1689
It was just before the Ides of May when Marie had enough of her friends and teammate
hiding out in the woods like criminals having to rely on kindness of the savages at arm's
length like beggars, they had money, it was best to spend it.
Marie Cruz wasn't sure how much she trusted the savages, but they have proven
themselves better and had seen and embraced the Lord's way, even if it was the Puritan's
incomplete version. And they showed no open sign of hostility when Marie and Linus had
visited. And Marie's sixth sense gave her no implication that Joseph Running Bear would
betray them to his adopted daughters. And so far the old man had proven nothing but
helpful.
It did make Marie uneasy however as some of the adult savages who had been children at
the same time as the witches saying how generous and kind hearted the little witchlings
were and clearly thus were NOT the cause of the wandering demons disease that afflicted
the town of Glendale and those who said differently clearly were just scared of those
different from themselves.
All the same, with herself in front with her sixth sense and Linus in the rear with his
repaired musket (Marie felt no fear if him shooting her in the pack either in character or
practically, wouldn't be the first time she dodged a shot before it was fired). Kathrine
moving on her crutch looking like some armadillo almost rather than felman where her fur
hadn't grown back yet (and the parts that had been burned were growing unevenly and
sporadically).
The savages had never seen a dragon, a gargoyle, or a felman before, and got more than a
few stares and one or two words words about a 'demon' and 'earth spirit' but since
Kathrine was wearing her nun attire as was Marie this balanced things out of the most part.
At least Kathrine's tail no longer looked like a rat's.
Vatican moved carefully least the damage to himself increased. Kathrine still moved with
the crutch and Marie's help but at least now no longer had the dizzy spells. Draco... he had
almost to be carried due to his delicate wings.
SHE DID start when someone has her for a blessing. Marie pulled the information from her
brain and performed the simple ceremony.
'I've taken my vows. I've lived by them. I have accepted my marriage to God. But I've never
felt truly like a sister... have I not taken THIS part of my life seriously?" Was her being a
nun as much as a shameful lie as when she had pretended to be a boy?
Joseph Running Bear accepted the group in, his own sixth sense telling him why Marie had
hesitated until now to accept his offer of hospitality.
Marie in the praying town tried to buy out traveling merchants, and try to convince them
there was nothing to sell in Glendale... it worked somethings, and thus didn't work every
time. And a new child familiar or loyal leoman warrior for the Witch Pride, or human work
hand of nanny was added to the Witch's growing homestead, and the merchant's material
being added to the pile.
Marie considered staging a few robbers and raids to create the illusions of bandits in the
area, but that might attract attention she didn't want if the witches convinced authorities
Marie was a child killer.
"Are you going to change your name to House?" Marie asked Vatican.
"This is not our new home... so this is not where I shall change my name."
Kathrine and Draco were given strict instructions NOT to move about and simply allow
themselves to heal. Draco of course, being a missionary, did what God expected of him
order or not and explained that Catholics asked The Virgin Mary to pray FOR them, Catholic
did not pray TO her! And the Messiah on the cross was not a worship of objects but a
reminder of the Messiah's sacrifice.
Mal'akh meanwhile, dared the impossible, and visited the witch's house. She dared navigate
the maze of thorns, scraping herself more than once since she was not a child familiar or
Joella or part of the Witch's pride. She saw the Witch Pride leoman and who saw her
carrying around long metal logs for whatever nonsense reason the witches wanted them to.
She also found children acting like it was forever playtime, drawings on the ground and
floor, more toys than she could count, the brightly colored flowers that had infested
Glendale grew in even larger numbers here. And then there was the dance... if Mal'Akh
didn't remember these were the woman who had turned her sister insane in the first place
then she might have joined in it was so beautiful. But she did remember, and did resist.
She saw her sister, still with that same half-interested half-disinterested look in
everything, that same almost oddly feral expression, but her body moved like a ballerina
dancer in balane with the others.
Mal'Akh took her and shook her, "Sis! Can you hear me-?!"
And that same look. And one dark haired human girl who had been watching the dance but
not taking part in the dance saw her and started to skip over. It was the girl who had been
handing out the candy that had driven everyone mad!
Mal'Akhn let go of her sister and ran.
"You're..." Joella stared in shock and dismay as the new arrival fled, "You're welcome to
visiit.... any time you want." Joella said disheartened to the dust trail the Leoman cub had
left in her wake.