Second

It had been a quiet day at the cathedral, despite the recent chaos at the castle. Gwyn had found herself enjoying the uneventful days, even with taking on the duties of the Matron Mother while she was sick. She certainly had not been prepared to fill the role so suddenly, but it was a role she fit well and many of her Sisters did their best to ease her burdens. At last, she had found a moment to herself and had begun to clip the shrubbery at the cathedral gates. It was then that a hooded man in brown robes stumbled towards her. Collapsing on the road near the gates, Gwyn could see a broken stick the man used to walk with. 

Gwyn stood, dropping her clippers and brushing the dirt from the front of her robe. She made her way to the man, crouching down and taking his hand in her own.

"Are you well, sir? Do you need water?" she asked. "You've come to a cathedral of The Mother Above. If you'd like you can come inside, we have soup and a warm fire for all of her Children." The man shifted his fingers, curling around hers as he slowly sat up. He pulled his hood back, revealing himself to be Zachar the Court Wizard. Gwyn gasped in her hand moved to his battered face, touching his cheek gently with her thumb.

"Zachar, what happened? You were attacked?" she asked. His eyes darted wildly to-and-fro, and he glanced over his shoulder as his voice quivered.

"It's The Sire," he began, "He took them took them all. My students, my peers. He claims that the land didn't need mages and wizards anymore... Claims that we would be used for production! Please, please!" he said, grasping at Gwen's dress.

"Please, you have to hide me! They're looking for m-me," he stuttered. Gwyn frowned as she looked over the man's dirtied form. He was thinner than she remembered, looking quite miserable for someone always wearing such regal robes. She helped him to his feet as he grabbed the walking stick, clutching it close. Gwyn frowned as she recognized the stick as the now broken remains of his staff.

"I don't know what's going on at the castle," Gwyn said, "but you are safe here. The Mother Above protects all of her children. Even those that don't practice the faith," she assured. Zachar's eyes remained low as he limped towards the cathedral doors. The other priestesses around the gardens noticed Gwyn's approach, moving inside to begin preparing a meal.

They probably don't realize who this person is. This was no vagrant, this was The King's personal wizard, his court mage, she thought. Whatever was happening at the keep was maybe more dire than Gwen had realized. As they passed the boundary of the cathedral doors Gwyn herd the sound of thundering hooves behind her. She quickly pushed the wizard inside, grabbing the cathedral doors herself and pulling them closed. She just about made it back to her clippers when The Sire himself appeared at the gates.

"Sister," he said. "I'm looking for Zachar. He's been marked a traitor to the realm and is to be detained, as are his students." Gwyn gasped lightly, clutching at her chest.

"A traitor to the realm? That sounds dire indeed. What were his crimes?" she asked. Dilyniant peered over her at the cathedral, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

"It matters not what his crimes are. He is a traitor. He and the other wizards will be put to work summoning the materials needed for The General's new weapon project," he explained. Gwyn smiled warmly, though her eyes remained dull.

"Well, my Lord, if we happen to notice any of the wizards around, we will bring them to the keep ourselves," she assured. The King leered past her once again before looking back at his entourage.

"Search the grounds," he commanded as the soldiers shifted to past him. Without a moment of hesitation Gwyn stepped in the path of the first man, blocking his way forward.

"I will remind you that this is a holy site," she scolded gently. "There are to be no weapons across the boundary of the cathedral. We are not ones to hide criminals. I would ask you pull your men back before they incur the Mother's wrath." The King tilted his chin up, looking down his nose at the young priestess.

"Tell me, Sister," he began. "Does The Mother Above teach the magic of conjuration?" Gwyn shook her head as she donned a new smile.

"No, my Lord. It is not The Mother's nature to bring forth new materials into this world. For the burden would take too much from the soul of her Daughters," she explained. The King looked past her at the cathedral walls for the final time, where a handful of priestesses had begun watching the discussion out of the windows.

"And The Matron Mother?" he asked.

"Still resting your grace, but she is doing better," Gwyn replied. The Sire watched her for a long moment before speaking in a stern voice.

"Well, you heard the priestess, get off the cathedral grounds at once. I will not be upsetting The Mother Above on this day," he said, turning his horse and beginning to walk away. Gwyn smiled as she turned to pick up her clippers, though the voice of The Sire slipped through the shrubbery down the way.

"Lock down the cathedral, no one in or out," Dilyniant ordered.

Her lip twitched as the hurried back inside. The days have been quiet, too quiet. Now, she realized she'd have to stay silent if she were to remain.