Packing for the new world journey for Marie was very different from Katherine's. She had no family to meet. They had all died and that prompted her adoption by Father Gabriel, whom she still missed and loved.
"Father," Marie spoke, looking up to the ceiling of what had been her room in the Vatican, "please watch over me and guide me. Protect those who go with me."
As she finished her prayer, she packed the last item she would need for the journey, her godfather's raven mask and outfit. It might hide her identity for at least part of the battle with the witches, although somehow she doubted that. She had the sinking fear that the witches already knew they were coming... she hoped that fear was at least partially wrong.
But even if she was right, there was nothing she could do about it. Draco had gotten her the official mission, allowing the covert mission to defeat the witches had gone ahead. Katherine had proved that she could train to a point that she could defend herself in the name of her friendship with Marie. Vatican had volunteered because of his vow to defend Marie. Everything they had had been set in motion and could not be stopped.
That left the major concern in mind over her past. Before the present mission, she had not heard from Draco, Lobo, or Gillian since they had parted ways when Father Gabriel had had to reveal her gender to the Council. And Draco in the final preparations for their present mission had mentioned hat he had searched for Maurice, but all records of "him" vanished. Of course that was to be expected. Maurice never truly existed. That was the identity she had assumed while pretending to be male. Once her real gender began to become obvious, Father Gabriel took her before the Council and she was transferred to the abbey within the Vatican. She never left any trail that might say what happened to "Maurice", which appeared to leave Draco somewhat disheartened.
"He misses me," Marie thought a she looked back over the rather Spartan looking room, even more so then most other nuns or priests, "or rather he misses my "male" disguise. He was truly a better friend to me then I was to him... and yet he is looking for the identity I hid under..."
She sighed heavily and turned to the door.
"I do not deserve such friendship," Marie silently worried, "he could be very angry that he had earlier befriended a girl all along... but I must tell him... What is coming will be akin to a war, and I can not hide my past from him. Not anymore."
She then began to approach the door, preparing for what would likely be the last time she would be in Rome. And then a thought that hurt her heart came to her.
"If I do not deserve Draco's friendship for my lies, do I truly deserve Katerine's friendship? Do my sins mean that she is too good to be my friend?" Marie nervously wondered to herself.
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"She doubted Katherine's friendship after everything?" Maddex found himself gasping.
"No, she doubted she was worthy of Katherine's friendship," Marie explained, "that her past made her someone that Katherine would be drug down by."
"I do no think that Katherine was one to mind," Alice commented,"Her friendship seems unconditional to me."
"For Kathrine it was," Marie nodded, "but much like your friend Trevor, Marie felt she had much to atone for and that the battle with the witches would be her chance for it..."
"Trevor's dead," Samantha said weakly, remembering a Leoman boy who commonly played with her half-brothers."
"No, he's alive," Abbey told her as she moved to hug her sister, "he was with he Pride when Alice and I took them and the Pack to Big Bad Island."
"He's alive?" Samantha asked, smiling.
"Yes," Alice and Abbey said together.
"YAY!" Samantha gave a cheer and hugged her sisters.
"Ahem," Marie spoke to calm down her fellow glass wolves and return things back on track.
"Sorry," came the near triplicate reply.
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Still worried about her own sins, Marie slowly left her room for likely the last time, and came into the hallway that she had walked down so many times. Her intention was to meet with Katherine and take her to Draco so the two could be formally introduced at the main gates to the Vatican. She would then double back to let Vatican now that it was time to go, and the route they were taking, and then they would begin their departure for ultimately, the new world.
Part of her plans were halted when she heard voices coming from the area around Katherine's door. That put her back in a deep sense of focus. She had to sell that she and Katherine were on a missionary mission, not a secret mission to kill a coven of insane witches.
As she rounded a corner, she found Katherine speaking with a group of Felmans. Two red, one pink, one dark blue and what looked like four Felmen kittens. She slowly made her way forward.
"Sister Katherine? Are you ready?" she spoke in as polite a voice as she could muster.
The Felmen she knew turned her head and then spoke in a very excited voice to her.
"Marie!" Katherine smiled, "Yes, I'm ready, but I have some people for you to meet! My family has come to see us off! These are my sisters, Mary and Rachael! Their husbands Martin and Dillon, and these are Mary and Martin's children, Joshua, Bradly, Adam, and little Josephine."
Marie carefully digested the names given to her by Katherine. Before she could say anything Katherine continued.
"Everyone, this is Sister Marie Cruz, she's my best friend and we'll be going together to bring the Puritans back into the church," Katherine spoke as she gestured to to Marie.
"A pleasure to meet you, Sister Cruz," Rachael said politely.
"We wish you the best of luck in convincing the Puritans to convert," Mary said politely.
"Thank you," Marie answered, guessing that Katherine did remember their cover, "are you ready to go, Katherine? Father Draco expects us shortly."
"Yes, I'm ready," Katherine nodded.
"It was nice of you to visit my friend," Marie spoke to Mary and Rachael, "You have no idea how much this means to her."
"I'm sure we do," Mary answered calmly, "it has been ages since we've seen each other. There was great excitement when we learned of Marie's letter."
"I see."
"She's missing an eye!" Joshua pointed.
"JOSHUA! That is mean," Mary scolded, "Forgive my son, Sister Cruz, he knows not what he does."
"It is alright," Marie gave a weak smile, "I was the victim of an accident that I'd rather not go into much detail on, but I assure you I'm fine... and even if not, I have Katherine to look out for me."
"All the same, Joshua should know better the to draw attention to such things when they aren't his business," Martin spoke, "suppose he'd insulted you?"
"Then I would turn the other cheek," Marie answered, "but no insult was delivered, and he is still young. Children, regardless of species will always surprise you."
"True," Mary nodded.
"Katherine has told us you will be traveling overland to Calais, France before you sail to the new world," Rachael commented.
"Yes, and we are on a fairly tight schedule," Marie nodded.
"Our families live around Calais," Dillon commented, "Perhaps we might be able to help..."
"I'm afraid we do not have the funds to pay for more volunteers to help with the missionary effort," Marie told him, "I'm sorry."
"No, I think you misunderstand me," Dillon answered, wondering how a human woman knew anything about finance, "Rachael is pregnant with my first child and Mary and Martin have more then enough to look after already... but through some connections that Rachael and I have, both in France and England, we might be able to arrange transport for you to the New World, probably for cheaper then what it would be otherwise."
"You're willing to help us get there?" Marie asked.
"Yes," Rachael nodded, "You'll get there fast, but also safely... which is our chief concern for Katherine. The new world is a very log way away."
"We'll look after each other," Marie told her, "it's what friends do."
Rachael and Dillon both nodded.
"It'd still be best if you let us help arrange your transport once we get to Calais," Rachael told her.
"I do not mind, necessarily," Marie answered, "but you will need to take up all financial matters with Father Draco."
She felt silently thankful for Katherine's family coming to see them off. If Rachael and Dillon's connections helped them get to the new world sooner, their contribution would be immeasurable, even if they didn't go with them.