seloria cassul ; dancer (mesmerist) wrote in emillion, @ 2014-02-28 16:24:00 |
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Seloria didn’t often attend evening services. She was usually busy doing other things. One could argue that you could never be too busy for Faram, but there were a lot of things she did that didn’t quite fit into the holy writ, despite her claim of belief. She couldn’t see herself dedicating her life to the church, but she did believe some of the things she did helped in their own way. She hadn’t attended church in the evening for quite some time. The last time she remembered doing so was back in Kerwon with one of her fellow guildmates. It was a guildmate she later separated herself from due to reasons she didn’t want to revisit. For tonight, she let herself fall into the rhythm of the ritual of service. It had only been on a whim that she’d entered the church as she passed by. Usually she would have worn a different dress to service, than she would have normally. Luckily, due to winter, she was dressed modestly despite the fact that it was not Sunday. Her hair was pulled back in a pinned bun atop the back of her head and accessorized with various trinkets. Her fingers still encased in their leather gloves, keeping her hands warm. The inside of the church was not cold, but her fingers hadn’t warmed up properly at the beginning of the service and she hadn’t been inclined to remove them once they had. Moving along with the exiting crowd, she paused in the foyer as everyone else moved away. The stained glass shone with the light of the setting sun. She did love how the glass always looked different depending on the time of day. It was her first time being able to enjoy it like this. It was a wonderful treat. Peony was one of the last to exit the sanctuary, having lingered to light a single candle after the service had concluded. She was feeling slightly under the weather; it seemed as though the cold she had thought she’d conquered the week prior was sneakily returning. Still, even through her slightly stuffy nose, the scent of incense and the familiar chanting had helped to center her. She felt ill but content all the same. She spotted the small blonde woman standing in the foyer, looking up, and felt herself smiling. How often had she admired the sunset from this exact vantage? “Good evening, Lady Cassul,” she said, approaching quietly. Although she had come to assume a relation to Aspel, the level of formality was different; she and the girl had crossed paths here and there, but never in circumstances more intimate than these. “It is very beautiful, isn’t it?” The voice was soft and didn’t make her start, but slowly pulled her out of her state of solitary. She’d been joined by another, but it wasn’t to pull her attention away from the lovely sight, but to admire it with her. “Yes, it is very lovely,” she agreed, before turning to look at who had addressed her. A smile instantly came upon her lips as she identified the woman. “Councilor Min. It is always a pleasure to see you.” She might have looked very delicate, just as Seloria did, but it wasn’t hard to see the strength that sat beneath the surface. A black mage by trade. That, in Seloria’s opinion, made her quite dangerous. And due to their previous encounters, there was nothing there but admiration and appreciation when it came to the other woman. “Do you come to vespers regularly?” Seloria was not one to pretend like this was a normal habit of hers. She wasn’t much of a liar. “At times, this fits into my schedule with more ease than morning mass,” Peony replied, more than willing to share this bit of her schedule gladly. It was true, she rarely saw this young lady at the evening service, but she nearly always glimpsed her Sundays. Everyone came to Faram in their own way and on their own time. “I find that on the days I am able to attend, the service leads into a peaceful evening.” She was, on the surface, peaceful and tranquil nearly always. But she, too, had her worries and was not fully immune to stressors. The incense and chanting helped to center her, much like the meditation she so often recommended to young scholars with poor control of their newfound powers. Seloria thought of how convenient it was to have the services in the morning and the evening and wondered how many people could actually fit it into their schedule to attend both. She could not. Everything was far too chaotic in her life, but that was mostly by choice. While she’d lived mostly a very quiet life at home, being raised to be a wife and a dancer, once she’d moved into the city to joined the Bard’s guild that had been completely turned upside down. Regardless, she wouldn’t have changed anything had she done it all over again. “Mornings are quite busy,” she agreed. She’d spent quite a few sleeping in due to staying out late at night, her classes starting at midday, and then most of her business being attended to in the evening. Most people operated best in the morning, however, which led her to shift her schedule at times. Sunday was the only day she consistently woke up early. The mention of a peaceful evening brought a smile to her face. There was something wonderful about finding yourself connecting with a presence bigger than yourself. It gave you a sense of purpose and being, even as it made you feel small and almost insignificant at the same time. “I can see how being in Faram’s house can bring peace at the end of a long day.” It was a place where one was reminded they were not alone with their troubles and they could unload their worries and ask for help, unjudged and unashamed. While she was only human, Seloria did have her pride, but was able to humble herself before the God of Light. “Yes,” Peony said with a small smile, “exactly.” It was always pleasant to find someone of a similar mindset. “Ah, but it seems I am keeping you.” The sun was nearly done setting now; from the bright colors that had spilled from the stained glass onto the floor, only faded shadows now remained. Perhaps it was her Ordalian roots, but to Peony, the best of beauty was that which was ephemeral. She was glad to have witnessed the sunset -- it had been the ideal end to her evening visit to the Cathedral. “I have no doubt that you have plans yet this evening.” In her experience, most pretty young women usually did; there were few who, like her, preferred a nearly monastic lifestyle. And even she had plans yet, even if hers included only the preparation of dinner and a visit to Merrion. “Shall I bid you good evening?” she asked. “We should be on our way before it is fully dark.” Seloria felt she was little short, but she was at a loss as to how to proceed in the conversation for once. While she’d crossed paths with the councilor more than once, they’d only talked in passing like this. They’d never actually sat down and got to know each other. She’d seen her skill displayed at the tournament, which had been interesting. “But I have nothing left to do tonight but go home,” she confessed. “You are not keeping me from anything.” While the truth, it was added to make the woman know she was not being a bother. She couldn’t picture Peony being a bother to anyone. There was something about her demeanor that simply struck Seloria that way. “I do agree that we should be on our way home. Shall we keep each other company until we must part?” “Well then, it seems we can take our time in making our exit,” Peony responded easily, beginning her slow walk towards the door. A blessing, this pace, considering her at best half-healthy state. At the door, she took her time in fastening her cloak pin and wrapping her scarf around her throat before venturing into the cold. It was a clear night, finally free from snow. “Let us hope this weather holds, and the the earth chooses to lay still this evening.” There were still signs in the square of damage done by the recent earthquake. In the grand scheme of Emillion’s troubles, they appeared very small. “Yes,” Seloria agreed following her elder’s lead toward the door. She pulled her cloak off her arm and pulled it up around her shoulders and fastening the clasp. This particular one held her house crest upon it. It was a detail she never really gave much thought. The young woman didn’t use a scarf, but she did pull up the hood of her cloak, protecting her head from the winter cold. Stepping out, she took a moment to look upon the streets of Emillion here in the cathedral district. The buildings took on a completely different life at this hour. The cracks and crags were mars on the streets, making jagged lines where a steady pattern of laid stone had been. “Yes, let us hope for that,” she agreed once more. There were other things to hope for. While the particular district they were in had been all but untouched by the attacks of Emillion, there was still quite a way to go. “And let us hope our trip will be an uneventful one,” she added as they went on their way. |