The Prodigal Daughter

From Changeling Venue

Reeva finds the door as easily as ever. She takes the doorknob in hand and turns, turning the world inside out until the water is on the outside again, and she's standing once more in a cold hall, her very breath echoing about her in the dim light.

Her sigh reverberates around the small corridor as she pads along, not as nervous as before, not as nervous as she's ever been here, despite the haunting memories of the church. Even her footsteps sound different, walking with purpose, now not being the time to become self absorbed.

"Reverend?"

The word hangs in the air, echoing all about for a moment, before ceasing suddenly, as if the very walls had lashed out and swallowed it. Then, with slow, deliberate purpose, those walls seemed to answer her, a word in turn, an echo without a source.

"Aaaahhh," the rafters seemed to sigh, "the prodigal daughter has returned..." the walls and pews snapped reflected words at her. "The child has grown.."

Reeva locks her jaw, steeling herself, now is not the time to be a child, now is the time to be a Queen.

"Reverend? I've come to take the boys back to the Market."

"And on the sixth day, the demons sent their messenger..." Marsh rose slowly from the front pews, but did not turn to face her yet. His hair was tied back now, slick and oily, and he wore a long coat of sorts. "...but she was not like them, for her countenance was of the Lord, and the Father saw the falsehood she had been fed."

"I want to take them back now Reverend. They came with their people and they should be returned to their people. It is not -safe- for them to be here."

"How much more safe, I wonder, could they be than in the house of their Father?"

She raises her eyes to his, for the first time in a long while.

"I want to see them."

"The children are sleeping now, but you may look upon them." He gestures toward the archway that leads to what was her room.

Calmly she approaches, bristling a little should the Reverand get close to her. Reeva chooses to speak quietly now

"I want to take them back with me, Reverend. You and I have much to discuss and It is not wise for them to be here for that."

"You have spent much time amongst the demons, my child." He takes a single step toward her.

"Even your tongue has sharpened...but the Lord has brought these children to me, and I will not surrender them. Have no fear - they cannot hear us now if you wish confession."

"I am older now, Reverend." she moves to enter her old room, to see the boys for herself. The two boys, lie in her old bed, huddled together and fast asleep. They can be no more than sixteen years old, and are clearly twins...and clearly swimmerskins... seals, to be precise.

From behind her, Marsh's voice rises again, gently.

"And the lord gave unto his servant two sons, that they might help him to bring about the coming of His own."

"They are not for you" she mutters then calls out loudly "Ok boys! Time to get up now! Everyone's missing you back at the market! Up an attum!"

His eyes widen in shock as the children bolt at the sound of her voice and look blearily about. "Do NOT listen to her, children...her voice is that of demons even if her body is not.." he wheels about to face her. "..and YOU..." he raises a hand...

"Go on" she hisses "Hit me in front of them, then see how safe they feel" Reeva stares at him again, unwaveringly.

"Come on boys! There's folk real hurt from the Reaver attack and I don't know them like you do.. i really need your help, it's not safe down here on your own with him." she calls out loudly, quickly, clearly. He growls, clearly caught off guard by all this.

"Stay where you are, children...outside these walls there are only evils...like those that took you to begin with..."

He draws as close to Reeva as he can.

"You have fallen so far from His sight, child...and I am only SO forgiving..."

"If only you knew what you had done, what you had destroyed already with your unforgiving ways, God has taught you a powerful lesson through me, Reverend. He is forgiving, loving... but equally so, his forgiveness only stretches so far."

She turns her head just a little so she has both Marsh and the boys in sight, she chooses one and focuses the power of the wyrd within her - compelling him with her spring contract that now all he should desire is to leave, with his brother.

"Go on boys, there's a nice man up on the beach waiting to take you back, folks have been asking after you"

"How DARE you!" He pushes her against the door frame. "How dare you spoil their innocence with your words...your very presence REEKS of the devils you have laid with!"

"Boys RUN, Swim NOW.. save yourselves!" Reeva stares defiantly up at the old man, for the first time in her life. As the children bolt for the door, clinging to each other, Marsh still has both hands on Reeva. He lets go with one hand and swipes at them as they pass, but misses. Growling, he tosses Reeva back into the church. She whimpers on impact with the floor "You shouldn't hurt people!! You never know what could happen!"

"I know the ends to which I must go for His work!"

With that, he turns on his heel to chase after the twins.

"You did it Reverend!" She blurts out "I was pregnant!!!"

The church is silent. Not quiet, not the hollow silence of an empty space, not even a dead echo. Then, there is just the grating of one foot turning slowly on stone.

"You..." his eyes claw about in their sockets, as if the truth of it could be found somewhere about the empty hall. "You LIE!!"

"No! No I don't! You did it and then you beating me up took it away!" of course she was lying, it was the only way to distract him long enough to allow the twins to escape.

"I?! I was but a channel! I was as the rod and sceptre of the Lord and YOU...YOU were found wanting as his vessel, not I! I was blessed with children as a SIGN..as a symbol of my duty and you have been cursed with a barren womb for your whoring with the lot of Satan!"

He begins to pace toward her, but his footfalls are uneven, his stride a crude, clumsy swagger and his eyes roll about like ships in a storm.

"I...I was faithful...you..you...SLATTERN! Barren and cursed above the others..." his words begin to swim together as he draws nearer...

She scrambles to her feet and rather keenly begins to pad backwards deftly, as though she has had much practise at this retreat.

The panic is evident, she knows what lays ahead should he lose all semblance of control.

"NO! I had and it was in me and then you took to me with that BELT of yours and the next day I was ill and it died! YOU did it! God showed you love and you repaid it with blind violence and so he took it away!! If you just do it again what next? You have to STOP!"

"NO!!" The word isn't even aimed at her, and it echoes about, screaming back at him in mockery of his defiance from every corner. With a hand, he bats aside the lectern standing idly at his side, sending it spinning into the pews, then lunges forward awkwardly, catching her by the collar with his free hand.

"I am LOVED by Him!" He stabs a finger upward, eyes fixed on hers. "I bear His countenance and I do HIS will! Understand child? Understand?" His mouth opens again, but the words do not flow as easily as before. "You..you cannot...you do NOT feel the love within you..HIS LOVE! No...how it swells and ebbs and flows and fills me...as it filled..as it..."

She is quietly spoken now "He does love you, he loves me as well. I pay him respect, I pay him heed and I try and do the right thing by his words. He forgave humanity, he reached out and touched it and blessed it.. us. We should repay that love in kind, not through violence." she doesn't struggle right now, just frowns.

"You taught me God was Love... when did that change?"

He seems so much smaller now somehow, and struggles to keep his footing. He lets go of her ans steps back.

"Go." His voice is low, the deep rumble of the deepest ocean. "Go from His house...go back to your demons and do not show your face to me again."

Reeva's nose twitches.. and her brows furrow.

"Ok."

Her footsteps pause momentarily at the doorway

"Reverend?"

He doesn't reply, his form just falls to the floor by the altar

She wavers still, looking sadly.

"Reverend... I forgive you and you still have a place in my heart!"

and with that she's gone.

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