03-31-2023, 12:06 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-01-2023, 01:24 AM by Patricus I.)
He was looking at Armande when one of the women spoke first.
He’d bore witness to enough of their encounters to discern the trio, unnatural whatever-they were. He withheld his judgement, though, firmly believing no sin was worse than another. He’d no sooner judge someone fibbing on their resume as he would polyamorous, out of wedlock relationships. Both sins would send a person to hell outside resolution. Outside the church. Outside of him.
Rowan’s truth was no less true because she spoke it though.
“Of course you need me.” That they didn’t recognize that sooner was more irritating than a mountain of sins laid at his feet. He had a billion souls to lead and a kingdom to manage. He came as quickly as possible.
But even Philip was eager to acquire the other keys. He’d told Nimeda as much.
His gaze shifted to the box on the table. It was a beautiful wood, once holding a cross that belonged to Pope Gregory VII, a pope from over 1000 years ago. He was one of the most significant popes of the medieval period, known for his role in the Investiture Controversy, a power struggle between the papacy and the Holy Roman Emperor over the appointment of bishops and other church officials. He also sought to reform the Church, particularly in the area of clerical celibacy.
At the Vatican, Patricus ordered the curators to move the relic and give him the box.
It now held something far more precious.
He rose and moved to it. The white cassock fell silently and smoothly around his ankles. Blood red Louboutins peeking as he moved.
There, he lifted the lid, swinging it on well-oiled hinges and reverently lifted the key from within. He held the precious object for a moment then turned back to them.
“You need cunning to find the others,” he smirked.
He’d bore witness to enough of their encounters to discern the trio, unnatural whatever-they were. He withheld his judgement, though, firmly believing no sin was worse than another. He’d no sooner judge someone fibbing on their resume as he would polyamorous, out of wedlock relationships. Both sins would send a person to hell outside resolution. Outside the church. Outside of him.
Rowan’s truth was no less true because she spoke it though.
“Of course you need me.” That they didn’t recognize that sooner was more irritating than a mountain of sins laid at his feet. He had a billion souls to lead and a kingdom to manage. He came as quickly as possible.
But even Philip was eager to acquire the other keys. He’d told Nimeda as much.
His gaze shifted to the box on the table. It was a beautiful wood, once holding a cross that belonged to Pope Gregory VII, a pope from over 1000 years ago. He was one of the most significant popes of the medieval period, known for his role in the Investiture Controversy, a power struggle between the papacy and the Holy Roman Emperor over the appointment of bishops and other church officials. He also sought to reform the Church, particularly in the area of clerical celibacy.
At the Vatican, Patricus ordered the curators to move the relic and give him the box.
It now held something far more precious.
He rose and moved to it. The white cassock fell silently and smoothly around his ankles. Blood red Louboutins peeking as he moved.
There, he lifted the lid, swinging it on well-oiled hinges and reverently lifted the key from within. He held the precious object for a moment then turned back to them.
“You need cunning to find the others,” he smirked.
![[Image: hiclipart.com_-e1597513863757.png]](http://thefirstage.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/hiclipart.com_-e1597513863757.png)