Jarl wonders if Áesta’s growing friendship with Maria means he’d actually get along well with Sophie.
True: they’d never agree on things like religion and God; but she’s just as understanding of others as he is, just as kind in the wake of those struggling or suffering, and just as amused when it comes to teasing Jarl.
In fact, they both seem to love pestering and annoying him as much as they do helping and supporting him; and, when coupled with their twin abilities to organize and arrange things like meetings and information, they’re shockingly similar to each other in terms of capabilities and intelligence.
They might, for that reason, be a great force to be reckoned with.
(But: will they get along? Jarl thinks: only if she doesn’t know.)
~
But what does it matter?
Who cares if they get along or not?
Áesta isn’t staying once Jasey’s found and brought home.
He’s going back to wherever in Hell it is he’s from!
(… Right?)
~
Jarl frowns as he rummages around inside of the refrigerator.
Father Gianni is still not back yet—probably dealing with confessions or paper work—but Manus is finally up, his half-asleep laughter filling the house as Maria and Áesta both keep him entertained while assessing him. Immediately, the flamboyant mage had sent the holy man off to fetch him some more food while declaring “These two gorgeous beauties can stay and heal me with their mere presence alone~” as he left.
Gorgeous beauties.
The priest snorts before rolling his eyes and pulling his bag (the one with Dory’s food in it) from the ice box. Taking one of the containers of stew from it, he sets it on the counter by the oven before quietly rebagging and refrigerating the remaining two (hard to believe that’s all they have left… then again, it IS really good). They’ll have to figure out a way to store these containers soon, he decides, thinking that it’ll be too difficult to carry them for the rest of the trip—especially since Manus shouldn’t have to carry dead weight.
Perhaps they can send it back via post?
No, that will just defeat the purpose. And, now that Jarl
actually understands it (thanks to Áesta), he likes it. He likes the idea of
dropping by during their return trip, Jasey hopefully with them this
time, to thank them.
Maybe that’s something they can do with each of their stops?
(They’ll have to take the same path back, anyway, right?)
Ah, but: that will lead them to have to come back to Father Gianni… Won’t it?
Jarl frowns, sky blue eyes locked on the working oven but not seeing it, mind elsewhere.
Áesta had been scared.
The revelation hits him again; not as winding as the first time but just as sickening—and twice as revolting. He hates it. The idea that by simply being one thing—a priest, no less—he could be hurting someone else.
That isn’t why he became ordained!
It’s the farthest thing from!
~
The holy man before him was an elder by the name of Liam Mac Cárthaig.
He’d been a kind-hearted man, gentle and strong, with a protective streak that even the local bullies feared. He was Shantown’s social and moral pillar, the one everyone in town looked to for guidance and example, the leader and shepherd that was always warm and welcoming and wise in the wake of weathering.
Including when he took in two adolescent boys after their parents died.
Jarl had been 17, then: too young to be Jasey’s guardian whom was only 7; too young to handle the loss, himself, finish school, and help Jasey do both, as well; too young to bear the burden of home ownership, parenthood, post-secondary education, or anything other than mourning, loving his brother, and graduating—surviving.
It had been hard; incredibly so.
He’d spent most of the time between their passing and Father Liam’s adoption trying to be strong—for Jasey, who needed that in his older brother, sure; but also for himself whom needed to feel strong to not crumble. It was Father Liam’s support that saved him, that got him through it all—more so than God or the church—simply because he was THERE. It’d opened his eyes to the true value of a priest, what a good one can do, and it inspired him to take on that mantle—to fulfill that role—one day, too.
And he did, just a few years later.
(Or, at least, he tried to.)
Filling that role, Father Liam’s shoes, was not easy. It still isn’t.
The previous priest had assisted him in his journey towards priesthood: explaining how to actually do it, helping him figure out the best classes to take, even tutoring him and vouching for him when he needed it; all while helping Jasey with school, mourning, puberty, and anything else he needed that Jarl couldn’t handle.
That was the kind of priest Jarl had strived to be: strong, supportive, sympathetic, and stable.
~
Perhaps that is why it bothers him so that Áesta… doesn’t see him as any of these.
Sure, he isn’t part of Jarl’s parish so, technically, he doesn’t have to be these things to/for Áesta…
But he wants to; whether or not because he feels obligated, in debt, or has simply adopted the daemon…
He wants to be strong for Áesta, support him through his hardships, be the one he goes to for sympathy, and stabilize him when he’s about to fall; he wants to protect Áesta like he promised, yes, but…
(He might actually want to do so much more…)
(But WHY?)
Comments (0)
See all