This got in the way of life for a bit so i had to stop writting, but ive got a few more chapters done here and there
CHAPTER 7
3 weeks later, Sarah's ankle was fully healed. She hadn't been allowed to use the ankle brace again; the nurse had said she abused it the first time by training with Castor. This meant no training, but she had healed perfectly, and quickly.
Now she walked down the dim corridors that connected the residency to the rest of the school and church. She was late for morning mass, but she wasn't concerned. Since coming to the school she had either not gone or arrived late. Frau had asked her about it; apprentices had to be devoted to God in order to be a Bishop, but it wasn't God she was ignoring.
She started to slow down, what was the point? God knew she believed in him, why did she have to show it to a bunch of strangers too? She was just about to turn around, maybe go take a nap, when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.
"Running late again? Why don't we walk together?" Damn! Castor had just blocked her escape.
Walking as slowly as possible she followed behind him,
"Why are you here? Aren't you part of the ceremony?"
"I already did my duties for today's ceremony, I was taking a walk and lost track of time a bit," he turned his head, smiling, and saw how far back she had fallen, "your ankle is not still bothering you is it?"
She stopped and glared at him, "Frau sent you here, didn't he?"
He turned back around and continued walking, "Frau's not the only one who's noticed your absence."
So Frau wasn't the one who made him come? Not that it made a difference; it still meant she was being forced to sit in a stuffy room, full of followers, listening to the dullest sermon of her life. .. Or did it?
"Castor, I'm just slowing you down. Why don't you go on ahead and I'll meet you there?"
"Oh no, it's no trouble, were almost there anyway."
And on they walked, right up to the huge wooden doors leading to the alter.
Castor crossed himself and put a hand on the heavy door, turning to see if she had caught up.
Where was she?
He stood up fast, where the hell was she! He had only looked away for a few minutes, but she was already gone! He closed his eyes, maybe he was imaging it. Opening them again it wasn't so. Gone. Gone. Gone. She was so silent! He looked towards the door; Frau would just have to do the service without him.
FREEDOMMmm! Sarah sang in her head as she ran lightly through the corridors and out the back of the building. 'Ill just keep out of sight until it's over.'
She sprinted across the grass, looping around so that she was facing the white bridge that led to town.
Might as well have some fun, they'll probably check the school before town. She slowed down as she neared the gate, waving at the guard in front as she went by.
About 30 minutes later she was walking through the town. She hadn't realized how silent the church was until now; her senses were assaulted with explosions of sound and colour. She loved it!
Looking into all the shops, and talking and laughing with the vendors, she realized that the town was having a celebration. From all the lanterns and kites, as well as the time of season, it must be a moon celebration.
As she went through the centre of the town, it become crowded and the music got louder. People were dancing and drinking everywhere. She waved off a guy selling beer, but got tied up in the dancing.
The noise! She was laughing; it had been so long since she had fun! A man a bit older then her looped her into the circle of people, spinning and singing, the flashes of red, orange and yellow a blur in the background.
Another man was in front of her now, holding her waist and pressed close to her body from the push of the crowd. So close that his face was almost a blur. Pulling back she saw he was handsome, straight white teeth, brown hair and eyes, but his nose was crooked, it suited him.
Time had seemed to leave her, but at some point she realized her feet were sore, had she really been dancing that long? Bangs went off somewhere close and the crowd was covered in confetti. Time didn't matter.
She was farther in the circle now, how much time had passed? She was surprised to see the sun was farther in the sky, at least 1 in the afternoon now. Church would have been over for hours now. Had the bishops searched the school? Frau would be livid, Castor as well.
The guy was leaning over, mouth pressed almost against her ear to talk over the bass and singing.
"Take a break?"
And so they went to the edge of the crowd and walked the same way Sarah had come hours before, this time buying rolls and water bottles from the vendors.
They talked for a bit, she told him her name, and that she was living at the church, and found out his was Tao, who was visiting his grandmother but had come out for the celebration.
"But how come you're here all by yourself? It could be dangerous if you've only ever seen the inside of the church." He asked.
Sarah laughed, "I used to live in this town when I was a child, so I know it as well as anybody, maybe even more so."
Turning a corner, laughing and talking, she almost ran right into a man who was talking to a merchant. She started to step around him, but then she noticed his coat.
The exact same coat Castor wore when he didn't wear Bishops robes.
Tao was about to say something, but she dug her hand into his ribs, and hauled him back behind the building.
Castor thought he heard something behind him; turning his head he saw no one. He returned his attention back to the shopkeeper, and listened as she told him of a man who had just bought buns for a lovely girl that was just like the one he had described.
Sarah was almost half way down the street before Tao caught up with her. Hands on knees, breathing heavily, he looked up at her.
"I'm guessing that you're really not supposed to be in town, huh?" She looked down at him, biting her bottom lip, and looked back down the street they had come. No sign of Castor yet, but that could change in a second. Also, she was pretty sure that if Castor was here, Frau would be as well. But she wasn't ready to go back yet.
"Let's keep going, I'll tell you on the way. But we need to get away from here now."
On they walked.
"It's true that I should bring someone with me when I go to town, but it's not really enforced… I think they'll mostly be mad that I ditched church again."
Tao smiled, "your training to be a Bishop, shouldn't you want to go to church?"
"Yes, that is how apprentices usually are, but my faith is stronger than a lot of the people in that room, i dont need to be taught it."
"Maybe going there isn't just for your belief, maybe you can also strengthen others belief too"
His eyes were twinkling, almost like lights, "I can only do that if I'm a Bishop. I don't have the status to show people yet. I'm still an apprentice, so all I'd do is sit, listening to the other guys talk about lambs and parables."
Tao nodded, looking up at the sky. Evening was approaching, and the sky was quickly changing from pink to darker blue, she had spent almost an entire day in town.
He faced her, "I never expected to meet someone like you today, but im glad. Does this mean you can still stay? They're about to release the lanterns."
If she left now she would make it back to the gate before it closed for the night, getting back inside would be a lot trickier if she missed it; she might even have to find Castor or Frau…
But this only happened once a year! Smiling, she nodded.
They wound their way into the centre of the town again where the music was loudest; it seemed to have gotten louder as the night wore on. Tao grabbed Sarah's hand, and once again they were swinging through couples, his face so close to hers, bodies pressed against them from either side.
His hands tightened around her waist, bringing her closer. One hand come up and grazed her hair, coming to a rest around the base of her skull. The slightest pressure was enough to bring their lips together, for the briefest instant as Sarah closed her eyes.
'What the hell am i doing?' Her eyes snapped open, and she backed away from him.
"I… I …." She stuttered stumbling as dancers veered around her. But as she turned, her mind froze.
People were still swirling and colours were still pulsing, but her eyes ignored all of it to stare into horribly familiar brown eyes that stared right at her. Right now the eyes were filled with a horror that she could only assume mirrored her own. Castor.
