The carriage slowly approached the church of Mardrago. Inside, Aldric was still in thought and conflicted about his earlier thought. Outside, it was breezy and wet.
Would they really propose the burning of a neighborhood just because of a bad smell?
Aldric looked right through the window towards the church's cemetery.
From down the street near the warehouses of the port, if you walk westward, the entire right side of the street from the ocean towards the church was only the old cemetery, which had held the dead of Port Bravo for the past three hundred years.
It's not that the burning is wrong... as much as it hurt Jack, it did get him away from there, as the sole survivor.
Being near the miasma would have killed him, but to propose to burn a street because of smell is delusional.
What if there were other people there? It's not like they provided another place to live for Jack.
The church already struggles to take care of the abandoned kids and a few discarded elderly that help educate them so that they won't eventually be pushed by the guards towards the slums.
But Jack? If it wasn't for me knowing him and raising the problem, the church itself wouldn't have even known about him.
He may have been helped by Salvation, since they help the people out of the slums and convert them, but that is still a minority...
The carriage stopped in front of the Church of Mardrago.
Aldric exited the carriage and thanked the driver while pressing three fingers to his forehead.
He didn't head to the church itself, as it was closed. The only one inside the church was Priest Aldwin, who slept inside near the door in case any abused wife of a sailor or people in similar situations seeking help came to the church in the middle of the night.
This was a tradition for two hundred years; it was included after a reformation so as to raise the standing of women in society and not split the Church of Mardrago in two.
It also served to move the religion as a whole from a fear-based religion to a more mainstream mercy religion, though it failed to gain much popularity due to Salvation taking the mercy spot for almost five hundred years at the time.
Aldric walked past the church towards the Church's residences, which were a little further up the street. He didn't make it much past the church when Priest Aldwin looked out the colored window and saw him.
Opening the door, Priest Aldwin spoke louder, but not loud enough to wake people from their sleep.
"Aldric...!" —Priest Aldwin
Parta[1] Aldwin!
"What are you doing, boy? Enter, we have been waiting for you." —Priest Aldwin
Waiting for me?
Now inside the church, the top, just below the universe mural with a blue dragon flying around it, was a candle holder made of black iron holding candles that was held by four chains, dimly lighting the area and letting the thin gold lines of the blue dragon be reflected.
It was an entirely different feel from the church seen during daytime.
Sitting on the bench that looked like many beautifully carved wooden high-back thrones fused together was Lucius. He was shocked and anxious.
"You were waiting for me?" —Aldric
"Yes, the Cathedral brought word that Lucius is to be promoted to priest." —Aldwin
What?
The only way a Deacon could be promoted was for the predecessor to die, a new church opening, or the worst outcome: excommunication and exile...
Aldric gulped before asking.
"For what reason...?" —Aldric
"Please sit down. There is no need to worry for me." —Aldwin
After Aldric sat down, Aldwin brought him a ceremonial cup of water to drink from.
Aldwin rubbed his head with his palm as he spoke.
"Heh... This old man raised concerns about the church placing politics above the faithful." —Aldwin
"Part—" —Aldric
"Tut, tut. Just Aldwin." —Aldwin
In a trembling voice, Aldric spoke.
"Are you just going to accept it? It's not right." —Aldric
Aldwin stood silent for a few seconds before talking to Aldric.
"How is Jack doing? Is he going to be well?" —Aldwin
"He is..." —Aldric
"How so?" —Aldwin
Aldric bit his lip before speaking again in a trembling voice.
"He is eating well, he—he even said that he will bring the good food for the kids." —Aldric
Aldwin chuckled. During this, Lucius moved to sit next to Aldric.
"That sounds like Jack, doing good where it matters." —Aldwin
"Anything else?" —Aldwin
Aldric, with his eyes watery, responded yet again.
"He said that he is to receive etiquette training, that he will soon work for the Count..." —Aldric
Continuing his gentle smile, Aldwin responded.
"The Lord's favored often face the most formidable of trials before rising." —Aldwin
"What food does he eat there?" —Aldwin
The night went on.
[1] Meaning 'Father' religiously. Aldric uses it sentimentally since Aldwin took him in when he was very young, but never says it out loud