Saints and Sinners

Thirty-five:

Thirty-five:

Aleksander had never been overly fond of churches. Cathedrals, in particular, were large, and overbearing. Whenever he passed by one, he always felt that the Saint statues were going to reach out and drag him into the shadows. But Alina was convinced that they could find answers about Hanne and Nina there, and she had managed to drag him to the Os Alta cathedral even though it was the last place he wanted to be. She could probably drag him to his death if she really wanted to, and he would let her, happily, because to die by her hand would be the loveliest thing of all.

"Are you alright?" Alina asked him as they stood on the stone steps of the cathedral, holding hands. "You look..."

"What?"

"Sickly, almost," she said, "come on, it isn't that bad. You make it seem as if going into the cathedral is like pulling teeth."

"That's because it is." Aleksander ran a hand through his hair.

But there was another reason Aleksander hadn't been particularly fond of the church. As a boy, his mother hadn't had much time for him. He had run through the streets of Ravka all on his own with no one to care a single bit about what he did or didn't do. That was, until one evening, he broke into the Os Alta cathedral with one of his friends from school. There, sitting on the table, had been the tithe bowl, filled completely with donations.

He hadn't particularly needed the money, but it had been too enticing as a young boy. His friends had all dared each other that whoever stole it could keep it. They all tried to one by one, but they all lost their nerve. Not Aleksander though, he had boldly marched up when it was his turn and taken it. As they were about to slip out of the church, he was grabbed by the scruff of his neck and The Apparat appeared.

"You there," he said, "you think you can steal from The Saints? They see all and know all, boy."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry." Aleksander remembered sobbing and trembling.

"The Saints have seen your crimes, and now you must make up for it if you wish to be good. Do you willingly submit to the church, boy?"

"Yes, yes. I submit. Just don't call the stadwatch, and don't tell my mother!" Aleksander begged.

"Of course, my son. Come to the church every Sunday, and I will see to it that you are made a Saint and Blessed." The Apparat patted his head, and then said, "What is your name?"

"Aleksander. Aleksander Morozova," he'd answered.

"Good, Aleksander. You belong to the church now. Do not forget it." He took the tithe bowl from Aleksander, he patted him on the head, and then told him to leave. After, Aleksander had been haunted by The Apparats face and his fear that he would be labeled a Sinner overtook him.

That was when the trouble had started. At first, it had been simple. Errands for The Apparat. And then the errands turned into him taking collections for people. The Apparat made a habit of bestowing the churches 'generosity' to the community, for a price. And if the price couldn't be met, he would send someone like Aleksander to come and take the money.

As Aleksander got older, the things The Apparat had him do were worse and worse. Including, killing the man in the alleyway that Alina had seen him kill. Every sin he had ever committed, The Apparat knew. And there was no escaping him. But Alina had asked him to go to church, and so for her, he would go to church. Even though he knew it would lead to disaster.

"Aleks?" Alina called to him, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"It's fine. Just calculating the likelihood that I'll burn into flames the minute that I step into the church." He laughed half-heartedly, and Alina shot him a strange look before squeezing his hand.

"It will be fine," Alina said.

The two of them walked into the church, and on the inside, they saw The Apparat up front lighting candles. At the sound of the door closing behind them with a loud creak, The Apparat turned around and smiled upon seeing Aleksander.

"Ah, young Aleks," he said, "I was wondering when you would grace me with the presence of your new soulmate. I was quite disappointed I was not the first one that you told when the Blessing happened."

Alina shot him a look. "You said you didn't do church."

Aleksander gave her a half smile. "It's not really doing church if The Apparat blackmails you into doing it."

"What?" Alina gaped at him.

The Apparat smirked at her. "And I read that you are a lawyer, Miss Starkov. Thrilling. It will be so good to add another lawyer to the churches connections. The Saints do so smile upon those who help others, Miss Starkov."