Spread the Word

[mariannelovett]

Kneeling at the front of the chapel, Sister Lovett clasped her hands and bowed her head in prayer. Candles were lit all around, bathing the small room in warm light. The stained glass of the windows cast beautiful patterns on the giant grey flagstones that covered the floors. The pews were carved of ancient oak, delicately decorating with leafy patterns interwoven with angels and other religious symbols.

The walls were draped with tapestries depicting different scenes from the bible, and the low ceiling sported some modest paintings that seemed to make the whole effect cluttering and unnecessary. In the house of God, adornments were superficial. Only the large crucifix at the front of the room interested the nun, and her eyes stared at its base as her lips moved in silent prayer. She hoped that the son of god so cruelly hung on the macabre ornament might answer her, but as usual he was silent.

She had spent the last week here in Nottingham, sleeping in one of the castles many guest rooms. She spent each day strictly in the chapel, leaving only to sleep and eat. To be outside of the place of worship encouraged her to think too much, and that was not what she intended to do here. She had to teach herself not o think, but the more she tried not to think, the harder it became.

Like the day before and the day before that, just like every day, Mari fond her mind wondering. How many noble men were in residence at this time? Might one come here to speak with God? Would he talk to her? She gave a shaky sigh, reining in her thoughts before they ran away with her. No, not in the chapel. She would behave here, and apologise for sullying the room with her impure thoughts.

[Sebastian Mannering]

The situation was most vexing. Sebastian had come to the castle with intention of showing his face at the evening meal, it had been far too long since he'd reminded the other nobles that he was still very much an important part of the social scene. He'd been busy at Knighton Hall of late, placating peasants and working with his personal guard to try and apprehend the vile outlaw that had stabbed Lady Daine. Not to mention the plot he and Vaysey were working on to bring down Robin and his band of outlaws.

What he hadn't banked on was being hunted down by an irate kitchen girl who was feeling betrayed by his empty promises. Honestly, anybody who actually believed Sebastian was going to marry a lowly servant deserved to be fooled. He'd had his fun and cast her aside, there was no reason to behave all scorned about it and cause him trouble. Somehow he'd managed to stop her causing a scene in front of Nottingham Castle's residents, promised to meet her in the servants quarters and talk.

Then, of course, he'd headed off in the opposite direction. Sebastian gave a small huff of annoyance and slipped into the castle's chapel, the one place nobody would think to look for him. Closing the door behind him he leaned against it for a second, as though worried the servant would try to burst in at any second, before he surveyed the room. The was a nun kneeling in prayer, he may as well try to ruffle her feathers to while away the time. "Sister!" He said, beaming at her, his expression at odds with his next words. "I've done some simply terrible things, you must help me."

[mariannelovett]

Glancing over her shoulder as the door opened, the sister took her bottom lip between her teeth. Looking away quickly, she concentrated as hard as she could on her clasped hands. Perhaps he would pay his respects and leave. Mari's pulse sped a little, and despite her best efforts, she found herself listening to his progressive footsteps down the centre aisle.

Her vain hopes that he might leave soon were dashed when he addressed her. Turning her head to look at him, she sayed kneeling. He was a noble, dressed quite handsomely. His broad smile gave her a sense that it was not an unusual expression to find on his face, but something about the wildness in his eyes suggested the smile was not an honest one.

At the mention of his wrong doings, Mira pursed her lips. "They cannot be so grave, sir, if you beam so broadly." She said softly, her voice full and deep. The chapel's walls hardly reflected them and she created barely an echo with her words. "Do you wish to confess, my son?" It was hard to seem dignified when she was wondering if his body was as slim and delicate as his hands. Nevertheless, she managed to keep eye contact without distracting herself too badly. The fact that she was in the chapel helped, it reminded her why she had become a nun in the first place: to resist such urges.

[Sebastian Mannering]

The nun turned to face him, still on her knees, and Sebastian's grin broadened. She really was quite pretty, in that slightly stern 'woman of the church' way, not that he had much to do on, nuns always annoyingly persisted in covering up. Of course that wouldn't stop him from pursuing her, religious women were always fun to chase, he had to work just that little bit harder to get what he wanted from them. The game didn't get much more exciting than when your competition was God himself.

Her voice was soft and throaty as she spoke to him, any woman with a voice as sinful as that should not be devoted to her church, it was practically his duty to make her stray. "I assure you they are most awful." Sebastian insisted, enjoying the way her lips pressed together in disapproval. If he could get her to look so stern with only a few words it should be remarkably easy to fluster her. He tried to subdue his smile a little and look more serious, but he couldn't prevent his lips from quirking at the corners, betraying his mischievous intentions.

"Confession!" Sebastian clapped his hands together, rubbing his palms against each other with glee. "What an excellent idea!" His whole demeanour gave the impression of somebody who didn't take the church very seriously. If Sebastian had wanted he could have toned things down, behaved respectfully in the house of God, but it was so much more fun being outrageous.

[mariannelovett]

The square shape that the habit created around the nun's face accentuated the tapered brow that rose at his behaviour. Never had she seen a man so disrespectful to the presence of God. He seemed quite wild and his jovial manner was making it difficult to reprimand him. Nevertheless, she managed not to smile at his antics and she stood to confront him in the serene way that she had observed the other older nuns approach someone who's conduct was unsatisfactory. She put on her best disapproving look at met his eyes with her irate gaze.

"Sir, you are acting in a most fanatical way. Are you quite sure you are not in need of a lunatic asylum rather than confession? I hear the dungeons here are full of raving madmen." Mari was glad she was part of the church, it gave her free rein to talk however she wished - within reason - to people of status. After all, who questioned the word of God's servants?

Despite her dour expression and dispassionate words, her dark eyes glinted with a humour that was not usual of members of the convent. The pure energy he was creating around him with his large gestures and loud voice was hard to ignore. Mari knew she should be chastising him for his conduct, but she couldn't bring herself to quell his apparent delight at whatever had put him in such a good mood.

[Sebastian Mannering]

The nun stood, her movements poised and graceful as she reprimanded him. At least Sebastian had the grace to look a little abashed as she did so. That was the other difficult thing about nuns, they could say things to him that would normally have him flying into a rage and sending the person to the stocks. As it was he had to reign his temper in, which was helped along considerably by the flash of humour he caught in her eye. Perhaps she was more amenable to his behaviour than he thought.

"Forgive me, sister." He pleaded, bowing his head in a flamboyant gesture. "Perhaps an asylum would do me good, I fear I've been driven quite wild by your beauty." Sebastian looked up at her, lips fixed into a flirtatious smile. His eyes searched hers, looking for that spark of humour as he tested the boundaries once more. Flirting with nuns was probably a sin, but Sebastian had always been of the opinion that they were only there to make the church more appealing. All those rules and stuffy men, without nuns he was sure no sane man would choose the path of god.

(OOC: Gah! *is short*)

[mariannelovett]

She kept the nonchalant facade, but she was anxious. The niggling feeling was growing, the pressure building to leave the chapel so God's eyes and ears would not be privy to what she imagined for them. Her stomach churned as she resisted but she knew inevitably that she would fold, especially if he kept up that smile.

"I may have been graced with a face of beauty," And I assure you, a body to match, she added in her head, though she could not very well say that out loud in this place of worship, "But you must stop this nonsense. You are disturbing the peace." There were no other people in the chapel, much to Mari's relief. He would surly be sent out as soon as the first outrageously loud word left his mouth and she would not have been able to gaze upon him this long.

"Sir, let us take a walk and you may explain to me what truly bothers you." She passed him, close enough to feel the brush of her modest robes on his elaborate sleeve. "Perhaps we should take a walk past the prison and if you are beyond my help, they can lock you up to save us all from your madness." She glanced over her shoulder as she walked down the centre aisle, the hint of a coy smile curling her lips as she looked ahead once more.

[Sebastian Mannering]

She seemed unperturbed by his flirtatious words as she continued to reprimand Sebastian. Although she didn't look and more or less aggravated by his outrageous behaviour either, her voice remaining tantalisingly soft and throaty. The nun acknowledged her own beauty with a confidence that he did not admire in many women, but it seemed to fit the poised way she held herself and the power that being a woman of the church awarded her. He wasn't entirely sure what peace she was protecting though, there was nobody else here to be disturbed or he would surely have been shooed away much sooner.

"I can only apologise again," He offered, this time his expression was almost earnest. She approached as she spoke, brushing teasingly close on her way past. "A walk would be most helpful." He agreed, dropping his voice to make it more intimate as she was so close. Sebastian chuckled as she spoke of the prisons, her witty rejoinder a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. "I can see that already you know me well enough to know what I undoubtedly deserve." He commented lightly, dropping another hint that his behaviour was often less that honourable.

A witty nun, Sebastian had never encountered one before and he was enjoying it immensely. Usually they were so prudish and dull, locked up away from the world with only other nuns and the lord himself to speak to. It was no wonder they were so starved for attention when he came across them. Although this particular nun seemed to have a coyness about her that was missing from other holy women, which confirmed by shooting an inviting smile over her shoulder. There was no way he was passing up an invitation like that. He hurried along behind her with only a moment's hesitation, his expensive shoes echoing across the stone flooring.

[mariannelovett]

Mari silently thanked the Lord for bringing the strange yet attractive man to her as the opened the chapel doors. It was times like these that she didn't feel guilt for breaking the commandments. Why would He bring her a man so lewd and fervent and not expect her to bring him satisfaction? There was no mistaking that glow in his eyes, and the set of his smile. He was devious, to be sure. Never had she met a man who spoke to her as if she were not wearing a habit, as if she were a normal woman. It made her smile, and she knew she would certainly enjoy his company.

She stood in the open doorway, allowing the man to exit the chapel first. As he passed and she pulled the doors closed, she reined in her tremolos thoughts, stilling her expression. It would do no good to seem too eager, she wanted to enjoy the feeling of being wooed, rather than the other way round. He seemed to have no reservations about her status and it intrigued her that he could act so outrageously in front of a member of the convent. "I am under no disillusions as to what you deserve, sir." She said with a slight smile.

Perhaps he was possessed? Yet somehow she didn't feel wretchedly guilty about entertaining the blasphemous idea of keeping him from exorcism. The Devil must have been kind to this one, perhaps he should have a victory now and then.