"I rise again to face this morning, thanks to You. This search of mine for my father has not gone as fruitfully as I had hoped. May You forgive me for allowing myself to be overtaken by pride. I placed too much trust in my abilities, without considering my lack of knowledge and experience in the task at hand. Must I turn back home to be with my mother, whom I am giving the undeserved pain of uncertainty?

  I ask of You, albeit selfishly, to grant me courage to face the unknown, give me strength to place my trust in these people accompanying me for today... and for as long as they will be with me. I also wish for fortitude to withstand adversity from dangerous foes... and also for serenity to not be consumed by the temptations of my own gifts. All of this in the name of Your will..."

  Euphemia stood up and opened her eyes to an empty altar; its marble surface was untarnished, with the light of the morning sun bouncing in several directions. Behind and above it was the holy symbol that overlooked the pews. The kneelers could use some polish, she thought. Wiping the dust off them wasn't enough; her only sight of relief was the leather remaining unblemished despite the time the house of worship was closed.

  The morning formed a thin film of mist on the church's window glass, though the rays of the sun filled the interior with uneven mirror-like shapes. It was either a pretense of warmth, or perhaps Euphemia did not wear as many layers as she did before. She received cotton and linen from the bishop: soft enough fabrics to allow her to move about as she prepared to do her busywork inside. Her tunic fit well enough for her upper body, though it was too loose beyond her torso, bringing the need for a sash tied around her waist. She sported a thin veil atop her head; the air would find little trouble cooling her, though its whiteness allowed more brightness drawn to her face. The blasts of light she did before to expel insects and destroy moldy growth left marks and patches from the resulting dust. At least it was down to a matter of sweeping and brushing off the more stubborn patches.

  Near the main doors was a bucket of sudsy water; the scent of detergent left a mild sting on the cleric's nostrils. The soap had to be a brand with too little fragrance in it, she thought. Euphemia took a tin water dipper and spilled some of the bucket's contents onto the floor and started scrubbing. She had covered in soap a fraction of the nave's flooring when she heard a few knocks on the main door. Euphemia opened the door to two of Aurelburg's gate guards, who wore surprised and flustered faces at the sight of the canoness.

  "Good morning. You look busy today, Sister." The soldier on the left preferred to look at the door. "Looks like we're interrupting you, but we're here to hand over an advisory from the city administration."

  "I see."

  Euphemia opened the door wider and received a rolled piece of paper from the other soldier. She opened it and read its contents in front of the two men. She was about to close the notice, but she looked at the guards and brought the paper to view again, saying:

  "The western fringes of the Old Wood are closed, and will remain so until further notice..."

  She read the contents of the announcement in a whisper. A passing breeze carried the smell of soap and water from behind the cleric. Euphemia fixed her gaze on the two soldiers; both looked back at her with twitching lips and an uneasy grin. She asked:

  "Will you be marking the lines on how far I can go into the forest? I would have to forgo foraging on a few herbs and mushrooms in case."

  "Uh... well, we'd- recommend you stay out of the deeper parts of the woods until it's sorted." The soldier to the right fiddled with the strap of his rifle. "They say flesh-eating wild beasts are around. I've been around these parts since I was a boy. Unless if there's some rabid deer prowling in these woods. Could be wolves or wildcats, but we never had those in years."

  "That's terrible. Has anyone been hurt?"

  "Thank the Creator there are no reports." The strap-twitching soldier continued, "We leave the forest patrolling to the Constables. We'll be, um, responsible for your safety as long as we're around."

  "I'm glad to hear that." Euphemia put the notice in her side pouch, bringing a look of relief to the guards. "Now, do either of you have an idea when the builders will work on the village?"

  "I'm sorry to say, Sister, but we're yet to get a schedule from the administrators." The guard at the left tried to return the gaze, only to divert it again after a few seconds. "If we get any word, we'll let you know before you even hear their arrival."

  "Thank you for your service. Should I also expect patrols to be on these grounds?"

  "We're nearby," the second guard answered. "We can tell the woodland guys to check this church once in a while, if that's all right with you."

  "As long as it doesn't get in the way of their duties." Euphemia nodded. "Will you tell me anything else?"

  "That will be all, really." The first guard's eyes wanted to focus on her face, but they sprang back to looking at the door.

  "Bless you on your job, gentlemen."

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  "Thank you for receiving us, Sister. Stay safe under His care."

  The Aurelburgians nodded, turned around, and moved away as the door to the church was closed.

  ????

  The only source of water for the entire place was a water closet at the residence building. The pipes were intact, though the tap made a creaky screech when opened. Euphemia brought her empty buckets and filled them with water, which came out blurred at first, only for it to be almost clear when the flow was kept open. A thin stream took its time to fill the vessels, and the cleric was readying to lift it, walk a few meters with it to the church, and return to the tap once empty.

  "Remember, lift with your legs."

  She carried both buckets at once, taking minced and sliding steps not to spill water on her tunic. Euphemia stopped halfway to the main church when she heard another voice. It was the traveler from that encounter inside the forest. He was still under suspicion, Euphemia thought. Yet she was treating him less like a prisoner and more like a guest. It was his second day in this desolate compound, and he had yet to show any want to escape: his pack was still under Rook's watch. He would be another misfit, again, like Rook; she almost forgot that the boy had introduced himself by aiming a gun at her. Nothing suggested that he had any extraordinary showings, nor any behavior found in scoundrels or highwaymen.

  Maybe she should ask Rook later if there was anything the traveler carried in his baggage that suggested undesirable origins.

  "You need help." He approached the cleric.

  "I'll be grateful if you'll be so kind as to carry these back to the church."

  "Easy enough."

  Sturdy arms lifted the buckets from the ground. He followed Euphemia and put both vessels in the left corner. There were streaks and patches of suds on the floor; they mixed with ages' worth of dirt that needed to be brushed out of the nave.

  He watched her work on the floor; the scraping of bristles against stone echoed inside. His eyes followed her movements. She did not sport the heavy garb he had first seen her with. It did not take long before he walked out of the corner and said:

  "Sorry. I'm not used to seeing prayer ladies do these kinds of work. Mind if I take that off of you?"

  "Your help is much appreciated." Euphemia handed him the brush. "Thank you."

  She took a mop and wiped over areas the traveler had scrubbed. The sun was fully out on the horizon by the time the floor was cleaned. It was damp, but at least the smell of an abandoned building was smothered and stripped away with soap.

  "Haven't done this in quite a while, so I think my work is sloppy."

  "You've done better work in removing the dirt than I could manage. It can look better, even cleaner, with a helping of floor polish." Euphemia sat near the altar, though she was looking in the opposite direction. "You said before that you're not from anywhere here."

  "Hah... that. I left my hometown." He remained standing while using the brush to support himself. "I needed, I should call it an opportunity. Things at home were becoming worse before I left."

  "I am aware that the Empire is looking for labor." Euphemia took a handkerchief and wiped her forehead. "It has been some time since I last read, so I am yet to know if that's still true."

  "My turn asking. Are you and other church women into this sort of thing? Back in my place, these jobs are left to a priestess' servants."

  "We are called to do these tasks, but this is something I chose." Euphemia looked at the rising walls of Aurelburg from the window. "I requested space inside the city, but there wasn't any. So, you may call it cleaning my own- or rather, a temporary place? I am unsure if 'building it' is more appropriate."

  He gave a quizzical glance at the cleric. "I get it, I think. Are you supposed to serve in this place? It doesn't look like this village is going to have other people soon."

  "Only for as long as it takes for a priest to be sent here." Euphemia stood up, setting the mop on a corner.

  "I think I heard your name from that boy. Euphemia, you're not?"

  "Yes." Euphemia clasped her hands together and bowed.

  "Call me Kirk." He was about to extend his hand, but withdrew it sooner than the cleric noticed. "The boy is not with you?"

  "He might still be sleeping at this time. His efforts must have used up much of his strength."

  "I see." He sat down, looking at the lone icon mounted before the heavy stone altar. "Would you be cleaning anywhere else here?"

  "The rooms at the back should be next." Euphemia looked at the ceiling, then looked to her sides at eye level. "We may be able to attend to the walls here instead."

  "I can do either way." He looked at the cleaning brush he was holding. "This thing will do, still."

  "So, Kirk, I have decided to let you go to resume your travels, for as long as you tell no one of what you saw in the woods. When do you plan on leaving?"

  "About that..." Kirk took the brush and looked up at the empty interior. "I don't know where to go, really, and I thought you could help me with a few things. What about I stay in your company until I figure out where I should be next?"

  "I can take you to the city and help you look for a job."

  "I'm not too comfortable staying here, with those, hmm... strange animals. Maybe some other place."

  "I can't assure you of somewhere better once we leave this village."

  "I'll worry about that when it happens. You need my help. What do you say?"

  "Let me think about it." Euphemia said, "Perhaps I'll take you to the city of Aurelburg and then let you know."

  "I can work with that, I think."

  "Now, if you could clean the room behind the great holy symbol..." Euphemia was about to step out of the nave. She turned around, getting hold of the main door's handles. "I will be in the kitchen to find out what I can make for lunch. Thank you for being helpful, Kirk."

  The door closed. He stood still and stared at the interior, then moved his focus to his brush. That feeling again. Those eyes of hers took him back to that event long ago. But this woman could not be that memory.