight for the just." He smiled a bit. "That's a life I think I could get used to. I certainly would like to travel a bit...have some adventures."
 
Nora smiled softly. She could see him as a paladin or a priest of Myrmidia. He'd be very good at it, actually. "Actually, after hearing you say that, I'm a little surprised that you're not." She shrugged and thought about it some more. "I think it might actually be good for you to be in that particular field. Goodness knows your duties now make you way too serious." She shrugged. "You can be honest as I ask you this...I promise I won't hold it against you. But would you rather be a servant of Myrmidia than...a pilgrim?" She asked, trying to remember that he was not supposed to be her protector. She would be a bit sad if he'd choose that life, but only because it would mean that she'd probably never see him again.

She wondered what went on in his head sometimes. One moment it seemed as though he were interested and the next he wasn't. Was he getting in his own way? Or was it just her? Maybe being here would be good for her. She could forget about love and focus on her duties, as she was supposed to do. She could pray to Dima for clarity.
 
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