Henrietta woke the next day and left her tent to see none other than Cardinal Mazarin yelling at a man who wore the armor of the Romalian Inquisition, and judging by the fact that he had no wand on him, he was a Commoner, yet he didn't back down at all. Looking around she saw a few more Inquisition soldiers and the Musketeer Corps. Everyone else must have left early in the morning or late last night after she had ordered the Army to disperse when she returned last night. "What do you mean the Inquisition won't help destroy these heretics!? As a Cardinal of the Church I command you-"

"Sir, with all due respect, you can't command us to do anything against the village of Tarbes or its inhabitants. That would go against our orders andthat would mean going against the direct orders of a Saint." Henrietta watched as Mazarin reeled back as if struck. To be fair, if she were in his shoes, she would have done the same. Saints were similar to Chevaliers, in that it was a Noble title that could be granted to both Nobles and Commoners. Except Commoner Chevaliers, such as Agnes, who had exited her tent shortly after Henrietta had exited her own, only had minimal power at royal courts where as Saints, be they Commoner or Noble, had equal power in courts and were second only to the Pope himself.

Mazarin looked like he was about to have a heart attack. "A- A Saint is protecting these heretics?" The man nodded and Mazarin stood there for a second before snarling. "Then I will write to the Pope himself!"

"It will do you no good Mazarin. Even if you did write to the Pope, he would be unable to do anything, these people are not within the Church's sphere of influence." A man, if the sound of their voice was any indication, in golden armor bearing the Founder's cross approached, he wore a golden helmet as well, the top of which had been forged to resemble what seemed to be a Crown of Thorns.

"What do you mean by that?"

"That is not for me to tell." The man, clearly the Saint who was protecting Tarbes, turned and walked over to the Queen. "Your Majesty, if you would be so kind, I would be honored to escort you to the meeting."

"Meeting? Your Majesty, what is he talking about?"

Henrietta then turned and smiled at Mazarin. "It's nothing to be concerned about Cardinal, this meeting is mostly just a chance for me to find out how Louise is doing."

"Your Majesty with all due respect, this Louise woman is a heretic! She could very well be trying to corrupt you!"

Henrietta narrowed her eyes at the Cardinal. "I am well aware of that fact Cardinal, I am not a gullible little girl anymore. But this meeting is a way to learn about what plans this 'Order' has for Tristain. And I can't send Agnes because it was I who was invited, not her."

Mazarin grit his teeth because that was actually somewhat logical reasoning. He turned toward the Saint. "And will you be attending this meeting with the heretics as well Saint?"

The man in golden armor nodded. "A message was sent to the Church by this 'Order' asking for a representative to attend this meeting. the Pope sent me because these people seem to be warriors like the Germanians. He figured sending a warrior of our own was the best way to gain information." That was also logic that Mazarin could not fault. As she walked off the Saint turned his head toward Henrietta. "Your Majesty, if you are ready...?" Henrietta gave a slight start.

"Of course, please lead the way." The two of them walked in silence until they made it half way to the village. "Ser Saint, forgive me if I am wrong, but... Are you a member of this Order?"

The man called the Saint did not miss a beat. "I am, and by the end of the day, I hope that I will be able to count you among us as well."

Henrietta blinked at how forthcoming he was with his answer. "So this meeting is an attempt to recruit me?"

"Among other things. It was clear that the Apocalypse would attempt to recruit you since you seem to share most of our ideals and goals. She also still considers you a friend... Whether she admits it or not."

Henrietta went silent, and remained that way until they entered the village tavern.

Louise hated having to wear her helmet during meetings, but it was a tradition of the Order since its beginning. It was something about how 'hiding one's identity' symbolizes that only merit, and not blood, could gain you admission. Of course it didn't say anything about the mask or helmet having to be uniform, so every member made, or had someone make, a unique mask or helmet that they felt represented them. For example, one of the other members currently in attendance, this one using the cryptonym of 'the Scholar' wore a plain white mask modeled after a emotionless human face with an intricate blue quill painted in the center of the forehead. Said member was pacing back and forth so much that Louise was beginning to tire just from watching her. "How long with the Saint make us wait!?"

"Patience Scholar. The Saint had to retrieve someone who the Apocalypse believes could be a potential member of the Order." The one who spoke was a member who used the cryptonym 'the Merchant'. She wore a mask almost identical to the Scholar's only hers was smiling and instead of a quill there was an intricate golden coin painted on the forehead. The Merchant was the second member of the Order she met, and was one of the kindest people she had ever known.

The Judge, another member, this one using a smiling mask that covered the entirety of his head and was designed to have the trademark curls of a judge's wig, picked up a blank mask and held it in his hand. "You may stop pacing Scholar. I believe that the Saint and our guest have arrived." As Henrietta and the Saint entered the room, the Judge walked over and handed her the mask. At Henrietta's confused look he chuckled. "Names and faces have no power in these meetings your Majesty, that is the only rule and ritual that outsiders need follow. Unless you want to join the Order at this very moment, all you need do is listen for now."

Henrietta looked around and saw that everyone else, including Louise, was either wearing a helmet or mask and decided that as an 'outsider' as this man had called her, following their traditions was the polite thing to do. So she daintily bowed her head for a moment and took the mask. "Thank you."

The man chuckled again as she put the mask on. "Oh my, if only some of the others here were as polite as you." A call of indignation came from the Scholar. The Judge then took her and led the Queen to a chair next to Louise, pulling it out for her to sit down. Once she had he returned to his own seat and placed a ornate gold bowl a wet rag and a simple iron knife on the table in the center of them. "The Judge motions for this meeting to begin."

Another member, a woman if the size of her chest was any indication, who wore a frowning mask with a intricate black and gold ship painted on the forehead raised her hand. "The Shipwright seconds the motion."

Louise raised an armored hand. "The Apocalypse agrees and so it passes."

The judge nodded. "Then we shall make our offerings." He picked up the iron blade and cut his hand, Henrietta cringing in her seat when he did so. He let some of his blood pour into the golden bowl in the center of the table before pressing the flat part of the dagger to the cut, which seemed to cause the skin to mend itself, then he wiped the blade off and handed it to the woman who had called herself 'the Shipwright', the patterned followed until Louise mended her own self inflicted cut and held the out to pass it to her. Before Henrietta could ask what she was happening, the Saint, who was sitting on her right, spoke.

"The Apocalypse motions to give an outsider a chance to join the Order. The Saint seconds the motion."

"The Judge agrees, and so it passes." All eyes turned to Henrietta. "You have been given a chance to join the Order. You may accept and make an offering, or refuse and pass the dagger on. The choice is yours."

Henrietta looked around the room, briefly seeing Louise nod out of the corner of her eye. "Before I decide, may I ask what it is the Order seeks?"

The Judge chuckled. "A good question. The answer is the same as it has been since the beginning, a united world and peace between all peoples, so that men and women need not hope and pray that they find it in the next."

Henrietta sat there and looked at the blade of the knife. Then he placed it on the table, but as the Saint reached to take it so he could make his offering she stopped him with a now ungloved hand. And she made her offering.

Ok, chapter is done...

Henrietta joins and some more members of the Order appear...

...

...

...

Would you guys like me to post a chapter that explains how this version of the Templar Order is structured, their goals and how it works?

(Wait, why are you even asking? You'll probably do it anyway!)

Ah! Begone bodiless voice, you are not wanted here! That's why I take my medicine!

(…)

(…)

(…)

(Fine... Jerk!)