Child of Mara

Wonder

"It's alright, Mar. Come on, let's go get you some more to eat." Tae jumps up and takes Mar's arm, pulling them out of the chapel. Bishop Celesta watches them leave with a distant look in her eyes.

Mar screws up their mouth but lets Tae drag them back to the cellar. They watch silently as Tae puts back on his already ruined robes and finishes butchering the goat. They say nothing when Tae puts the liver on a plate and hands it to them.

Tae carefully piles the meat slabs over layers of pine branches and then cleans himself up. Mar picks at the liver, but after a bite eats it quickly with a grateful hum of delight.

"There you go. See, you were just hungry. Cheer up."

Mar runs a finger along the edge of the plate. "Maybe. I really thought he'd answer."

Tae sighs and sits next to Mar. "Lots of people have spent their whole lives trying to hear gods. Let's just worry about us right now, okay? Try to get through a few weeks safely?"

"Okay."

Mar looks down at their feet, swinging them with staggered thumps against the chair until a shrill voice cries from the stairs, "You! You don't belong here!"

Both the cellar's occupants jump as a old woman, white hair wisping out from under her orange hood, wobbles down the stairs, gnarled finger pointed at Mar. "You!"

Tae takes a few steps, placing himself between the elderly nun and Mar, who peeks around him curious. "Sorry, ma'am. We're just finishing up a job for the bishop, we'll be out of your way in a minute."

The old lady bats Tae's arm. "Not you—you don't matter. That one!"

Mar strains to see around Tae who adamantly continues to block the nun's attempts to get past. The lady's cries get more agitated. "I know what I felt! Don't belong!"

"Sister Dahlia!" Another voice comes from upstairs, its owner quickly gliding down, her robes hitched up. Mar jumps off the chair and side-steps Tae to get a better look at this new face.

It's a very pretty face. Smooth tan skin flushes with red on the cheeks as she anxiously takes the elder nun's arm. Her pink lips droop into a frown and blue eyes look up at Tae apologetically through her thick lashes. "I'm so sorry, she just got away from me. She was taking a nap one second and the next she was gone. Sister Dahlia, you know you shouldn't be down here, the stairs are terribly uneven."

The old lady fixes her pale eyes on her fellow nun. "I can handle the stairs, Rose."

"Say that to your crooked hip," Rose chastises. "Come on, why don't we go to the garden, it's a lovely day."

"Is the rhubarb ready?"

"We can certainly check."

That seems to be good enough for Sister Dahlia and she allows herself to be steered around. When they disappear, Mar remarks, "She was old. Older than Yung."

"What? Oh, oh yeah she was," Tae agrees distractedly. "Er, let's go back to the room, Mar. Best we let things settle."

Mar takes Tae's hand and together they head back towards their rooms. Before they can arrive, they are waylaid by yet another nun. This one is waiting outside their door with a forlorn face that sizes them up quickly.

"I'm Sister Medaya. Thanks for taking care of the goat. I put a pie in your room. If you're up for it, there's cleanin' in need of doin'."

She steps aside and Tae bows, opening the door to shove Mar inside. "Oh, thank you. I'm happy to help."

The sister nods solemnly as Tae shuts the door. Mar pokes at the golden pastry on the bedside table, finger penetrating the crust.

"Hey, that one's mine, Mar, get your finger out." Tae moves quickly, rescuing the pie from Mar's curiosity.

"It smells funny."

"Probably onions. Stars, I'm starving."

Tae digs in and Mar watches for a moment, before getting bored and wandering over to the window. Outside, Sister Dahlia is gnawing on a purple-green stalk while Sister Rose combs her hair. Mar reaches down and pokes one of the blue flowers creeping around the window. It bends and bounces back, so Mar pulls at it until the head snaps off leaving the blue star-burst on the palm of their hand.

It's been a long time since Mar saw a flower that wasn't pressed. The little blue thing much different from Mar's vague memories of huge vibrant pink and orange ones bursting from amidst rich green foliage. Mar wonders what its name is, it surely has one. The more Mar stares at it, the more they can almost make out a face too.

"What are you looking at?" Tae asks, peering over Mar's shoulder.

"Phlox," Mar answers automatically, the name whispered from the open window.

"Pretty. How are you feeling? Do you want to go lay down or help with some chores?"

Chores. That's what Tae would do for Yung while Mar was reading or answering questions. Mar's never done them before so they say, "I want to try chores."

"Let's hope that's not a phase," Tae mutters before opening the door and saying more loudly, "Sister Medaya, you around?"

"Oh, she's off in the garden again, Tae," Sister Helenis answers, her arms wrapped around a large basket.

"We were wondering if there was something we could help with," Tae explains and Helenis lights up.

"Aren't you the sweetest man! Let's see, we haven't gotten around to sweeping the halls yet. The winds blow so much dust in each night, no matter how tightly we shut the doors."

Tae gives a bow. "Show me a broom and a way, and it'll be taken care of."

"That room right there has some cleaning supplies in it."

Mar skips over to the door in question and opens it peering at the sticks and cloths. Tae reaches over and grabs two brooms, handing one to Mar. "Here you go, Mar."

Tae starts expertly piling dust. Even though it takes a few rough attempts to get the hang of it, Mar helps out. While they sweep, Mar asks, "Why do all the sister wear the same clothes?"

"It's probably like a uniform, lets people know they do the same thing."

"Like what? What do sisters do?"

"They're not like related sisters, Mar. And I don't really know what nuns do besides pray and apparently rescue people from mountains."

"And make pies."

"Yes, that too. Garden, cook, and pray. Not a bad life."

Tae starts to hum and Mar lets their mind wander. They wonder why Primus didn't answer, why they heard Phlox's name, and they wonder why Tae doesn't seem to have nearly as many questions.