Dungeons & Dragons

Chapter 9 (a detour of sorts)

The clangorous bells rang out as he walked beneath the arches. He tried to focus ahead on the wall at the end of the walkway, hoping that if he stared hard enough, a hole might appear in the bricks, beckoning his escape. But it never did, and the bells continued to chime on this bright Sundas morning.

Martin had hoped that everything would calm down after that noblewoman had departed. Hoped in vain it seems.

After those few days nothing seemed to get better. If it wasn't rampant illness in the lower classes, it was something else. Just this morning he'd been awakened by the Count's demands that he confess him before the sun had risen. He had pulled himself out of bed with barely a few hours of sleep in him. The moment he heard Goldwine's confession his patience had been tested. He thought that if he were a lesser man he may have refused him. Martin was, however, relieved to tell him that sneezing on a shrine was not a mortal sin that required forgiveness. Equally relieved, the Count had departed without another word.

Now he had to perform Sundas mass with no sleep and a raging headache. Not an uncommon occurrence these days, but rather annoying nonetheless. His head pulsed with every bell chime that called the people to the temple.

Thankfully he wasn't performing the sermon today. The old primate having passed several months back had all the Brothers dividing the work among them. One of the specific jobs was preaching, which all of them shared from week to week. This week he was in charge of leading the chants. Martin was a fair singer, but that doesn't mean he enjoyed singing for several hours on end.

Behind him were two young acolytes carrying the incense and candles needed to start mass. He lamented that neither of them were Shona, but he wouldn't dare say so. When Martin reached the main altar the acolytes started placing the candles around it. Under his watchful eye the youths managed to place them all in the correct spaces with no adjustments. Not an impressive feat in itself, but one would be surprised how often they struggled to set a candle down.

Martin shook the critical thoughts from his head. He was hardly any better than they were when he first donned his robes. These young men were already more proficient at sixteen than he had at twenty and three. He shouldn't criticize them for having more dedication to the gods than he had at their age...

With a deep sigh Martin set about lighting each of the candles at the central altar, after which he followed the acolytes and lit the smaller altars as well. He didn't bother using a reed candle to light them, instead creating a brief spark of mana between his fingers. After the candles were all lit he let himself fall mindlessly into the rest of his preparation.

The repetitive motions did little to sooth him. As had recently become the norm,the prayers and blessings didn't stir his soul like he thought they should. All it did was let him fall into the roiling depths of his mind. Before he knew it, the congregation were assembled and Brother Ilav was prepared to preach his sermon.

Two hours of worship and service later, Martin felt dead on his feet. Ilav was a fine preacher, to be sure, Martin only wishes he weren't so long winded. Alas, that was the way things were, and as he looked over the gathering Martin felt his burdens lighten a little. So many familiar faces, people he knew personally and those he knew by association were all there to praise the One. He saw their smiling faces and relieved eyes from his vantage point by Ilav.

Yes, Ilav was a much finer preacher than Martin was. Where Ilav made everyone peaceful and gracious, Martin's sermons more often than not were unsavory to the more privileged attendees. The old Primate had brought Martin into his office enough times for him to know that.

Something had always rebelled in him. He had seen the grace and mercy that could be given by the clergy. He himself was such a charity case. It rankled him that others weren't given the same courtesy from his fellow brothers and sisters. If only the richer patrons-