Inside the grand halls of the Church of EUNOMIA, the atmosphere was filled with an air of solemnity, as the Archbishops, along with the Bishops, gathered for their highly anticipated monthly meeting. The ornate walls of the chamber were adorned with intricate tapestries depicting the church's rich history, and the scent of aged parchment and burning candles hung in the air.
"As everyone is present, let's begin the meeting," said one of the Archbishops, his voice resonating through the majestic hall, echoing off the high vaulted ceilings.
"Pardon me," a Bishop raised her hand, her voice soft but determined.
Archbishop Bert, a distinguished figure with a flowing white beard, acknowledged her with a nod. "Oh, you must be the newly appointed Bishop. If I'm not mistaken, you're Cardinal Helena's daughter, Bishop Ariel. What would you like to discuss?" inquired the Archbishop.
"I was told that we should have twenty-three Bishops present, and no members should miss the reporting day. However, it seems one of the Bishops is absent," Ariel pointed out, her gaze unwavering.
"About that," Archbishop Bert began, leaning forward slightly, "I assumed you were informed by Cardinal Helena, but apparently not."
"Explaining this will cause delays in today's meeting. But let me assure you, that individual's presence isn't necessary," Archbishop Mira interjected, her sharp eyes scanning the room, trying to halt further discussion.
"Apologies for my curiosity," Ariel continued, "Is that person unwell or facing any issues that prevent them from attending?"
"He's simply too lazy to join us. I hope that clarifies it," Archbishop Groud remarked with a hint of annoyance.
Now, as the meeting continued and each Bishop submitted their reports, Ariel's curiosity about the absent Bishop lingered. Her thoughts wandered, wondering what could have kept this person from fulfilling their duty within the Church of EUNOMIA.
Meanwhile, in a quieter corner of the grand church, the Bishop in question, a man known as Stigfinnare, found himself at the church's humble orphanage. The room was filled with the innocent laughter of children, their youthful energy a stark contrast to the gravity of the meeting he had chosen to skip.
"Children, for today's lesson, I have a story to share," began Stigfinnare, a rare hint of warmth in his voice.
"But Sir Finn, weren't we supposed to learn about history today?" one of the children asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
"That's your new Bishop Ariel's responsibility, not mine. I'm Stigfinnare, not Finn," he corrected, though his tone held no malice.
"That's quite hard to pronounce," another child remarked, causing a ripple of giggles among the group.
"You just like to laze off," one child teased, earning playful nods of agreement from the others.
"That's rather rude, Tim. I'm sure many of you enjoy my stories," Stigfinnare replied, brushing off the teasing with a faint smile.
"What's the story today?" Henry, one of the few who enjoyed Stigfinnare's tales, asked eagerly.
"Today's story is about a boy stranded on an island," Stigfinnare began, his voice weaving a captivating narrative.
"Is he the hero?" a little girl asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"Well, every story needs a hero," Stigfinnare replied with a wink, drawing the children further into his tale.
"Then who's the villain?" the same girl inquired.
"Patience, my dear. You'll understand after I finish," Stigfinnare continued, "Now, the boy who was stranded on an island, the first thing he did was search for a place to sleep at night, what we call a shelter. After that, he went to look for food. Like this, a week passed, then a month. One day, a sudden noise woke him up. He went to investigate the source of the noise and found that a ship had just anchored near the island, and some people from the ship had just reached the shore. He wanted to go to them at once, but while thinking about doing so, he saw one of the men, who was nicely dressed, pull out a sword and strike a few men down who were already tied up..."
Stigfinnare paused, building suspense.
"That's all for today," he concluded.
"Don't stop in the middle," protested Tim.
"Where's the fun if you know everything at once? If you can't wait until my next class next week, you can ask your new teacher tomorrow to continue. Now, today's class is over. You may spend the afternoon as you wish, but avoid upsetting the old man."
Stigfinnare left the orphanage, encountering Archbishop Bert on the way.
"Isn't it a bit early, old man?" Stigfinnare remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice as he addressed Archbishop Bert.
"There wasn't much to discuss today. And couldn't you at least pretend to respect me?" Archbishop Bert replied, a twinkle of camaraderie in his eyes.
"How am I disrespecting you? If not fawning over you is disrespectful, then forget it," Stigfinnare retorted with a smirk.
"Unchanging as ever. Anyway, I want you at next week's meeting. There might be something requiring your assistance," Archbishop Bert revealed, his expression turning serious.
"What a hassle! Fine, but I assume you're using your yearly quota to summon me. Is it worth it?" Stigfinnare questioned, arching an eyebrow.
"It's that serious. It'll be just the seven Archbishops and you," Archbishop Bert clarified.
"Terrifying. But if possible, invite that new girl too," Stigfinnare suggested with an air of indifference.
"Ariel? Why? Do you find her interesting?" Archbishop Bert inquired, genuinely curious.
"Not at all. There's nothing special about her. But it might be a valuable experience for her," Stigfinnare explained, his reasons hidden beneath his enigmatic exterior.
"I'll inform her. Oh, I almost forgot. Paul called in sick for tonight's trial. So, if you're free..." Archbishop Bert began, trailing off with a knowing look.
"Why ask when you've already penciled me in?" Stigfinnare quipped, accepting the unspoken invitation.
"At least you're still understanding. And occasionally doing your job might not be a bad thing," Archbishop Bert noted, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
"I know, I know. If you're done, you can leave."
"Then I'll leave you young people to rest."
"You've become quite sarcastic, old man."
"It comes with age."
"Do you regret it?"
"Not one bit. It has its own kind of fun," Archbishop Bert concluded and left.
"And how many times have I heard those exact words," Stigfinnare sighed as he entered his room.
Meanwhile, someone had overheard the conversation between Stigfinnare and Archbishop Bert, a shadowy figure concealed in the shadows.
"What did I just witness?" they wondered, their curiosity piqued. "Why was that guy so rude to Archbishop Bert? And why did he mention our young lady? Could he have sensed my presence? No, I concealed my aura. Unless they're nearly as powerful the lord, no one should have detected me."
Doubts swirled in their mind as they made their escape, disappearing into the labyrinthine corridors of the Church of EUNOMIA, leaving their identity shrouded in mystery.