[06:22] 27 April, in Theora, with Lephin
The abbot and the Guide woke me up at six in the morning, I thought I was having a dream, (or I should say a nightmare).
"Why are you waking me up? I am not a kid" they both laughed.
"Get out of bed, lazy folk, I have business wait for me" (I almost got a heart attack after seeing his yellow tie)
"Why is the pimp circle waking me up, I still don't get it" the Guide laughed as the pimp slapped me.
"You better watch your mouth, or I'll send you to the furthest abbey in the realm" he paused for a second to watch his jacket and continued
"Look at what you've done! Your dirty blood damaged my fabulous silk jacket. You'll need to pay for this!" the Guide interrupted him, still laughing:
"Okay…okay let's calm down, Ralph you've got the prettiest collection of jackets I know, don't waste time on him"
"Hm! He better learn something useful from your God, or I'll send him to the laundries, in Dirie" he left the room with his sharp scream. The guide came closer to me and gave me a hanky, so he said.
"You shouldn't provoke him, he's short-tempered and powerful. Let me show you the abbey, your friend has already left"
We set off, and he showed me first the church, it is very old, so it's characterized by a more sober style. Four fluted pillars, two by side surmounted by a marble frieze. Again, on each side, a series of round arches, anticipating six recessed windows, lighting up the interiors.
Inside the church, the central naves were a source of pride, made of pure and white, brown veining, and marble. The floor featured a series of black blocks of obsidian, surrounded by white granite, following one big path, and then branch out into three more.
The pews were realized in Oakwood, disposed in two main rows, on the side aisles. In the church, many people were attending mass, so I couldn't explore freely, but I noticed for each window, many paintings, depicting religious figures, illuminated by candles.
The guide was quick, we proceeded then to have a look at the stables and animal enclosures (nothing crazy), the cloister, and right next to the dormitories, we visited the capital hall, which I will gladly detail further.
He showed me many other places, but the most interesting to me was the main structure, a giant building containing many rooms, and most importantly the library. The place was quite dark, structurally it looked like a castle, without windows, shady hallways, and lots of dust.
"So where do I go to ask the library for some books?" I asked him.
"There is a waiting room, in the first hallway we saw, on the left side there is a light brown door, enter there, and wait for him. So, the tour is over, you can get back right now in the church, you should be able to get there in time for the Vespro"
I thanked him, and after spending the rest of the day praying, I was back in my room.
I started writing down all my thoughts, my objective, and the floor plans, based on my memory. I wanted to enter the library, all the answers to my questions were in that room, but it was no easy task. From the entrance to every single door, guards were everywhere
I need to find a day or a moment where security lets its guard down
A few weeks passed by…
[10:39] 09 May, in the Abbey, with Lephin
So I began studying their habits, trying not to attract attention, I discovered the positions and times of every external guard, however, I had no valid information about the inside, since I was able to enter there only a few times a week.
Also, Abbot told me more about the "church's business", we would get a lot more funding from the cult, and for each "Honored" or "Saint" kid we would have sent to the cult.
The first were, more profitable, which were kids with a particular birthmark, while the second, were simple kids but with supernatural capacities. We had to involve and monitor the parents who wanted to entrust their children to us.
That day I had a horrendous experience. I was at the reception area for people, a huge atrium, filled with guards. There I was checking on some mothers, (often their own moms come to the abbey to sell their child, very sad) while one in particular claimed his son was an Honored, so I had to follow the procedures.
I took them to a separate room, where I could lock off the mother, and stay with the child to examine him. I am also used to time wasters, but in fact, the child had a birthmark, he looked so scared when I was having a closer look.
"Don't worry, you are safe here. Now tell me, is that birthmark true?" The kid didn't talk directly to me, but he kept nodding.
The mother from the other side of the door was knocking impatiently, causing the kid to be stressed.
"Lady, I need you to calm down, I can't examine the kid if he is stressed, I am allowed to call the guards and bring you to the cell" The lady stopped, however, the damage had been done, and the kid was shaking, almost crying.
The abbot introduced us to a man with a real birthmark so that we could recognize it from the false one. I was pretty sure that that kid was just normal, but then I looked better, that was a burn scar.
It creeped me out, but I couldn't just bounce them, I was afraid for that kid's future, so first I asked him some questions.
I got close to him, avoiding eye contact, and with kindness, I asked him about that scar, repeating to him that he was safe in that place, and his family couldn't hurt him, but still, the best I was able to pull was this kid staring at me, and shaking.
(Maybe I should bring him back to his mom, this thing doesn't concern me, this kid has nothing to do with my revenge)
"So?? When will I have my money, I am sorry I am in a hurry"
"Lady, I am sorry, I double-checked, and…" At that moment the child cried, perhaps only I saw it, or perhaps the mother didn't consider him enough to notice.
I fixed my voice and made probably the stupidest decision of my life.
"The payment will be settled upon exit, we will take custody of your son" She didn't even let me finish the information, and she left me.
I was alone, with that kid, staring at me, in that cold and grey room. (How I am going to explain this to…our abbot, I can't afford that amount of money)
"Let's go now, you are free from your mom, quick, don't leave my hand"
I took his hand, and we quickly left the place, heading to the dormitories.
My plan was to hide him from the guards, and at the right moment leave him at a trustworthy orphanage.
We arrived inside my room, it was late already, so we went to sleep. (I have him on my bed, so I slept on the floor)