The Glade
or
The Church
The stranger stood leaning on his mace, using a dirk to whittle away on small piece of wood he picked up. He saw another cleric enter into the glade. He approached the cleric and spoke.
"You stand lightly under the mace I carry, but do not think that I will leave you Christians alone to clutter up this glen with accusations against each other. Certainly I can see you are aware of the Law. This Crone claims fraternity in Christ through her sister Nancy, you have claimed otherwise. I needn't repeat your claims against her, all have heard. Your blazon speaks of Christ and so I hold my blow. Can no Christians be found to speak for her. Must you ask her the questions again to hear, must you discern her heart. Bob stood over Nancy and glared defiantly at the stranger who would attack his sister. Nancy sheltered the Old Crone with her very life and heart.
The figures stood gathered in the glade, the moonlight played upon their faces. The stranger in gray claimed no fraternity with those in the glade, his world was one in which those who claimed kinship with the divine did not then bite the hand that holds them. More than one cleric was bound to be a problem, the stranger knew this well. Would they be able to form a cohesive force by throwing down their fears as required. Or would each continue to berate and assert, never accepting teaching or learning. The stranger had a companion, Henry, dressed in a dirty shirt, he looked like he had just got up from off a sleeping bench. He stood in the shadow of the gray stranger, his tin pot helmet tilted rakishly, and defied the assorted characters in the glade. His courage was overshadowed only by his folly, armour was always a question in a battle, the stranger knew, you certainly didn't see many unarmored knights running around. The stranger knew wherein his protections lay, did this man, this unsought for act of bravery was indeed commendable.
The janitor slowly swept the spacious office. The computer beckoned and he decided Henry would never notice if the floor wasn't cleaned. Quickly he went and looking furtively around he sat and turned the computer on. |
