I suppose even Lady Lestea couldn’t completely flout the church’s rules. Seemingly reading her thoughts, Lestea flashed a wry grin of acknowledgment. But if nothing else, Claudia could tell that Lestea was still binding her chest. That’s one point she wasn’t willing to compromise on, no doubt.
“At Bari’s request, I’m here to worship the Capricious God alongside you. Prince Raul is at the royal castle,” said Lestea.
“I hadn’t heard anything about you two coming.”
“Of course not. We made our voyage secretly to surprise you.”
Raul and Lestea loved festivals. They’d said as much back when they were at the academy. Maybe that was a trait all Barians shared.
There will be much they need to discuss, though.
There was the upcoming Saint’s Festival as well as the refugee problem, which was sorely testing Bari’s king. The man was known for his love of efficiency and practicality. Claudia almost suspected he’d refuse to take in any refugees, if not for the nigh inevitable backlash.
I wonder if Syl is as surprised at Prince Raul’s appearance. She couldn’t help smiling as she pictured it.
“Now that you two have reunited, allow me to explain what your purification will involve,” Carlo cut in. At his prompting, Lestea and Claudia took their seats on one of the nearby pews. He was reviewing the process already laid out in the rules document Claudia had been given beforehand. “You’ll be worshipping the Capricious God for two days. That means you’ll be spending tonight here, in one of the grand cathedral’s guest rooms. I will explain the facilities as they become relevant. But first…”
He guided them to the altar, where their worship promptly began.
“You may pray for whatever you wish, as there are no rules about that. Speak directly to the Capricious God himself if you like. Please continue your prayers until I call for you.”
The two women clasped their hands in prayer and closed their eyes. The first thing that popped into Claudia’s head was the refugees, driven from their homes because of the war. She hoped that they would find peace again, and that the war would end as quickly as possible.
Silence rang in Claudia’s ears as she prayed. It was a transparent, colorless thing that pinged off the white walls and echoed around her. And after reflecting off everything around her, it climbed all the way to the dome and escaped through the spire at the top. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the light pouring over her.
She kept praying until Carlo said, “That’s enough. Come, stand and take a breath. In and out.”
Claudia followed his instructions and breathed in deep before letting it all back out again. She hadn’t realized how much tension she’d been carrying until it eased from her shoulders.
“You’ll be doing the same thing in every area we visit henceforth.”
Carlo led the way with Claudia and Lestea following close behind. They traveled down a corridor lined with towering columns, moving from the cathedral proper to a connecting structure. Surrounded by such colossal constructions, Claudia felt incredibly small.
“Quite simple, isn’t it?” Carlo called back to them.
“Yes,” Lestea and Claudia agreed in unison.
“You don’t need anything to pray but your own will. Status and environment are irrelevant, as are power and wealth.”
Everyone was born with a will, and they would continue to possess it until death. Anyone could pray—no matter when, no matter where. One only needed themselves to do so.
“In fact, you might say it’s the one thing anybody can do, even if they can’t do anything else. It’s proof that we are human.”
Beasts couldn’t pray. Only humans could articulate their thoughts and feelings and send them to the heavens.
“If there’s ever a time when you feel completely powerless, I want you to remember that. Remind yourself that, if nothing else, you can always pray.” Carlo beamed at them. “There’s no need for you to feel helpless. Prayer is incredibly powerful. There are some priests who believe that even prayer is a gift that the Capricious God has given us.”
“Do you hold that opinion, Father Carlo?” Lestea prompted.
Claudia suspected he didn’t, or else he would’ve expressed it more directly.
Carlo scratched his cheek. “I’m a very easygoing person. If prayer helps a believer find the courage to move forward, then I don’t think it matters whether it’s a blessing from the Capricious God or a curse.”
Lestea gawked at Carlo. Those were two wildly extreme sides of the spectrum, but he was obviously telling them the truth.
Carlo went on, “That courage to move forward can be even more powerful if one has a basis for it.” Some people felt it more strongly than others. The motivation was more important to Carlo than the catalyst—but for believers, he would sometimes borrow the words of the other priests.
“I think what’s most effective is your own character, Father,” said Claudia. “You’ve been giving us that courage this entire time by supporting us.”
It was the way he delivered it too. It felt more personal than professional.
Carlo’s face lit up in a smile. “I’m glad to hear it. Those who guide others need to practice self-care more than most.” Someone overloaded with stress wouldn’t have the mental bandwidth to look after others. Only those with the necessary capacity could look beyond themselves and spend time and attention on those around them. “You’re both assertive and self-confident. That’s probably why I was chosen to guide you. And I’m not worried about you being able to look after yourselves.”
Still, everyone was susceptible to exhaustion. No matter how much mental capacity one possessed, attending to the many problems of others would eventually wear them out. That was what made self-care so important, lest one wear themselves too thin. Carlo’s main point was that rest was essential.
“I speak from experience,” he added.
“Your advice is greatly appreciated,” Claudia told him.
Lestea nodded. “Yes, I can tell everything you’ve said is genuine, and it’s been most illuminating.”
While they were lost in conversation, they arrived at the next room where they were due to pray. Claudia and Lestea set about their worship, breaking away after a while to chat with Carlo as he guided them to their next spot. Their time with him was quite productive indeed.