Chapter Two
Finally after three inconvenient intermissions from Private level Imperial guards and a rather long flight she had arrived at District 7, otherwise known as the "Zone of God". The Lieutenant Colonel had actually never been inside the infamous District before, but she knew much about it, especially the Barsburg Church which was unfortunately her destination. She didn't want to be anywhere near a church, let alone go in one but this was unavoidable. The nuns and Bishops would probably call her a demon the moment they saw what she was. Religious folk were quite strange and could be very fanatical she had come to find and they didn't even eat proper meals.
Churches, talks of god and religion made her somewhat ill at ease as she had been raised to believe in the Barsburg Imperial Army and only what humans could do for themselves, not in some faceless god no one had ever even seen. She wasn't sure whether she believed in gods or not, but from her life experiences it seemed what her father had taught her seemed ever truer. Her mother however, had strongly believed in god as did her elder sister Aleara, but the Lieutenant Colonel believed only in what she could see and touch. Many had said she was truly her father's daughter and she wholeheartedly agreed. She was nothing like her mother or elder sister in any way.
After dismounting the hawkzile the Lieutenant Colonel pulled the envelope from her pocket and pulled out the small slip of paper that had come with the letter. Apparently she was to show the paper to some Bishop to show proof of who she was before she entered. Mentally she sneered at the notion. It wasn't like any one from the Barsburg Military was going to attack a church, even if she didn't believe, she had enough respect for others to not do something as blasphemous as that. Although she wouldn't exactly say that everyone from the military would be as understanding and respectful as she.
She easily slipped on the white cloak and pulled up the large hood successfully covering her medium-long dark auburn hair and most of her face. She had long since discarded her military issue hat, as it would have only been blown off during the trip. The Lieutenant Colonel realized that even with her white cloak she still managed to alienate herself from the crowd. Most of the people she had passed were in normal clothing and did not wear the hood up, if they had one and her impressive height did her little good as she was the tallest person yet.
She had always dwarfed many men and she had been quite proud of it as a child and teenager, but after a while of looking down at men it became aggravating. Her height helped her intimidate, but it did nothing for her love life. Not that she had ever had one to begin with. Men had an inferiority complex when it came to such things, they didn't like having to look up at a woman or be with a woman who had a higher rank than them and she for one didn't like having to look down at men. It was a hopeless situation, but it was one she could easily avoid as there was no time for a personal life in the military.
As she reached the gates of the church she was somewhat surprised when no one stopped her entrance, but she paid it little mind. She was more concerned about having to go into the church to find a Bishop than them not checking her identification. Upon entering through the gates she was quite stunned at what she saw. The architecture was enthralling, with the gargantuan white walls and the maze like tunnels where clear fresh water constantly flowed. There were many young smiling and laughing nuns wandering about but most seemed to be washing clothes and sheets. Domestic duties, something else the Lieutenant Colonel was unfamiliar with.
It was a beautiful and peaceful place, she would admit that, but that was exactly what unnerved her. Peace and quiet was something she was unaccustomed to. The quiet that rarely occurred in the Military was bated and in no way peaceful. She could see why her sister had chosen to live there instead of living with her after the sudden death of her husband, Bael. It seemed like a good environment to raise children, much better than what she and her elder sister had initially come from. Perhaps, if she had been raised in such an environment then the Lieutenant Colonel would not have become a prized member of the Barsburg Military. However, her father had other plans and no sons to carry on his will. Her older sister was too kindly and soft, so when the Lieutenant Colonel had been born and her mother declared unable to have any more children, her fate had been decided.
Her customarily stern eyes searched over the many bodies before landing on a small nun who didn't look quite as busy as the rest. The Lieutenant Colonel approached the young girl in a careful, yet direct manner. After all she didn't know how the young nun would react if she approached in her military mode. "Excuse me Sister, could you tell me where I can find the Bishops? Any of them will do." The little nun turned around with a kindly smile on her lips, but it immediately dropped from her face when she saw who was standing behind her. The cloak didn't hide her uniform very well.
A dark brow lifted in question as the young nun started stuttering and backing away from the intimidating Lieutenant Colonel in obvious fear. "Sister, I need to speak to the Bishops, any one of them will do." The Lieutenant Colonel repeated in an even tone in case the young girl hadn't understood her the first time. "O-of c-course, r-r-right away!" The young nun stuttered anxiously before bolting off into what the Lieutenant Colonel assumed to be the church. The military woman stiffened while refraining from rolling her eyes at the childishness of the young nun and her own self. After so many years, it was hard to act 'normal'. She couldn't even remember what it was like to even be normal anymore. The Lieutenant Colonel was certain that her sister would have laughed at her for even admitting such a thing, even to herself.
Moments later three Bishops followed by the young frightened nun exited the church, all of their eyes landed on the white cloaked woman as the nun spoke animatedly to the three men. After a few moments the young nun was sent off with a kind smile from the shortest Bishop. From where she was the Lieutenant Colonel couldn't make out much of the three Bishop's facial features. Her view was also disrupted by the white mesh veils they were wearing. Even if most of her view of them was obstructed, she could tell just from the way each of them held themselves they couldn't have been more different from each other than she was from her hyperactive Major. As they neared she noticed that she was actually a couple inches shorter than one of them. If it had been anyone else but a Bishop, she would have been slightly more at ease. She wasn't above using intimidation and threats, but she doubted her usual tricks would work on them and her sister would probably rise from the grave and scold her for such inappropriate behavior.
The gunmetal blue eyes of the Lieutenant Colonel narrowed at the thought of her beloved elder sister. She couldn't even think about her without a stabbing pain erupting in her chest that threatened to bring her to her knees. A pain that she was sure would never go away, no matter how many years passed. "Hello, are you Ms. Dallas Liese?" A soft, kindly male voice asked breaking the Lieutenant Colonel out of her reverie. Habitually cold and aloof dark eyes snapped to observe the speaker. "Yes, I am she." The speaker was a reasonably tall male with reddish hair and unusual colored eyes, wearing glasses beneath his veil. The Bishop smiled, but beneath the kindness Dallas saw the uneasiness and the sympathy. "Where is my sister? I wish to see her, immediately." Dallas stated in a firm, yet polite tone as she passed over the extra slip of paper to the Bishop who first spoke to her. "Of course, please follow us." He motioned for her to follow after him and his companions after he studied the slip of paper.
"I'm Castor, and it's nice to meet you." He said politely and turned to watch her over his shoulder. Dallas nodded her head, as the shortest one turned to her with another sincere smile. "I'm Labrador," Dallas was struck speechless at the young Bishop's resemblance to a certain amethyst eyed man, but quickly got over her surprise and nodded her head again, still remaining quiet. The third and tallest Bishop, who was taller than even Dallas, cocked his head to the side with narrowed blue eyes and proceeded to study her. Apparently he was distrustful of her. It was no question as to why, but it no longer mattered to Dallas anymore. She was use to it by now. "Is there a problem Bishop?" She asked coldly after a few minutes, as her frosty gaze snapped to meet his. He held her gaze firmly for several long moments, as if he were trying to find something, before he scoffed and turned back around. "Frau," He said in an aggravated tone. As he turned his back to the Lieutenant Colonel, she noticed that he had spiky blonde hair and oddly enough had piercings on his right ear. She inhaled softly and hid a disgruntled look when she caught the scent of fresh cigarette smoke wafting off of his robes.
He was certainly a strange Bishop and not at all what she had expected. He was also so young, or looked that way at least as well as his two companions, but then again who was she to judge. Dallas didn't miss the dark, scolding looks his two fellow Bishops shot his when they thought she wasn't looking. Obviously they were not pleased with his discourteous behavior. To be frankly honest neither was Dallas, but she had been around so many people like him that by now it just rolled off of her like water off a ducks back. The three Bishops led Dallas farther and farther away from the Church a sinking feeling of dread began to encompass her entire body. The three Bishops stopped a few yards away from the headstones and Castor motioned to the one farthest to the right in the front. Dallas stopped walking and stared at the blank white headstone for several minutes, before she sucked in a deep breath and forced her legs to move forward.
'Aleara,' Dallas' eyes closed briefly as she stood in front of the headstone. 'Please forgive me for taking so long to come see you.' Slowly Dallas kneeled down to where she was face-to-face with the headstone. For a long while she just sat there staring at the cold rock, unmindful of the three silent Bishops behind her. "Al–" Dallas tried to voice her thoughts aloud, but her throat seemed to close up in an attempt to suffocate her. She couldn't speak. It was still too soon. It was all wrong. Her beloved sister was dead and never coming back. Only her body was beneath the earth, not her soul and only her empty corpse remained. Her sister was gone, lost to her forever. Dallas shot to her feet and abruptly marched away from the graveyard. The three Bishops didn't even try to stop her as she rushed past them, her frosty exterior back into place. When she got to the bottom of the hill, she stopped and gazed out at the Church her sister loved so much. 'I can't do what you want, Aleara. I'm not… you. I'm sorry.'
"I'm leaving her children in the Church's care. I'll send money to help pay for their things or whatever they may need in the future. If they ask, you can decide whether or not to tell them about me. I do not care either way." She said coldly, without turning back to look at the three men. Labrador gasped, half appalled at her callousness and half saddened. "You don't even want to see them?" He asked in surprise, his voice sad. "I can't. They're better off not knowing I exist and I need to return to my battalion. I train soldiers Bishop, killers. I have no time for children." She told him truthfully. Castor watched the woman's back stiffen as Labrador approached her and stopped in front of her. His lavender eyes shining with the sadness the Lieutenant Colonel refused to show. All three of them had been rather close to the kindly Widow before she passed away and wanted only the best for her children, even if that meant making peace with a member of the Military.
"Please, don't go yet." He asked softly. "She wanted you to know them and they you. She was proud of you. She always spoke so highly of you Ms. Liese, never a negative word against you despite your occupation and she defended you with a fierceness of which none have ever seen whenever someone spoke ill of you. Please, just stay a few days. You don't have to speak to them, or tell them who you are." Labrador pleaded, knowing that Aleara would want them to fight her stubborn little sister until she gave in. Dallas eyed him coolly for several minutes, before she reluctantly gave in with a nod of acceptance. Aleara would never forgive her if she didn't at least stay long enough to see them. "I'll stay for a couple of days to settle whatever debts and such my sister left in her wake, and then I'll be gone, for good." Dallas told the relieved Bishop stonily, before she brushed past him and headed back to the Church and away from the quiet, haunting graveyard and the Bishops.
"She's so broken inside, so confused, and lost." Labrador whispered, as the two other's came to stand beside him. Castor nodded his head. "Yes, I believe you are right." He sighed sadly and watched as the white cloaked woman stalked away, anger and reproach wafting off of her like smoke. It was just a ruse to hide her sadness and pain though. "She's just as Aleara described, right down to the last minute detail." He finished and Frau just grunted noncommittally. Out of the three he was the least pleased with the woman's presence in the church, which was completely understandable to the others, but a promise was a promise. This one promise, though, would be the most difficult to keep.