What You Are Is Beautiful

Sisterly talks

"So...you want to grave rob Areala's tomb for an amulet you saw in a dream?" Mary's gaze was seemingly passing through the physical realm as she performed intense mental gymnastics around the fever dream that Ava had just enthusiastically retold.

Ava's hands were still hanging in the air from her animated recounting of the events. She dropped them onto the table and sucked in a cold breath. "Yes," she sighed looking down and to the side. She brought her eyes back up to the spectacle of the Sister Warriors throwing each other concerned and knowing glances.

Beatrice sat her hands palm down on the table and met Ava's gaze, searching for something more. "Areala's tomb is a holy sight. It is heavily guarded by the members of the Swiss Guard who have sworn their lives to guarding it." She exhaled through her nose and looked to her other Sisters. "We were lucky to be forgiven for our last offense against the church. We would be dabbling in something unspeakable to the Order."

Camila looked to Ava who met her wary gaze with one full of certainty and ambition. "Are you sure?"

Ava shook her head. "No. But do we really have any other option? Durretti isn't doing anything because it was under his Papacy and will make him look bad and this is the only thing close to a lead we have."

Camila straightened her back with urgency. "Wait, you said Michael Salvius was there." Ava nodded. "If we talk to Jillian and you're right, then maybe she'll help us. Her son is there after all."

Ava's heart plummeted. "Camila, Michael made me promise to not try and bring him back. He said that it's too dangerous. Everything there could escape here," she murmured above a whisper. She saw Camila frown and the other Sisters cast their gazes downward. "I'm not saying it's impossible. We just need to know more before we promise her son's return." She shook her head to try and rid herself of the devastation she felt for the young boy. "I don't want to be responsible for promising something we can't deliver."

Mary exhaled a shaky breath and and gently scratched at her temple. "If this doesn't work, I will kill your ass, Silva."

"Language," the three Sisters chirped in unison. They looked to Mary, searching for any signs of resistance, but it was clear that she was ready. She was willing to fight beside the young and unskilled Halo Bearer. Mary offered a grin in response to the questioning gazes, amused at how nun-like these soon to be religious heretics were. Ava looked around at the group before her, silently understanding the scene before her and brandishing her own goofy grin.

"I would say we have a team." Lilith stood from her seat. "Now we need a plan. Meet me in my quarters after dinner. We have work to do."

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Lilith rushed around her room straightening it up. She didn't have many possessions to straighten, but she still felt nervous. She had seen Camila's quarters and smelled the flowery aroma that hung sweet in the warm air that fit the girl so well. She didn't have anything like that.

She wasn't the nurturing kind. She wasn't the creative type either. Her belongings consisted of a handful of books, a loom where she would occasionally work on tapestries or rugs, and the dust that had seemingly thickened over night.

Lilith shuffled about with a rag in hand, aware that with every passing minute, Camila could be knocking at her door. Lilith mentally chastised herself for making this all such a big deal. She couldn't even determine why it was that she was so nervous. All she knew was that her mind kept falling back into thoughts of her sweet smile and bright eyes and her soft hands that worked so brilliantly with everything they did...

A knock startled her from her thoughts. Lilith rushed to the door, opening it, hopefully, but also anxiously awaiting Camila's arrival.

"Hey," she greeted, ready to see the face that made her heart skip but calmed her all the same.