Introductions

"Kris, Faye, Lohikaarmi, and Astra." I rush through the introductions by calling everyone's name while gesturing toward the person.

"It's good to meet you. I'm Owen. I've been in this convent two years now. If you have any questions, just let me know," he says, often glancing over to Lohikaarmi, even though I am right in front of him.

What's so interesting about her?

I follow his occasional gaze to see what he's been looking at. Oh, I see. The "appeal" from Lohikaarmi's dress that Astra picked for her is definitely working on Owen.

Can't blame him, I suppose.

"If you don't mind me asking," Faye says, "how did you end up living in the convents?"

"No, I don't mind at all. It's pretty simple, actually. I was born and raised in the sixth ring. One day, I felt the need to make something out of myself, so I came here," Owen says.

"But I thought the convent doesn't accept just anyone," I say.

"That's right, but the Goddess blessed me with good fortune. By chance, I met some people who helped me get into the Shrine of Crusaders. Once I had that status, the convent couldn't turn me away."

"The Shrine of Crusaders?" I ask.

What an odd name. Crusaders are the last part of a church I'd expect people to have a shrine of.

Owen raises his eyebrow.

"You've never heard of the Shrine of Crusaders?" He asks.

"No."

"You must be new to the Holy Capital, then."

"We arrived not too long ago."

"Oh-ho-ho, you guys picked the wrong time to come here," Owen says with a sarcastic chuckle.

What?

Before I can inquire for an explanation, the woman helping Sister Melody from before comes over and puts down a handful of forks and knives beside our plates.

She is on the somewhat stouter side. The lines on her dull face make me feel like she has seen some things in her life that she might not have wanted to.

The woman scans us with weary eyes. "Yous the new guys?" She asks.

"That's right, Helen," Owen says.

She nods slowly and looks down at me. "Them your girls?"

Why is she talking in these cryptic sentences?

"My girls?"

"That's right, 'cause if you ain't taking good care of them, them flowers will be picked before you know it."

"Huh?"

"Trust me. There are some vicious wolves here."

"What?"

"Don't get all stupid. You know what I'm talking about."

"Helen, that's enough. There's no need to scare our new guests."

It's Cecilia. She walks into the dining hall from the kitchen with all the other nuns beside her. There are some small patches of flour on their blue robes.

Sister Abigail sees me and gives me another one of her finger waves.

"My bad, Your Excellency," Helen says.

"It's fine. Go to your seat. We will be doing a proper introduction for the newcomers shortly."

"Yes, Your Excellency." Helen leaves and walks to the other side of the hall.

Melanie gestures to her sister, who is talking to some old man, and Melody comes jogging toward the group.

"How do you find the convent so far?" Bishop Cecilia asks Astra, the person I least want to answer.

Crap. I hope she is not going to say anything stupid.

"It's great, but the dining hall is a little stinky," she says, in the most innocent voice I've heard coming out of this rascal's mouth. It's almost as if she is a real ten-year-old.

Cecilia chuckles.

"Our sisters can take care of that," she says and turns to Abigail.

"Sister Abigail, can you cleanse the room for our little guest here?" Cecilia asks.

"Of course, Your Excellency," Abigail says with the grace of a singer in her voice.

She puts her fair hands together and closes her eyes. After the glow of prayer, out of nowhere, a breeze washes through the room, bringing with it the sweet scent of rosemary, completely burying the smell of dirt and sweat like they never existed.

What a cool ability, but I still can't take my mind off what Helen said. Was she talking about what I think she was talking about? Because if that's the case, living in this convent might be a bit less comfortable than I thought, to Faye especially. Astra and Lohikaarmi can take care of themselves with no problem.

Cecilia picks up a glass and a fork from in front of Astra. She clinks the glass to get everyone's attention.

The dining hall goes quiet, and all of the guests' eyes turn to our end of the table.

"Ahem," the bishop clears her throat and says, "good work at St. Eleanor's Convent today, everybody. We are all very thankful. Her Excellency Zoe sent us a large piece of ham as a gift, so we will be having that this evening."

"Whoo!"

"Yeah!"

A round of cheers follows Cecilia's announcement. This is the reaction from ham? If I were told I am having ham for dinner back on Earth, the first thing I'd say is probably "what kind?"

Cecilia clinks her glass again to calm the room now.

"Now, before we bring dinner to the table, we have some new additions to our convent that I'd like you to meet. Would you four introduce yourselves, please?" She says.

Astra and I stand up from our seats. I gesture to Lohikaarmi to join us, and Faye eventually gets up as well after some hesitation.

After a quiet mix of gasps, the room goes completely silent. I look over the table, and most of the other guests are staring at everyone except for me.

We each take a turn to say our names. Faye, like always, stutters pretty badly on hers, even though it's literally one single syllable.

I hear a wolf whistle at the end of the table, and it opens the floodgate to claps and whoops. Not the type of reaction appropriate for an introduction, at least those of nobodies like us.

Cecilia quiets the guests and gives us a sign to sit back down.

"I'd like you all to treat our new friends with the same respect as you do with our sisters," she says.

"You got it!" A voice calls out. It's the same guy who whistled a second ago. The group beside him bursts into laughter.

"Good."

The bishop asks the nuns to bring out the food, and then she turns back to us.

"Without further ado, let us begin the prayer," she says.

At once, everyone put their hands together and close their eyes, including Cecilia. Astra nudges my arm with her elbow and joins them. I guess I have to, as well.

"Oh, sweet Goddess of infinite virtue," Cecilia recites. Her firm voice echoes around the silent dining hall.

"Oh, sweet Goddess of infinite virtue," the table repeats in unison.

This is the real line of the prayer? I repeat with them in a mumble.

"Let us humbly thank thee." Cecilia takes a pause for everyone to catch up.

"Let us humbly thank thee."

Astra's voice has got to be the loudest of them all.

"For granting us sweetness and hope."

"For granting us sweetness and hope."

"During times when we are most in need."

"During times when we are most in need."

"We shall offer a life of faith and devotion."

"We shall offer a life of faith and devotion."

"Thus forgive us for our transgressions."

"Thus forgive us for our transgressions."

"May thy light guide us to deliverance."

"May thy light guide us to deliverance."

"And may our lights guide thee to benevolence."

"And may our lights guide thee to benevolence."

"Amen."

"Amen."