675-09-22 - Believing is seeing...

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Believing is seeing...
Summary: Nimoria comes to pray quietly for Onimoria,but she finds the newcommer Vandrik Yldon in the Chapel.
Who: Nimoria, Vandrik Yldon
References: re:Imma Grunhaid
When: 675-09-22
Related Logs: None
Date of RP: 2014-09-22
Where: Chapel - Castle of the White Dove - Isle of the Crown
Room Desc: The chapel is very small and quite dark. There are no any windows here, only a few torches on the left and right walls to offer their light. The aroma of roses and lilies fills the room. There are no benches to sit upon, just a small stage in front of the altar, most who come here kneeling in prayer upon the marble floor. Each of the three walls are decorated.

The larger altar that sits directly across from the door is covered with various works of art from jewelry to a few small drawings. Scattered across the surface amongst the works of art are red roses and white lilies. However the most important piece of art is the huge drawing above the alter, a portrait of Onimoria herself. The drawing looks incredibly old and it is believed to have been made during the 1st year of current time, when Onimoria became the Queen and united all three islands. It is invaluable, a holy heirloom, and is not to be touched.

There is another drawing of the same worth on the right wall. The altar under it is a little bit smaller. It has a small table on which the Book of Lotingus lay. The pages looks incredibly old and it is believed that Lotingus himself wrote on these pages the laws of the Kingdom of the Isles. It too is invaluable and considered a holy heirloom, though it is allowed to be touched only by the Queen during special ceremonies.

The left wall may remind one of small garden for vases of canary creeper vine are kept fresh to either side of the drawing of Margueritte. A bowl sits upon the altar where people are toss coins in exchange for prayers. Most often, the bowl is filled with coins.

This room is always guarded by two Guardians of Onimoria.


Since Vandrik is going to be required to learn about the government and religion of the Isles if he's ever going to make it as the head of his household, he's taken the assignment very seriously. And since rules and laws are usually the easiest to learn, he's decided to take up the hard part first: religion. And what better place to learn about religion than in the chapel? And so, Vandrik can be found in the Chapel, a stool brought for his own benefit as he sits under one of the torches, reading.

It's time for prayer. All people of the Castle would know, that during this our Nimoria comes to the Chapel, closes the door and stays alone to reach Onimoria. So, the young pale beauty steps inside and not expecting to see anyone, turns to close the heavy door.

Then she turns back to the altar of Onimoria and slides in all her grace closer to it.

She is once again almost naked, being rolled in just a lucid pale scarf made out of silk. Her breasts are medium sized, but nicely rounded, each topped with a darker nipple. Her aureoles the size of quarters. Her waist is slender, her belly flat. Her hips flare out slightly, no longer boyish. No hair are covering the mound of her sex. Just the black drawing of the branches of trees is weaving from there to her belly, where branches start blooming in lilies. Her legs are long and coltish.

When she gets closer, her eyes catches the shadow of a boy under one of these torches. Hard to notice darker figure in the gloomy room with just a few sources of the light.

"Oooh..." she drawls and smiles, "You are feeling better?"

Being wrapped up in reading and needing to concentrate to try and really grasp what he's reading, Vandrik didn't notice anyone coming in to the chapel. He also wouldn't have any clue that Nimoria usually comes here at this time. Or that she walks around more-than-half-naked. "I feel fine," Vandrik says without looking up. He places his finger on the text to mark his spot before looking up. "Why do you- !" His question stops immediately as his eyes find Nimoria. His eyes go wide for a second, before he immediately stands and stares right down at the floor, knocking his stool over. "I'm sorry, I'm obviously here at an inappropriate time. If you'll excuse me," he says, bowing slightly before edging towards the door.

The woman raises her palefingers to cover her lips and muffle the sound of her laugh, which she just can't hold up. She watches the hurrying man for a moment. Then she speaks quietly, "You are new here. It's understandable. It's my time for prayers. However, it can wait, when someone wants to get to know Onimoria better. If you wish, I could teach you,or answer to your questions, if you have some. Maybe you understood not everything in that book."

Nimoria points at the book and then gestures at the bench for the man to take a seat.

Vandrik would be a very bright shade of red, if anyone could see in such low-light conditions. It would also be very difficult for Vandrik to see Nimoria gesturing, since he's refusing to look at her. However, with her being somebody somehow important in the grand scheme of things, Vandrik doesn't just flee like he wants to. Instead, he rubs at the back of his neck nervously, shaking his head. "I've only just started reading, and the common translation isn't always very clear, so there's quite a bit that is confusing. But, I wouldn't want to keep you from your prayers, as it's obviously something you take very seriously."

"Yes," mysterious voice of Nimoria echoes in the room, "I take it very serious, but I take a possibility to show the true way for a new person even more seriously..."

The woman walks closer to the altar of Onimoria and stands up there, turning her own back at Vandrik. Then she adds, "Come. Come closer. Look at Onimoria and tell me, what do you see?"

Vandrik hesitates for several seconds, then takes a deep breath and does as is requested, moving slightly closer to the altar. However, he looks somewhat confused, staring at Nimoria's feet. "What do you mean, 'look at Onimoria'? You mean the altar? Or the book?" he asks.

Nimoria shakes her head. She turns to the man and if allowed, reaches for his chin. She will touch it just with only one finger to guide the man's gaze to the huge portrait above the main altar. It's a portrait of Onimoria. This largest altar that sits directly across from the door is covered with various works of art from jewelry to a few small drawings. Scattered across the surface amongst the works of art are red roses and white lilies. That most vivid portrait of Onimoria looks incredibly old.

"It has been made during the 1st year,when Onimoria became the Queen and united all three islands. It is invaluable, a holy heirloom, and is not to be touched. Though, look into her eyes. Tell me,what do you see?"

Of course, Vandrik won't pull away when Nimoria reaches out to touch his chin. He does wince as she lifts his head, only to audibly sigh when he's directed to look at the portrait. Paintings, he can handle. He regards the painting, looking it over, then he shrugs a little. "It's obviously quite well done. I'm not an artist or a critic, so I couldn't tell you how it was painted or what it was painted on, but if it's that old, it has certainly held up quite well," he offers.

Nimoria shakes her head, "I wasn't asking details about portrait itself..." She sighs, "Maybe, you are still not ready. We will see later. Lady Imma is a great young woman..." Nimoria sighs again and fixes her gaze on the portrait, growing quiet now.

Vandrik frowns, looking for a moment at Nimoria's back, before returning his gaze to scrutinizing the painting. "You asked what I saw and I told you. If my assessment isn't what you expected to hear, how is it a sign that I am not ready? I have no taste for art, nor has religion ever found favor in my life, so what else would you expect from me? I have sworn to learn and to abide by the practices of this religion. But I have seen no evidence of Gods, benevolent or otherwise, in my life, so you'll have to forgive my lack of belief."

"Seeing isn't believing. Believing is seeing..." Nimoria just quietly says, "When the time will come, you will understand my words. I am not judging you know."

Nimoria turns to the man and leans her head to the side, studying him, "You sound angry, a bit displeased. I know, it is hard to come and start living in barely known lands, be surrounded by all these strange people. Though, I am sure, that soon you will become one of us."

She smiles brightly and then points at the drawing on her abdomen, "At first, I thought, that these branches of the maple and lillies are speaking about strong unity of our countries. Then I learned, that I was wrong. Since then, I am trying to figure out, what all this means. Gods are wise. They do not give us food on the plate. They give us an arrow, that we could get some food. All this," she gestures across her body, from breasts till bottom part. It's all is taken by the drawing, "is my arrow. I woke up once, and found it. I didn't have it before I fell asleep... Isn't that interesting?"

"I'm sorry, but what I've seen is what prevents me from believing," Vandrik says. And anger might not be the right word for the sound in his voice. There's pain, there, bitterness, definitely, but also some defiance. Regardless, Nimoria's attempt to draw his attention to her body would be completely ignored as Vandrik quickly finds something more fascinating on the ceiling to stare at. Nope, no looking at the naked lady! "Yes, that's interesting. But one could interpret 'signs' in any way that suits their fashion or their passion. People will always intepret things in the way that benefits them most."

"What did you see, let me ask?" Nimoria keeps staring at the man, trying to catch his eyes, if possible. She looks curious, a bit amused, definitely calm, maybe a bit thoughtful.

"You know, I never try to convince person to believe in the same Gods I do. By the way, we call them Patrons.We don't have Gods. But anyway, I never try to convince person to believe in what I believe, as I said. Because people are afraid to believe in something, what they do not understand. Though, at the right hour, everyone will see truth. I just have to pray, that it wouldn't happen during the death hour."

"What did I see?" Vandrik asks, still adamantly refusing to look at Nimoria. Though, she can probably tell it's just due to his being uncomfortable rather than the topic of conversation. He frowns again, shaking his head. "I saw death. I saw people with no food who could do nothing but lay there and wait for death to take them because they had not the energy to rise again. Men, women, children. No one was spared. And after we were starved, a plague spread among us. So, when crops could grow again, there were none to work the fields to bring them in. And still, more death."

These memories clearly bother Vandrik, as his jaw tightens and he glares off into the distance. "And when it got worse, instead of trying to save others, the people resorted to banditry. The raids came from both inside and out, people trying to take what little others had to keep it for themselves, instead of sharing. And yet, there was still nothing we could do but capture the bandits, or kill them, and further decrease the population."

"Yes..." Nimoria drawls, staring at the distance now too, "Such things happens at times. Though, it's not the Gods. They can't to be blamed. It's chaos. It's darkness of the people... But, of course, you are mad at them. It looks like, why they were not able to clap their hands and clear the sky over your Kingdom, right? They are so powerful! But as I said, all this could be just a challange, which your nation failed, banishing the Gods. There is nothing more horrible than to lose the Gods. You remain all alone..."

Then suddenly Nimoria smiles, "But I am not an expert of your Gods. Our Patrons deal with such things differently. You will see. In time. Maybe you will open your heart for them."

Vandrik hmphs, shaking his head. "We didn't ask them to make it all go away. We just asked for reprieve. But, there was none. And if they won't answer our prayers, why should we pray? If we ask for bread and are given a stone, why should we continue asking or worshipping?" He then shrugs and holds up the book he'd been reading. "Your Gods ... or, patrons, you called them? They seem ... well, to me, they are strange. Quite different than the Gods we used to worship. But, no less prone to being fickle and without reason for their actions. As I said, I will learn your religion and your ways. And I won't disparage anyone for them. But I don't know that I could ever come to trust or believe in some sort of higher power anymore."

"Never say never, young man," says the one, who might look even younger, "I wish you a good reading. You can always come to me with all your questions. Also, lady Imma can help you out. Though, for now..." The young woman turns her look to a small window, through whcih a tiny ray of sun tries to peek, "I would like to start my prayers..." She then looks back at the man and slowly slides with her gaze to the door, politely offering someone to leave.

Even if the man will do so, or not, Nimoria will walk even closer to the altar, turning her back to Vandrik again, where she will release her scarf, letting it flop on the ground, baring her white skin. Then the woman will kneel.

"Of course," Vandrik says, bowing his head and turning for the door. Though, to which he was agreeing would be anyone's guess. For his sake, he breathes a deep sigh of relief as he makes it to the door, letting himself out as quietly as possible so as not to disturb Nimoria's worship.