open; i should have seen it when my hope was new

[ensorceler]

who; Anne Boleyn & OPEN
what; After a failed visit to the church, Anne wanders until she eventually ends up at the new orphanage.
where; City Royale; the church and orphanage and dark city alleys in between.
when; January 31st, after leaving the party early.
rating; PG for now.

[ Perhaps it's all of the proverbs, or maybe the food doesn't sit right with her, but Anne doesn't stay until the party ends for once, leaving early without much of a word to anybody. She first goes to her room on the second floor to trade unforgiving red for mourning black, wrapping herself in a heavy cloak to shield against the cold she's preparing for.

It may not be an overlong walk to the city proper, but Anne's leg aches still, calling back to a time in Paradisa she can never be permitted to forget, no matter what mercy she was allowed in following her life to her death. She is ever reminded that she has yet to see Heaven, and though the flamboyance of the Eastern party had called out the queen in her, the woman in her still cries in the dark halls of her mind ever so. The woman has been trapped; trapped by a new loss that chokes and strangles her prayers.

She rides the horse she'd long since been borrowing to the city, stopping before the church and hugging her cloak tight about her as she enters. Who she mourns need not be public. She can only hope that in this one place she is allowed to speak as a Christian woman should, to kneel and plea and thank. To not weep but bow one's head in humility. Her former loss has been most humbling, but this is suffocating.

So she does weep even though she should not, because this is something that will show no mercy. Anne doesn't stay for very long, but when she leaves with her eyes dry, she lets the horse remain tied up just outside, feeling in a daze as she wanders away, her breath fogging the air and her steps remarkably silent for someone paying so little attention to where she walks.

Soon her leg will remind her of past pains here, of her husband's pains and betrayals at home, perhaps when she finally stops unexpectedly at the outlandish orphanage built by The Once-ler. For now she merely wanders and pretends at breathing. A ghost has little else to do. At least Anne is hardly in a fitful state as she had been the last time she wandered these streets at night. This isn't a woman looking for anything, anymore. ]

Comments

wowwww i did not get any notifs from this log, so sorry!

[ensorceler]

[ She raises an eyebrow, in a way that could almost be construed as judgmental, or perhaps just curious. ]

Has something caused you to stray from His gospel?

tis ok, DW is a butt!

[indirectcause]

Oh, no...not...exactly like that.

[He sighs.] Things have been tough back home, you're too busy surviving, even if you could find a church, it'd be ruined.

[ensorceler]

[ That seems to be a running theme. ]

You do not need a church to speak with God, child. Times of trial are when you must strengthen your faith, and not allow it to weaken.

[indirectcause]

Yeah well...times of trail were really bad. We didn't have time to sit ad breathe, let alone pray. [There's a touch of guilt in his tone, really he was far to bitter, too angry that God would do something to the world like that.]

[ensorceler]

[ Anne can understand bitterness, knows it so deeply she can easily recognize it. Sitting with him in the front pew, she rests her hands over his. ]

These are excuses, thoughts that the Devil can too easily nurture during such hardships. You must remember that Jesus Christ loves you; that he will not abandon you so long as you do not forget that He is your savior. You must not forget, even when you feel the most alone. You are not.

[indirectcause]

[His hands instantly tense. Even after months of living here, he still hasn't learned to trust people Outside the Group. Still, at least he doesn't tug his hands away. It's an improvement. ]

Even when the world has ended and fallen apart?

[ensorceler]

[ Does it help that she's wearing gloves? Well it's cold of course she is. ]

Why do you say? Are you not still living in it? How can it have ended?

[indirectcause]

[This is always the worst thing to talk about.]

The dead came back and attacked the living.

[ensorceler]

[ Squinty face! That's fucking disgusting. Wait this sounds familiar. ]

Do you know young Clementine, and her guardian Master Lee?

[indirectcause]

[Oh good, she knows Lee and Clem, that makes things easier. He nods.]

Yeah, we're in the same group.

[ensorceler]

[ She's quiet for a few moments after that, before bringing his hands up so that she can gently kiss his knuckles. ]

For Clementine, then, if not for yourself, you must not forget the Lord. She needs guidance even more than you, as she has seen so much but understands so little. Though we cannot understand God's plan, we must remember it is not our place to; we can only hold strong when it seems as if the world wishes us to be weak.

Do you recall Noah and his Ark?

[indirectcause]

[OKay, Anne that is really weird and he looks confused with the whole action.]

I'm not sure if Clem is even a Christian. [He never thought to ask her, he kept his faith to himself, by and large.]

Uh huh. I remember.

[ensorceler]

That does not mean you cannot teach her Christian kindness, and charity.

[ Ben how dare you not share your faith! You're raising that child to be a heathen, hdu. Don't worry, Anne will happily preach to her. ]

Did that in itself not seem an impossible situation to conquer, if not for faith in God's plan?

[indirectcause]

...I guess. [But but Lee's her not!dad :<]

Yeah, but on the Ark, Noah didn't have the undead trying to chew his face off.

[ensorceler]

[ Ben she is going to slap you silly, just work with her gosh! She tries not to openly cringe at this mental picture he's painting. ]

I cannot understand what it is you have been through, and what you have seen. But we all have our faith tested during our lives, and it seems to be you are being tested now.

[ Releasing one of his hands but keeping the other clasped, she shifts so she is facing the front, even if there's nobody there and no proper mass. Anne closes her eyes, and in her utter distraction of UNDEAD, she doesn't even think of why she was fleeing this church in the first place. ]

Let us first recall the Lord's Prayer.

[indirectcause]

[Welcome to living with Ben 101.]

Guess I am.

[Hey at least his nightmare of life has done some good. He nods, dipping his head a little.]

Okay.

[ensorceler]

Oh our father which art in heaven—

[ She starts without thinking, remembering only too late that she cannot pray. Except...nothing had stopped her, save for her own surprise at words coming out.

It takes her another moment to recover, and she continues on hoping he will not notice, but her grip on his hand tightens and there's a tear streaking her cheek, shock and joy filling her at being able to hear herself say these words again. ]

— hallowed be thy name. Let thy kingdom come; Thy will be fulfilled as well in Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, even as we forgave them which trespass us.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory forever.

[ Clutching her rosary in her free hand, she slowly crosses herself. ]

Amen.

[indirectcause]

[He does notice, but repeats the prayer with her quietly, adding his own 'Amen' at the end. He watches her for a mment more, before clearing his throat.]

Are you okay?

[ensorceler]

[ When she opens her eyes to look at him, Anne smiles. There must be a reason she can suddenly pray, and the only difference now is his presence. Is this meant to be a sign? For what? Is he meant to help her, or she him? ]

Mayhap well and good for the first time since I re-awoke in this realm. Tell me, child, for how long have you resided here?

[indirectcause]

[This is a terrible consideration on her part, really.]

That's...uh, good? [He thinks.] I've been here for about nine months, now.

[ensorceler]

And so long without guidance? I would have you join me for mass. You and Clementine.

[indirectcause]

I can't promise about Clem, but I'd like to do that.

[ensorceler]

[ He better promise! She'll go get Clem herself if she has to, Clementine seems to have trouble turning her down except where eating cute bunny rabbits is involved. ]

Then I have another request of you, before I leave. A strange request that I cannot rightly force you to, but pray you will consider.

[indirectcause]

[He looks mightily unsure, but he knows he probably can't deny the Queen of Freaking England too much in one sitting.]

...Sure?

[ensorceler]

I may call upon you at hours that are odd...and more than once a day. You may not always understand why, but I will not keep you overlong, and you cannot whisper these instances to a soul.

Do you object?