by Pirateaba
Pawn looked at her. For the first time that day, his heart lifted. His mandibles parted, and raised in a slight smile.
“Truly?”
“If you’re going to be the first religious Antinium…you might as well be the most informed. Sure. Let’s start with Christianity.”
“I know much of what Erin has told me.”
“Yeah, I know. But did you know Christianity is only one interpretation of, well, everything? It’s part of what’s known as the Abrahamic religions—that is to say, Abrahamism. That encompasses all religions who worship the God of Abraham. But there are many religions within that definition, who believe different things. For instance, there are two other major religions—Islam and Judaism—that believe Jesus Christ was not the Son of God.”
Pawn’s mandibles opened wide, the equivalent of Ryoka’s jaw dropping. She nodded, smiling.
“For instance, in the Islamic faith, they use the Quran, another holy book instead of the Bible and believe that Muhammad was the last of God’s prophets. Now, they differ from Christianity on several fundamental issues, but have several similarities, beginning with…”
The skies opened. The snow stopped. The world warmed, and Pawn felt himself standing on the edge of the sky, looking past the horizon at something like stars. It was something vast, something distant—
But all so familiar. He wanted to reach out and touch it. That was how he felt as he listened to Ryoka. She told him about Islam, about Judaism and the difference between Catholics and Protestants, Mormons and Quakers.
And then she told him about what each religion did, how they differed. Erin had told Pawn about people eating Jesus in the form of bread—Ryoka explained the difference between transubstantiation and consubstantiation. But what was far more important than terms was how each religion worked.
“They eat braided bread instead of wafers?”
“Braided bread. Yes. That would be…challah. I think that’s what it’s called.”
Ryoka frowned, nodding to herself.
“It’s more of a food than wafers, you understand. The Jewish people will eat it on special occasions, not just before communion.”
Pawn nodded. Ideas were flashing through his head like the stars in the sky.
“Do you know how to make it?”
“Make it?”
Ryoka blinked, astounded. Pawn nodded seriously.
“I should like to try some. And…yes, perhaps I can speak to Lyonette or Erin about obtaining honey. It is not the same as wine, but I believe it may be cheaper and more palatable to the Antinium. A tiny bit of bread will not upset our systems.”
“Wait. You want bread and honey? For a communion?”
The Asian girl was blinking and frowning.
“I thought you didn’t believe in the Bible. Why adopt a religious service like it?”
Pawn looked blankly at Ryoka and shook his head sadly. She was so knowledgeable, but she did not understand.
“Because it is a religious service. Clearly, there is merit in it. So the Antinium must have the same. Not the exact same of course, since we will not worship that God. But it is a good idea.”
Ryoka was doing the open-mouthed thing again. She spoke slowly.
“You’re going to…steal the ideas of Judaism? Wait, not steal, but copy?”
Pawn nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Of course. And I would like to hear of non-Abrahamic religions, please. If Christianity is not the only religion, then I must hear of them all. All Human religions. Because there is so much wonder in the stories Erin told me, of God and his people. Surely there must be similar wonders in every religion. I wish to hear of it all. So I can take what the Antinium can use.”
She blinked at him. And then laughed.
“The Antinium really don’t mind about plagiarism, do they?”
Pawn lifted his mandibles in a smile.
“I do not know what that word means. But we do not shy away from copying what is glorious, what works.”
Ryoka shrugged, cracking her fingers together and making Mrsha jump underneath the table.
“Well then. I’d better get to work.”
—-
In the end, she spoke for two more hours, until Erin got back. By that point Ryoka was drinking honey water for her throat, as hoarse as she was. But Pawn had heard many good things. Chiefly among them were a few ideas.
“A shrine. Shinto. Buddhist prayer beads. And a Catholic…what did you call it?”
“A censer.”
“Hey Pawn, I talked to Klbkch!”
Erin looked triumphant, but Pawn and Ryoka didn’t glance twice at her.
“Thank you, Erin Solstice.”
“Yeah, thanks Erin. Wait, why do you want a censer, Pawn?”
Crestfallen, Erin stared at Pawn and edged slowly into the table as they kept talking.
“A censer is a powerful tool, or so it seems to me. It is different from a cross in that it has a physical presence.”
“From the incense.”
“Yes. I would like to have one, possibly on a chain as you described. That would be very convenient.”
“Uh…technically, that’s a thurible. If a censer has chains, it’s called a thurible. Sorry.”
Ryoka looked embarrassed to have contributed the detail, but Pawn nodded his head gravely.
“I will commit that to memory. Do you know how to make one?”
“Make one? Hell, it’s not hard…the trick would be describing it. Look, if you’ve got some parchment and a quill I could—”
“I’ve got one!”
Erin leapt up, surprising Ryoka and Pawn. She ran into the kitchen and came back with the items.
“Here! Draw!”
Ryoka carefully sketched out a censer, and Pawn noted the holes on the top and bottom where the burnt incense’s fragrance would drift outwards. Yes, it was just what he’d imagined.
“I would like to have one. If you will assist me with the plans, I believe I will go to a [Blacksmith] and have one commissioned.”
“If you like…”
“Hey! What about me? I could build one for Pawn!”
Erin interrupted the two, beaming. They looked at her incredulously.
“You could do it, Erin?”
Ryoka was skeptical. Erin blew out her cheeks, exasperated.
“I do have [Advanced Crafting], Pawn. I could build parts of my inn myself but…well, that’s a lot of work. The least I can do is help you build a censer.”
“Thurible. This one has chains.”
Ryoka grinned as Pawn corrected Erin. Erin rolled her eyes and then looked at Ryoka.
“So Ryoka…what does a thurible look like?”
To Pawn’s surprise, there were all the parts Erin needed at hand already. The censer was made, according to Ryoka, to allow the incense to burn and waft out of the container. It required holes, in short, which would also make it ‘holey’ according to Erin. That was apparently a joke that neither Ryoka nor Pawn laughed at.
To build the first prototype of a censer, Erin took to colanders which had been used to strain spaghetti, and put them together. She added a basin to catch the incense and ash that would fall from the bottom colander, and added a chain around the top.
“What do you think? Is that it?”
Ryoka eyed the impromptu thurible skeptically. Erin had used string to tie the basin of the colander to the basin, and she’d put a coal and some sticks of ground-up cinnamon into the colander. Now she picked up the entire affair with another bit of string and swung the censer around gently. Smoke began to drift out of the holes on the top and bottom, bringing a sweet smell that Pawn inhaled slowly.
The Runner coughed as Erin wafted the thurible at her. She waved smoke away from her face.
“It’s…sort of like a thurible, Erin. The real thing would be smaller, and less…unwieldy. Are you sure you have…[Advanced Crafting]?”
Erin glared at Ryoka as Pawn inspected the thurible.
“Hey, I don’t have [Advanced Metalworking] or whatever you need. And I don’t know what a thurible looks like!”
“Well, it’s a good start.”
Ryoka eyed the contraption with quite a bit of reserve, but Pawn shook his head as he carefully lifted the thurible up and examined it. He addressed Erin.
“I believe I can commission a smaller version later, and I will return the colander to you at another time. But for now…this is perfect.”
She beamed at him, and then tugged Ryoka away to whisper to her.
“Psst, Ryoka. What’s a colander?”
“A strainer, Erin. You’ve been using it every time to drain pasta.”
“Oh. Why don’t they just call it a strainer?”
Ryoka sighed, and didn’t bother replying.
By this point, the hours had worn on and it was approaching dinner. Pawn sat at his table, feeling better. A thurible. And there were all sorts of things Ryoka had mentioned. This might help—
He paused. It would not help the Soldiers. They would still fight and die. His prayers…could not change fate.
And yet Erin had done just that. They wouldn’t have to fight! There was relief in Pawn’s heart as he considered that, and joy as he thought of sharing the thurible with the Soldiers. The other religious artifacts Ryoka had mentioned would be of interest to them too, surely. Perhaps Pawn could conduct a mass? They could enjoy themselves.
And no one would die.
He barely saw Erin get intercepted on her way to the kitchen, but Pawn’s attention was attracted when Maran, one of the [Barmaids] began pointing out the six water barrels stacked up against the wall. He heard Erin exclaiming over them, and then her cheerful voice.
“Hey, that isn’t a bad idea! It might save some time…sure, why not? We can try it out tomorrow as well. Thanks, Maran!”
She hurried back to Ryoka and Pawn.
“Guess what, guys? Maran had this great idea to buy water barrels from Celum! We can just get them filled up each day and it’ll be a lot easier than going out for water, she says! Isn’t that cool?”
Pawn nodded obediently, having no input on water barrels. But sitting across from him, Ryoka frowned.
“How much would that cost, Erin?”
“Oh…I dunno. Maran didn’t say.”
“It seems like a waste to me.”
“Yeah, but if it saves time—”
“Erin!”
Someone hurried across the floor towards them. Lyonette. Pawn sat up upon seeing her. He opened his mandibles to greet Lyonette. He had a lot of affection for all the times she had helped him, but she was focused on Erin.
“Erin, did you tell Maran you’re going to buy more water barrels tomorrow?”
“Yeah, don’t worry about it Lyonette! It’s a great idea, don’t you think? Maran told me she thought it would really help the inn, so I—”
“She didn’t do it to help the inn! She did it because she was too afraid to go outside and haul water!”
The anger and frustration in Lyonette’s voice made Pawn sit up. She was furious, but hissing at Erin while the other workers served the Gold-rank adventurers filing into the inn. Erin froze. Her eyes swiveled to Maran, who was busy flirting with an impassive Ulrien.
“But she said—”
“I asked them to get water from the stream and they both said no. Maran took money from your jar and went to buy six barrels! It must have cost at least twelve silver coins, and we could have gotten fresher water if we’d hauled it ourselves!”
The entire story came out quickly, Erin blinking in shock and Ryoka grimacing. When Lyonette was done and breathing heavily, Erin nodded seriously.
“Okay, that was wrong. Taking money and not listening to you? Yeah, I’ll tell them they can’t do that again, Lyon.”
Decisively, Erin walked past Lyonette. The girl looked relieved, but that relief changed to panic in a moment when Erin spoke.
“Hey Maran, Safry! Lyonette told me that earlier, you two didn’t want to haul water. But you said…”
The two [Barmaids] blinked and came over as Erin began to talk with them, frowning hard. Meanwhile, Lyonette was staring at Erin as the [Innkeeper] pointed back several times to her as she talked to the other [Barmaids].
Lyonette hurried away, taking over serving drinks while Erin scolded Maran and Safry. Ryoka and Pawn looked and saw the two barmaids were glaring daggers at Lyonette as Erin spoke with them. Ryoka covered her face.
“That moron. You don’t dress down workers in public like that. And she told them to their faces that Lyonette was…”
She was grinding her teeth together. Pawn looked at her quizzically.
“I do not understand the full context of what is happening, Ryoka. Is Erin’s hiring new employees objectionable to you?”
“No, but it looks like there’s a problem. It’s a staffing issue and Erin’s making a mistake. At least…she might be. Lyonette could be lying, or exaggerating the problem, or there’s something else at work here.”
Ryoka chewed at her lip distractedly. Pawn listened obediently, since she seemed to know what she was talking about.
“No one’s impartial in a pissing match…and office drama is always ugly, so why not [Barmaid] drama. Damnit.”
She thought for a second and then looked at him.
“Hey Pawn, how much do you trust Lyonette? I mean, how much would you trust what she said? One hundred percent?”
Pawn didn’t have to think to answer.
“She fed my Soldiers and I. She gave us honey, and offered us food when no one else would. She helped paint my Soldiers. She gave them respite and shelter. I do not know Safry and Maran. But I would trust anything Lyonette said.”
Ryoka nodded grimly.
“That’s what I thought. She’s changed. And Maran and Safry, well, they did come from Agnes’ inn…maybe I should do something about this.”
Pawn had no idea what that meant. But he felt relieved and tired. It was over. His Soldiers were safe. He could pray, and know they would be safe. Prayer was good, but knowing was better. He sagged in his seat.
“I am going to sleep.”
Ryoka blinked at him.
“Wait, what?”
But it was too late. Pawn, exhausted by fighting and grief, slowly drifted off into slumber. All would be well. He believed that.
His dreams were still filled with death. The Antinium he held in his arms had no paint on his body.
But he was still dead all the same.
4.15 L
When Lyonette woke up on the third day, she didn’t want to get out of bed. For the first time she felt uneasy about working.
It was all wrong. Everything last night was supposed to go well! Erin was supposed to kick out Maran and Safry, or make it so they wouldn’t cause trouble. That was all Lyon wanted. She just wanted the other two to do their jobs without complaining, or refusing to do something.
But instead Erin had told them Lyonette was the one who had an issue with them and just lectured them! Lyonette had felt the other two [Barmaid]’s eyes on her all night. And when they’d left…
Lyonette was relieved to find it was Ishkr and Drassi who had been selected for the morning rotation. She greeted the two with a smile.
“Hello Drassi, Ishkr!”
“Hey Lyonette! Hey cute Mrsha! What’re we doing today?”
“Hrr. Morning Lyonette. Should I fetch water today to start with?”
It was strange, but Lyonette knew what to do. It was easy to assign Drassi to wait the tables since she was naturally inclined to it, and Ishkr actually seemed to prefer the trek to get water and clean the outhouses.
In the case of the outhouses of course, the trick wasn’t so much to empty them, which was a horrible thought to contemplate, but toss down some hay and dirt, hang some scented herbs up, clean the wood if it needed it, and so on. If it got full…well, Lyonette had spoken seriously to Erin about that and the solution Erin had come up with was find some kind of sp
ell to blast the hole deeper or vaporize the mess.
Regardless, it was a joy to work with the two because Lyonette just had to tell Drassi to wait the tables, and give Ishkr a list of things that needed doing and they did them. It left Lyon with time to play with Mrsha, help out Erin in the kitchen, and in general, relax.
But the bowl-clenching and the stiff-muscles came as soon as Lyonette checked the schedule Erin had drawn up and realized she’d be with Safry and Maran for the rest of the day. It was the weekend, so the two Human [Barmaids] would be coming in to help deal with the increased traffic soon enough.
Lyonette prayed nothing bad would happen, but she remembered the look the two had given her. She consoled herself with a bit of righteous anger. It was their fault they’d refused to get water and bought things with Erin’s coin.
Trouble started when Safry came in for her first shift, just before noon. At first things were, well, not ideal, but workable. Erin had left once again, mainly to talk seriously with Ryoka about ‘stuff’ that happened to include the words ‘bicycle’, ‘light bulb’, and ‘antibiotics’, all of which were a mystery to Lyonette.
Despite that however, Safry didn’t antagonize Lyonette. She just ignored the girl. She had a job, and Lyonette had a job. All they had to do was do it and not get in each other’s way.
Still, there was no denying that Lyonette clenched her jaw and a little spasm of intense dislike flared up in her stomach every time she met Safry’s eyes. It was an unpleasant feeling, but Lyon could live with it. For today, at least.
No, the problem came from Mrsha. Lyonette hadn’t realized it, but the young Gnoll was still a very intelligent child, for all she didn’t speak. She could read subtext, and probably smell it as well. She’d had her own brushes with Safry and Maran, mainly getting in their way, and she knew Lyonette didn’t like them.
That was probably why she started her mischief. Mrsha would leap up onto a chair or table right after Safry had finished cleaning it, or pause to get in the woman’s way while she worked. The first few times Lyonette caught her and scolded her, but to no real effect. Mrsha just did it again, until Lyonette threatened to put her upstairs in her room.