A/N: I really wish I could write faster but yeah...my attention span has been suffering lately. You can blame ME and Skyrim for that =D! Anyway, thanks to TAM for editing!
Heavenly voices singing divine notes of praise to the Maker filled Kirkwall's chantry, as was customary for daily service. Not many were in attendance as it was early morning and midweek; the devout were either asleep or out working. Revered Mother Elthina stood amidst the small choir composed of both initiates and sisters. She supposed she should be leading, being the highest ranked in the group, but truth be told she was still sleepy. That and she disliked singing. The woes of having been given to the chantry against her will. Still, duties are duties especially for the clergy of the largest chantry south of the Free Marches. Apparently keeping appearances mattered to the religious, as well.
Elthina had already resorted to pretend-singing when a familiar crown of gold caught her eye. An amused smile formed on her lips. There was only one person in Kirkwall with such a dazzling blond top that she could spot it from the other side of the chantry.
Meredith.
That got Elthina's blood going. She stepped to the front of the choir and turned to face them, smiling brightly as she usually did. The other clerics exchanged puzzled glances even as they sang, no doubt surprised by the Revered Mother's sudden interest. In response, Elthina raised her arms and gestured for them to increase the tempo, almost twice the rate they were going. Realization was all too plain on the choir members' faces with a Sister in the back sighing loudly. Elthina merely gave an encouraging nod and tut-tutted, tripling the tempo. The choir chased their words and breath as they begrudgingly obeyed. Elthina was the ranking cleric after all, and the others had no choice but to comply.
Through the rushed but nonetheless divine song, Elthina's mind was already upon Meredith. She had not seen the girl since she was assigned to the Grand Cathedral. Between trips to Val Royeaux and her duties, she did not have time to visit her favorite former student. Had it really been four years? Elthina smiled despite the sigh that escaped her lips. Meredith would surely still be the same surly child whom she obscenely enjoyed teasing. It had always been a pleasure to draw a flush out of that pretty face; Meredith's ambivalence towards her Maker-given features made it even more of a delight. Elthina sneaked a glance over her shoulder to where Meredith was and sure enough, the devout Andrastian was still there.
She would make sure to give the girl four year's worth of teasing.
Whatever witty thing Elthina had to say flew from her mind as she stared at the young woman before her. This certainly wasn't the pretty young thing she remembered mentoring. The templar-recruit had grown quite nicely, nearly a head taller than Elthina as she stood proudly in her armor. On anyone else the messy tousle of hair should have been taboo but not on Meredith, the wavy gold curtains simply accented the fine lines of her face. The same sharpness of those cold blue eyes was still there, if not sharper. Elthina supposed Meredith meant it to be scary but coupled with that beautiful face all it did was stir her loins.
Yes, her loins. Maker preserve her and her vows.
"Mother Elthina," Meredith finally voiced, interrupting the priest's thoughts. "I should have known you were leading today's chant," she said disdainfully.
Elthina noticed the crease between the templar-recruit's brows and smiled. At least she was right with Meredith still being surly. That was something to work with. "Aww, Merry. Is that how you should greet me after all these years?" Elthina chirped as she stepped closer and mussed Meredith's hair, just as she used to. Except that she had to reach higher now.
And just as she used to, Meredith slapped Elthina's hand away. Elthina winced; even the girl's swats had grown stronger. Something in her was delighted at the fact, along with the familiar annoyance on the templar-recruit's face. Elthina could not help but smile wider, even as Meredith said, "Stop calling me Merry, your Reverence. I am no longer a child."
"And what a fine woman you've become," Elthina commented as she circled Meredith, seeking the angles of her body despite the heavy armor. "Pity you're still the ill-tempered Merry I knew," she harped, eyes lightening as she spotted the impressive outline of Meredith's rump against the heavy red and blue skirt. She almost whimpered when Meredith spun and hid the view. Thank the Maker the girl's face was just as nice, if not nicer. Keeping her bright grin, she queried, "What brings you to the Grand Cathedral, pray tell?"
Meredith retrieved a small envelope bearing the Knight-Commander's seal from the groove of her arm guard and held it before Elthina. "For the Grand Cleric," she said simply.
Elthina pursed her lips as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You mean to say you stuck around for entire service instead of heading straight to her office?"
Meredith was speechless as a frown spread over her face. She seemed thoughtful for a moment before the frown became a smirk. "So you call that garbled rush of words a 'service'?" Meredith retorted.
"Can't fault us for being lively, can you?" the Revered Mother replied, dismissing the thinly-disguised rebuke. She then held out a hand to Meredith. "Would you like me to deliver that for you?"
"No."
"I suspected as much," Elthina said as she clasped her hands together before her; it was a simple gesture that she found effective in reminding people of her rank. Not that she liked flaunting, but she did like throwing people off their stance. Its effect was immediate; Meredith was suddenly shifting on her heels and seemed highly uncomfortable. The Revered Mother couldn't hide the amusement in her voice as she asked, " Do you know where her office is?"
"No, Revered Mother," was Meredith's snappy answer, standing ramrod straight as she would address a senior.
Elthina bit her bottom lip to stifle a laugh; leave it to Meredith to be proper no matter her personal dislike. Deciding it was no use to tease Meredith too much, Elthina turned on her heel. "I'm heading there as well, follow me if you like," she said and started for the stairs, not waiting for the younger woman's response. It was only after several paces that Meredith followed, keeping a reverent distance from the priest.
The Grand Cleric gave the young pair a cursory glance through the stack of parchment and books on her table. Elthina's bright grin had devolved into a forced smile under the scrutiny; she was, to put it mildly, in strained terms with the senior priest. Her convivial attitude towards the clergy and layfolk had always been a point of tension between them. That and her favored status with the Chantry's Divine, so much that some official communiques were addressed to her rather than the Grand Cleric. Not that she actively sought favor; how could she have known that the she was sweet-talking the Divine herself? Oh, Orlesians and their accent.
A loud cough tore Elthina from her imaginings. The Revered Mother straightened up and met her senior's glare with a customary smile. The glare went from Elthina to Meredith, who did not even flinch. She decided then that she liked the younger woman more. The Revered Mother cleared her throat then gestured to Meredith. "Templar-recruit Meredith Stannard, Your Grace," Elthina offered and the youngest woman bowed deeply with the introduction.
"Rise, Ser," was the Grand Cleric's only acknowledgment. Meredith did as asked and was about to say something, but was halted with a wave of the priest's hand. "Your business?" she asked curtly.
Meredith frowned for such a brief moment that Elthina was convinced she merely imagined it. Wasting no time or movement the templar-recruit pulled the missive from her arm guard and walked before the Grand Cleric, offering the letter within arm's reach. "A letter from the Knight-Commander, Your Grace."
"So I see," the Grand Cleric said simply as she flicked a glance at the girl and took the letter.
The younger ladies stood in silence and watched their senior prying open the letter, until the latter resumed glaring at them.
"Well, what are you two waiting for?" the Grand Cleric asked irritably. With a wave of her hand, the senior priest ordered, "Dismissed."
From the corner of her eye Elthina saw Meredith frown, this time long enough for her to see it wasn't imagined. Ill-advised, Elthina thought; the Grand Cleric, unlike her, did not take kindly to contemptuous conduct. Stepping between Meredith and the ranking cleric, Elthina curtsied gracefully and said, "Of course, Your Grace." Both seemed none the wiser and Meredith followed the courtesy but bowed instead. The younger women did not wait for another dismissal and headed out of the office.
As soon as the door closed behind them, a loud sigh escaped Elthina. Meredith, still, seemed oblivious; the same steely and unconcerned look was dominant over her features. Chantry politics will eat her alive, Elthina thought as she gestured to a nearby railing. She was mildly surprised when Meredith obliged, even proceeding ahead of the Revered Mother. Elthina joined Meredith as soon as the latter propped her elbows upon the railing. She was just thinking of how to phrase her caution when Meredith snarled, "Humility runs scarce in here, I see."
Elthina stifled another laugh and adopted the same pose which commanded reverence. "We're not without faults, girl," she said lightly, expecting Meredith to retaliate with a snide remark. The knight-recruit, however, seemed unfazed as she remained resting on the railing and directed her gaze to the distance. The mid-morning light through the stained-glass windows flattered the younger woman's features. Elthina had to keep herself from reaching to the girl's face; contrary to popular belief she still had a certain degree of reverence for her vows. She was just in the middle of burning Meredith's profile into her memory when the girl turned to her and said,
"She seems to have more than you do."
And there it was, the snide remark. "Merry, having a kind word for me? The Maker smiles upon me today," Elthina said as she allowed herself to reach to Meredith and tucked in a stray blond lock behind the recruit's ear.
Predictably, Meredith slapped away her hand. "Truth is sometimes kind," she replied coolly. Before Elthina could say anything else the younger woman already crossed her plated arms before her chest and said, "I must take my leave, Revered Mother," then closed the gesture with a bow. Gray and blue eyes met briefly and Elthina's heart seized, almost not catching her junior's farewell. The next thing she knew was that Meredith had already spun on her heel and was halfway down the stairs. Elthina watched the templar-recruit stride out of the cathedral; the quiet cadence and confidence of Meredith's steps seized her full attention.
In a mix of subdued horror and awe Elthina realized that the girl she had partly raised and taught had become such a dashing woman. Her mind was just beginning to wrap around the grisly prospect when the Grand Cleric's grating voice summoned her from within the office. Grateful for the distraction, Elthina gripped the sides of her robes and hurried to heed the wretched woman's call; at least the displeasure of the Grand Cleric's company would take her mind off the steel-covered temptation called Meredith.
The foreboding grin on her senior's face, however, offered little comfort. Time dribbled slowly as the following words escaped from the Grand Cleric's mouth:
"Pack your things. You're switching with Mother Pieta in the Gallows."
It was then Elthina knew that the Maker had a sense of humor. At her expense, of course. What a cheeky bastard.