Brother Barrelmender moved to where Peep was standing over Thad Swallowtail’s three young women seated in the church pews.
“One of them spoke to you earlier, did she not?” he asked Peep.
“Yeah,” she answered, pointing her out.
“What did she say?”
“She said she don’t like this place and wants to go home. I told her she needs to figure out how to get right with Stron first,” said Peep.
“Good. You three: look at me. Look at me, now,” Barrelmender repeated sharply when they failed to comply immediately..
The girl that had spoken to Peep looked meekly to Barrelmender and held his eye. The one splattered with Thad’s blood continued to stare off into space. The third quickly glanced Barrelmender’s way and dropped her face down to her knees in fear.
Barrelmender nodded and gestured to the bloody woman.
“Otilla: take this one to the kitchen and help her get cleaned up as well. Then bring her back. She and the other one are not to speak,” he said.
Peep nodded and moved over to the woman’s side. She gave her a nudge on the shoulder, and then a not-so-gentle backhand on the cheek. The woman blinked and looked around, confused. Peep grabbed her by the arm and led her to the kitchen. The young woman went without fuss.
Barrelmender sat down in the pew in front of the women’s, seated sideways to face them.
“You may comfort her,” he said to the speaker, gesturing to the one still cowering.
The woman nodded and slid down the pew to do just that.
Barrelmender traced the Wheel over his breast and grasped his black iron Wheel holy symbol. “Stron: grant me the ability to detect lies. Amen.”
He traced the Wheel again before looking to the speaker.
“What is your name?” Barrelmender asked her.
“Grace, Father,” she answered, her voice quiet but steady.
“Grace. Indeed. Call me, Brother, though. I am a monk.”
“Yes, Brother,” Grace said, naturally.
“You understand the distinction, Grace?”
“Yes, Brother. We call a priest, Father. Monks we call, Brother. Nuns we call Sister. And Mother Superior we call Mother.”
“Mother Superior. Singular without an article. So you have had one, have you?” Barrelmender asked mildly.
“Yes, Brother. In the convent. Saint Melifluina’s Convent in Saltwells. We were all there. Before,” she finished quietly.
“Indeed? What is your name, Grace? Family name, I mean.”
“Somershire, Brother.”
“Grace Somershire. Pleased to meet you, miss. My name is Cornelius Barrelmender. Now, is your father a nobleman? Does he hold a peerage?”
“No, Brother. He is a knight. The Duke of Beauford’s man,” Grace said, showing just a little pride.
“Thank you, Grace. Just now you said ‘we’ were all at the convent. You mean these other two young ladies with you?” Barrelmender asked.
“Yes, Brother. The one who is getting cleaned is my younger sister. Nathalie. This is Petrina. Petrina Oxbow. Her family are merchants,” Grace said, still patting and stroking Petrina’s back and hair.
“Very good, Grace. Very good, indeed. You are doing very well. Thank you.”
“You are welcome, Brother,” Grace smiled at him, lighting up the room.
Barrelmender coughed and took a moment before proceeding:
“Now, Grace, I understand that before coming here, Thad was given some powerful drugs by Diya. Were you given any drugs yesterday? Or today? You do not seem high.”
“That’s right, Brother. Not really. This morning we smoked some sticky green bud to calm down a little. But that’s not very much for us and it’s all gone now. Diya didn’t share what she gave Thad with anyone. That was his special trip. To learn about his destiny.”
“Yes. That it was,” Barrelmender said with a cold smile. “So, to carry on, Grace: Thad had other women living with you in Bristlenook. Did he not?”
“Yes, Brother.”
“Are any of them like you three? By that I mean, from a convent. From good families. Are they like you three in that respect?”
“No, Brother. They are from around here, I think. Except Sister Lisbet, of course.”
“Ah. Of course. Sister Lisbet,” Barrelmender said, leaning hard on “Sister.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“Was she with you at Saint Melifluina’s Convent?”
“Yes, Brother. She was one of the nuns in charge of us there.”
“I see. And, I suppose that Thad was the priest for the convent,” Barrelmender said.
“Yes, Brother. Father Swallowtail was the priest of Saint Melifluina’s Abbey. So he would come to service the convent as well,” Grace said innocently.
“He would service it. I suppose that was his turn of phrase.”
“Yes, Brother. He liked to say it. Is it a funny joke, Brother?”
“It is a joke. Not funny, I think. So, I suppose I can figure out the rest of your story for myself. But just to be sure. You and your sister were sent to the convent by your family to keep you safe and to educate and train you for an advantageous union of marriage. Yes?”
“Yes, Brother. Father anticipated that Nathalie and I would marry well,” Grace said, looking sad as she did.
“I am sure he did. How old are you now, child?” Barrelmender asked.
“Nineteen, Brother. Nathalie is seventeen. Petrina is about to turn nineteen. We were planning such a lovely birthday party for her.”
“I am sure you were. And how old were you when Father Swallowtail and Sister Lisbet took you out of the convent?”
“That was almost three years ago, Brother. So, I would have been sixteen.”
“Indeed. And I suppose that Father Swallowtail was doing private and secret things with you before you all left the convent.”
Grace hesitated just a little before quietly answering: “Yes, Brother.”
“Well, Grace, that is his shame. Not yours. And I suppose Sister Lisbet helped Father Swallowtail have his private times with you.”
Grace began to speak, but caught herself and shut her mouth.
“It is alright, child. You are safe. But I will ask you now: do you want to make things right with Stron?” Barrelmender said softly.
“Yes, Brother. I think I should, shouldn’t I? That would be best for us, wouldn’t it?” Grace asked earnestly.
“Yes, it would. Earlier you told Otilla that you want to go home. What did you mean by that? Where exactly do you want to go?”
“I’m, I’m sorry, Brother. I’m not sure exactly what I meant when I said it. But now I think I should like to go back home to Beauford, where mother is. Is that alright, Brother?”
“Grace, if you answer my questions honestly and sincerely admit and repent your sins, you shall be forgiven. And then I shall do everything in my power to get all three of you home. I give you my word on that. Do you believe me, Grace?” Barrelmender asked.
“Yes, Brother. I do.”
“Good. So, tell me Grace: what is the moon?”
“The moon, Brother? She is— ah… I… oh no!” Grace raised her hands to cover her mouth as she caught her heresy. She then straightened up and composed herself before continuing: “The moon is a devil set in the night sky to lead us astray in the darkness, Brother. It is a devil.”
“And what is prayer to the moon?”
“It is blasphemy and heresy, Brother.”
“It is indeed. But you have been praying to the moon, haven’t you?”
Grace did not hesitate in her answer. She met Barrelmender’s eye squarely and said:
“Yes, Brother. Every month. Every month we have prayed to the moon to keep from having babies. And I know this was sinful and wicked. And I am so very sorry. I repent, Brother. I want to be good. May I please repent, Brother? May I make amends?”
“I expect you may, Grace. I expect you may. Clever girl. You are very much your father’s daughter, I should think.”
“Thank you, Brother.”
“One more question on this topic, Grace. Who was it that taught you to pray to the moon?”
“Sister Grace, Brother. After we had left the convent and Thad opened our moon flowers with his sun rod.”
Barrelmender coughed and needed to take a moment with this. Once he was ready to proceed, he was forced to pause as Peep and Nathalie Somershire returned from the kitchen. The front of Nathalie’s dress was wet, and she looked much better for having had a good scrubbing in the wash basin.
Barrelmender rose and gestured for Peep to guide Nathalie around the side of the pew where she could sit next to her sister. As Nathalie sat down next to Grace, Petrina finally raised her head up from her knees. She and Nathalie smiled at each other and clasped their hands together in Grace’s lap. Grace embraced them both before dropping her hands down upon theirs.
“You may sit wherever you like, Otilla,” Barrelmender said. “Grace here was just telling me how they pray to the moon every month to keep from having babies. She has asked to repent of it.”
“Well, there we have it, then, huh?” Peep said as she took a seat on the same pew as the girls, just down from Nathalie.
Barrelmender nodded and turned back to Grace.
“Now, Grace, before we were talking about how Sister Lisbet helped Father Swallowtail have private time with you in the convent. I need to talk a little more about that.”
“Yes, Brother. But it was not private. She would be with us. We were always together.”
“Who do you mean by, ‘we?’ You three?” Barrelmender gestured at all the young women.
“No. Not then. Not there. Sister Lisbet was with us and Thad. And before she brought us to him, she would prepare us. She would give us pleasure and teach us how to give pleasure. And when we had learned how and we more comfortable, then she brought us to Thad. And then the three of us would be together. Thad, Lisbet, and I. Also, Nathalie and Petrina, in their turns. But all five of us did not come together in a snuggle puddle until after we had left the convent.”
“I see,” Barrelmender said. “Now, I am sorry, but we must be clear on this point, Grace. When you say give Sister Lisbet gave you pleasure, you mean sexually, yes? You would be naked and touching in a sexual way. And she had you do that to her?”
“Yes, Brother.”
“And then, when the two of you were with Father Swallowtail, he would have sex with you. Is that so?”
Grace frowned. “Well, it really was so much more than just that. I mean, yes, we would. But Lisbet and Thad taught us that there are so many more way to communicate sexually between partners. It’s all wonderful, and you don’t just have to have the sun rod in the moon flower to express yourselves. That’s the least of it, really! You can make wonderful love with your mouth, for example. And—”
“Yes. Thank you. That’s enough, Grace,” Barrelmender interrupted. “And Sister Lisbet and Father Swallowtail did these same things with Nathalie and Petrina, as far as you know.”
“Yes, Brother. In their turns. And then, once we all left the convent, we finally could do so all together.”
Barrelmender looked to the women to each side of Grace. Her sister Nathalie had rested her head on Grace’s shoulder and had her eyes closed. Petrina, though, seemed recovered from her earlier fright. When Barrelmender looked to her, she sat up fetchingly, arching her back to present her breasts to him.
“Is it time, Father? Is it time for us to give you pleasure?” Petrina asked, batting her eyes at him.
Grace closed her eyes and gave a little moan of disappointment. Nathalie raised her head from her sister’s shoulder and looked to Barrelmender expectantly.
Barrelmender coughed as Peep gave a snort of amusement.
“We can make you feel so good, Father. We are here for you. That’s why we’re here, right?” Petrina said, looking confused. She looked away from Barrelmender to Grace. “Right?”
“No,” Grace said, sadly.
“Yes it is!” Petrina insisted, getting upset. “Thad and Lisbet left us here so that we can give pleasure to the Father here to reward him for unifying our communities. Thad said! He did! That’s what we need to do now!”
“Petrina. Child. Look at me, Petrina,” Barrelmender said, his voice firm. She was trembling again when she did, looking very much like she might lose control of herself.
“What do you think just happened here?” Barrelmender asked calmly.
“You and Thad talked and worked things out. Didn’t you? You did. And Thad left us here so that we can do our part. We need to do our part now.”
“I see. Well, Petrina, you have made the offer to do as Thad said. And I decline. Do you understand? You do not need to do that. So you may relax now. Your part in this is over. Relax.”
Petrina took a moment to process this before nodding. She relaxed and snuggled up to Grace beside her.
Barrelmender looked to Grace:
“Soon, I will leave you three here. You will need to stay here in the church for a little while more. Do any of you need some water? Do you need to use the outhouse?”
Grace looked to Nathalie and Petrina before shaking her head.
“I think no, Brother.”
“Very well. A nice woman will come to stay with you. If you need anything, please let her know. Now, Grace: while the three of you are here, you may begin your repentance. I need you to explain to Nathalie and Petrina the situation. They need to understand what has happened here. They need to understand that now is the time to confess their sins and repent of them. They need to remember how to do that. Can you help them in this, Grace?”
“Yes, Brother. I can.”
“Good. Good for you, Grace. You have done very well. Help them to help themselves now. Then, when all you three are ready, I shall hear your confessions. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Brother.”
“Good.”
Brother Barrelmender stood up and nodded for Peep to join him. They stopped at the altar to confer.
“They are not to see that woman again,” Barrelmender said quietly, gesturing towards the kitchen door.
“Yeah, I get that,” Peep said. “But I think I’m off a beat or two here. What’s a convent?”
Barrelmender looked at her sharply before groaning and rubbing his temples.
“It is a place the elite put their women to preserve or redeem their virtue.”
“What does that even mean?” Peep scowled. “To keep them from having sex, ye mean?”
“Yes. That’s what I mean,” Barrelmender snapped.
“So Thad was the fox in the henhouse, then. And who was this Lisbet bitch? Some kind of boss lady at the convent?”
“Yes. A nun. Look, Otilla, I do not have the time or energy right now to redress your profound ignorance. Lieutenant Pekot can try to educate you on the matter later, if you want. Suffice to say that this Lisbet woman had a duty to protect these girls, and instead delivered them up to evil to satisfy her own twisted urges and agenda.”
“Yeah, I got that much. So she burns, right?”
“I think so. One way, or the other. I would like to see what she has to say for herself before making a decision, though.”
“Well, then, let’s get it on, Brother,” Peep said, gesturing towards the kitchen door. “But, maybe, seeing as I’m so dumb and all, ye might wanna wait for Choke to finish outside before leaning on her. He must be about done by now. One more burly man looming over her couldn’t hurt, right? And I reckon he should probably be party to this next step. Your apparitor, and all.”
“Yes. Quite correct, Otilla. Go outside and get him.”
Peep gave Barrelmender a nod and left to do that.
Barrelmender dropped to his knees there in front of the altar and prayed to Stron, just as the three girls in the pews behind him appeared to be doing.
Muse Vassal 