Sister Josephine of the Order Lunas was late, flustered, and out of breath by the time she reached the Abbess’ antechamber. The Discipline, rule ninety-six, specified that “a Sister shall respond to any assignment with prompt compliance.” But seven years in the stacks of the chapter archives had not prepared her to pack a travel bag on twenty minutes’ notice, nor to climb what seemed like a thousand steps carrying said bag.
The antechamber was panelled in the formal Chapterhouse style, life-size images of Saints and mothers alternating with silver-framed mirrors around the walls. The Sister paused at her own reflection. Waves of dark hair pulled back from a too-round face, caramel skin flushed from the climb, and dark eyes looked back at her with worry. She regarded her pale robes and their new blue novice piping with some pride, tugging and smoothing them to lay properly. A glance at the nearest painting of a cowled Eminent Mother, towering and severe and pale, brought back her anxiety. I know every woman is the image of the Miracle, she thought. But why do they always show the holy ones as scary and tall?
Her discomfort was hardly lessened as the double doors swung open silently and she was ushered into the presence of the Abbess herself.
The Abbess Marguerite seemed indeed to have been cast in the Miracle’s image. Robed and cowled, she stood before massive windows at the far end of the study, her height and spare figure apparent even as Josephine walked the twenty paces to stand before her. Backlit by the blue glow of the Miracle’s Veil against the night stars, the older woman turned from her panorama above the Chapterhouse grounds to fix equally blue eyes on the young Sister. Power flowed and swirled around her so strongly that Sixt felt it as a prickling breeze. For a moment it seemed the Miracle herself looked right through the younger woman and found her wanting.
Josephine bowed deeply, suddenly unable to voice a greeting to such a senior figure. Should I speak to her first? Mothers help me, is it Your Grace or Your Holiness?
The abbess cleared her throat, and produced from beneath her robes an oh-so-familiar sheaf of papers bound in copper ribbon. “Blessed night to you, Sister.”
“…Every sunset is precious,” replied Josephine faintly. The ritual response was automatic, but her eyes were fixated on the papers. Why does the Abbess have my monograph? It’s not even reviewed by the Academy yet!
“I’ve had the opportunity to review your…innn-teresting…research work, my daughter.” The older woman’s voice was precise and measured, the pauses clearly intentional. “You have collated an impressive amount of information, regarding our fabled Eastern Chapterhouse. And drawn some…re-mark-able…conclusions. One almost imagines it a setting for a romance, or an adventure.”
Josephine’s head swirled with a thousand questions. Who would give the Abbess my paper? Why would she care about the history of the Eastern Chapterhouse? Am I to be expelled? She drew a deep breath and sent a brief prayer to the Moon and Mothers.
“Begging your Holiness’ pardon, Abbess. It was indeed an elective topic. When I noticed that Sister Renee’s treatise from 945 had complementary details to the Archive’s records, and those were supported by last year’s Guard reports from captured Khandar scouts — it seems possible the eastern branch of the Lineage records are still intact even today! Would that not be, just…” she trailed off uncertainly. “Um, significant somehow?”
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The Abbess sighed, and her demeanor seemed to relax ever so slightly. “Significant, yes, child. Perhaps more than you know.
“But the introduction of new information is a delicate and precious task. The Discipline requires many things of us, but most of all it requires clarity of purpose. And just now, there are many competing purposes at play around the order.
“I shan’t burden you with the details. I am sorry to inform you, however, that the publication of this research would be most…innn-appropriate at this time.” She turned and placed the papers on a nearby table with a terrible finality.
I spent six months on that research! Josephine wailed internally. Now I have to start over? Lose my precedence? What will I tell the other Sisters? She kept her head bowed, but beneath the robe her nails dug into the palms of her hands.
Her Holiness turned back. “The Miracle guides us in mysterious ways, my child. She has brought you to my attention at precisely the right moment. I have another task for you. Come forward, Sister Katja!”
Josephine started as another figure emerged from the shadows by the window. Even taller than the Abbess and far more substantial, her imposing frame was topped by a stern but youthful face, close-cropped golden hair, severe cheekbones and pale golden eyes. Josephine realized with a shock that this Sister’s robes were grey trimmed in double yellow, and she carried a slender wooden staff topped with a small brass globe even in the presence of the Abbess. An obedientary of Order Solas, and a Protectress to boot? Saints and martyrs, what is going on?
And then: Wait, how long has she been standing there?
“Katja, you are to accompany Sister Josephine as chaperone and Protectress. Aid her in both Discipline and purpose, to the best of your abilities. She will most certainly need your help.” This last aside said with something very much like amusement.
The Abbess retrieved two large sealed envelopes and handed one to Josephine. “You are to visit Rectress Therese, the chapter quartermistress, for supplies. Be there before four bells tonight. Once you’ve reached the engine house, you are to open these instructions.”
She turned to Katja. “Protectress, you are to hold the second envelope until you arrive at your destination. Then you and Josephine are to open it together.”
Next she procured a flat, oblong box and passed this to Josephine as well. It was surprisingly heavy. “Open this once you are safely on your way.”
The Abbess locked eyes with each of them in turn.
“This task is for you alone, and is of tremendous…significance…to the order. Clarity of purpose, Sisters. Trust in yourselves and in the Miracle, and keep to the Discipline as best you can. And do not deviate from these instructions! Are we clear?”
Josephine made the obeisance and bowed deeply, tremendously confused. “Perfectly clear, your Gra- I mean Holiness! But I beg your pardon once more. I am to leave the cloister? Out into the world? Wh-where are we going?”
Unexpectedly, the Abbess smiled.
“Why, to the Eastern Chapterhouse, daughter. Across the continent by train, and then across the new bridge the Guildsmen are so thoughtfully building for us. I task you to bring back the lineage records lost this last century, and enable us to rejoin the bloodlines once again.”
The Abbess indicated with a gesture that Katja was dismissed. Then she drew closer and held Josephine’s gaze with her own. “Leaving the cloister will be quite a change for you, daughter. You have not had dealings with men before?”
“I have not, Holiness.”
“Many of them will not have encountered a Lunas sister either. You may rely on Sister Katja, of course. But do not forget — as a woman and a member of the order, you stand above any man you encounter, no matter their rank. I would counsel you not to permit them any liberties or familiarity. They are bound to your service, not the other way around.“
“Yes, Holiness.”
Evidently satisfied, the Abbess turned away with a dismissive gesture.
“Now go! Future generations must not be left waiting while we delay.”