Lou stared at his back in the mirror, and felt a nauseated flush overcome him.

His mark had grown significantly more detailed compared to the last time he had looked at it.

How many abilities had he unlocked again…?

Let’s see, there was the gift of healing myself, the gift of strength, rallying the troops… It looks like I’ve unlocked more. I need to check the old texts and see how many and which ones I’ve found… That one looks like the indomitable presence sign. When would I have–

In his mind’s eye, Lou’s vision flashed back to Naomi and Kylise Hillier when he had shouted at them.

I’d forgotten about the glowing back then…

Closing his eyes wearily, Lou tried to brace himself for his day of studying what the new markings on his back to be, when the sound of voices from his kitchen drifted up to him.

He frowned against his pounding headache.

Having woken up in his bed the morning following his tavern skirmish, he had simply assumed that he’d gotten home safely despite not being able to remember the details of it.

Quickly slipping a loose shirt on, Lou padded over to the stairs and made his way down to his main floor.

There, he found none other than Alfred Bishop and Benny, sitting with two cups of steaming tea between them, both munching on apples.

The private from the night before was the first to notice the monk’s arrival.

“Good morning, Brother Lou!”

Benny turned around, his right cheek stuffed with food. “Mornin’!”

Lou approached them both cautiously, he was already struggling to try and piece together images from the night before…

Both Alfred and Benny smiled in unison, as they both came to the same conclusion.

“Would you care to hear about how you came home, Brother Lou?” Alfred asked a little too loudly, making Lou wince.

Seeing this, Benny reached for the clay pitcher on the table and poured a cup of water for the monk.

“I… Don’t remember a great deal, so… that would be appreciated.” Lou accepted the water with a nod of thanks while sidling up to his dining table.

Alfred’s humorous grin widened.

“Well, you talked a great deal about your old monastery in Belhae. Learned all about your deep respect for Abbot Carrey, and Brother Juggins,”’ the private recounted merrily.

“You mentioned not being a big fan of the temple which came as a surprise, so we did our best to get you out of the tavern. Though you kept shouting apologies at your pony about not naming him sooner,” Benny added helpfully.

Lou felt himself turn scarlet.

“We loaded both you and Corporal Hillier into your cart, and after we dropped him off back home, we made our way here. Baldwin is grazing in the field at the top of the hill– we didn’t trust navigating him down in the dark, and then Benny and I managed to drag you home and into bed. I hope you don’t mind that we stayed over,” Alfred concluded before raising his teacup to his lips.

Lou cleared his throat. “Of course I don’t mind, thank you for seeing that I got home safely. Though Benny I’m surprised you haven’t gone to water your flock yet.”

“I did already, and I’ve just come back. Didn’t feel it was right to leave Alfred to wake up here on his own. Given how you were last night I wasn’t sure if you’d be up at all this morning,” Benny explained with a sheepish bob of his head while Lou seated himself down beside him.

“And I don’t have any duties to tend to until this afternoon so I thought I’d take advantage and get to know you better!” Alfred set his tea cup down and stretched his arms behind his head so that his hands could cradle his neck.

“Not entirely sure why you have an interest in me. If you wish to discuss more about the gods I’m more than happy to-”

“No, no. I’m not religious,” the private waved off Lou’s invitation. “You are a new wildcard here in Oxby that I think is worth keeping an eye on.”

The monk shifted awkwardly in his seat. “I’m your regular holy leader. That is all.”

“I don’t know that many men or women of the temple that go around slapping people. Or getting into tavern brawls,” Alfred reminded a little too amused.

Lou closed his eyes in embarrassment before taking another drink of water.

“It was a good plan in the end!” Benny jumped in hurriedly upon seeing the monk’s reaction. “Corporal Hillier seemed like a new man by the time we left the Pumpernickel Prince. He was laughing a lot and even promised Alfred he’d attend the meeting about the new barracks.”

“Hopefully he remembers making the promise,” Lou pointed out before downing the rest of the water in his cup, then refilling it.

“Oho, a military man like Corporal Peter Hillier, regardless of whether he remembers it or not, if I ask him to uphold his word, he must,” Alfred chortled devilishly while polishing off the last of his apple. “Don’t worry, Brother Lou. You did the hard part of breaking him out of his house and making him have a bit of fun. Lieutenant Crimmins has been trying for ages to get him out of his slump, but I think I can take care of the rest– It might even help me get promoted at long last.” The private winked charmingly while rising and moving over to the front door which he opened and tossed out his apple into the woods.

Lou ran his fingers through his hair idly, the tingling in his back starting to draw his mind back to the matter of his expanding marking.

“Brother Lou, were you still interested in meeting the old residents?” Benny asked loudly, as though the young man sensed the monk’s mood was steadily declining.

“If it isn’t too much trouble,” Lou perked up instantly. “You were saying last night that I shouldn’t expect a great deal, and I don’t want to put you in a tough spot with them either.”

Benny smiled. “Not at all. You never know until you ask! Besides, lately I’ve been spending most of my time with Mary Wicks, so I should go say hello. Though I recommend we stop and pick up some tarts from the bakery to try and help them be a little more receptive to you.”

Lou let out a long breath.

He didn’t have a ton of coin to keep buying large sums of baked goods– especially when he was expected to provide some after his sermons.

Sensing the possible source of the monk’s sudden hesitancy, Alfred Bishop was quick to jump back in.

“If you like, you can use the kitchen and materials in the barracks. If anyone gives you guff, say that it’s on my tab.”

Lou straightened. “That’s quite generous of you, private, but I’m not sure I should be taking advantage of such an offer…”

Alfred smiled. “My lodging and meals are paid for here, and I’m unmarried. In a small town like this? I don’t have a lot to spend my pay on. Besides, a couple dozen tarts won’t have me living in rags.”

Lou gave a tentative half smile. “I really appreciate it, private. Let me know if there is anything I can do as thanks.”

“You can give me some of the tarts.”

The speed and sincerity with which the retort came from the private momentarily stunned both Lou and Benny, but both laughed in the end.

“Either I get off my duties too late to buy any, or I’m sleeping off a hangover and the bakery is all sold out, so this arrangement suits me just fine,’” the private explained while pulling his boots on by the door.

“I’ll come give you a hand. I feel bad that because of my suggestion you have to go through these extra lengths.” Benny stood from his seat and placed his apple core in his tea cup before moving the dishware back over by the sink.

“Ah, you don’t have to! If you’d like we can just meet at the barracks in say two hours?”

Benny laughed and faced the monk who was gradually making his way over to the door where his two guests were preparing to leave.

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“It saves me traveling back and forth,” Benny dismissed the suggestion in his usual kind manner.

Lou opened his mouth to argue more, but given that he was not in his ideal mental state, he gave up any effort in further arguing the events unfolding before him.

Besides, he hadn’t been all that excited to spend the entire day agonizing over what new ability from his patron god anyway…

***

Lou clasped his hands in front of himself and tried to fight against the urge to fidget.

The cook grunted.

“Are you… a soldier as well as a cook…? Or are you just a cook?” The monk attempted to start a conversation with the burly, bald headed man that Alfred had hurriedly introduced him to before getting summoned by some of the other soldiers.

“Just a cook?” the man rumbled.

Lou held his hands up hurriedly while grimacing. “I didn’t mean it like that, Mr. Soren.”

The military cook had his thick, hairy forearms crossed, and his black brows settled heavily over his dark brown eyes.

Fortunately, Lou was saved from giving an awkward apology and excuse thanks to Benny’s return from the buttery with sacks of flour and sugar in hand.

“Alright, Brother Lou! I think we have enough here to make some strawberry rhubarb tarts! Will you be joining us Mr. Soren?” Benny’s smile momentarily softened the man’s sour countenance, but not for long.

The cook didn’t even bother responding as he lumbered out of the kitchen that was surprisingly bright and clean, with dark cabinets stretching tall against the high, an arched brick ceiling, a brick floor, and a long, rough wooden cooking table sitting in its center. Despite its high walls, the space was bright thanks to the windows that lined the upper border of the room, revealing bright clouds passing by outside.

“I guess we’re on our own for these,” Benny noted sunnily while starting to separate and arrange the mixing bowls and measuring cups.

“Ah, I’m feeling even worse about this now that Mr. Soren isn’t too keen…”

Lou shook his head while moving closer to where Benny was beginning to reach for the flour scoop.

“I trust that Alfred wouldn’t have put us in a bad position,” the Oxby local reasoned, his dark blue eyes remaining fixed on his task.

“I’m surprised you know how to even make tarts. In the monasteries it is expected we all take part in learning how to cook, clean, and tend the gardens in between our prayers and work, but it was my understanding in the countryside this work is typically delegated to the womenfolk.”

Benny smiled to himself as he set to sifting the flour.

“Ah, that’s because of Oliver. Whenever he’d come over, my mother would want to make us tarts, and he was always so taken with them that he started insisting we stay inside to learn instead of playing.”

Lou resisted perking up too obviously at the reference to the eldest Kelly son.

“Was it just tarts he forced you to master?”

Benny laughed. “Gods know. He had the appetite of a horse, and was able to pick up on and separate flavors in foods that were beyond me.”

Lou smiled to himself as he started to chop off the large, broad leaves of the rhubarb stalks they had liberated from the gardens outside the kitchen. Oddly enough, the idea that Oliver Kelly had such an affinity for cooking at a young age didn’t seem strange at all when Lou recalled how comfortable he had been cooking in a stranger’s kitchen.

“Did you two spend a lot of time together while growing up?” the monk asked casually, his mind already drifting through his own memories of Oliver.

Benny faltered while reaching for the sugar sack, his own good natured grin dropping unexpectedly.

“Yes… We did. My mother was the only one in Oxby back then that knew how to read, and Maureen Kelly was adamant that Oliver learned. She had high hopes for all her children to do the same, but she really only had the energy to see to it that Oliver studied.”

Lou listened to the story and found himself only growing more impressed and interested in the stories of days long gone.

“Pardon my asking, Benny, but… did something happen between you two?” he couldn’t resist putting the question to the young man.

Benny was normally so open and friendly… but there definitely was something that had happened between the two…

At first, Benny tensed at the question, and he slowly lowered his hands from the sugar sack back to the table, setting down the scoop.

“Well… Nothing really terrible… We were friends. Best friends, and then… Ww talked about more, and at the end of the day, decided we couldn’t… be more.”

Lou felt his heart pitch itself against the inside of his chest.

“More?”

His voice sounded distant to his ears.

Benny’s fingers furled and unfurled on the table as he forced a tight smile toward the mixing bowl he had just added the butter too.

“Brother Lou, I… I haven’t grown up around the temple, so I feel a bit awkward asking but… What is the temple’s position on… on relationships between men?” Benny finally looked at Lou, his cheekbones flushed and his eyes nervous.

Lou swallowed, and tried to let out a silent, calm breath before answering.

He needed to remove all personal feelings from his response.

“In general the temple has no problem with relationships between same sexes. It was a point of one of Goddess Berra’s priests to change that view more than sixty years ago. However there are some people who take exception as it can complicate inheritance. Even the chosen priests of the temple…” Lou trailed off and felt his mouth go dry in a way that had nothing to do with his hangover. “Even the priests of the temple are expected to have children, regardless of their preference in order to pass along some of their god given abilities.”

Benny nodded, his kind, blue eyes looking watery.

“I see. That’s… that’s the way a lot of people think about it here, too.”

The monk knew he shouldn’t have, but… he ventured a guess. “Did Patrick Kelly have an issue with you and Oliver?”

Pain filled Benny’s face as he dropped his chin to his chest.

Lou knew he should have let the young man off the hook and say he didn’t have to answer, then change the subject. He knew he should’ve apologize straight away for prying instead of standing in silence, insistently waiting for an answer…

But he didn’t.

“No… No it wasn’t Patrick Kelly. I doubt Oliver’s parents even know about that time of our lives. You see we… We told my family first because we reasoned they’d be the most accepting, however-”

A door slammed loudly out in the corridor, and the panicked shouts of several men instantly drew both Benny and Lou’s attention to the commotion.

The two men drifted curiously toward the kitchen entrance to see what might be happening…

However amongst all the ruckus, they were able to discern a small tidbit from the hollers before even stepping foot in the hallway.

“Cadfael! Cadfael is coming!”

Lou froze in his tracks, his eyes growing round.

“Cadfael?” Benny repeated, his confusion apparent.

Lou struggled to keep himself in control of his fears and anxieties that felt as though they were always at a boiling point as of late… But this news… Might push him over a whole new level entirely.

“Cadfael… is a descendent of the last priest of Reckish who lived. He is a war hero, rumored to have one of the gifts from the gods, works closely with the temple, and apparently… From the sounds of it… He’s coming to Oxby.”