Nina's Discipline

Words at Evening Mass

Words at Evening Mass

"Do you see anything?" Nina asked, her voice quiet as though there was anyone who could hear them beyond the confines of the dingy.

Addie, spyglass to her eye, hummed thoughtfully as she looked past the single tree that was blocking the other's view of Isaie which lay just beyond. "I see an ugly town, an ugly sacellum, and a whole lot of ugly brown robes. No offense, Gael. It's slightly less hideous on you."

"You do flatter," Gael grinned at her, unconcerned.

"I see a lot of airships, but I'm not seeing any warships. With South Gate closed off, there's no reason to gather soldiers here any longer."

"Do you see the Tilde or don't you?" Nina asked, annoyed.

"I'm telling you no, aren't I? I don't see anything. Though, that doesn't mean too much. I can't see the entire city, and the Sacellum is huge. It looks as big as this tree. Bigger, maybe. Like it could be a city all on its own right. I can't see beyond it. So, there's still a chance that the Tilde has landed somewhere, but I can't see it immediately."

"Can we blend in with the other airships?"

"Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem. We'll have to lower our altitude a bit. It looks like small boats like ours are expected to fly relatively closer to the ground. There's a pier about ten to fifteen degrees that direction. If we fly that way, we should be able to land without issue."

"All right. Gael, are you ready?" Nina looked to their priest friend.

Gael grinned, tipping his fingers to his head. "I am more than prepared."

Isaie, according to Addie's information, was a highly religious city where only religious people and, sometimes, their families lived. Others would visit, of course, but it was a place for people like Gael who had devoted themselves to the Lord. Therefore, he would need to be the one 'leading' them around the city.

They didn't need to stay long. Only long enough to refuel. They had enough supplies, and they had the money to buy the fuel. It shouldn't take longer than a few hours. Land, refuel, then take off again and race towards South Gate with all speed.

With any luck, in only a few days' time, they would be back in Vasconia. Gascony would be a memory for all of them, save Addie who would be returning to her task of gathering information and trying to win battles before they ever started.

"All right. Erec?" Nina turned back to where the prince was waiting at the wheel.

Addie informed them that, while it wasn't illegal for women to pilot airships, it was something that men were expected to do. In the Holy City of Isaie, where the old doctrine was at its most sacred and the roles of men and women were even more strictly enforced, it was better that they simply allow Erec to fly and avoid suspicion.

Nina sat back down beside Manon, Addie beside Gael, stowing away her spyglass, as Erec pushed the thrusters on the engine and began slowly moving them from around the tree, lowering their altitude as he moved so that they could blend in more rapidly.

Isaie had been built just beyond the edge of the Red Monolith Forest. There had to be some kind of difference in the land where the trees ended and began, because they formed a nearly perfect line where growth simply stopped. The monolith trees became short, dry appearing shrubs and grasses that, honestly, reminded Nina of the grasses in the Great Plains back home.

"Where did all the trees go?" Manon frowned backwards.

But Nina looked forwards, towards the city.

Addie hadn't exaggerated the size of the Sacellum. For a long moment, Nina thought it had to be some kind of oddly shaped mountain. Smooth and rounded like an egg, it appeared more similar to a beehive than a human made building. The dark stone was worn smooth through untold years of weathering the elements. What set it apart from being an organized rock pile were the large windows that were as tall as a grown man going around the building in a long spiral.