Some time later, after the festivities had concluded and the grand announcement of the union between Byrgenwerth and the Healing Church had been made, Laurence had retreated to his quarters in search of solitude and time to unwind after the day's events. Sitting by the fireplace in his favorite armchair, Laurence indulged in his most prized retreat, one which he had found refuge in since he was very young; literature.
He had managed to attain an edition of each part of the Mediations, personal writings of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. As he was himself now a leader of sorts, Laurence thought it wise to seek guidance and advice regarding how best to handle his newfound influence. However, the words the Emperor put on the page were not so much about the power he wielded, but rather how he viewed himself.
There was great wisdom in Marcus's teachings, which made it all the stranger that his thoughts were never meant to be seen by others. The legacy he had left behind was great, yet had he not documented his thoughts so vividly, almost no one would know how such a legacy came to be.
Briefly putting down the book, Laurence spared a glance at the box Master Willem had gifted him earlier that day. In a way, what lay within was Byrgenwyrth's legacy; Willem's legacy. A legacy of exploring and hopefully, expanding humanity's place in the universe, regardless of the cost. Most would no doubt never even find out about what had happened, most likely dismissing Willem as a madman.
But Laurence knew exactly the type of legacy he wanted to leave behind. And it would be better then that of his mentor.
Suddenly, the Vicar was snapped from his thoughts by a knock on his door. Setting aside his book, he quickly moved to hide the box within a drawer. Afterwards, he approached the entrance to his quarters and stopped just in front of it, not ready to open it just yet.
"Yes, Iosefka?" He called out.
"Master Laurence, there's some visitors here for you." Laurence let out a quiet sigh when he heard her say this.
"Did you tell them I wish not to be disturbed?" He said, having made his intentions quite clear to her earlier.
"I did. But they were…rather insistent that they see you." Iosefka replied from behind the door.
"I'm sure they were. But whatever the reasons for their visit may be, I insist that we handle the matter at a later time." Laurence said, but the voice that replied to him wasn't that of Iosefka, but someone completely different.
"Fret not, my dear Laurence. We're not here to quarrel over politics."
Without saying a word in response, he unlocked his door and opened it to find three people waiting for him on the other side. Iosefka, along with two other figures: an older man in an ordinary, albeit rather worn-down coat and a tall, noticeably pale-skinned woman holding a tray draped over by a small blanket.
"Do pardon the intrusion, oh, splendid Vicar." The man greeted while taking off his hat and slightly bowing to him. "We were simply hoping to get but a few moments of your time…to mark this most momentous occasion." Laurence remained stoic in spite of his noticeably exaggerative tone, silently observing his visitors before turning to Iosefka and issuing an order.
"Iosefka, you're relieved of duty for the rest of the night. Leave us." He calmly said to her.
"Very well. Good night, Master Laurence." She said, giving him a bow as she did.
"And to you as well." He said, returning the gesture.
They watched for a while as the doctor walked away down the hall. Once she had turned the corner, Laurence turned back to his older visitor.
"I would say this is a surprise, but…I figured you'd turn up at some point today." Laurence said to the man.
"Did you? Or are you just keeping up appearances like always?"
The two of them continued to look at each-other, with the silence eventually being broken when the man let out a soft chuckle, before erupting in a full, hearty laugh, with Laurence joining in soon after.
"It's so wonderful to see you, Gehrman." Laurence said as he embraced his old friend. The older man returned the gesture, clapping him on the back as he did.
"And you, lad." Gehrman said before concluding the embrace. "I do hope we're not interrupting." He then said.
"Oh, not at all." Laurence responded, turning his attention to Gehrman's companion.
"Maria." He politely greeted her.
"Your Lordship." She said with a small curtsey, even if the smile on her face gave away that she was only doing this humorously.
"You are aware you don't need to call me that, yes?" Laurence asked her as he stepped towards her.
"Of course." She quickly replied. Laurence knew that she continued to greet him like that to point out a 'role reversal' of sorts that had occurred between them; not too long ago, he would've been the one to greet her according to her title and then be reminded to use her real name. In simpler terms, this was her way of teasing him about it.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" He soon asked.
"Just us wishing to make up for being unable to attend your 'sermon' earlier today." Maria explained.
It didn't take much more explaining for Laurence to deduce what their intentions for being here were. With another small laugh, he stepped to the side.
"Well, come on, come in." He motioned for the two hunters to enter. "I'll be happy to have you. Welcome."
Once they had come inside, he closed the door behind them. After quickly scanning the room, Maria walked past them and made her way over to the table on the right side of the room, setting down the tray she was carrying. Meanwhile, Laurence silently motioned for Gehrman to hand him any clothing he wanted hung up. As he did all this, he took notice of a rather glaring absence.
"Tell me, will Ludwig not be joining us this evening?" He asked Gehrman as he hung up his hat.
"I'm afraid not. The hunters are a rowdy bunch and well, someone had to stay to keep them in line." Gehrman explained.
"And Valtr? Could he not have done so?" Both Gehrman and Maria didn't respond, instead glancing at each-other with rather uneasy looks on their faces. Laurence smiled as he realized his error. If anything, Ludwig had to stay merely to keep Valtr in line.
"Right. Still, it's a pity he could not make it." Said Laurence.
"He said much the same. He sends you his regards." Maria told him.
Laurence silently nodded his understanding. "I see."
If he knew anything about Ludwig, it was that he was committed and loyal to his fellow hunters, as well as a capable commander, all qualities that Gehrman himself had recognized in him. Still, he was also a dear friend, which made his absence rather disappointing, even if it was understandable.
"Now, may I interest you in some refreshments?" Laurence turned towards his pantry. "I was just about to set some tea before you two arrived, but I can also get something a little stronger if you'd like."
"No need for that. Maria here prepared us a little something that she insists must be had with tea." He heard Gehrman say as he set about putting his kettle over his fireplace.
"Ah, is that what you've got there with you?" Laurence said as he turned back to his guests, referring to the tray that Maria had set down on the table.
"Indeed." Maria took off the sheet to reveal a collection of pastries with a thick white filling in the center, which Laurence knew right away to be custard. Cremeschnitte, they were called; his favorite dessert.
"Oh, Maria. You shouldn't have." Said Laurence. With a soft smile, she then walked up to him and opened her arms to give him a hug, which he gladly accepted.
"Happy birthday, Laurence." She said in a tender voice.
"Thank you." Shortly after saying this, the two of them broke their embrace and spent a few sparse moments simply looking at each-other. Like Gehrman, Maria was just a bit taller than he was, something that was most likely the result of her heritage.
Her heritage. How long had that been something that had driven a wedge between them? He still remembered a time where he would've dismissed the idea of Maria baking for him as absurd, much less the two of them ever sharing an embrace like this. Then again, he supposed that was a testament to how much the two of them had changed since then.
Of course, not everything had changed. She was still just as beautiful as the first day he met her.
"A-hem." He stepped back. "Is there anything you'd like me to…" He started to say, having not given her the same offer he had given Gehrman earlier.
"Oh, yes please. If you may." Maria then took off the rather dainty red bonnet that she had been wearing and handed it to him.
"Of course." Laurence said as he took it from her.
It wasn't anything close to the hat she usually wore, but really, that was the point. Her going out into the city wearing her usual attire would immediately give away her identity and prompt the knights of Cainhurst to come looking for her. What she was wearing now – a light brown shawl and black skirt - was a disguise that Gehrman had personally crafted for her so she could venture out without fear of detection from her former comrades. After all, one would never expect someone such as her to wear such clothes.
"The two of you can feel free to settle down. The tea should be ready shortly." He announced to his guests as he hung up Maria's bonnet.
"Surely we can be of help somehow." Gehrman replied.
"Nonsense. You are my guests and you'll be treated as such. I'll only be a moment." Laurence replied as he went about retrieving his kettle.
"So, tell us. How did that sermon of yours go?" He heard Gehrman ask him.
"I made it through." He said in reply.
"So, I see. A real shame we didn't get to hear your no doubt stirring speech." The older man's comment made Laurence chuckle as he took the kettle out from its spot in the fireplace.
"Believe me, you didn't miss much." He said as he brought it over to his dining table, where Gehrman and Maria sat in wait.
"Modest as ever, I see." Maria commented as she took the lid of his teapot, allowing him to start pouring the boiling water inside.
"Whatever do you mean?" He asked her.
"Well, it's simple, isn't it, Laurence? You speak and people listen. Surely you don't believe that was all incidental, do you?" Gehrman then pointed out. Upon finishing filling the teapot, Laurence set the kettle off to the side and softly smiled.
"No, perhaps not." He acknowledged, which caused Maria to laugh.
"See? That's exactly what I meant." She said as she put the lid back on.
"Have a little pride, lad. With everything you've done, I'd say you've more than earned it." Said Gehrman.
"Well, I didn't quite do it all single-handed, did I?" Laurence pointed out, leaving the two hunters to share a quick glance.
"And we're honored to have gotten the chance to aid you, as are all hunters." Gehrman soon said.
"I know." Laurence said in reply.
To say that Gehrman and his pupils had been instrumental in his rise would be an understatement. The moment he had announced his intention to separate from Byrgenwyrth, the support of the vast majority of the hunters had been assured. The events at the Fishing Hamlet had irreversibly soured relations between them and Master Willem, who much like Laurence, found themselves disgusted by what he had ordered them to do. He knew that for many of them, the Church was a chance to start anew and, in many ways, to atone for what happened that night.
"And perhaps one day, the people of Yharnam will understand just how much they truly owe to you." Said Laurence as he started pouring tea for himself and his two guests.
"If we were looking for glory, we would've stepped into the light years ago. Besides, it is best that the people remain ignorant to our existence and our purpose; you said so yourself." Maria reminded him.
"You're right, but I will continue to hope that there will soon come a day where the Hunters are no longer needed." He announced as he finished pouring the tea.
"I'll drink to that." Gehrman said as he took his cup.
"As will I." Maria raised her cup into the air. "To Laurence."
"To the Hunters." Gehrman added on as he did the same.
"And to the Healing Church." Laurence said to conclude the toast, after which the three of them carefully clicked their cups together.
What followed was an almost endless stream of talking and laughter, which lasted far after the kettle was emptied and the dessert that Maria had prepared had been reduced to mere crumbs. Due to the nature of their respective duties, Laurence didn't get to see Gehrman and Maria as often as he would've before, which made instances such as this where they were allowed to catch up all the more special.
"Oh, and one more thing, Laurence. Old Willem came by today, did he not?" Gehrman asked some way into their talk, a subject that Laurence had hoped to avoid.
"He did." He answered, which seemed to surprise the old hunter.
"Ah. Well, I hope he didn't give you a hard time." Gehrman jested before taking a sip of tea.
"Not at all, actually. If nothing else, you can never accuse him of being a discourteous guest." Said Laurence as he recounted his meeting with his old mentor in his head.
"Oh, I've known him much longer than you have, lad – surely I don't need to remind you of that. Said Gehrman. "Still, I find it hard to believe that he truly intends to retire. If I know anything about Master Willem, it's that he's not someone who gives up easily."
"Well, from what he told me, his retirement isn't total. He's shutting down the college, but he plans to continue his research at his estate." Laurence explained, causing the older man to chuckle.
"Now that sounds a lot more like him." He then said, with Laurence nodding along with a smile. All the while, Maria had said nothing.
Despite putting on a cheerful smile, Laurence knew that Gehrman was still…well, saddened by what had transpired between them and his old friend. As he had said, he and Master Willem had a long history together; in fact, Laurence only met him because of this historical friendship. Back when he was a student of Byrgenwyrth, Willem had asked Gehrman to accompany Laurence and his fellow scholars into the ancient labyrinths beneath Yharnam in order to protect them.
But he wasn't really there to protect them from the beasts below, as that would be provided by another party – the Knights of Cainhurst. Needless to say, Willem did not fully trust them to uphold their end of the bargain and saw Gehrman as a means to ensure his students – and their discoveries – would remain safe.
As for who led that company of Knights, well….
"I must say, I'm surprised you let him come." She said after a brief silence.
"Would it not be rude to deny a willing guest?" He pointed out.
"Perhaps, but it depends on the nature of the guest." Maria replied, with an obvious connotation to her statement.
"I understand your misgivings, but as I said, his presence was a matter of establishing legitimacy. If he was to give his approval for what we were doing here, his apprentices will be more likely to integrate efficiently." He reminded Maria.
"His approval. And how important is that, really?" Laurence found himself unable to reply to Maria's question, though he knew that it wasn't just a question – it was also an accusation.
"Come now, Maria. I promised our host we weren't here to talk about that sort of thig. There'll be a time and place for that." Gehrman eventually told his student.
"Of course, Gehrman." She turned back to him. "My apologies - I stepped out of line."
"Apology accepted." He then said to her. Despite this, he somehow knew this wouldn't be the end of that conversation.
"Now then, with that out of the way, there is something we wish to give to you." Gehrman said to get his attention.
"And that would be?" Laurence asked him, his curiosity piqued.
"A gift, from all the hunters of the Workshop to our generous leader." As Gehrman said all this, he took out a small box and held it out to him.
After staring at the offering for a few moments, Laurence took the box from Gehrman with both hands and set it down in front of him on the table. He then looked over to Maria, who gestured for him to open it. Upon doing so, he found himself surprised by what he found inside; a round, golden pendant, with an engravement in the center.
"It's beautiful. Wh-what is this?" He asked as he looked back at Gehrman.
"That, my dear Laurence, is something that took a mighty effort to forge." Upon him saying this, Laurence noticed something about the pendant. Somehow, it didn't quite feel like it was made of gold; its aura was completely different and yet familiar at the same time.
"Is this…a blood gem?" Gehrman nodded to confirm. "But how did you..?"
"Simple. He's brilliant." Maria said, causing the old hunter to bow his head.
"Ah, stop. You're making me blush." Gehrman said, sharing a smile with his student. Despite this, what Maria had said provided a sufficient enough explanation.
Gehrman had always been a gifted craftsman, which was obvious from the finely honed craft of his weapon alone. That he could create such a stunning piece of metallurgy from something as obtuse and mysterious as a blood gem was hardly a surprise.
"So, what do you think?" Gehrman soon asked him.
"I think you've outdone yourself yet again. Thank you, Gehrman." Laurence replied.
"Glad to hear it, lad. What do you see yourself doing with it, if I may ask?" Looking at the pendant, Laurence gave it some thought.
"Well, it would be criminal to have such fine work be reserved for one set of eyes, don't you think?" He soon said, causing the older man to laugh.
"I'm flattered, but whatever you do, remember that above all else, this is a gift for the Vicar of the Healing Church." Gehrman pointed to the pendant as he said all this, his words reaffirming something that Laurence already knew. All the work that had gone into creating this pendant had been for him, his leader. And his friend.
"I will." With that, Laurence closed the lid on the box. After a brief interlude where he and his two guests simply sat in silence, with the only sound coming from the steady crackle of Laurence's fireplace, Gehrman looked over to the grandfather clock at the end of his quarters.
"Heavens, is that the time?!" He suddenly exclaimed, causing Laurence to glance at the clock himself. By now, it was well past 10:30 PM; when the two of them had arrived, he could hardly remember.
"We'll have to end there, I'm afraid. I promised Ludwig I'd be back before the strike of noon; he needs his rest as much as any other hunter does." What Gehrman didn't mention was that by now, the city's mandated curfew was in effect, though knowing him, that was hardly a concern. No patrol would be able to spot him, especially now that it was dark outside.
"Wait. Before you go, I have something that might be of interest to you." He said to stop him, suddenly remembering something he had been told earlier that day.
"And what would that be?" Gehrman inquired.
"Wait here." With that, Laurence stood up from his seat and made his way over to his mantlepiece, from where he retrieved what Caryll had given him earlier that day. Returning to Gehrman, he set the box down in front of him.
"Go on. Open it." He instructed.
After a moment, Gehrman did as he was told and almost immediately upon seeing what was inside, his eyes lit up, almost like a child who received a fascinating new toy. Looking back up at him, the elder hunter appeared absolutely thrilled, with Laurence nodding to encourage him to take it.
"Is that what I think it is?" He heard Maria say as her mentor held the tool in his hands.
"Indeed, my dear Maria." Gehrman replied as he admired it. After a while, he turned his eyes back to Laurence.
"I cannot begin to express my gratitude for this." He said to him.
"None needed. May it serve the hunters well." Laurence told him, sharing a smile with the old hunter.
"Yes. It most certainly shall." He stated before placing Caryll's tool back in its container and closing the lid, which he then took from him and safely tucked it away in his coat.
"Now, if that's all, then I believe it is time we take our leave of you." Said Gehrman
"I understand. Do be sure to give Ludwig my regards." With an affirming nod, Gehrman turned to Maria.
"Shall we get going, Maria?" Gehrman asked his student, who had remained notably silent up until that point.
"Actually, there's something I wish to discuss with our Vicar, ideally in private." She turned her head to him then, a silent understanding coming between them. After nodding to her to let her know he was open, the two of them turned to Gehrman, who simply shook his head and chuckled to himself.
"Oh, you two and your politics. I don't know how you manage it." He said as he stood up from his seat. "My thanks once again for being such a gracious host." Gehrman said as he approached him.
"And thank you for coming. It's been a pleasure to have you." Laurence said, going up to the older man to give him another small hug.
"It was my pleasure. Until we meet again." Gehrman said, giving him a small clap on the shoulder to top things off. After this, he turned his attention to Maria, who had herself stood up from her seat.
"As for you, I expect you to be back at the barracks as soon as possible. The hunt is on tomorrow night and I'll need you well rested." He said to her.
"You need the rest more than I do, old man." She jested, causing him to chuckle once again.
"Fine then." Gehrman turned back to him for a moment. "Laurence, will you ensure this young lady makes her way home?" He asked in a humorous tone.
"Of course. After all, I need her well rested too." He replied with a smile on his face.
"Gentlemen, please. As much as I appreciate the concern, I can assure you I won't be out and about until sunrise. I'll stay here as long as Laurence keeps me – not a moment longer." She then turned to her mentor. "I'll see you in the morning."
"That's my girl." He said as the two of them shared a quick hug.
"Now, I'd best leave you to it. A good night to the both of you." Said Gehrman.
"And to you as well, old friend." Shortly after saying this, Laurence escorted him to the doorway and handed him his hat before opening the door for him, giving him one more smile as he walked down the hall. Upon closing the door, he turned back to Maria, who was standing with a similar smile on her face.
"What would we do without him?" He said.
"Indeed." She agreed.
The old hunter had been a constant influence in both of their lives for many years now. For Laurence, he had started as a loyal guardian and soon turned into a trusted ally, who was always ready to aid him. For Maria, he had been someone who raised her into a warrior far beyond what she was in her time in Cainhurst, one who's skill was all but unparalleled. But beyond that, he had given her, and all her fellow hunters, a home and a common purpose, something they had all been sorely missing.
He knew that Gehrman was like a father to Maria, as well as to Ludwig and most of his other apprentices. And, of course, to Laurence himself.
"Now, what did you wish to discuss?" He eventually asked Maria, who didn't immediately respond to his question.
"Why did you take it?" She eventually asked in a much more serious tone, catching him completely off guard.
"Take what?" He asked in reply. His answer came when Maria silently walked over to his drawer and pulled it open, taking out the box he had hidden and setting it down on the top. As all this happened, Laurence experienced a surge of worry, which wasn't helped by the accusing glare she gave him after retrieving the box.
"How did you know?" He asked her.
"I'd recognize that aura anywhere." She replied in a noticeably more dejected tone, which was hardly a surprise. He had noticed that at times during her visit, it looked like Maria was on edge, like she had been reminded of a particularly dreaded memory.
"It was a gift. It's as simple as that." Laurence eventually said, heaving a heavy sigh just before he did.
"Is it? Laurence, you know full well what that is – how he… came to possess it." She briefly faltered as she spoke.
"Of course, I do." He replied.
"Then I ask again. Why did you take it?" She took a step toward him as she said this, putting even more force behind her question. At first, Laurence found himself unable to answer, turning to the box that Willem had given him and asking himself that same question.
Why had he taken it?
Instead of answering, Laurence walked over to join Maria by his drawer, who carefully eyed him all the while. After staring her down for a few moments, he turned and opened the lid to reveal the cord hidden inside. Looking back to Maria, he found that she had shut her eyes, her expression laying bare the grief that she still carried after all these years.
"I know, Maria. I too remember that night all too well." He told her, unable to stop himself from recalling it's events.
Laurence had watched as his fellow scholars had burrowed into the heads of the Hamlet's denizens in search of eyes, which they believed lined their brains and gave them knowledge beyond that of a normal human mind. And they did so without a second thought, seemingly blind to what it was that was transpiring around them. Of course, that had only been possible because the hunters – Maria's fellows – had slaughtered them.
And of course, it was impossible to forget the final, dying sounds of that creature who had crawled from Kos's body; a shrill, pathetic thing who could do nothing but sob as Gehrman approached it, his weapon drawn.
"And that is precisely why I took it."
After taking a deep breath to compose herself, Maria opened her eyes and joined him in observing it. "I just don't understand. After pursuing it with such fervor, why would he decide to part with even a piece of it? And why would he decide to part it onto you?" She questioned.
"Because, as of now, he has yet to find any real use for it." This revelation seemed to shock Maria, who no doubt came to the same realization as he had earlier that day.
"Then…it was all…" Laurence nodded, no doubt confirming her worst suspicions.
For the next few moments, neither of them said anything and all the while, Maria appeared…disheartened. This tended to happen when the two of them were alone; the mask of the confident, dignified woman most thought her to be would come off and reveal someone whose soul was weighed down by the past. As much as he hated seeing her like this, Laurence knew that this was her way of showing she trusted him. Maria wouldn't show this side of her to anyone else, not even Gehrman.
Eventually, Laurence decided to close the distance between them and place a hand on her shoulder.
"Maria, I know you haven't been fond of my decisions as of late, but I assure you, things are not as they seem." He said to her, causing her to sigh.
"You're right, and please understand that whatever ire I displayed was not meant for you. It's just…" She brought her hand up and held the one he had on her shoulder.
"I'm worried, Laurence. We both saw what ambition such as his could lead to and I fear that what is happening now is setting the stage for something similar." She paused and looked up at him.
"And beyond that, I…I'm worried it will change you too."
None of what Maria said came as a surprise to him. She had made it no secret that she held no warm feelings towards Willem; that was why she had chosen to follow him, after all. And in the weeks leading up to today, no one had been more openly critical of his decision to allow Byrgenwyrth's remaining scholars to join the Healing Church than her, particularly because she feared it would cause Willem's influence to fester within the institution. And him.
And in part, he agreed with her.
Out of all his followers, Maria was perhaps the most versatile. She wasn't only a hunter, but someone who had past experience in political matters, which made her advice on how the inner workings of the Church should be structured invaluable. And although he always got the final say, she wasn't afraid to call him into question. Despite this, there were very few people that Laurence trusted more than her, because he knew that she was making these criticisms with the Church's and his best interests in mind.
"I know, Maria. And I promise you that I will not forget why I - why we took this path. And I will do everything in my power to ensure that what happened that night will not be repeated." He took Maria's hand in both of his and looked her in the eye as he made this pledge, wanting to be as forthright with her as he could. After a short while, a small smile found its way onto her face.
"I believe you." She said and he could tell she meant it. After staying like that for a few more moments, Maria turned her gaze back towards the box.
"But I'm still not sure how to feel knowing you have that in your possession." She said.
"Is it not preferable that we be the ones to possess it?" Laurence then asked.
"Maybe, but it is nevertheless difficult to disassociate it from…that place." He knew exactly what she meant. What happened in the Hamlet was horrific – an atrocity that haunted Maria and many others to this very day. And it was all over what was in that box.
"Then that will be its purpose. A reminder of the past and that we should strive not to repeat it." He said to her.
"Alas that it has to be the one piece of the past I would rather forget." She lamented, leading Laurence to try and think of a way to get off that subject.
"Yes, well, it doesn't have to solely be a reminder for that. We have Willem to thank for many things, not all of them bad." He eventually said, which caught her attention.
"Such as?" Said Maria.
"Well, for one, were it not for him, then I never would've met you." He reminded her, which caused her to smile.
"Yes, I suppose that's true." She conceded, leaving the two of them to share a mutual smile.
"You remember that day, don't you?" Laurence asked her.
"The banquet?" "Indeed." He confirmed with a small chuckle.
The event in question had been organized to mark a partnership between Byrgenwyrth and Cainhurst, which would see the latter provide funding for the institution's research. Laurence had been selected to accompany Willem to Cainhurst Castle, as he would be one of the figures heading and organizing the research. And it is during this trip where he was first introduced to Maria by the Queen herself, as the two of them would go on to work together as a result of the agreement.
Laurence liked to think that he handled this first meeting gracefully.
"Yes, you made a…very interesting first impression." Maria noted.
"That being?" He coyly asked her.
"You mean aside from being the worst dancer I'd ever seen?" She teased him, reminding him of that rather embarrassing situation she had put him in.
"Then you'll be happy to know I've improved my footwork since then." He decided to tell her.
"Oh, is that so?" She said, clearly not convinced.
"Would you like me to show you?" Laurence held out his hand to her, with Maria looking down at it and then back up at him, an amused smile on her face. Soon, she accepted his offered hand.
"By all means." Said Maria.
Laurence then led her to a more open section of his quarters, where he turned around to face her and took her waist in his other hand, while she placed hers on his shoulder. Without a word, he started to confidently lead her in a slow waltz. Though they lacked access to anything that could provide music, that didn't stop them from establishing a steady rhythm.
"My, my. It's almost night and day." She noted some time into their dance.
"To be fair, I was rather nervous the last time around." He claimed.
"Nervous? My dear Laurence, you looked like you were on the cusp of fainting." Maria reminded him, clearly amused by the memory.
"Can you blame me?" He asked her, smiling along with her.
"No. I just didn't think I'd intimidate you so." Despite her saying this, Laurence understood full well that Maria knew exactly what she was doing back then.
"Ah, but that was only because I didn't know any better then." He retorted.
"Oh?" "Indeed. To an inexperienced sailor, the sea is a source of endless dread, but once he spends enough time out on its vast waters, he comes to understand it and, in the process, discovers a beauty unlike any other." As he said all this, Maria smiled in amusement.
"And yet, it is the most seasoned sailors that most fear the sea." She whispered to him, which made him chuckle.
"All too true." He whispered back as he leaned in closer to her and kissed her on the lips.
By now, the two of them had stopped their little dance, allowing Maria to bring the arm she had on his shoulder around his neck and for him to bring his free arm around her waist, bringing their bodies even closer together as they deepened their kiss. When they eventually broke apart, their faces remained only inches apart, allowing Laurence to gaze into those enrapturing, emerald eyes of hers.
With a contented sigh, he put his forehead against hers. "How I've missed you, Maria." He whispered to her.
"It has been rather long, hasn't it?" She said in a soft, quiet voice.
"Too long." He replied. Ever since he became Vicar, moments such as this, where the two of them were able to be in each-other's company, became increasingly rare.
"Well, as it happens, we now have some time to focus on…less serious matters." There was a very clear undertone to her proposal.
"Oh, we shouldn't." He replied in a similar manner.
"And when has that ever stopped you?" She pointed out. Though he knew that this was only part of a game, Laurence couldn't deny that he was enticed by Maria's offer.
"What did you have in mind?" He asked her, making her lips shift into a mischievous grin.
"Come with me." Taking a firm hold of his hand, Maria started leading him to his bed, stopping once they reached it.
"Have a seat, your Lordship." She told him, causing him to raise an inquisitive brow.
"May I ask why?" "With all that you do for us, I believe it's only fair that you get a chance to relax and I believe I can help you with that, if you'll let me." Maria explained, being just vague enough to pique his curiosity.
"Very well then." He said to her.
"Then please, make yourself comfortable." She held out her hand to signify once more that she wanted him to sit down, which he did. After he had settled down, he eyed her as she herself sat down beside him and started to take off her boots.
"Just a moment." She said when she noticed him looking at her in confusion.
After she had set her boots off to the side, Maria surprised him again by moving behind him, leaving him even more confused by what she was planning. His answer soon came when he felt her hands on his shoulders, which caused him to tense up somewhat.
"Shhh. Just relax. Let me handle things from here." She whispered right by his ear, which by itself was able to sooth him considerably. There was just something about that voice of hers.
Doing as he was told, Laurence allowed Maria to start taking off the decorative black and white robes he had been wearing throughout the day, with each undone button and loosened bind making his anticipation for what was to come steadily rise. Soon enough, Maria was running her hands along his bare back, stopping at his shoulders. And then she did something he would've never expected. She started massaging them.
"Why so tense? Is this not to your liking?" She softly asked as she continued to use her thumbs and fingers to draw his muscles.
"Oh no, this is…perfectly acceptable." He told her. Already, he felt much more relaxed than he did before.
"I figured you'd say something like that." Said Maria.
For the next little while, Laurence simply let Maria work in silence, allowing himself to enjoy the relief her efforts brought him. She massaged the whole length of his shoulders before moving onto his neck and back, kneading his muscles with a surprising amount of skill.
"I assume this isn't something you thought of at a moment's notice?" Laurence eventually asked her.
"I admit that I've been looking for ways to...diversify these meetings of ours." She replied as she massaged his shoulder blades. Sure enough, she had been planned this well in advance.
"And do tell, what was your original excuse for staying?" He heard her chuckle in response.
"Oh, you and I always have something to discuss, don't we?" Though she clearly intended this to be humorous, there was truth to her words.
"And yet never enough time." He lamented to himself.
"Then I suppose it helps that we're always so productive." Laurence couldn't help but chuckle in response.
"Indeed. I couldn't have asked for better counsel." He heard her chuckle behind him.
"You flatter me, your Lordship." There it was again. Once more, she chose to address him by honorifics rather than his regular name.
"Do you not recall what I said earlier?" He asked her.
"Of course. And though I may not need to call you that, you simply adore it when I do, don't you?" This admittedly took him by surprise.
"What makes you say that?" He asked her.
"To go off what you said before, the sea can be a most treacherous and deadly thing, one that can easily claim those who anger it. But there are nevertheless those who brave it. Master it. And that feeling that comes from that mastery - that control, is nothing short of exhilarating." As she said all this, her hands ran back up his back to his shoulders, giving them a good squeeze as she brought her lips back to his ear.
"Wouldn't you agree?" Maria whispered to him.
By now, Laurence was tightly gripping the covers of his bed, that burning yearning he had been feeling becoming ever more powerful. Her question still running through his mind, the Vicar smiled and turned his head to look at Maria before finally deciding to break the tension-filled silence.
"On your knees." In response, Maria smiled, as if this is what she'd been expecting this whole time.
"As you wish." She whispered in response.
With that, she made her way off the bed and knelt down in front of him as Laurence eagerly looked on. Clearly not needing any further instruction, Maria started to undo his trousers and soon freed his erection. From there, she would use her hands and mouth to pleasure him as she had done so many times before, never breaking eye-contact with him throughout. All the while, Laurence placed a hand on the back of her head, running it through her hair.
She was right. He did enjoy this feeling of control he had over her. He had witnessed first hand what she was capable of and having someone so powerful in both prowess and lineage acting so subserviently towards him was, as she had said, nothing short of exhilarating. Of course, this didn't mean that their arrangement was lopsided in his favor.
"Maria…" He uttered to get her attention, causing her to stop what she was doing.
"Yes, your Lordship?" She asked him, clearly deriving her own form of satisfaction from the scenario.
"I do believe the time has come for me to reward you." He said as he placed either of his hands on her cheeks, causing her to eagerly smile back at him.
"I would be honored." She said to him.
"Then arise, my dear." He ordered.
With that, Maria rose up just enough to allow for Laurence to give her another kiss; upon breaking away, he scooted back to let her join him on the bed, the two of them sharing a laugh before their lips met again. From there, he proceeded to slowly and carefully strip her bare, giving attention almost every inch of her exposed skin. Overtime, Laurence had grown very familiar with her body: her pale skin, her well defined muscles and the numerous scars and bruises she had accumulated over the years. But that wasn't all. He also knew that she adored it when he kissed the back of her neck; how a soft moan would escape her lips when he ran his fingers along her inner thighs; how she would whisper his name as he steadily thrust into her.
All this he learned over many years, which all started on a single night at Byrgenwyrth. He remembered inviting her to his quarters so they could research the origins of the Healing Blood, the archives of Cainhurst granting her knowledge that would be out of reach for a simple scholar like him. Of course, that was the official reason he gave. The truth was that his feelings towards her, once cold and untrusting, had changed drastically, something which he wished to express to her through an official apology. He hadn't been sure what to expect, but Maria concluding that exchange by taking hold of his collar and pulling him into a kiss had certainly not been one of them.
Nor had he expected Maria to be the woman who would deflower him.
That night had ended much like this one, with the two of them lying together under Laurence's covers, her hair sprawled across his shoulder and chest as he held her close to him. Of course, he was no longer simply blundering through the process as he had then, as he was now more than capable of giving as good as he got. Of course, that was only part of why they did this. Really, the thing that the two of them were really seeking was this; comfort and solace in each-other's arms.
"How long do you think we'll have to keep this up?" Maria broke the silence by asking.
"What do you mean?" He asked her.
"The secrecy. Surely, you tire of having to pretend there's nothing between us." She clarified, leaving Laurence to ponder her question in silence.
Even before the Healing Church came to be, the two of them had agreed to keep their relationship a secret, one that not even Gehrman was privy to. And this secrecy became all the more essential after his ascension to the role of Vicar, as there were many among his ranks that did not trust Maria and believed her to still be in service to Cainhurst, regardless of the fact she had been instrumental in the negotiations that led to them allowing the foundation of the Church. If word ever got out that he had taken her, a Vileblood, as his lover, it wouldn't only threaten his position, but continued relations between the Healing Church and the Cainhurst monarchy.
In truth, Laurence believed that their union would never truly be accepted.
"I don't know, Maria." He answered truthfully. "Perhaps the better question would be how long would you be willing to maintain it?" She looked up to him then, appearing uncertain.
"You mean whether I think we should end this or not." Maria stated more than asked. Hardly anything escaped her.
"It would be most regrettable, but…perhaps it's something you should consider." Laurence regrettably told her. As he waited for her to reply, she placed a hand on his cheek and gently smiled at him.
"If I were discouraged, I would've forsaken you long ago. It matters not what others think of you, because I know the man you truly are and I would follow him anywhere."
At first, Laurence found himself at a loss for words, but soon, he found himself smiling back. Despite everything that they had been through together, hearing those words from her lifted his spirits like nothing else could.
"Then you still have faith in me?" Still smiling, Maria softly kissed him on the lips.
"Always." She said after breaking their kiss.
After brushing aside a few stray locks of hair, Laurence cupped her cheek, his eyes never breaking away from hers. He never could've imagined that her gaze, which once seemed so cold and oppressive, could ever convey such warmth – such devotion. He felt like he could stay like that with her forever, even with the ever-present voice in his head reminding him of the short window of time allowed to them.
"You should probably get going. We can only convincingly discuss 'politics' for so long." He reminded her, causing her to chuckle.
"You're right, but I'm not leaving until you can assure me of one thing." Laurence immediately knew what that thing was.
"Must you be so insistent?" He said.
"Only because you're so stubborn." Maria retorted, with Laurence finding himself with nothing more to say. He knew she wasn't going anywhere until she got what she wanted.
"Very well. And in return, you'll promise me that you'll be careful out there." He said to her.
"Oh, you needn't worry about me." She assured him.
"I know." He replied. Whether it was sneaking through the city during curfew or hunting bloodthirsty beasts, he was able to rest easy knowing that she would be able to fend for himself and that no matter what, he would see her alive and well.
Turning on his side, Laurence rested his head on his pillow and closed his eyes, trying his best to relax. After a short while, he felt Maria's arm wrap around his torso and her body press up against his, letting him know that she was still there and would stay until he fell asleep. With a renewed feeling of comfort and security, Laurence smiled and took hold of Maria's hand, intending to treasure this closeness while he still could, knowing that she would be gone come morning.
But despite that, he knew that she would always be there for him when he needed her.
"I love you…" He whispered as it felt his consciousness was starting to fade. And just as sleep was about to claim him, he heard her whisper…
"I love you, too."
...
Author's Notes: Surprise!
I hope you enjoyed this shorter and much more self-indulgent look into how I imagined Laurence was like before, well, that whole mess. He's always been one of the more interesting characters to me and I enjoyed finally putting these theories I've had for so long onto the page. I know that I threw a lot of info at you guys in this story, especially in regards to the boring, "political" aspects of the Healing Church, but this stuff is genuinely fascinating to me and makes me appreciate Bloodborne's world so much more than I already did.
Also, yeah, Laurence and Maria were a thing, or at least, I like to believe they were. I know that this might seem like an odd idea to many of you, but I feel like their relationship was actually much more important to the overall progression of events in Bloodborne's lore than many give it credit for. Plus, I just really like the idea of the two of them being a sort of power couple in the early days of the Healing Church; for all you history buffs, Maria is the Theodora to Laurence's Justinian.
All that aside, it really does feel good to dwell back into this fandom again; Bloodborne is pretty much my comfort zone when it comes to writing. This may or may not be a prelude to a much larger project later down the line, which would obviously be a prequel story leading up to the game proper and would explore many of the concepts I mentioned in this story, so let me know if you're interested in seeing that.
Additionally, I have a few more one-shots based on FromSoft's properties in the works, one featuring Eileen the Crow and another featuring Karla from Dark Souls III. Although both are going to explore their characters, I'm sure you can figure out what those one-shots are going to be at their core.
Anyway, this is getting a little too long, so I think I'll leave it there. Until next time.