The Temple: Sorrel and Seraphina - Stephen&Laura
May 31, 2021 10:22:22 GMT
BB, Ser Baine Cinderwood 🔥🌼, and 4 more like this
Post by stephena on May 31, 2021 10:22:22 GMT
(Note: a co-written account of a downtime encounter at the temple of Selune)
The temple to Selune is wreathed in flowers and the pale stone of the building seems to glow in the day's light.
A golden skinned tiefling is attending to someone outside and speaking with them, her face looks calm and caring and she speaks with a soft voice, barely audible to Sorrel.
Sorrel pauses in front of the temple and gazes up. It’s a breathtaking sight. The dockside temple where her mother worked as a warden looked nothing like this - the beauty seems like a more fitting home for Selune. Sorrel looks down at her travel worn clothes, calloused hands and belt stuffed with weapons and feels briefly ashamed. She gazes at the tiefling like an awkward child too shy to approach a department store Santa.
The woman bows her head and gently squeezes the shoulder of the young man who had been speaking with her. As he leaves she stands up and straightens out her sleeves and clothing and takes a deep breath, feeling the sun on her face for a moment, her gaze wanders over and she spots a new face.
Sorrel watches the tiefling’s graceful movements with quiet fascination. She’s spoken to a few tieflings in the past but they remain a mystery to her. The busy docks she grew up in meant travellers of every stripe passed through her father’s pawn shop but there was always a moment’s silence when a tiefling stepped through the door - her father treated them with respect few clients could expect. She smiles hesitantly.
The woman watches her and turns to face her, the silver breastplate glinting as it catches the light, she moves over towards this new visitor and raises a hand “Hello” she says with a gentle wave, “I have not seen you before, but then, I am meeting many new faces each day.” she laughs unusually slowly, her voice has an odd cadence to it but is not unpleasant.
Sorrel’s throat feels dry and she is suddenly uncertain. Three months at sea have given her a coarse tongue, more ready to curse than greet an elegant stranger. “I… I… I’m new here,” she stutters. “I docked this morning…” She pauses, then in a rush - “I love this temple, it’s so beautiful, do you work here? It’s…” she stops, suddenly aware her voice is running away with itself.
She thinks for a moment, tilting her head, “I do not work here officially, this is a temple of Selune and I am an acolyte, however, this is not my temple. I do find solace and comfort here so I suppose in a way it is.” she smiles gently “Anyway, I am pleased to meet you, I am Seraphina, may I know your name?”
“I’m Al…” instinctively Sorrel begins offering an alias then stops and, to her surprise, offers her true name. In that moment she feels vulnerable but oddly safe, almost like a child again. “I am Sorrel Darkfire. It’s good to meet you Seraphina. I think the temple suits you.”
Seraphina smiles, “It is good to meet you Sorrel Darkfire, would you like to walk with me?”
A tug at her heart tells her this person may need guidance or conversation or even solace, she does not know which but she shall help in any way she can.
Sorrel, so graceful on the battlefield, so confident in the dockside bars, feels clumsy and stupid and her leather armour feels tatty and worn. She feels a sudden, unexpected wave of emotion and looks away, then back into Seraphina’s comforting eyes. “Yes, please Seraphina. I would like to walk with you. Thank you.”
Seraphina nods her head and gestures with her right hand for Sorrel to join her, “You say you have just arrived, I do hope the journey was not too tiresome, I myself do not enjoy being on the open sea, I do not have...what is it they say, sea legs?”
Sorrel smiles for the first time today. It feels good. “Sea legs… well, I don’t think anyone’s born with them. You acquire them through bitter experience. But also, you get so used to the pitch and toss of the vessel that when you come ashore, the land suddenly feels unstable. If I fall over, it’s because my legs suddenly think the land is rocking beneath their feet. I’ll try not to stumble into you.”
Seraphina offers an arm to Sorrel, “I am here if needed.” and continues to walk, “Is Selune your goddess also or do you visit the temple as a curiosity? I do not judge if so, it is a beautiful place and the gods welcome all.”
Sorrel looks carefully at this graceful tiefling. The offer of her arm produced another deep surge of emotion, feelings she had damped down for so long she hoped they’d gone forever. “Selune is my goddess,” she hesitates. “It’s complicated. My mother was an acolyte in Baldur’s Gate. Childhood services were the bane of my life. When I was a teenger, though, there were nights when going home wasn’t wise and I slept at the foot of Selune’s altar. It gave me comfort. Then… my work started… and there were times it was…” she swallows. “Hard. And in those times I found I called to Selune. And…” she stops, closes her eyes. “I don’t know Seraphina. I believe she helped me. I can’t explain it. Even today, on my journey here, we were attacked. I whispered her name and my arrow found its mark. I’m not what you would call religious. But there is no other way I can explain it.”
Seraphina listens, her face unchanging and calm, “I believe she did.” she continues walking for a few moments, deep in thought, “What do you need from Selune? Her grace shines upon us in many ways of course, but what do you need, Sorrel Darkfire?” she says, gently.
Sorrel’s eyes fill with tears. As much as she struggles, the walls she has built and tended with such dedication for so many years begin to crumble in Seraphina’s soft gaze and strangely musical voice. “I need to repay my debt,” her voice is trembling. “I have been in darkness but the fact that I am here is thanks to her. When I had lost everything… everything… even duty was not enough. She helped me put one foot in front of the other. She helped me wake up every morning. I don’t know how, but it was her. And I have not offered thanks, I have not given service, I have been given this life thanks to her and now I need to begin to repay her.” She falls to her knees and buries her face in the tiefling’s surcoat. “I will scrub the floors, I will clean the latrines, I will do anything.” She pulls her face away. “And perhaps we can talk again? Next time I won’t cry, I promise.”
Seraphina stops in her tracks and watches as Sorrel crumbles before her, she kneels down to join her and gently places a hand on the half elf’s shoulder and waits for her as long as she needs.
When Sorrel looks away Seraphina touches Sorrel’s chin and guides her face to look at hers, “Selune’s light guides us in darkness, she loves you Sorrel I have no doubt. Do not…” she pauses, “We walk with the goddess, not behind her.” Seraphina carefully stands up again and offers a hand to Sorrel.
“I hope you can welcome her into your heart, as she has you in hers.
The temple to Selune is wreathed in flowers and the pale stone of the building seems to glow in the day's light.
A golden skinned tiefling is attending to someone outside and speaking with them, her face looks calm and caring and she speaks with a soft voice, barely audible to Sorrel.
Sorrel pauses in front of the temple and gazes up. It’s a breathtaking sight. The dockside temple where her mother worked as a warden looked nothing like this - the beauty seems like a more fitting home for Selune. Sorrel looks down at her travel worn clothes, calloused hands and belt stuffed with weapons and feels briefly ashamed. She gazes at the tiefling like an awkward child too shy to approach a department store Santa.
The woman bows her head and gently squeezes the shoulder of the young man who had been speaking with her. As he leaves she stands up and straightens out her sleeves and clothing and takes a deep breath, feeling the sun on her face for a moment, her gaze wanders over and she spots a new face.
Sorrel watches the tiefling’s graceful movements with quiet fascination. She’s spoken to a few tieflings in the past but they remain a mystery to her. The busy docks she grew up in meant travellers of every stripe passed through her father’s pawn shop but there was always a moment’s silence when a tiefling stepped through the door - her father treated them with respect few clients could expect. She smiles hesitantly.
The woman watches her and turns to face her, the silver breastplate glinting as it catches the light, she moves over towards this new visitor and raises a hand “Hello” she says with a gentle wave, “I have not seen you before, but then, I am meeting many new faces each day.” she laughs unusually slowly, her voice has an odd cadence to it but is not unpleasant.
Sorrel’s throat feels dry and she is suddenly uncertain. Three months at sea have given her a coarse tongue, more ready to curse than greet an elegant stranger. “I… I… I’m new here,” she stutters. “I docked this morning…” She pauses, then in a rush - “I love this temple, it’s so beautiful, do you work here? It’s…” she stops, suddenly aware her voice is running away with itself.
She thinks for a moment, tilting her head, “I do not work here officially, this is a temple of Selune and I am an acolyte, however, this is not my temple. I do find solace and comfort here so I suppose in a way it is.” she smiles gently “Anyway, I am pleased to meet you, I am Seraphina, may I know your name?”
“I’m Al…” instinctively Sorrel begins offering an alias then stops and, to her surprise, offers her true name. In that moment she feels vulnerable but oddly safe, almost like a child again. “I am Sorrel Darkfire. It’s good to meet you Seraphina. I think the temple suits you.”
Seraphina smiles, “It is good to meet you Sorrel Darkfire, would you like to walk with me?”
A tug at her heart tells her this person may need guidance or conversation or even solace, she does not know which but she shall help in any way she can.
Sorrel, so graceful on the battlefield, so confident in the dockside bars, feels clumsy and stupid and her leather armour feels tatty and worn. She feels a sudden, unexpected wave of emotion and looks away, then back into Seraphina’s comforting eyes. “Yes, please Seraphina. I would like to walk with you. Thank you.”
Seraphina nods her head and gestures with her right hand for Sorrel to join her, “You say you have just arrived, I do hope the journey was not too tiresome, I myself do not enjoy being on the open sea, I do not have...what is it they say, sea legs?”
Sorrel smiles for the first time today. It feels good. “Sea legs… well, I don’t think anyone’s born with them. You acquire them through bitter experience. But also, you get so used to the pitch and toss of the vessel that when you come ashore, the land suddenly feels unstable. If I fall over, it’s because my legs suddenly think the land is rocking beneath their feet. I’ll try not to stumble into you.”
Seraphina offers an arm to Sorrel, “I am here if needed.” and continues to walk, “Is Selune your goddess also or do you visit the temple as a curiosity? I do not judge if so, it is a beautiful place and the gods welcome all.”
Sorrel looks carefully at this graceful tiefling. The offer of her arm produced another deep surge of emotion, feelings she had damped down for so long she hoped they’d gone forever. “Selune is my goddess,” she hesitates. “It’s complicated. My mother was an acolyte in Baldur’s Gate. Childhood services were the bane of my life. When I was a teenger, though, there were nights when going home wasn’t wise and I slept at the foot of Selune’s altar. It gave me comfort. Then… my work started… and there were times it was…” she swallows. “Hard. And in those times I found I called to Selune. And…” she stops, closes her eyes. “I don’t know Seraphina. I believe she helped me. I can’t explain it. Even today, on my journey here, we were attacked. I whispered her name and my arrow found its mark. I’m not what you would call religious. But there is no other way I can explain it.”
Seraphina listens, her face unchanging and calm, “I believe she did.” she continues walking for a few moments, deep in thought, “What do you need from Selune? Her grace shines upon us in many ways of course, but what do you need, Sorrel Darkfire?” she says, gently.
Sorrel’s eyes fill with tears. As much as she struggles, the walls she has built and tended with such dedication for so many years begin to crumble in Seraphina’s soft gaze and strangely musical voice. “I need to repay my debt,” her voice is trembling. “I have been in darkness but the fact that I am here is thanks to her. When I had lost everything… everything… even duty was not enough. She helped me put one foot in front of the other. She helped me wake up every morning. I don’t know how, but it was her. And I have not offered thanks, I have not given service, I have been given this life thanks to her and now I need to begin to repay her.” She falls to her knees and buries her face in the tiefling’s surcoat. “I will scrub the floors, I will clean the latrines, I will do anything.” She pulls her face away. “And perhaps we can talk again? Next time I won’t cry, I promise.”
Seraphina stops in her tracks and watches as Sorrel crumbles before her, she kneels down to join her and gently places a hand on the half elf’s shoulder and waits for her as long as she needs.
When Sorrel looks away Seraphina touches Sorrel’s chin and guides her face to look at hers, “Selune’s light guides us in darkness, she loves you Sorrel I have no doubt. Do not…” she pauses, “We walk with the goddess, not behind her.” Seraphina carefully stands up again and offers a hand to Sorrel.
“I hope you can welcome her into your heart, as she has you in hers.