Chapter Five – First of Four Tales, Part II - Preparations

 

The bells of the church began to ring out, three massive bells chiming their sweet call out across the land. Echoing off the mountains the sound reverberated softly back to the church. Father Mivek quickly ran up and down the aisles of pews with a brazier in hand, using a small candle to light those of the candelabras on the edge of the pews and the many upon the altar. Light slowly filled the dark church, casting off the shadows and revealing the walls of the church and their decorative rugs hung on the walls.

 

Father Bevek came up to Serena and fixed his black beret, wiping his sweating brow with his embroidered handkerchief. A fine black beard curled down from his chin, making him appear much older then he really was, his chubby carbuncle-ridden face suggested he was only a few years shy of his thirties.

 

“Honorable Asonist, please come this way for fitting.” he said weakly, his head tilted up towards the tower from which Brother Povek was sounding the bells.

 

Following the lead of Father Bevek, Serena asked, “You could not possibly have clothes to fit my small body.”

 

Without stopping or turning back, Father Bevek lead the way into a back room of the church. A plain room with piles of clothes and decorations of festivals it was nothing more then a storeroom, the scent of musk and mold filled this room with overwhelming potency. Seemingly unaffected, the priest pulled out several pieces of white clothes and a tiny white beret and handed them to Serena.

 

“These will have to do, they were supposed to be for Miss Mivek when she joined the church, but she did not have the heart for it.” the man sighed dejectedly, “She showed such promise to... Oh! Sorry, change into these and come to the altar for sizing.”

 

As the man quickly left the room for her privacy, even without the simple luxary of a door, Serena regretfully stripped down to her silk shirt and shorts, piling up her clothes in a little pile. Then slowly slipped on the white robes of a priestess in training, looking next to the beret, “Why do I have to wear this thing...it smells....old... I'm not wearing it.”

 

“Are you decent?” asked Brother Povek.

 

“Come in.” replied Serena, brushing off some dust from her robe

 

Brother Povek came into the room and gasped at Serena's presence, shielding his eyes and stumbling around in the dim light for two silver candlesticks, “Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't see anything. Excuse me.”

 

“What are you doing? Look where you are going!”

 

“I'm sorry Sister. We are in a rush to-” Brother Povek tripped and fell into a stack of clothes and they crashed down upon him, sending up a cloud of dust that started to fill the room. Coughing and gasping for air, the two retreated out of the room for fresher air.

 

“It's just a beret!”

 

“It is improper and a sin to look upon a Sister without her beret! A most grievous sin!” gasped Brother Povek, unable to look at her as he had before.

 

“Fine, I'll wear the thing!” grumbled a defeated Serena as she headed into the dusty storeroom to retrieve the white beret and slip it over her head. Loose upon her head she bundled up all of her long hair and hid it under the beret and headed out to Brother Povek, “This is uncomfortable...”

 

Turning around the boy smiled happily and nodded, “That is beautiful Sister.”

 

“My name is Sage Serena, I am no priestess in train-”

 

“Sister Serena.” repeated the boy, “I am not sure where you came from, but please follow our customs.”

 

“I want no part in this, but since everyone insists I will go along with it. Then I will take my leave.”

 

“You are going to leave!?”

 

“You openly mock me and insult me like a bastard child as does your elder, you do not need my service and fate shall be your guide, not I.”

 

Brother Povek raised his hand and slammed his fist down on Serena's head with all of his might, knocking her beret off and causing her cry out and collapse to the floor weakly. Looking at the girl upon the ground he tensed up and stepped back from her body towards the altar where Father Bevek was waiting for Serena.

 

“What was that cry, Jaek?” asked Father Bevek, looking curiously at the retreating man, “Where is she?”

 

Turning around in surprise, Brother Povek stammered, “I-I-I didn't mean to- I just-”

 

In the shadows Serena's body lay against the floor, head face down on the cold stone. The boy staring in horror at her unconscious form upon the ground. Father Bevek reached out and grabbed the boy by the neck, “What did you just do to her? What did you do?”

 

“I-I-I hit-” he stammered before the man threw him to the ground.

 

“You bastard. You are a disgrace. Get out of my sight!” roared the stout priest, thrusting out his foot to kick the boy in the ass as he scrambled to safety.

 

Quickly rushing over to Serena, he knelt down and said softly, “Venai, clos kevish tresia amonia vie.”

 

Serena awoke and looked up at Father Bevek, getting to her knees “What happened?”

 

Shaking his head slowly and extending and arm to help Serena onto her feet, a small bump on the top of her head, the swelling barely visible, “Thank the Gods you are alright! Does it hurt at all?”

 

Serena rubbed the swelling bump on her head, “I'm fine, but I should be going. I do not belong here.”

 

“It is your decision. Please forgive us, things have been tense lately. It is hard to trust the word of a child and a foreigner. They do not accept what is different or greater then themselves.”

 

Moving over to the stature of the town's patron saint, Serena asked, “Who is this man?”

 

“Oh, you mean Silv Povek? He was our founder and hero. He died to save the miners when one of the shafts collapsed, he held up the pillar while the others got to safety, but it was too late for him to make it out and the roof caved in. Why do you ask.”

 

“Its nothing, I was just...curious.” She lied as she moved over to the altar and the wooden blocks which made a makeshift step ladder to the podium, “Is it your intention I will speak?”

 

“Oh, but of course! The Asonist always speaks.”

 

Serena smiled softly and stepped up to the podium, placing her book down and comparing it to the smaller and older text. Running her hand across the book she said softly, “This book, it feels the same. I will speak, but it will be only once. You want to learn to interpret?”

 

Father Bevek seemed a bit flustered with her sudden change and proposition, “That would take ages to do.”

 

Letting out a soft giggle, Serena opened the Naishe and started to read aloud from the beginning of the book, “He who reads this book shall be called Father. He who divines this book shall be called Sage. All the wisdom of the world is contained here within these pages. Intrude not the heavens. Destroy not the spirit. Forgive not the sin. May you be blessed, child of heaven.”

 

Looking to Father Bevek as she closed the cover, Serena said quite clearly, “My name is Sage Serena, diviner of the texts.”