“No.” Orn repeated, his voice eerily echoing from everywhere at once, “You did not see her standing before you. You do not know her name. You are not worthy to stand in the place where she appeared.”

Olrich bowed deeply, and backed towards the door “yes… Yes, of course. I will carry the word to the head temple. They will find her …”

“Not researchers. You.” Orn instantly shot the idea down, “You were blind to her presence, and do not know her name. You will search alone.” Orn felt lightheaded as he closed on the fat priest.

Olrich stopped sliding backwards and gulped, “I am not a scholar. I preach the honeyed...”

“You stood within an arm’s reach of the goddess but did not see her. Then you dared suggest her servant bow in the temple of another goddess. You have transgressed. You must do penance.” Orn was laying it on a bit thick, but he felt if he let up Olrich might realize he was being bullied by a child less than half his height.

“Of course.” Olrich said bowing again, “I will prepare to head out tomorrow.”

Orn closed the rest of the distance to the retreating priest. “No! You will go NOW.”

Olrich looked confused. “But it will take time to gather supplies. Surely the goddess would not mind. At least get a couple days …”

Orn pointed at the bowing priest. “You are not worthy to remain in the place she made herself known. I will have no more excuses; you will leave now or face her wrath. “

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As if physically struck, Olrich staggered back before fleeing the room. The heavy footsteps in the hall made it clear he was running as soon as he left their sight. Orn imagined Olrich running for all he was worth and tried not to laugh. The sound a of a now familiar laugh, unheard by the rest of the room, told him he was not the only one who found it amusing.

Turning his attention away from the open doorway, he saw his parents and Olivia staring at him. Olivia was the first to recover and bowed slightly. Stepping quickly out the door her voice drifted from the hallway. “I will see Olrich out.” Orn felt the tension leaving the room when he heard the laughter in her voice.

As the door closed behind Olivia, Orn felt the anger disappear and with it his strength. Suddenly exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him, he made it back to his chair and collapsed into it.

His father recovered next, blinking slowly. “A goddess was in our house?”

It took Orn some time to calm his parents down. Yes, she was. No, the house does not need to be a temple. No, the goddess did not care that they did not know her name.

“Olrich has to do penance, and was threatened with her wrath?” His father asked trying to understand what the priest had done.

“Olrich was trying to sneak back in the chapel. He would have tried to take control of the shrine. So, I … encouraged him to be somewhere else. “

“You mean you did that without her approval?” his mother’s concern was clearly written on her face.

“No,” Orn smiled thinking about the laughter he heard, “she completely supported what I did.”

His parents looked at each other and sighed.

Orn stifled a yawn. Why am I so tired?

“Are you feeling well Orn?” His father asked watching him closely.

“Yes, I am just,” he yawned again, “ tired.” He cleared his throat and rubbed at his eyes.

“A lot has happened today. Go take a nap and we can talk when you wake up.” His mother said standing and kissing him on the head.

His parents walked with him back to his room. They walked next to him for fear he should stumble. On the way, he kept stealing quick glances at his parents. When his father noticed he smiled and winked. In contrast, his mother looked quickly away as if embarrassed that she was caught staring at him.