As Ever Like the Sun & Moon at War

6- ☾

Whilst our Pariah leaves the ship to stalk

the streets by Luna's light in search of men

her shine upon his blade doth deem unfit

to bear the gift of life the Mother gave

to them—for their abuse hath render'd them

unsuitable possessing such a boon—

the Author and her Scholar peers discuss

a matter of their own that's now at hand

within a room in th'inn wherein they stay

tonight; and given that discussion here                10

is more important than a single night

of documenting miss'd, they're all requir'd

to gather for this meeting, leaving our

Pariah by himself at least tonight

to brood about the mark upon his palm.

And hopefully for just this single night

and not some many more, for as it stands

uncertainty's arisen in their crew

now seated round the hearth within the room

on bed and chairs and carpet (most of them).                20

"I think it best to put this motion forth,"

a wider, shorter Scholar starts to say,

"that we return toward our nunnery

across the Spine to show the Oracle

the manuscripts on which we all have work'd

for night and day detailing Pilgrim's life

these couple months departed from our home,

for now he's made a bargain with a crew

to ferry him on an exclusive ship

which none of us would ever be allow'd                30

to follow him aboard, nor should we, as

I'd think it'd be impossible to keep

a proper distance, thus objective stance

of observation from our subject so

our writing would remain without the taint

of self-insertion—th'amateur's device."

A many nods do follow after this

except from Author, standing from her seat

upon the floor of rough and solid wood

and saying unto them frustratedly:                40

"Abandonment is not the course to take!

The Oracle requested that we write

the life of th'hero, whom she did foresee

would mark the planet with benevolence.

Our job's to document this rise to fame

for future generations to behold,

and I intend to keep my word to her,