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 Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 6:37 pm
━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━ Prompt Solo
▾ Night had settled and as promised Fallon was allowed out of the house. She never understood why her parents would only let her outside when the rest of the village was to be in bed. And of course she was never without her babysitter; Her own sister, Nesryn.
With no one else to play with and her little mind wanting only to sit down and enjoy the fresh air, she moved over to her pile of rocks and started to sort through them. Certain colors were placed in a pile while others were simply put back. Fallon's lips moved as she mumbled to herself the number of rocks she had in her separate pile. When a desired number was reached she scooted over to give herself enough room. Within minutes the beginnings of a spiral started to take shape. However, before it could be finished she saw her sister's foot clash into the outer row and ruin the curve of the lines. A small cry left her but she didn't look up or even try to find out why the destruction had been done.
Voices could be heard in the background and Fallon even thought she heard her mother crying but her mind was so upset and focused. Each rock was moved back into place meticulously until she felt a pair of hands under her arms and lifting her up off the ground. Her grey glowing eyes remained locked on the unfinished swirl even as she heard Nesryn yelling for her to fight. Fallon lifted a hand and did her best to reach toward her rocks thinking that her sister wanted her to finish but before too long everything was in the distance. Her home. Her family. Her spirals. Finally she seemed to become cognitive enough to ask, "Where we going?" She got no real answer until she was placed back down on her feet and in front of a woman wearing a warm smile and holding out a small box of sparkling crystals and rocks. Instantly she returned the smile and knelt down to finish what she had started before her sister had ruined it.
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:42 pm
━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━ Giving Sound Advice W C - 1293
▾ Her morning had started like any other. Upon waking she had set her hands in motion as her mind craved to see a swirl take shape before her eyes, then once that was finished she would wash up to make sure her body was cleansed, and finally she would pray. While her hair was wet and hung loose around her shoulders she would greet the God and Goddess, giving them each a full prayer, as their neutral daughter. There were some in the sanctum that were favored more by one or the other, or even chose light or dark to lead their lives, but Fallon seemed to be equal.
When prayers were done she put her hair up, not out of vanity but simply to keep it out of the way, and finished dressing in her priestess attire. Despite it being fairly simple to what she had seen others wear she was still not overly pleased with the jewelry that came with it. Perhaps she would see about returning them? Or would that be considered rude?
As her mind debated her feet carried her out of her shared room and down to the main gate. Today she would be going out to a small village nearby, though calling it a village was a bit much. It was simply a collection of huts that the people had set up closer to the sanctum in the hopes of having their child recognized. Many of them were. Before she stepped out she collected a basket that held simple things within it. A half loaf of bread, a small pair of scissors, and a few coins in case she needed them.
Fallon bowed to the others at the gate and smiled as they greeted her. With a wave of her hand she was off. The priestess in training kept her steps light, not wanting to disturb the land in any way, but made good time considering. Every now and then she would stop so that she could arrange a collection of things into swirls. A compulsion she couldn't fight. There was something aesthetically pleasing about the shape. And it helped to keep her mind calm somehow. After her fifth such swirl she finally made it into the small settlement and headed toward the third hut on the right. Fallon knew that inside was an expecting mother.
She was greeted by those that lived there and even followed by a few as they asked her to take a look at their child or to even take their child to see the elders. With a polite shake of her head she managed to escape them and enter the hut without an entourage.
"You came!" The exhausted voice of the woman inside exclaimed.
There was a pause in her steps as she took in the sight before her. The poor woman was sweating and looked as though she had lost a bit of color as well. The more she watched the more she noticed that pain could be seen in her eyes. Fallon quickly came to the conclusion that her labor had started. "You did not call for the midwife." A statement rather than a question since there was no one else inside the hut with them.
"No, not yet. I want you to bless the child. Please." Her words were pleading.
There was another span of silence before she stepped closer to the woman and laid a gentle hand upon her upper arm. "Chera, I cannot do that. I am not yet a priestess. All I can do is pray for you and the child."
The hurt in the woman's eyes was very apparent but there was nothing Fallon could do to absolve it. Still, when the woman nodded her head she bowed and headed back for the door. All she needed to do was pop her head out and request that someone fetch the midwife then she was making her way back to the woman's bedside. From there she knelt down and waited until the elderly matron in the settlement arrived. Once things were underway she bent her head in prayer. While she normally would have preferred to keep silent, Fallon decided that this time the doting words would be a comfort to the new mother and a welcome sound to the emerging infant.
When the midwife pulled the child free it was up to Fallon to grab the cloth blanket and wrap them up. She took the little one into her arms as the woman set about to making sure the mother would survive. "A beautiful child." She commented aloud to give comfort to the woman. Fallon settled back onto her heels and gently wiped the infant's face with the corner of the blanket so that it was cleaned of residual blood. As she wiped farther down she noticed something that halted her cleaning. A small design in the crystals along the left shoulder. A swirl. A dark one. While it was not up to her to say whether or not someone was touched by the gods she was willing to at least say this child had a very good chance of that.
"What? What is it?" The mother looked worried and tried to get up to check on her baby.
Both Fallon and the midwife had to push her back down. With a shake o her head the young woman did her best to assure her that there was nothing wrong. "It is nothing, Chera. I only thought I saw something. When you have regained your strength make sure to take your child to be blessed at the sanctum." Sound advice. Of course everyone did so anyways but this way she would make sure her words were followed. If what she saw was any indication then this baby in her arms now was touched and by the Goddess.
She continued to hold the baby as things were otherwise taken care of by he midwife but once the new mother was able to hold her infant Fallon handed them over. She had prayed, as she said that she would, and now that the child was in the world and healthy she got to her feet and reached for her basket. It was time for her to continue on. This had taken hours out of her day and she was feeling an uncontrollable urge to create a swirl of her own. In lue of the child she just witnessed Fallon thought that perhaps she should make a plain black swirl. Before she could make it out the door she felt a hand on her arm and turned to see whose it was. To her bewilderment it was the old woman that had taken control of the situation.
"May I ask what it is you thought you saw?" The midwife wanted to know if there was something wrong with the child she had helped bring into the world.
For a long time Fallon simply looked at the woman, moving her eyes only so that she could view the baby in it's mothers arms but quickly bringing them back. She was trying to decide if it was worth mentioning or if she should mention it at all. It was not her place to say one way or the other. That job was for those in a higher position within the Sanctum.
"I saw a swirl on the babe's shoulder. It could be nothing but I would still advise that she have the baby blessed by someone higher up so that they may see." Her voice was kept low since she didn't want to distress the mother. Then, with a nod of her head, she gently removed herself from the woman's grasp and headed out. It was time she get back.
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2016 12:44 pm
━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━ Class Choice W C - 1031
▾ As she sat by the altar to the Goddess she heard footsteps approaching. They were soft and seemed as though they did not want to disturb her. Either that or someone was sneaking around. Neither mattered to her. Fallon continued on with her prayers, her long purple hair falling forward over her shoulders as she had yet to put it up again. This time her flowing locks were dry at least. As she neared the end of her silent moment she could feel the presence of whomever it was that those foot falls had belonged to. They were waiting on her.
Once she finished she bowed her head to show respect then slowly got to her feet so that she could turn and face the person that was there. Fallon wasn't surprised when she saw Miss Keai there with her usual smile and herb basket. "You need assistance today?" She seemed ever hopeful that the priestess had come to fetch her.
The woman nodded her head. "I do. I'd like some help with a poultice." It was usual for Keai to seek out Fallon when herbs were involved. Mainly because she had been such an attentive student. Fallon loved that things from nature, both good and bad, were used to help others. It was a sign that the gods gave them all that they needed to survive and take care of their own. A sign of love.
So the girl returned the smile that was given to her and headed toward the door that would lead to the courtyard. "Allow me to finish getting ready for the day and I'll meet you in the greenhouse." There was a pause in her walk as she looked to Miss Keai to ensure that she was allowed the time to do as she wanted. Once she got the okay she was off yet again and this time she walked just a little faster.
-----------------------------
Some minutes later she walked into the greenhouse with a basket of her own dangling from her arm as she held it aloft. Fallon found the priestess almost instantly and headed toward her.
"Ah, there you are. Would you fetch me ginger root." The statement was soft as it was given but there was little room for argument.
Fallon set her basket on the table then headed down the isle of plants to a deep flowerbed. There she stopped and pushed up her sleeves so that she could dig in the dirt for what was needed. The plant came up easily enough since the soil was well tended to. Not wanting to take the whole thing she broke off a part of the root system then replaced the plant to it's original place. Luckily she had managed to get a part that was due to start sprouting a whole new plant so the larger one would not be harmed.
Smoothing her fingers over the root she cleared as much of the dirt off as possible then turned to head back toward Miss Keai. "Here you are." The young priestess in training handed over the desired herb and waited for farther instruction.
Miss Keai was silent for a time as she grated the ginger into a fine powder but finally she spoke, "Have you given thought about your future, Fallon?" While the woman hoped that her bright student would stay with the sanctum she knew that it was a choice that could be made.
"Beg pardon? My future? Am I not to become a priestess like you?" Now Fallon appeared worried. She had trained for most of her life to become like her mentor. If she were told that she could not be so then she wasn't sure what she could do with her life. Helping others made her happy and here in the sanctum her little quirk was understood. This was home.
"Yes, of course you can. I only meant... is it what you truly want." She had seen the worry on Fallon's face and had set her tools aside so that she could place a hand on the girl's shoulder. "It is a choice for you to make. You may stay here and continue with your training or you may choose to return to your family." There were few that left but there was still that chance.
It took some time for her to register this. Fallon was being given the choice to leave if she wanted to. Or she could stay and become a priestess. The thought made her smile. It was kind to have the option, it showed her just how great the sanctum was. Fallon shook her head slightly. "Thank you for the offer to return to my family.." She figured she would start with that. Because it really was a gesture that reached her heart. "But I am closer to those inside the sanctum and I wish to continue my training. I'd like to be a priestess for the gods." Fallon bowed her head politely to show her dedication.
At first Keai looked worried, as though she would soon have to say a goodbye. However, as Fallon continued she smiled yet again and this time wider. "I am pleased to hear it, Child." Unable to help herself she wrapped her arms around the girl in a warm hug. "I would be honored to continue training you."
The hug was a surprise but not unwelcome. Fallon chuckled and returned the affection as her mentor told her that she was pleased. Her long ears turned a shade of copper on the ends as her face matched the color in a blush. "Oh! Miss Keai, it is I that should be, and am, honored. You have taught me so much already." Because of this woman before her she knew how to help someone in need. She could fix up a poultice that could stave off infections. She could lower a child's fever with a few leaves and mud. "I would never dream of leaving. You are like a mother to me and I am soon to be a priestess to the gods. This is where I belong." Her words rang true within herself as well as in the air.
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Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2016 12:46 pm
━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━ After the trip W C - 1041
▾ From the moment she had faked her fall at the gates she was surrounded with people. It was a mess since she'd ended up bleeding again and they sent for Miss Keai. Fallon felt embarrassed by all the attention but since she wanted to keep Jolanta from getting into trouble she dealt with it. Even let others carry her to somewhere that she wasn't blocking the gate and people couldn't stare. There was little time after that for her to thank them since her mentor came bustling in with an arm full of herbs and salves and other first aid things.
"Out. Out. All of you." She demanded of the group. No one was allowed to stay, especially if they were male. However, once the room was empty Miss Keai was hovering over her and frowning as she took in her appearance. "What did you do?"
With her cheeks blazing even more she turned her head away from her teacher then shook it silently. Fallon didn't want to answer that. She thought that just by looking at her anyone would be able to tell that she'd fallen. Ironically 'Fall' was in her name.
"Tsk. I told you to be careful." Came the retort from Miss Keai. Though when she noticed the blood stain on the dress she went wide eyed. "Oh! Lurin and Dafiel bless you." Instantly she was lifted the skirt of Fallon's dress to find out where the blood was coming from. What she found was a cut that seemed to have been cleaned and treated. Suspicion filled her but she said nothing for the time being. "Alright, Fallon, you'll have to take this off. It's filthy."
When Keai gave a small yank on her dress she nodded. "I know." Fallon shifted positions from where she sat and slowly took off her priestess gown. Luckily she had a thin muslin shift on underneath so she was not left completely exposed. "Will this be fine?" The young woman wanted to know if she had to disrobe farther.
"That is fine, unless you have another wound somewhere." Miss Keai narrowed her eyes at her student. When there was no answer to that she set about getting clean water to tend to the wound and mixing a few stronger herbs into one of the salves. From there she made it a point to be a bit rough with Fallon's leg, though she didn't make the injury worse. She was quiet as she cleaned and applied herbs to it but when she had to put a clean pad on the wound Miss Keai became verbal. "That boy was supposed to keep you safe. You didn't just do this at the gate Fallon! It had been cleaned and treated already." Then she paused. Since her student was dirty she would need to bathe and if so then the bandage could wait til after.
"It wasn't his fault Miss Keai." She said firmly.
"Did he clean it? Hm? Did the boy touch you!?" It seemed the priestess was furious with the idea. She tossed the bandaging onto the nearby table then motioned for Fallon to go toward the baths. "You get cleaned up and I will talk to the others about not letting that boy near the Sanctum again!"
"No! It really wasn't his fault! We were running from a mainlander and--"
"Mainlander!? What mainlander?" She grabbed Fallon's arm to stop her from moving any farther away. "Child where was this mainlander?"
"Wha- uh, he was on the beach." She seemed confused by all of this but gave what information she could since it appeared to be very important. "He had dark skin, almost like ours and his hair was... red."
"Red." Miss Keai said the color of the man's hair the same time that Fallon did and nodded her head slowly as she stared past the girl. She knew what kind of mainlander it was. And this changed everything.
"But we had to run and I left my shoes on the beach so I tripped on the path. It wasn't Jola's fault at all. He did what he was supposed to do. I promise!" Her eyes were pleading as she looked at her mentor, hoping that she could convince the woman not to ruin Jolanta's future.
"Oh? Well then he deserves my thanks. I'm sorry Fallon, I overreacted." With that she hugged the girl then kissed her forehead. "Get a nice bath to wash up and I'll get you clean clothes." There was a moment where she simply stared at her student then she finally let go and turned so that she could leave the room to fetch a new gown for Fallon to wear.
When the door shut she let out a long sigh. At least she'd prevented Jolanta from getting in trouble. Now she needed to focus on getting in the bath for a nice soak. The hot water called to her and she knew that all of her muscles would love it. Especially her shoulder. Getting in was a slow process and since she didn't bother to take her muslin shift off it started to soak in the water when she sat down. Fallon sat there for a time, one hand covering the cut on her leg, thinking of her small trip to the beach. She hadn't been able to stay long or get what she had wanted to so that the greenhouse supplies could be restocked. So that meant she would need to go out to the beach again.
When her skin started to show signs of wrinkling she finally began to rub the dirt and grime from her body, taking extra care around her leg and shoulder. They were tender and bruised. To finish up her bath ritual she took down her hair and removed the jewelry so that she could sink below the surface. While under the water she sent prayers to both deities. Fallon waited until she needed to come up for air then she resurfaced slowly. When she was out of the water to her shoulders she opened her eyes and looked around to see where her clean clothes were. As she noticed they weren't there she wondered what it was that Miss Keai was doing.
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Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 4:07 pm
━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━ A little bit of selfishness goes a long way W C - 1507
▾ It was a few days after her very eventful trip with Jolanta that she received the items that he'd gotten for her. The ones he had gone back to the beach for. Not that anyone was keeping them from her, she just hadn't been seen around. Fallon had taken the time to rest up and pray in private. Now that she was feeling much better and able to walk without a limp she was able to go through the baskets. So she'd had them taken to the greenhouse where she could work more efficiently. As well as not be bothered by others or distracted too much.
The kelp was the first thing that she went through since she wanted to make sure that she got the good strips before they completely dried out and became useless. As it was the fact that they were in a big, tangled heap preserved most of them. The girl would lift one piece then another and those that didn't make the cut were put in a small bin to the side that would be taken out and used for compost. Fallon made sure nothing was ever wasted. After all, Jolanta had gone through the trouble to get her so much of each. The ones that were good enough to use she would attach to a clip then hang it from a string that was just above her head. When she was done hanging each strip of kelp she ran her fingers over it testing it's moisture and taking a guess as to how long it would need to air out, how long it would take until they could be used.
It was only when the basket of kelp was empty that she moved on to the next item on her list and the next collection that her guard had gotten for her. Fallon felt her cheeks warm at thinking of Jolanta in such a manner. Her guard. As though he was only to protect her. He was a Sanctum guard, or he would be, so he didn't belong to her. With a small shake of her head to rid herself of such impure thoughts she reached her hand into the batch of sea stars. They had dried out on their own during her small absence but that was alright. The greenhouse didn't need them alive and wet, it needed them dried out and grated down into a fine powder. She wasn't so thrilled that she was mutilating the corpses of stars but she knew the uses it had. Fallon bowed her head and sent a prayer to Dafiel so that she may look after the forgotten stars. The young priestess in training also felt that she should put aside one to set at Dafiel's altar. Perhaps the dark goddess would like the gesture.
Once she was finished praying for the deceased she started the long task of grinding each one into a powder that could be bottled. It took her several hours to get each one, save for the one she had put aside for Dafiel, ground up enough to be preserved for later usage. By that time her shoulder and elbow were feeling the pressure and she had to rotate them slightly to stretch them out. Fallon still needed to get the Abalone put away, however, so she wasn't going to throw in the towel just yet.
The two empty baskets were set aside and the third, still full one, was pulled closer to her. A smile lit her face as she saw the multicolored shine of the shells. They were mixed in with the other shells so it made it quite the beautiful thing to look at. "Jola did a wonderful job at getting everything." Her head nodded as she stated the very obvious. The regular shells were put into their own pile to be stored separately from the Abalone and that took a good bulk of the contents down. As the girl looked in to grab what remained, which should have been nothing but the shiny colored shells, she spotted pearls! Fallon gave a gasp at the sight. Beautiful, natural, tinted pearls! Selecting a few she picked them up then held them in her palm so that she could ogle at then. "Where did he get these?" Came her question as she turned each one over.
"They are beautiful aren't they." The voice of her mentor came from just behind her and caused Fallon to look back at her. Miss Keai moved to stand next to her where she could better speak with her student. "I love the off white ones, they seem to stand out more." Of course the pure white ones were just as stunning but she had to admit she liked something that wasn't so perfect because that was the nature of all people. Flaws. It was something she wanted to teach her students.
"Yes they are, but I didn't ask for pearls or even put them on the list." Her head gave a shake as if trying to deny any ties to the precious stones. Even though she didn't request them she would have to make sure that Jolanta would get thanked for his efforts. It was only fair. Looking back at them all in the basket she chuckled. "I shall give some to Lurin and some to Dafiel." It was the right thing to do after all. What use could she have for pearls?
Truthfully she had everything she needed in life. Shelter. Food. Spiritual guidance. But looking at the beautiful product of pain from a clam she found that she wanted to keep some for herself. Fallon frowned. It was selfish of her to want them. The amount of good these objects could do for the poor or even for someone else less fortunate than her was much more than what they could do for her. The young priestess would wear them as a reminder of Jolanta but someone else could use them to trade for food or other goods. Miss Keai saw her troubled look and moved in a little closer so that she could admire the pearls.
"They are very lovely. Why don't you keep some. I'm sure the boy would like to see you with them." She might not know why Jolanta had gotten the pearls but she could see that her student really liked them. In her eyes it would hurt nothing for the girl to keep some of them.
Fallon thought about it more and more but she still felt guilty for wanting to keep them. Others could use them so much more than she could. Still, her mind convinced her that she could keep a few as a gift from a friend. They would have meaning to her in that sense. Sentimental value. Something that no one else would get out of them. That had to account for something. So she finally nodded her head at the priestess that stood beside her now. "Alright, just a few. The rest shall go to the gods." That last part she was set on.
Ignoring the Abalone and the other shells she took the pearls in the basket out and bowed to her teacher. There was a silent exchange between them that allowed her to leave and head toward the main altars of the gods of Yael. Her feet moved quickly less she be tempted to keep more than just a few for herself and when she arrived she quickly placed the precious items on each altar. A handful was kept for herself but under the watch of the deities she felt she had to justify her want for them. To give a reason for her selfish actions. She feared that if she didn't then they would take away their gift, their touch, and she would no longer be allowed at the Sanctum as one of their blessed children.
"Lurin, Dafiel, forgive my selfishness. I know I have no need of riches such as these but I want to keep these few as a token of friendship. I shall turn them into something simple and wear it beneath my gown, out of view, so that no other shall feel jealous. I am sorry if I have offended or disappointed you. Forgive me, please." Lowering her head she closed her eyes and began to pray silently even as her hair fell forward to cover her eyes. Fallon prayed for everyone and everything that she could and made sure pour her heart into it. Yael. The people. The animals. She made sure to pray to the god and goddess for every good thing that had nothing to do with her to make up for this strong moment of selfish desire. In return for getting to keep some pearls she would make up for it in prayer and deed. From that point forward she would be nothing but a priestess of the Sanctum. Her mind would be for the gods, her spirit for the people, and her body as the vessel.
(( Fallon experiences a strong selfish desire, which in her eyes is against her priestess way. So she struggles with it for a moment before giving in. Knowing that it is wrong of her she gives offerings to the gods and asks their forgiveness and dedicates the rest of herself to being the model priestess. ))
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Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 8:49 am
━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━ Hearing the News!Word Count - 1026
▾ Morning prayers were over and everyone was going about their own business as usual. Fallon had thought about going to the greenhouse to work but something about the sore muscles in her arm made her not want to go. It was embarrassing for her to be seen as someone who couldn't perform their tasks. Watering the flowers was difficult. And if she needed something that was up on a high shelf there was no getting it on her own. It was like she needed to have a babysitter with her after she had hurt herself falling off a ladder. So instead of going to her normal place she decided that she could take some of the talismans into the city for those that needed them. It was simple and easy and didn't require her to have a wide range of movement with her arm.
With her mind set on taking the easy way out of things she grabbed a handful of the talismans that had been prepared and put them into her sash to keep them safe. From there she grabbed her empty basket, a habit more than anything, and looped it onto her good arm. Maybe she could find something in the market that she might like. Or she could just bring something back for the sanctum to use. Who knew what she would find. Anything could be seen as useful in her eyes if the day was right.
She left the sanctum inner grounds in a hurry so that she wouldn't be stopped by anyone, especially Miss Keai, and slowed her pace to a nice fast walk when she was at the outer grounds. Fallon waved goodbye to the gatekeeper and headed out into the city. She knew there were a few regulars that always ordered talismans and that was where she was headed first. One such place being a healer's house. She liked to keep the aura of the place clean for when she saw patients. As well as for when she delivered babies. Fallon always thought that was a good idea. Nothing like having the blessing of the gods when one was healing others. It tended to help those that were sick feel more at ease and sometimes they healed that much faster because of it. The power of Lurin and Dafiel was amazing to her. How they could reach out and touch the lives of those that would otherwise seem insignificant to a higher power was beautiful.
Along the way she was stalled as a large group of Pajore natives were standing in the street talking among themselves. Not wanting to be rude she simply waited for a space to open up so she could walk through. But as she waited she heard something that made her blink. A flying ship. "Excuse me?" She asked quietly. "Did you say there was a ship that flies?" Her head tilted to the side as she looked rather confused by this. A ship was meant for the water. Not the air. So how would one think such a thing was possible.
"Yes, priestess. My cousin went to the mainland for that large market the other month. When he came back he was talking about a flying ship and people who flew it." The man looked pale as he explained the things he heard to her.
Fallon blinked and shook her head. "That can't be possible. Ships sail not fly." Unless there was something magical happening on the mainland. In which case she had to wonder if it was a blessing from the gods or a curse from the spirits.
"He's not wrong young priestess. My brother went as well and when he returned he said the same thing. Said one of the ships exploded when it hit the ground." A woman spoke up but looked just as pale and nervous as the male had been.
Her brow furrowed as she took this all in. Fallon couldn't quiet grasp the concept of a ship out of the water. Did it have wings? Were there flying creatures attached to it? And why would it explode? Had someone put something flammable on it? Alcohol perhaps? "how odd.." She mumbled. Did the elders at the sanctum know about this? if so what did they think or know it was? "May I speak with one of them?" She thought about it. If she could hear the details of what happened from the person that visited then she could understand more of what it was.
"I'm sorry, my brother refuses to leave his house and won't talk to anyone." The woman looked more upset by this than anything else. Likely she thought her poor brother was losing his mind and declining in health.
Fallon caught on to the sadness in her voice and reached into her sash to pull out a talisman. She brought it to her lips and prayed before placing a kiss along it's edge. With that done she stepped closer to the woman and handed the object to her. "For your brother. To help him overcome this." Not that she knew what this was. Had the mainlanders fed the Yaeli something that would cause them to hallucinate? Before that thought could become a full line of inquiry the man with the cousin who had also gone stepped forward and asked if he might have a talisman as well. Not one to turn anyone in need away she nodded her head and pulled out another. She prayed over it as well and passed it to him with a small smile.
The conversation continued and Fallon listened for a while longer. It seemed that two strange new people had come off the flying ships. Two new peoples. Two gods. One was light. One was dark. Could it be that Lurin and Dafiel had sent their own children to the lands? Fallon turned on her heel, abandoning her task to deliver more talismans, and hurried back toward the sanctum. She needed to find the high priest and speak to him. Maybe he would know more about it. Maybe he could tell her if it was a sign from their gods.
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Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 8:50 pm
━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━ Prayers in TwilightWord Count - 1646
▾ There were many things swirling around in her mind. Some about a certain brave "knight" she had feelings for and others about what she had just learned in the city. Then there were the more mundane things such as the herbs in the garden that needed to grow faster or more healthy. All of them adding their own level of stress to her thoughts as she tried to go about the last of her daily chores. Fallon had spent the day in the library instead of the greenhouse as she usually did. Something that had shocked Miss Keai but the older woman didn't bother saying anything about it. She simply left Fallon to her work, figuring that the girl was studying.
As the fuzzy feathers of the duster went over the last spines of the books she was tasked with cleaning she inhaled to give a sigh of defeat but the particles that were floating int he air tickled her nose and soon she was wrinkling it in an attempt to stop what was to come.
"Ahcoo!" Fallon sniffed afterward and brought her hand up to rub the tip of her nose. It seemed her attempts to stop the sneeze were in vain.
Fallon shook her head to clear the air around her face and lowered her hand as she finished with her dusting duty. "There. That should do it." Her glowing gaze looked around at the empty isles of books and then sought out a window to determine the time. In truth she thought it was much later than what it was so when she saw the glowing ember of the sky she smiled. That meant she had time to go back to her room before prayers. Since her mind was full of thoughts that meant that she would need all the time she could get with her gods so that she might find some clarity.
Moving along the isle she was currently in she made her way to the desk so that she could drop off her duster before leaving the library. Once that was taken care of she hurried along as quietly as possible so as to not disturb any of the others that were busy with their studies. Fallon took a small pause just outside the library doors so that she could look both ways, searching (though she wasn't sure for who), then continued on her way in a more relaxed pace. Her room wasn't too far away so there was no need to risk tripping over her own two feet to get there. After all, it wouldn't do to get hurt right before going to speak with the gods. What would the think of her being so careless? Fallon had more than enough bumps and bruises to prove she was a clumsy person.
I don't want to embarrass myself before I speak with the gods. They might not take me seriously. She thought as she sucked on the inside of her cheek.
Upon entering her room she set to work on washing her hands and face in a bowl of water set aside for just such a thing. There wasn't enough time to languish in a bath but she could at least clear the dust from her exposed skin before she faced the alter. As the water dripped from her face back into the bowl she smiled at her own reflection and reached for the cloth that would dry the moisture. Patting gently the young acolyte moved the thin towel down her face to her neck and cooled herself with a deep breath. It was refreshing even if it wasn't a full wash. Fallon finished with her hands and then set the cloth down. Later she would make sure to collect it and set it with her soiled clothes to be washed. For now she wanted to put on her slippers and head out so that she could greet the god of light and goddess of darkness.
It was twilight. One of the few times that the two gods of her culture met. They came together in a harmony of colors and settled for the coolness of night. It also happened to be one of Fallon's favorite times. It allowed her to see the stars.
As she approached the alter for Dafiel she lowered her head and smiled as she greeted the goddess. "Goddess of darkness." She whispered. Almost instantly she wished she had spent the day in the greenhouse so that she could lay flowers at the foot of the alter. Sadly she had deemed to do otherwise this day and so was without a tribute. Something she would have to rectify int he morning. "Forgive my lack of foresight. I was not thinking when I decided to stay in the library today." At least an apology would make her feel less guilty.
"Thank you for allowing the stars to shine tonight. They are beautiful and truly a gift of your kindness." Nothing wrong with buttering her up, right?
"There are many things on my mind this night and I wonder if I might trouble you for some help in finding answers. A little bit of clarity can go a long way, I am sure." Fallon's head nodded ever so slightly.
As others made their way to the alter and in for prayer she turned her discussion with the goddess into an inner monologue. Mostly to save face since she didn't want others to know that she was having so much trouble with her own thoughts.
I am foolish to hide this from my peers, but I am also foolish for not knowing how to handle it. There is an unknown hiding across the seas and I wonder if it is something you have sent to test me and the sanctum. Her mind was instantly filled with the conversation in the market. A flying ship filled with a new people. One was dark skinned and one was light skinned. Are these your children that you have sent to us? Are they lost and need our help? Do they seek you and your guidance? She worried that if she and her peers ignored this then they would be punished by the goddess and god. Though she was not of a high enough position within the sanctum to bring this to the high one's ear. Plus, what she knew was third hand knowledge. She needed to find farther proof of these new peoples but she was forbidden from leaving Pajore. At least, not until her studies were completed. I am at a loss for what to do, Goddess. How can I pass this test and help you and yours?
She toyed with her hair for a moment as she pressed her lips together. There were so many questions she had about the mystery. It made her wonder if she perhaps needed to speak with some of the other priests and priestesses to see if they had heard anything as well. She knew that a few of them left the walls of the sanctum to mingle with the populace of Pajore. For now, though, this was all she could ask of the darkness. She feared asking too much would appear greedy for it was not her right to know all.
Please grant a peaceful night and an easy morning. Fallon lowered her head once more to close her conversation with the goddess.
The young woman stood for a while longer to admire the alter before she moved along to that of the Gods. It was there that she took an even deeper breath and seemed to color a little in the cheeks. What she had to ask of the God was more personal than what she had asked the goddess so it took a bit more courage.
God of light watch over Jolanta, wherever he may be. Keep him safe and protected. Fallon had not seen the man in some time and so she worried that something had happened to him. She'd grown fond of him helping her out with carrying things back to the sanctum. Let him always be in your loving light and bring him home safely.
An image of the man popped into her head and she smiled to herself as she ducked her head so that she might hide her blushing face from anyone nearby. It helped that her hair moved forward like a curtain to give her some privacy in public. From there she cleared her throat and peeked up so that she could continue with her inner prayers.
I also ask that you shine a healthy light on the plants at the sanctum so that they may grow and help others. Fallon thought that perhaps being specific about the location of plants was a bit selfish so she remedied the thought to include all plants. Why should the sanctum be the only place with healthy plant life after all? So she nodded with the edited thought and went on to close her prayers with a humble thanks.
"Amen" She said aloud when everything was thought and done. Her grey eyes moved around to see who all had shown up to pray and if any had left before her. After taking a small head count, a habit more than anything, she moved along so that she could return to her room. She needed to change out of her day clothes so that she could bathe and get things taken care of. Soon it would be late in the hour and she would be losing out on precious sleep. Sleep that she would need if she was going to get up early to place flowers on the alters before she spent her day in the greenhouse. Gardening would take a lot of energy as well. So she would need as much as possible to keep her on her feet.
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Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 6:41 am
━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━ Venom DripsWord Count - 1029
▾ The day had started out as any other had. Routine was a welcome part of her life since it was easier for her to know where to go and what to do. It didn't leave her much time to sit around and be bored. Fallon tended to dislike when she had nothing to do. It made her feel as though she was wasting her time when she could be doing something to help the Sanctum. Which was one reason she was thankful beyond words that the greenhouse always needed tending to. Something always needed water or weeds needed pulled and when things were ripe she would pick them and depending on what it was she would dry them. Anything that had already dried needed ground into a powder and/or stored in jars. When a spot was empty she would plant something new.
It kept her busy and she liked it. Not to mention she had a love for plants.
For now Fallon was busy pulling weeds that had decided to sprout in the flower beds. They weren't very big since she was diligent but they were visible and she didn't think it looked very nice. So with her small tool in hand she dug and then picked the weeds out, all the while careful to make sure she didn't bother the roots of the plant she wanted to keep. Because she was so careful it sometimes took her a little longer with some weeds. Their ugly roots would go down farther or spread out more than others. When she was sure that all the weeds were gone around one plant she moved on to the next and so on. Her work went on relatively undisturbed for the first five or so plants, but when she began to work on another she got a surprise.
A HISS.
The sound made her gasp and pull her hands back quickly as she stared at the plant in front of her. It was full and the leaves were hanging down so they blocked the underneath but she could see the hint of color that didn't belong. And the tell tale sound of a hiss told her just what it was that was under there. A keldari. Just how it had gotten into the greenhouse was a mystery to her. A part of her wished that the creature was a familiar to one of her peers. Moving back slowly she thought as quickly as she could for a safe way to handle the beast. Then an idea struck her. The Keldari's venom could be useful. If only she could get it to bite onto a jar and secrete the venom that way.
Turning to look she found an empty jar just sitting there on the table waiting to be used for a dried herb. It would mean that she would need to go to the market and buy another but she could live with that. Fallon moved toward the table and picked it up, peeking inside to make sure there was nothing that would contaminate the fluid she was going to collect. Once she was sure that it was clean she turned back to where the Keldari was hiding in her plants. "Alright.. nice and easy.." She told herself.
With that she moved closer to the beast and held the jar firmly in her hand. She knew this would be bad if the creature missed the jar and bit her instead. At least she was in a place where there were plenty of herbs and salves. It meant she could treat the bite quickly then rush off to the infirmary if needed. She just prayed that it didn't come to that. "Dafiel smile on me.."
There were louder and louder hisses of warning as she got closer. Clearly the three eyed beast was trying to ward her off. Not that it was working. Fallon was determined to get that venom. Even if all she could do with it was sell it to a weapon maker to lace the blades with. It was her hope, however, that she would be able to do something more with it. Maybe make a better anti-venom with it.
As she got too close the Keldari raised up to show that it was serious and for a moment she thought about leaving it be. Fallon didn't relish the thought of being bitten. She didn't imagine it felt too good. But she had no time to retreat since the beast took it upon themselves to strike. There was squeal from Fallon as she tried to back away and put the jar in front of her to protect her. What she saw after that was nothing short of amazing. The sharp curved fangs of the creature had looped over the rim of the jar and as it hung there, wriggling fiercely, she saw several drops of venom make it's way down the side of the jar. She had done it! Though it wasn't exactly as she had planned it to go. Not that it mattered really. She now had the venom in a jar and could try to work on the anti-venom. Provided that she could get the Keldari to let go of the jar and slither on its way. Preferably outside of the greenhouse.
With it still latched onto the jar she moved as easily as she could toward the door. Since it was dangling there it didn't seem to want to let go and that was a small blessing since Fallon didn't want it to bite her instead. When she made it outside she slowly lowered the jar to the ground then moved away as fast as she could. The creature let go almost instantly and thrashed around to try and bite her but she was faster by only a hair. The young priestess didn't want to stay around so she ran back into the greenhouse and shut the door before the venomous beast could make it's way back inside with her. Now all she had to do was wait it out and hope that it didn't stick around to get even with her. Or knock over the jar.
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Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 2:45 pm
━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━ Last Steps a DoozieWord Count - 1177
▾ It had been a long time since she had tended to her studies and as such some of the instructors felt that she was letting them slip. Fallon didn't think so but she wasn't one to argue. Plus, it never hurt to refresh one's memory. So she hummed to herself as she walked through the library. There were so many books to choose from that it was an impressive sight, however, she was looking for a few in particular.
The young woman had her favorites and was looking forward to getting to read them again. All she needed to do was find the right isle and a step ladder to reach them. Leave it to Fallon to like books that were located on the top shelf. Of course she didn't mind the extra effort that was needed. In fact she never seemed to mind anything really.
After passing so many other isles she found the one she was looking for and turned into it so that she could walk toward her book. Now all she needed to do was find a --- Ah ha! There at the end of the isle was a step ladder just waiting to be used. Fallon hurried toward it so that no one else could claim it before she got a chance to use it. With it in hand she tugged it along to where she needed it then made sure it was secure. Up she went, first one step then two and three and finally four. Fallon reached up hoping that she had gone up enough steps to reach the top shelf but noticed she was just shy of being able to grab the book she wanted. So the long haired acolyte took the last step up and reached again. This time she managed to get the book she'd been after and smiled. "I got you." Pulling it close to her chest she looked down so that she could start her climb back down. Fallon needed to move the ladder so that she could go to the next spot. Just a few feet down but she knew she couldn't reach it from where she was.
However, on the way down her foot caught the hem of her skirts and she slipped. A shriek came as she wobbled and toppled over. The ladder clanked against the floor, echoing through the quiet library, and Fallon had her eyes closed tightly in anticipation of her own landing and pain.
"Heh.. You can open your eyes." Came a voice far too close to her ear.
Her softly glowing eyes opened up to find that she had been caught. Fallon looked down at the floor to confirm it but sure enough she was in the air. "Oh, thank you!" Her sing song voice rang out.
"Of course miss Fallon." The young Priest nodded at her. He had been one of the few who had been sent out before but he had returned recently.
In truth she couldn't remember his name and she felt horrible for it. After another moment she wiggled a little. "You can set me down now."
The young man colored a little and made a noise to excuse his actions before setting her down on her feet. After that he moved away from her to keep a polite space between them. "Forgive me." Was all he could offer.
Thinking nothing of it she waved it off and grinned. "I fall all the time." The young priestess to be chuckled at her own clumsiness then moved so that she could get the ladder back up on it's legs. With a book already in hand it was a bit difficult. Thankfully it wasn't a job she had to do on her own. The man that had caught her had moved in to aid her yet again. "Oh! So helpful, thank you." Fallon nodded her head at him with her usual smile.
"Ahem, not a problem." In fact he seemed eager to help her out.
When the ladder was in place she patted his shoulder in thanks then started to climb up yet again. This time she didn't bother to stop climbing until she was on the last step. Now that she knew she needed that extra bit of height she didn't want to waste time trying on the step below. Standing up on her tip toes she reached for the next book on her list of ones to grab from the library shelves.
Fearing for her safety, since she had just fallen off the step ladder after all, the young priest moved so that he could hold the ladder in place as he watched her go up. It wasn't until she was already on the top step that he noticed he could see right up her skirts and flushed a deep burgundy. He coughed and turned his head away.
Fallon clucked her tongue as she realized that the book she wanted was just ever so slightly out of reach to the side. She'd not gotten the ladder over far enough. So she moved her foot out and found a soft, warm foot hold for her to use. She failed to look down and notice that it was the young man's shoulder she was stepping on but she did manage to get her book. With pride at her small accomplishment she looked down to how her companion that she'd done it. This time it was her turn to color and shriek.
When she fell from her own jerky movements she was caught once again, though this time she was face to face with the young priest and the very tips of her toes barely grazed over the floor. "S-sorry..." Fallon felt ashamed. Not only had she not paid attention to the fact that her skirt allowed him to see up it when she was so high, but she'd also used him as a step and now had been saved by him twice. Though he really was only saving her from herself she was grateful.
"D-don't worry about it Fallon.. er, Miss Fallon." This time he sat her down before she had to ask and moved his hand to rub the back of his head.
Fallon was about to say something when she was interrupted. "G'lain!" She didn't know who the voice was calling for but the priest before her seemed to. He turned and addressed the person who was looking for him. At least now she knew his name. As he apologized to her and made his way over to his friend he stared at her for a moment longer as though he was debating. It took a nudge from his friend before he actually walked out of her view.
She was left standing there in confusion for a moment before she looked at the ladder then back down at her two books. At least she'd gotten them. Thinking that it would be best to not use the ladder again on her own she decided to make do with the tomes she had in hand.
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2017 4:45 pm
━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━ A letter inviteWord Count - 606
▾ "Miss Fallon?" Came the voice from the doorway of the greenhouse.
Fallon had once again gotten distracted by her hobby. She loved taking care of the plants and making sure that everything was well stocked. Most of all she loved the smell of the flowers.
"Miss Fallon!" This time the person spoke a little louder.
"Huh? Oh!" She blinked as she realized that the person had been speaking to her. "I'm so sorry, did you need something?" It would be just her luck to be called rude for being so indulged with her work. Then again taking care of plants wasn't work to her.
"A letter came for you." The young woman said as she stepped forward and handed over the thick envelope. Once it was passed from one hand to the next she offered a polite nod of her head then left the greenhouse.
Fallon took the letter in hand after wiping her hands on her small apron. She looked it over and tried to figure out who it was from, even going so far as she turn it over and inspect it. Who could be writing her? Since no one came to mind right away she walked over to the work table and opened the envelope so that she could pull the letter out. Once it was free the envelope was placed on the table and the paper was unfolded. As her grey eyes scanned the paper, reading each word, her lips formed a wide smile. It was a letter from her friend! Zekiel was inviting her to come and visit him.
Since he had become a priest he'd taken a post in another town and that limited the time she got to see him. So this letter from him was perfect! She could see his church and his town. Maybe she could even meet the people he helped! Before she was finished reading the letter she used one hand to untie the apron at her waist and put it on the table. Fallon needed to pack a few things for the trip! Not to mention she would need to pen a response so that Ze would know she was going to visit. With the letter in hand, and her eyes going over it again, she moved out of the greenhouse and headed toward her room.
With a trip in mind she would need to make sure she had all of her things for worship as well as the proper clothing. Fallon also knew she would need to make arrangements with the Sanctum so that she could have adequate transportation. A wagon would likely suffice. And a good travel plan. The young acolyte even wondered if she might be able to borrow a book from the library so that she could study on her way down. It couldn't hurt to ask. She was sure she would be able to take at least one book out with her, if not two. Fallon didn't think that she would be denied the opportunity to study.
It was all exciting to think about. This visit with her long time friend would be the first journey outside of Pajore in a long time. While she knew that it wasn't for pleasure she couldn't help but feel that it would be a well needed break from things. Give her a new look on things and even clear her mind for when she came back. If nothing else it would be that breath of fresh air that she was looking for. Fallon took a deep breath then and smiled even more, surely this was a gift from the god of light.
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Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 5:01 am
━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━ FocusWord Count - 1765
▾ Her visit to see her old friend Zekiel had been fruitful. Not only had she gotten to see where he was now stationed but she'd gotten to meet someone special to him. Of course that made the person special to her as well. Which Fallon was more than happy to have Marleya as a friend. She might be an older woman but she was fun. Fallon especially loved the thick homey smell of the woman's house. However, the new friend aside, she'd gotten to see the place that her friend had grown up in before joining the sanctum. A rare treat since most never returned to their hometowns.
The smell of the ocean air had been enlightening as well. Sure, she could go down to the beaches and get that cool breeze whenever but it didn't compare to the fishing village. It was more authentic in a way. It had filled her lungs to the brink and threatened to entice her out onto the waters. Not that Fallon was at all convinced she was meant for sea travel.
On top of it all the acolyte got to see how well her dearest friend fared. He seemed to blossom in his environment. If possible she would say he had been a fixture this whole time. It didn't seem like there was any hardship in his transition. Fallon could only hope for something similar when she finally got to take on her own church. If she got to take on her own church. Fallon still had to make it through her training and here lately she'd been ignoring it in favor of her greenhouse. It made her feel guilty. Though she had not once been punished by the gods or the higher ups for her efforts to improve the productivity of the greenhouse. It flourished now. Herbs, flowers, and some foods were more readily available due to her diligence.
Still, seeing Zekiel in his new station as head priest made her realize that she needed to get on track once more. She had not been brought into the sanctum to tend to flowers all day. No. She had been brought in because she was touched by the gods and as such she needed to train harder to spread the word of their gods, as well as their love.
With all of that in mind she approached Miss Keai with a mixed expression.
"Excuse me, Miss Keai, do you have a moment?" Fallon felt timid as she spoke but the elderly woman smiled at her and nodded.
"Of course child. Was there something wrong?"
She shook her head in answer to this and did her best to smile happily. "No not really. I just wanted to let you know that I will not be able to tend to the greenhouse any farther." Saying those words broke her heart but she knew they needed said.
"Oh? What changed your mind? You love the greenhouse."
And that was true. Fallon loved the flowers inside. She loved the fresh smell when you walked in. Even the soil got some love from her.
"I still love it, but while focusing on the plants I neglected my purpose. I need to put my time into my priestess training now." Truer words had not been spoken. Fallon took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders with a nod of her head. "It's time I focused on my studies and devoted all of my time to the gods."
Not only did she want the success that her friend had she also felt like she was not accomplishing much. Here Ze was a full fledged priest and she was still an acolyte. It needed to change. And only she could do that.
"I'm glad to hear that child. I do understand and I wish you all the luck the gods can give." The woman seemed to have a glint in her eye that said she knew something like this was coming. And perhaps she did. Maybe she had expected Fallon to take more time than the others to step into her position.
Whatever it was, Fallon was grateful. She left the conversation like that she bowed her head to her mentor before turning and heading off. There were studies to get into.
---------------------------------
The library was the emptiest in the late hours and that was when Fallon practically had free reign. Though she had had to make sure to master the art of using a ladder since there was no one around to save her if things went bad. Not that it took much. She'd gotten used to going up then down then back up once the ladder was positioned more closely to what it was she was after. Of course she'd found that to be the most time consuming but it saved her from landing on her tush.
Night after night she spent time in the library learning all that she could from the books and scriptures. Though each night she spent a little more time until she finally ended up pulling an all nighter. Something of which ended with her slumped over the table and books using her hands as a pillow as she slept.
A cute sight to be sure but also embarrassing when she was prodded awake by one of the high priestesses.
"Dearie..." Came the foggy word.
Fallon groaned a little and wrinkled her nose, not wanting to wake up just yet. It felt like she'd only been sleeping for a short time after all.
"Dearie, you need to get up. The ink might stick to your face." And that was a real possibility.
It took Fallon another moment or two to realize that she was not in her room and the voice she was hearing was not her inner one. As her eyes opened, spilling her glow onto the pages she slept on, she noticed the face that peered at her was one she barely knew. Sitting up, and pulling her cheek off the paper, as well as her hands, she could feel the crust of drool left from her slumber and so she wiped at it.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep here." Her cheeks reddened some.
The woman smiled and reached into her pocket before pulling out a hankerchief and wiping at Fallon's cheek. "Don't worry. I am guilty of doing the same thing in my youth." As she worked at trying to lessen the sigh of smudged ink on the girls face the woman chuckled. "I would recommend a bath before morning prayers. Then I should like you to meet me in my office." There was a small nod but the woman also winked at her.
------------------
Her bath had taken a little bit longer than usual, since she had to scrub at her forearms to remove ink. Not to mention what remained on her face. However, she'd made it to morning prayers on time and managed to focus on them. When they were done she searched the faces in the crowd before she found the one that she'd been greeted with earlier. All at once Fallon felt the color drain from her. It just now registered that the woman that had caught her sleeping on the books was a high priestess. With a gulp the young acolyte moved toward the woman.
When she was noticed the other woman motioned for Fallon to follow her and so she did. Though she had to admit there were all sorts of worries going through her mind. Was she in trouble? Had she done something wrong? What if she was kicked out for drooling on the books?
When they reached the high priestesses office Fallon was sure she was in trouble.
"So I have been getting complaints from the book keeper that someone has been making them stay late into the night." An amused smile flitted across her lips.
"I apologize. I will try to limit the time I spend there at night." She was trying to find a way to pacify the situation.
A bout of laughter came from the other woman and it startled Fallon some. "Don't fret about it dearie. I find it commendable that you would dedicate so much time to your studies. If I am correct you had neglected them until recently. Are you trying to make up for lost time?" It seemed that she was genuinely curious.
"Wha-... I'm sorry. I had gotten caught up in my hobby. A recent visit to Zekiel opened my eyes to my neglect. I only meant to focus more on what was important." Of course she hadn't meant to make someone else suffer because of it.
"I see. Well, in that case... might I test your knowledge?" She reached for a paper that was on her desk before handing it to Fallon. "Would you be so kind as to write the correct answers."
As she looked at the paper she noticed some things missing in certain places. Almost as if they had been wet and the ink had washed away. Fallon felt the heat in her face intensify and spread into her ears and chest. It was the paper she had been sleeping on! The humiliation that she felt was like no other. Still, Fallon nodded her head and shifted so that she could set the paper down and put pen to it. She had studied it well enough that she knew what it was that had vanished. Once it was filled in she cleared her throat and handed it back.
"I'm so sorry, I never intended to ruin the pages." Fallon felt that some sort of apology was needed.
The high priestess was quiet as she looked it over, seemingly checking to make sure it was correct. When she lowered the paper and set it back down she grinned. "You managed to get every word correct. No misspellings either. I would say your late nights are paying off." There was approval in her tone as she spoke. "I believe you are ready to progress farther in your studies. Meet me tomorrow morning for a new lesson." Somewhere in all of this Fallon had done something right.
So she left the office when she was motioned to the door but felt utterly confused and tremendously excited. Had she proven herself by simply fixing the mess she'd made? Or was there something more that the high priestess had seen? Did it really matter in the end? Fallon wasn't sure, but now she knew she had to go and thank the gods for their sense of humor and vanishing ink.
(( Here Fallon acknowledges that she has neglected her studies in favor of the greenhouse. However, she also gives up her hobby in order to progress in her chosen path. Fallon dedicates a lot of time to her studies and it pays off in a somewhat comical way. ))
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