Larksong Grotto eat your kings

this entire attempt was going off the rails, and quickly. a part of hosannah was glad to watch it unfold; she knew that hiram was strong in his faith, strong as a leader, and would not have taken kindly to any of this — perhaps this was why she had not fought the inquisition, nor those of the shrine, when her penance had been announced. perhaps this was why she had so easily led them to the grotto and its church.

yet things were beginning to spiral in a way that even hosannah was not pleased with. it would not end well for her if the inquisitor could not even pass in to the lands. he was cold, but he was righteous. his insistence could not be ignored no matter how powerful the cardinal thought himself to be. it was the way of the shrine, the will of raas, and thus it had to be communicated that it was the way it had to be.

and then, phares spoke.

it was an opening. the briefest of bridges extended between the two worlds. hosannah could not let this moment pass her by.

he is right, she exclaimed, cutting through the tail-end of phares' pronouncement with her old sense of verve and confidence. she lifted her head and looked from hiram to daniel, and back. a part of her knew that pleading was necessary but she could not stoop so low as to grovel before the high inquisitor, no matter the situation. it would take time to corral heba too, but hosannah could not think that far ahead — she had to act.

we have come from the holy land. we have traveled for many days in order to reach this place, and mean no disrespect in doing so. raas has guided me back here after all my days afield — it is our way. the inquisitor is not here to do you any harm. he acts as raas intends; he is as much a voice for the daystar as your beloved cardinal, as she spoke, hosannah looked around at the faces of those gathered and tried to imagine their looks of disgust and betrayal becoming something far more kind. she did not look upon heba, nor turn her eyes upon daniel again. instead, she looked to hiram, to jhala, and gave her full focus.

coming here is as much a shock to us as it is to you. these people, my people, ours, she flicked an ear towards phares, they have a different way. an older way. they wish only to see that the work we have done in spreading the light of raas is pure and good. and i admit, i acted improperly when i invited you into my faith. listen, hiram. listen to me, please. as she took a breath, tasted the pine in the air and the thin, sour scent of fear mixing between the groups, hosannah took a few bold steps into the divide and across the threshold into her once-home, then finished her sermon: this has happened for every church, for every shrine; they are here to learn of your ways and teach you of ours.

do not be afraid. she sighed as calmly as she could, but breathed the words out with a tired breath, then sank back to her haunches and kept her eyes downcast. it was, by far, her greatest performance to date.