Lou returned to town by early afternoon after he had finished constructing at least one of the garden walls while his washed robe had dried on the hook outside.

Despite feeling the call of a warm, lazy summer afternoon nap, the monk dutifully traveled to his new chapel to work on his first ever sermon for the town of Oxby.

Though it would seem he was one of the very few who could resist the call to a small midday slumber. Many of the shops had their windows darkened or their ‘open’ signs turned to ‘close’.

He didn’t mind.

The streets were quiet as a result, and so Lou could enjoy listening to the bird calls drifting over the roofs, or the sound of the occasional fuzzy bumble bee bumping it to the bright blooms of the many window boxes around the town.

He pulled up to his chapel that, even from the street, smelled of fresh paint. Climbing down from his cart, he made his way in, though the monk made a point of glancing up and down the street to ensure no one was going to come and interrupt his work for the day. Satisfied that there wasn’t a soul in sight, he entered and closed the door behind himself while feeling himself relax.

The inside of the chapel had warmed considerably under the shifting sun of the day, making the monk consider how he would have to try to hold his sermons in the early hours of the morning going forward if he didn’t want everyone sweating through their clothes.

Lou shook his head with a shudder. He had always been sensitive to smells, and the idea of a tightly packed chapel that reeked of body odor already had his stomach clenching painfully.

Turning, he once again stared up at the wonder of the stained glass art depicting the gods.

Even though in his dream with Reckish the previous night had taken place in that very room, he didn’t feel agitated.

No, the chapel had always felt peaceful when Lou had stood and stared up at the window…

He let out a long breath and relished in the silence.

That is until the chapel door opened behind him, making his eyes snap open again.

The sound of heavy boots against the soft carpet sent a small bass reverberation through the floor.

It was a man, and it was a large man at that.

Lou half expected it to be Oliver, but the steps were too quick, and not at all the leisurely stroll of the brutish Kelly son…

“Are you Brother Lou?”

The monk turned slowly, and faced a man clad in a bright red coat that hung open to reveal a slightly dusty white shirt, with cream colored trousers, and black boots. Gold buttons adorned the man’s cuffs and straps at his shoulders. He had long curly dirty blond hair he wore tied in a low ponytail, long sideburns, and clear blue eyes that carried wrinkles in their corners, dubbing him a seasoned man in his forties.

Judging by the weathering of his oval face, he was also no stranger to hard labor in the great outdoors…

“I am Brother Lou, yes. Who might you be, sir?” Lou’s voice was soft as he peered serenly at the military man.

“I am Lieutenant William Crimmins.” He gave a small bow of his head to the monk in greeting. “Our major wished to send his welcome to Oxby.”

Lou bobbed his head. “Thank you for passing on that message, Lieutenant.”

William Crimmins bobbed his head, his eyes already wandering around the room, he seemed the abrupt type; used to giving orders and being on his way.

“I just wanted to let you know not to expect the soldiers to attend your masses. They mean no disrespect, but the war has changed many of their beliefs. Don’t take it too personally.”

Lou raised an eyebrow, and felt the familiar uncomfortable itch of annoyance in his chest.

“I see. War does have a terrible effect on the minds of its victims,” he muttered while his gaze slid to the side. Reckish’s righteous expression appeared in his mind.

Looking back at the monk coolly, William raised an eyebrow. “Are you holding it against my men? After the horrors they’ve witnessed you can hardly fault them for feeling the way they do.”

Realizing he was going to be misunderstood yet again, Lou met the lieutenant’s gaze steadily.

“Pardon my tone, it was not meant to be directed in sentiment toward your men. Rather, I find myself angry at the consequences of war.”

William did not look convinced, and instead gave his head a weary shake, as though thinking to himself; What would a monk know of war?

The itch in Lou’s chest spread, and he found himself biting his tongue.

Peace. I can help others if I am patient with their pain.

“You know, Lieutenant, many broken men came to my former abbey, and while many were not followers of any of our gods, they did find solace in the peace our chapel and routines brought them. In fact,” Lou’s eyes brightened. “They found our music a wonderful healing element. I was thinking that there could be a choir here for the chapel, perhaps instead of worshiping the soldiers could-”

“You want my men to sing in your choir?” There was derision and laughter in William’s eyes.

The itch in Lou’s chest crawled to his belly.

“To laugh at something that has saved countless lives is not a kind disposition to carry as a leader of broken men. Tell me, Lieutenant,” Lou stepped closer, and for whatever reason, William found that he had flinched as a result. “Is there glory in being broken?”

The military man’s expression darkened. “Are you looking down on our soldiers, Brother Lou?”

“Are you looking down on the broken souls who found music to be healing?”

The right side of the lieutenant’s cheek twitched. “My men are not going to join your choir.”

“You haven’t asked them. Is this something you are going to bar them from doing?” Lou asked with feigned calmness.

“They are far too busy to partake in-”

“Yet they have time for dice, cards, and trips to the tavern?”

“Camaraderie with their peers is-”

“Ask them. See what they say.” Lou turned, and strode calmly up toward the chancel.

“I was unaware that holy men could be so forceful.”

“I was unaware that the military would be so dismissive of peaceful means of help for the brave men who served their empire,” Lou rounded on the lieutenant, unable to hide his glare.

William rolled his eyes with a sigh. “I’ll mention it to the men, but don’t raise your hopes.”

Lou stared at the lieutenant for a long moment, but when the lieutenant noticed that the monk was studying him so closely, hardened his expression.

“What is it about the idea of a choir that bothers you, Lieutenant?”

William struggled to hold the monk’s gaze at the direct question, and instead, his toes started to round away.

Lou straightened his shoulders and waited.

“It’s pointless. Singing doesn’t help men anymore than a cupcake heals an infection.”

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The monk tilted his head over his shoulder thoughtfully. “If the infected person in this comparison were starving, it might help some. Wounds of the spirit are not so simple to treat, and sometimes it is the seemingly pointless and simple things in life that help. It doesn’t take the mind of a scholar to deduce you are one of these pained souls, Lieutenant.”

William’s hand curled into a first at his side, and Lou eyed it warily before glancing to the side where a small upright piano had been tucked beside the chancel.

“Mind singing a middle C for me, Lieutenant?”

“I will not be wasting my time on-”

Lou stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder, his eyes flashing, and for a moment, William could’ve sworn he saw a golden hue flash around the monk. “You have nothing to lose. If you are afraid of a little singing, then I don’t know how you can face down the blade of a sword. Don’t be afraid of healing, be afraid of staying beaten.”

When the lieutenant didn’t resume making his angry retort, Lou continued to the piano, lifted the lid, and touched the ivory keys gently.

He didn’t know how to play the instrument… but he at the very least knew the names of the notes.

He pressed the middle C, and noted with a frown how dreadful the acoustics of the chapel were due to the thick carpet beneath their feet. Trying to put this new problem aside, Lou peered back at the lieutenant who, surprisingly, had remained rooted to the spot.

“Here’s your note, match it best you can.”

William gaped at the monk while being both incensed and confused.

“The C, Lieutenant.” Lou rammed the key down five more times in a row as he waited impatiently.

When the lieutenant neither sang nor moved to leave, Lou hit the key another three times, but more so to try and placate his own irritability.

Stalking back over to the military man, Lou came within inches of William’s face, held up his hand, and sung.

“Oooh!” The monk mimicked the C, then stared expectantly.

When William continued staring dumbly down at the monk, Lou felt the ferocious itch get the best of him.

“Lierutenant!”

A golden glow pulsed from Lou, and a cold sweat broke out over William’s brow before he proceeded to let out a weak “Oooooh.”

Lou sighed and nodded. “You’re adding vibrato. Don’t do that if you can’t hit the note. Let us try again!” He threw his finger in the air and moved back to his piano where he thrust down the middle C again.

He looked back at the lieutenant and, despite his mouth feeling particularly dry, William pursed his lips and tried the note again.

Lou nodded. “Very good. Come here, we will try and figure out your full range.”

The military man moved as though in a trance to stand beside the piano, and next thing Lou knew… he had spent the afternoon he had originally intended to use to write his first sermon, to run through basic voice testing and scales with Lieutenant William Crimmins.

***

Despite its unorthodox start with Oliver Kelly breaking into his house, Lou felt his day was a success.

He had constructed one of the garden walls, and he’d even gotten the lieutenant to promise that he would speak to the other military men about joining the choir!

By the time Lou returned to his house, dusk had settled heavy and blue over his ruff, but he found the little tabby cat he’d named Meow sitting in front of his door expectantly.

Smiling at the creature, he approached and clasped his hands behind his back. “Would you like to join me for dinner?”

“Meow!”

“Excellent! I don’t think I would like more sausage, but would you object to perhaps some toast with jam and tea? I might even fry up a few eggs just for you if you ask politely.”

“Meow!”

“Well that settles it! Eggs you shall have, good lady!” Lou opened the front door with a flourish, and bowed to the feline who sauntered into the house.

By the time complete darkness had come to rest over the world, the monk’s home had its windows overflowing with warm welcoming light, as the sound of the crickets in the night serenaded the nocturnal creatures.

After a simple but perfectly satisfactory meal, Brother Lou tucked himself into bed feeling aglow with pleasure over his day.

He lay down in his bed, his heart light and his body heavy, and fell into a deep, easy sleep…

Only he suddenly found himself standing in his chapel again, staring at Reckish who grinned at him with his arms folded over his chest.

“Well hello again, Brother Lou. Congratulations on uncovering a new gift of mine!”

“WHAT?!” the monk roared desperately. “I did nothing! I-I-I made a truce with the Kelly son! I persuaded the lieutenant to seek a peaceful method of reconciliation! What could I have possibly done that-”

“You have unlocked the holy ability to rally the troops.”

Lou’s jaw fell open.

Reckish smiled down jubilantly at his chosen priest before bending down toward him.

“You should be proud, I can’t think of a single one of my followers who unlocked three abilities in two days.”

“How is that possible?!” Lou insisted angrily.

The god had to be tormenting him…

“Well if you’d gone to the temple as tradition dictates you should in order to go through the necessary paperwork and inductions as my priest, I imagine you wouldn’t be finding yourself in such unique situations,” Reckish mused while straightening once more.

“But I… I…” Lou’s eyes grew lost as his mind struggled through his emotional haze, until a horrifying realization occurred to him. “I never thought of this when reading the tales of old, but when I rally the troops… it isn’t that I override their free will, is it? Lieutenant William Crimmins he… he did want to join my choir, right?”

Reckish’s mirth dwindled. “Do you honestly think I possess a skill like that? Dominating the free will of men? In Zeviras’s name?”

Lou breathed a sigh of relief.

“No, it’s more like you issued a higher calling. You draw them toward a goal you believed would lead his men to victory, and that aligned with his desires. Tell me, what was this great enemy you were asking the lieutenant to face with his men?”

Lou swallowed with difficulty. “Their… Their inner demons.”

Reckish tilted his head back and forth thoughtfully. “A difficult war not always won, but a worthy one. Men filled with inner strength make the best warriors. Well done, my priest; you made a wise judgment today! Perhaps I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“No! No, no! We aren’t doing this again! This is it! No more gifts! None! I-”

Lou didn’t remember anything after his objections other than the familiar white light around Reckish filling in around his gloating face, before being swept back once more into the depths of a dreamless sleep.

However, despite Reckish’s arrogant and seemingly confident countenance during their meeting, the truth was the god wasn’t being entirely forthcoming with his feelings on the developments with his new priest…