Eight Intertwined

78 - Bartolo

The following morning, Ophilia woke early and wrote a note to the bishop of Saintsbridge's church. She hadn't been given much of a chance to say that she had arrived the night before because of how late the group had gotten to Saintsbridge, so she decided to take care of her first duties for this step of the Kindling as the sun rose. Once she was finished, she dropped the letter off at the church for one of the priests to pass along to the bishop. In the note, Ophilia proposed meeting with him at the entrance to the town in about three hours, and if there were any issues, he could contact her to shift their plans. When she heard nothing back, Ophilia assumed the plan was going ahead as she had originally intended, prompting her to lead the rest of the travelers to the front of Saintsbridge around the middle of the morning. 

The Riverlands air was just as crips and clear as Ophilia remembered, and she couldn't help taking it all in with a smile on her face. Saintsbridge's charm still hadn't worn off on her overnight, and she found herself infatuated with everything from the structure of the shops to the specific shade of green that marked the grass just outside the town. She could certainly see why her parents had wanted to bring her here when she was little; she didn't understand how anyone couldn't just fall in love with Saintsbridge. 

Ophilia hummed to herself as she examined a shopfront not far from the front of the town. The rest of the group was with her for moral support, and she was glad they were. Even though she had started coming into herself since setting out on the Kindling, she wanted all the support she could get. She hadn't ever spoken to the bishop of Saintsbridge before, and she couldn't help feeling a bit intimidated at approaching such an important religious figure. Her heart skipped a beat whenever she thought about it for too long, so she opted to stare at the jewelry in the nearby store window to keep herself distracted. 

When Ophilia was finished, she glanced up and realized that a man wearing white robes was steadily approaching her. He was on the older side, all of his hair having turned silver long ago. He still carried himself with a degree of regality and calmness though, and that was more than enough to tell Ophilia exactly who he was. She pulled herself up to her full height, and that small action was more than enough to bring the rest of the travelers behind her to silence. They all stared at the man as Ophilia took a small step towards him. 

For a moment, Ophilia was afraid that she wouldn't be able to convince herself to speak, but she managed to push the words out even as her heart struggled to keep from screaming at the center of her chest. "Greetings, Your Excellency," Ophilia began, bowing her head and taking her skirt between her fingers to curtsey. "I am Sister Ophilia, and I have come to perform the Kindling."

The older man nodded with a smile. "We welcome you to our parish, Sister Ophilia. I am Bartolo, the bishop of Saintsbridge," he introduced. "I have heard a great deal about you from Archbishop Josef. For you to have come all this way in Sister Lianna's stead..."

Ophilia looked down with a small frown on her face, and she resisted the urge to drag her fingers across the lanthorn to calm her nerves. "I am deeply sorry for the sudden change in plans, Bishop Bartolo," she told him, trying her best to keep her voice as measured as possible. 

Bartolo, however, didn't seem to mind, as he simply shook his head with a tender frown on his face. "Think nothing of it, child. I heard of the archbishop's illness in his letter... You have my sympathies." 

Ophilia's stomach twisted at the mention of Josef's sickness. All of a sudden, she felt like she was being punched to the ground by all of her previous doubts about going on the Kindling to begin with, and she yearned for the touch of something familiar to keep herself composed. "You are too kind, Your Excellency."

Bartolo closed his eyes in contemplation before he continued, seemingly unaware of Ophilia's masked nerves. "I have not been so blessed as to perform the Kindling myself, but I know the pilgrimage is a trying one." He paused, glancing up and past Ophilia to the rest of the travelers standing behind her. "And yet, there is also much to be gained for one who undertakes it with an open heart and honest mind." He shifted his attention back down to Ophilia next, and she felt as if she was pinned in place by the kindness in his eyes for a moment. He meant nothing by it, but Ophilia's anxious nerves remained prominent regardless. "It will take every ounce of strength and courage, but for the sake of our church and our realm, pray see it through to the end."