The Nun and King

Chapter 5

After finding a few shovels leaning against a small shed near the silo, we quickly begin digging thirteen graves—nine for monks and four for nuns, including Gloria.

"So what's the plan?" Warren asks me, tossing dirt to the right in the growing pile.

Gripping the wooden handle, I shove the metal end of the shovel into the ground before doing the same. "They might have to come with us to camp," I tell him after going over all options in my head.

Warren and a few others nearest to us pause, giving me confused looks. "A war encampment is no place for outsiders, Thomas. Much less a group of religious folk or even women for that matter."

Sighing, I take a take a break snd look back to where the small group of women rest under the shade, eating our leftovers of the previous hunt. There's seven in all—not counting the priest. "I know this, but what choice do we have? We can't drop them off at an ole town we come across, and even if we could the only one we'll come across is Trodden and that's no place for a woman," I explain. "The nearest abbey is a months ride away and that's time we cannot afford. We've already been gone long enough as is, the other men need us back."

Warren and a few others share a look before he gives me a nod. "Alright," he says. "So we just have them as guests until the war is over and then.....?"

I wait a few moments to respond as I try to go over the possibilities. If all goes to plan and we come out victorious, perhaps I could send them with a caravan to ensure safe travels while the others return to Paevia?

"If they agree to that yes. We aren't holding them as prisoners, they are free to leave whenever they'd like," I say with a shrug, "But something tells me that they aren't in a rush to be on their own any time soon. There's no telling what atrocities they had to face," I say, and the image of Clair gripping her waist comes to mind while other women seemed terrified of us as they exited the pantry.

We work in silence until the graves are completed before lowering the bodies into the earth. We then call the priest and nuns over to offer any respects before we move on.

They come somberly—rightfully so—and a few allow silent tears to slide down their cheeks, including Clair. When the reach the edge of the graves, they make a motion with their right hands that I've seen only a few times, touching first their forehead to chest, then each shoulder.

Their priest, Father Anthony, clears his throat. "We stand here in the presence of God as we lay to rest our brothers and sisters in Christ. Because of the sins of others—their greed, lust, and violence—we must put them into the Earth to revert back to the dust of which Adam was formed," he begins.

He only speaks for a while, stating that life and death are both in their God's hands and that he is certain that they will see their departed friends again in the after life as their God had promised such in a holy book before turning to us and explaining that we too could gain the same salvation if we repent of our sims and ask their God to be ours as well.

"You inherited your sin nature for our forefathers and it must be wiped clean in forced to gain entrance into Heaven," Father Anthony says, his eyes landing on my own.

I'll admit I'm curious about his words and this place he spoke about, but the sun will soon set and time is of the essence.

"As much as I am intrigued about learning more of your beliefs, we need to move out and make camp while we still have daylight, Father," I say, adding the last part out of respect.

He frowns but gives a nod and we finish the funeral by covering the bodies with dirt, not having enough time to make proper grave markers.

The women whisper silent words and now their head one final time.