On the Steps of St Fiacre's

[henrik_paulsen]

Before he began working for the Bishop of Southwark, Henrik had been better-acquainted with the dome of St Fiacre's than the interior of the cathedral--but for a brief stint above a bookseller's in Elderwick, he has lived and attended church primarily on the south bank of the Stolen River. St Fiacre's is proximate to the Labyrinth, though, and

Comments

[scarletolj]

Her feet patter down the stairs from the rooms above a bookshop with the echo and creak that speaks of repairs too long ignored. The bookseller angles his melancholy gaze at her as she whisks by with an easy wave; his contracts are already folded away into her handbag next to three letters: one from Nathan, one from Mr. Irons, and one from the Bishop of Southwark.

Scarlet spills out into the streets like a bright pink petal floating in muddy water; the north side of Elderwick is quiet save for the bells of the cathedral ringing out the end of the evening service.

[henrik_paulsen]

The brightness of her catches his eye, and before he recognises her he thinks, what a striking woman!--and then he apprehends that this shining creature is Scarlet, and he thinks, of course. "Scarlet!" he calls after her. "Scarlet, where are you running off to?"

[scarletolj]

Her head turns sharply towards the calling of her name - an unfamiliar occurence in this part of town - resulting in a warm smile for Henrik. She pulls up on her brisk walking to turn towards him and wave. Scarlet has the brief urge to jog over to him, but in the outpouring of church-goers with wandering eyes, she instead waits for the towering man to arrive at her side.

"I've been checking on my properties, but I'd much rather be running to you," she quips with a grin. "I take it you've been genuflecting? I did not think St. Fiacre's called to your faith."

[henrik_paulsen]

"It's not where I might wish to worship," he allows, "But it's a good deal better than nothing. How are you? You look ..." As he casts about for an appropriate word, his eyes light on her smile, and he can't help smiling in return. "You look whole," he says at last.