Tori Transmigrated

There was no mirror in his room, but he stood tugging at the plain white gown he’d been given to wear to his marking ceremony. The ceremonies themselves were normally a few hours to half a day long, depending on how large the marking would be. All initial markings started in one place; the upper back.

The gown he was wearing had no sleeves and metal clasps held the straps of the gown together at the top of his shoulders. The plain leather cord acted as a belt around his waist and he was barefooted. His pale feet were cold against the stone, but the walk from his seminary cell room to the marking altar wasn’t too far, and the halls and walkways were always kept clean.

He took a deep breath. In a few hours, he’d have a marking of his own signifying that he completed his initial theological studies at the seminary. Most students either selected a specific verse from the scriptures they’d studied or they could do a series of symbols, usually signifying their trifecta gods.

Constantine had selected a verse. If he joined the clergy later, it wasn’t required for him to get additional markings. For example, his uncle didn’t have any more than his initial symbols on his back. Some people chose to get additional markings when they officially joined. Many often got markings to signify every place they’d been assigned to serve or if they decided to serve a specific deity.

A knock came from the wooden door and he turned his head towards it.

“Brother Zisos,” the calm, encouraging voice of his mentor said from behind the barrier. “It is time.”

Constantine took another deep breath. He walked towards the door and opened it, bowing to the old, white-haired man who had guided him through the seminary the last two years. The old man looked at him with wrinkled, but proud eyes.

“I am ready.”

“I know.” The old man led him forward, his usual walk slower than normal to accommodate Constantine walking barefoot.

The marking ceremony was held in the old rotunda hall, which was built around an ancient outdoor meeting area where religious speeches were given to a seated audience. Like the High Point, the monastery on the cliff was also built on a religious complex from ancient times.

He walked through a familiar garden and courtyard to get to the rotunda hall. The white-washed structure with the blue-tile room was very bright compared to the rest of the stone buildings around it. Standing just outside the entrance were Archbishop Florakis, a bald priest would be doing his markings, a younger priest and priestess who would be attendants, and his witness, Tori.

While everyone else was in their usual vestments, Tori was wearing a long white dress with billowy sleeves and leather sandals. It was loose with thin fabric in layers. He’d seen marking ceremonies before and most people wore white clothes that were in a modern style, but Tori seemed to have researched traditional witness robes. The only personal touch seemed to be the white lace mantilla she wore, which he knew was traditionally worn for religious ceremonies in Presidio.

“According to what I read, the dresses should be loose and simple, with little to no adornments.” She lifted her wrists to show she wasn’t wearing her bracelet or her dagger. Only a crystal and a thin chain necklace went around her neck.

She offered her arm, as the witness was to escort the one being marked down the aisle. “Thank you for doing this, Tori.”

“It is an honor,” she said in a firm voice. She looked down at his bare feet and crinkled her eyes. “Barefoot to show humility, right?”

He nodded.

“Brother Zisos, you will follow behind the attendants. I will follow behind you and then take a seat to watch the ceremony,” his mentor said as he helped the two find their place in line.

From within the hall, a bell was rung three times. After the third ring, Archbishop Florakis stepped forward, holding the text regarding marking ceremonies in front of him, with both hands.

Two steps behind him, the priest and priestess followed. Each held a white pillow. The priest had a small, dried branch, which would be burned for soot, and the priestess had a small hammer and tool with a thorn that would be used to pierce the skin. The thorn was new and there were also a few spares in case it broke or became too dull, but these were the tools used since ancient times to do markings. They were followed by the marking priest.

Constantine and Tori walked in behind them, following their steps. Each step was one ‘ding’ of a light bell.

Inside the rotunda, it was well lit with white light crystals. This was in part due to the nature of the activity. Good lighting was a must for the marking priest, who went to stand behind the stone bed at the sunken altar. It was a strange set up considering how other churches and temples were done, but the altar took up a little under half the room at the bottom of about six tiers of seating.

The room itself wasn’t very wide, but it was high, giving some airiness. Constantine could see his friends from Lycée sitting on the left, closest to the altar. On the right, there were a few people from seminary and his mentor. Towards the back row, there were some other guests, but from his angle, Constantine couldn’t see them.

It wasn’t abnormal for there to be spectators at any marking ceremony.

Archbishop Florakis circled a long, flat stone table that had been draped with cloth. It was at a suitable height for the marking priest to sit beside it and lean over to work on a person. A straw mat was all the cushioning it had.

As Constantine passed his friends, he saw Albert and JP grimacing at the sight of the thorn and held back an amused smile.

He and Tori reached the altar and Tori stepped to the side of the bed. Her chair would be brought up later, as she’d sit next to him the entire time. Constantine knelt down before the steps, cupped his hands together, and bowed his head once.

There were two ‘stations’ behind the bed, on either side of the altar. One held a fire bowl and the priest was burning the dried wood. The other station was where the ink was mixed together.

The room was almost silent with no bells ringing. There was only the light crackling of the fire bowl as the priest carefully burned the root.

“May the gods bless you all,” the Archbishop said as he held his book open in one arm and held out his hand.

“We receive the blessings of the gods with humility and respect.” Constantine heard the voices around him answering in somber tones.

The Archbishop began his opening prayer. It was rather short, mainly to bless the day and thank Constantine for his devotion. He then turned to the tools to bless them, asking that the pain be minimal, and the marking forever reminded Constantine of his willingness to be of service to others.

The old man then closed the book and looked at the crowd with a warm smile.

“I welcome you all this morning to Constantine Zisos’ marking ceremony. I see many familiar faces today. Constantine is very well loved, and it is as expected. I have nothing but good things to say about this young man,” he said. Constantine saw him motioning to him. “For two years, he has studied diligently to better understand the teachings, and now, he wants to be of service in a rather unorthodox, but very important way. Our church is millennia old and with such an age, comes the wear and tear, and subsequent deterioration of many of our holy books, relics, even sites.

“It is of great relief to know that Constantine wishes to learn more and restore these relics of ours. In the fall, he will be attending Université du Soleil’s School of History and Antiquities to further his education and better prepare him for the future he wants. I pray that he continues his diligence and that the gods continue to provide him support.

“But there is no replacement for the love and support of those around you. Today, we thank his witness, Victoria de Guevera, for choosing to join in a covenant to support and guide Constantine through his journey.” Archbishop Florakis gave Tori a small nod and Tori bowed her head back in response. “Though, I know she is not alone in her responsibility.” He lifted his hands to his friends behind him and Constantine smiled softly as his heart warmed.

A small bell rang once more and the Archbishop stepped back. The priest lifted a suitably charred stick and brought it to the other station. The priestess began to prepare the ink. It was a careful process and in case there wasn’t enough soot, there was extra that had been burned ahead of time.

They still had a schedule to follow.

The marking priest stood in front of Constantine. “What marking will be bestowed today?”

“Book of Eshra, Letter seven, line 24,” Constantine said. “The giving hands have the largest hearts.”

From the corner of his eye, he saw Tori tense a bit. She didn’t move from her position, but there was a bit of surprise on her face. She must’ve remembered that while he’d spouted many passages around them, that was the first he’d said to her years ago, after she gave him food in the forest.

No one had believed him when he said that Tori had a kind heart and would give something if one asked politely. Not demanded it, but asked. He had been right.

“Lay on the bed. The marking will be placed on your upper back.” The marking priest motioned for the bed and Tori came to help him stand and escort him to the stone bed. It was about waist high, therefore higher than a normal bed. Climbing on it was a bit awkward.

Tori kept her arm steady as he hoisted himself up. As he turned to lay down on his stomach, he heard her whisper.

“Your heart is one of the largest I know. Congratulations, Constantine. I’m proud of you and honored to be your witness. We are family now.”

His eyes misted and he thanked her quietly before laying down. The bed had a hole in one end, where the head rested so he didn’t have to twist his neck. Unfortunately, it was still cold stone. The cloth and straw mat did not cover that part.

“Wait, we have the cushion!” Sonia called out and Tori scurried away and came back.

“A cushion?” Archbishop Florakis raised a brow.

“When we were asking about the ceremony at dinner yesterday, you said that there was nothing against preparing comfort items,” Tori said as she tied together the ends of a long, narrow pillow to make a loop. It wasn’t too big, and she placed it over the head hole. She placed another folded blanket around where his chest would be. It was a bit lopsided, so his body would slope comfortably. “Try this. If it’s too hard or awkward, we can remove some of the padding.”

“When did you make this?” Constantine couldn’t help but ask as he carefully rested his head. It was actually quite comfortable.

“We made it last night,” Tori replied. “You know Sonia’s a very skilled quilter.”

“The design is a bit rough,” Sonia said in a critical voice. “And the stitches aren’t perfect, but we were in a rush and didn’t really know what to expect. All we had were the drawings Tori had gotten of the process.”

“I think you did a good job,” Ilyana replied. “Especially on such short notice. Constantine, is it comfortable?”

“Yes, very!”

“Mission accomplished,” JP said.

The priestess stepped forward to unclasp the metal pieces on Constantine’s shoulders, then rolled down the cloth over his back, down to his waist. She then brought over another piece of cloth to cover his back, but there was a large hole in the cloth revealing his upper back.

The priest went to get Tori’s chair and placed it beside the head of the bed. A small wooden table was brought next to Tori. Constantine couldn’t see what else was happening.

With his head resting in that hole, at best, he could see people moving around him and hear voices.

The bell rang and he heard the marking priest speak just beside him. He took a deep breath and readied himself for the procedure.

At his sides, his hands clenched into fists and he felt a small hand grasp one of them.

“Relax,” Tori told him. “Just take deep breaths.”

He wanted to nod, but didn’t dare.

The room was silent, and he heard a small sound of stone hitting wood before a sharp, quick pain pierced his shoulder. He couldn’t help but take in a sudden breath and grit his teeth. He didn’t have time to register any differences on his skin as cool liquid touched his flesh, followed by the methodological chiseling of the tip of a tree thorn into his skin.

The rhythmic ‘tap’ sounds of the stone hammer hitting the top of the tool to push the thorn in rang in his ears and it took him a while to adjust to the pain. It wasn’t too bad and with Tori’s counting, he began to breathe evenly.

“Tori, here’s the cloth,” he heard Ilyana say. “We put water on it.”

“Thanks!”

Suddenly, a cool sensation went around the back of his neck and around his ears. He didn’t realize he’d gotten so flushed. The damp cloth felt good.

“Constantine, do you want water?” Henrik asked.

“I’m fine right now,” he said, trying not to move as the pricks continued. He could feel a layer of skin lift each time the thorn was removed and tried not to twitch.

“If you’re hungry, we have some dried lamb sticks, shredded squid chips, potato chips...” Ewan named off the various snack foods he’d brought and as he did, Constantine realized they were all small and easy for him to eat while laying down.

He didn’t plan on eating, but he appreciated the thought. At most, he’d drink water.

“What are we going to play?” Ilyana asked. “Space knights? Forbidden Forest?”

“Villainess General is new. We haven’t tried that one yet,” Henrik suggested. “His Imperial Highness helped with it.”

There was some silence. “Is that why the difficulty rating is high?” Albert asked.

“I don’t want to relax with a difficult game,” Ilyana complained. “Forbidden Forest!”

“All right fine, Forbidden Forest.”

“Constantine, you want to join in? It’s standard role-play and we use our usual characters,” Ilyana said.

“No, not this time. I’ll listen.”

“Wait, listen to the guide book first,” JP said. “We’re still deciding on what to do at Tres Arcos.”

“Fifi and Robi will meet us there, so it should be something fun that they can do, too,” Sonia said.

“First and foremost, we will spend our arrival day resting at the resort,” Tori said in a firm voice filled with conviction. “Just rest, eat, and sleep. We can do activities the next day.”

“Agreed.” Constantine chorused with the others.

“Tres Arcos, as we know, is famous as a summer holiday destination in Sur,” JP said from where he was seated. “Amongst its most popular attractions, there are two sandy beaches, sailing, its seafood dishes, crafts including their famous regional tile work, and an aquarium run by the Universidad del Sur, Tres Arcos.”

“I can get us free into the aquarium,” Tori told them. “Auntie Anita is a researcher and works with the aquarium and wildlife zones. She said if we want to go, to let her know.”

“An aquarium?” Albert let out a disappointed groan. “That’s boring.”

“What are you talking about? Seeing sea life up close is interesting!” Sonia said as she uncrossed her arms. She looked at Tori. “If anyone’s going to the aquarium, I want to come.”

“I’ll go. I’m sure the kids will want to go, too,” Ilyana agreed.

“There is also a race course,” JP said. “It’s along the coast and starts and ends at an ancient stadium called the Arena del Arcos.”

“Oh...we may be able to catch the riding show,” Tori said.

“Riding show?” The twins asked at once.

“Wait, I see it... The Southern Riding School sponsors a horse dancing performance once a week at the Arena del Arcos. The equestrians are affiliated with the school, including alumni and current students who practice for the summer.” JP read aloud.

“Tori, can you get us into that for free?” Sonia asked.

“I don’t think so. My godfather, Uncle Rom, is an alumni, but it’s been a while. I don’t think he’s affiliated with the program.”

“Wait, it’s also put on by the Bettencourts. That name sounds familiar.” Ewan spoke up. “Do we know a Bettencourt?”

“We do know a Bettencourt! Uncle Rom is also from the Bettencourt family...I’ll call him when we arrive to see if he knows anyone.”

“How long is that show?” Ilyana asked.

“It’s twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. We can watch the morning show, then go to the aquarium in the afternoon. In between, we’ll need to cross the city, so we can eat lunch there. We’ll need to cross the city again to get back to the resort, so we can either have dinner at the resort or in the city.”

“I’m sure there are more places to eat in the city,” Albert said, full of confidence. They began to review restaurants and Ewan had a surprising list.

“How do you know all of those places? You haven’t been there enough to have gone to all those restaurants,” Henrik said with suspicion.

“Oh, the Guevera knights always tell me about food recommendations in Tres Arcos and Presidio,” Ewan replied happily.

Constantine held back his laugh. He really didn’t know how long the marking ceremony took. Only that every now and then, he’d comment on things of interest that JP named off from a guide book, and Tori had given him water with a reed about half a dozen times. Every so often, she’d pat down his neck and ears again to cool him off.

He didn’t know if it was because he had grown used to the process or if his friends’ attempts at distracting him was working, but the pain had dulled.

Before he knew it, he felt a soft piece of cloth dabbing on his upper back. A warm, greasy cream was applied to where his markings were, and he heard Archbishop Florakis speak.

“Constantine Zisos has received his markings.” A bell rang behind the altar. “It is done!”

Applause sounded around him as the priestess carefully adjusted his robes and tied the metal fasteners back on. Tori grasped his arm and helped him sit up.

“How do you feel?” she asked as she took another damp cloth and patted his face. “Your face is all red. Are you dizzy? Don’t push yourself to move. Steady yourself first.”

“This one is fresh.” Ilyana handed Tori a different damp cloth to switch out and Tori patted his face.

“Did it hurt?” Sonia looked him up and down carefully.

“A bit, but now it sort of itches.”

“We brought you some loose shirts from Viclya that shouldn't aggravate the marked skin,” Henrik said as he held up a canvas bag. “We asked Brother Cassius about it, and he recommended the area be left uncovered, so cloth doesn’t rub against it and cause irritation.”

“Thank you...I may change into that tomorrow.” Constantine looked forward to it. The thought of having to wear his regular clothes over the marking already made him feel friction.

“You’ve been lying down for a while,” Albert said. “Can you stand? Your Excellency, can we approach the altar?”

“The ceremony is complete. You may aid, Constantine,” Archbishop Florakis said with a smile.

Constantine wasn’t exactly tired, but as soon as his feet hit the ground, he began to sway. Ewan grabbed his arm, careful of his shoulders, and was like a rock to hold him up.

“Should I carry you?” Ewan asked with a furrowed brow.

He was born to be a knight, Constantine thought with some amusement. “No, just give me a moment to gather my bearings.”

“First, put on some slippers,” JP said. “The ceremony is over. No need for you to walk everywhere barefoot.”

Constantine chuckled as two leather sandals from Viclya were placed in front of him.

“Your friends have prepared well for you, Constantine.” A gentle and affectionate voice came from the audience. Constantine recognized it immediately. He snapped his head up and looked past where his friends had crowded around him. A gray-haired man of average height was approaching the altar in very plain and unassuming monk garbs. He wasn’t wearing any jewelry or headpieces. He looked like any other traveling monk. “Do not forget to thank them.”

Constantine’s eyes reddened. His lips trembled, almost unable to believe who he saw as really there, as he took a shaky step forward, still supported by Ewan and Tori on either side of him.

He didn’t know this man was coming, but seeing him filled Constantine with joy and he called out before he could stop himself.

“Uncle!”

·𓆩♡𓆪· ─────── ·𓆩♡𓆪· ─────── ·𓆩♡𓆪· ─────── ·𓆩♡𓆪·

“Of course, Your Holiness, you are welcome to join us on our bay cruise tomorrow,” Tori said as she walked alongside his uncle. Of all his friends, Tori had adjusted to the presence of the Pope the fastest. In fact, after their initial respectful greetings, Tori treated him the way she treated the elders of their friend’s families.

Her attitude helped relax the air around the group. Constantine knew that no matter what he said, if someone else didn’t take the lead and relax, everyone would be tense upon meeting the leader of their church.

Albert had almost turned blue holding his breath, and Sonia and Ilyana had to shake him twice to get him to exhale.

His uncle had told them that he had just arrived and couldn’t stay long, but wanted to be present for Constantine’s marking ceremony. He shook hands and blessed each of his friends and Constantine could see the genuine happiness in his eyes knowing that Constantine was treated so well.

His uncle had joined them for a meal at their favorite cliffside restaurant, but had meetings in the evening. Archbishop Florakis was waiting for his uncle at the entrance of the monastery and that was how his uncle found out about their cruise around the bay.

“I am excited. My guards will not be a problem, will it?” his uncle asked. “Will there be enough room?”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“There is definitely enough room,” Tori assured him. “We will also serve breakfast and lunch, so we can take our time. Do you need to be dropped off earlier, Your Holiness?”

“I have meetings once more during the afternoon, but the Archbishop is also going to them, so the schedule is fitting. I will leave the morning after tomorrow, but will be able to have dinner with you all before I leave.”

“Thank you, Your Holiness.”

“Constantine, bring the blessing talismans you prepared for the children. I will bless them tomorrow,” his uncle said with a happy smile.

Constantine nodded and his friends bowed as his uncle returned to the monastery. Once the two old men and papal guards disappeared through the gate, Albert let out a rush of breath.

“I didn’t expect to see the Pope!” He almost cried out in pain as he threw up his hands and clasped his head. “If I’d known, I would’ve gotten something to bless!”

“Me, too,” Sonia sighed.

Ilyana’s eyes were wide. “I can’t believe I met the Pope....”

“I didn’t think so, either, but there was always a possibility. Constantine is his nephew, after all,” Henrik said, though he was still in a bit of disbelief.

Ewan nodded. “He’s nice. I like him.”

Constantine chuckled. “I didn’t expect Uncle to arrive, either. I thought he was too busy.”

“It’s good he came, though. Your uncle loves you a lot and wants to support you,” Tori told him.

“All right, we have some more sights to visit and then dinner at that place that makes their own olive oil in the restaurant, ” JP said. “Constantine, do you want to change?”

“Yes, if we’re going further into the city, I’ll only be stared at in the robe.”

“We’ll wait for you here.”

Constantine rushed back to his room and carefully changed into the clothes his friends brought him. The shirt was loose and light, and a portion of his back had been exposed to allow his markings to breathe. He twisted his back and stretched, pleased to find that nothing rubbed against the sensitive skin.

The material was familiar to Viclya, but the style had been altered especially for him. He rushed back to the entrance, but was stopped by three different people asking about his shirt and if he had purchased it nearby.

He’d given them a helpless smile and said, as modest as he could, that his friends brought it for him to accommodate for his markings.

When he reached the entrance, somehow his friends had more things and Ilyana explained that they saw some stores nearby, wandered off, and now they needed to drop by the pier so they could send the things back to the ship.

Constantine laughed. “Not a problem. We have the rest of the day!”

He even ended up picking up some things as they headed to the pier. Some local garlic butter, olive oil from his favorite olive oil shop which then resulted in everyone buying olive oil to bring back and to give as gifts to their hosts.

“At this rate, we’ll have a full cargo before we get halfway through our trip,” Henrik said.

“For Whom the Sun Rises will return after we reach the northeastern most port. Anything we buy after that we’ll need to get carriages or wagons,” Tori replied. She paused. “I should call ahead and prepare them.”

“I’ll take care of it! There isn’t much on the way from the port to Gorask, so we won’t need a wagon until after we leave,” Ilyana said.

Tori thought for a moment. “But we are bringing gifts to your family, and Riri and your mom will be going to Viclya with us for the rest of the summer.”

“I bet Ava will be excited,” Sonia smirked. “I don’t know what chaos she’ll lead Riri into.”

“Last year, she found that cave where the bats were,” Ewan said.

Tori froze. Her eyes were wide, and she whirled around. “What do you mean she found a bat cave? Where did she find this cave? Who let them go in?” she demanded with a frantic voice.

“See, that’s why they didn’t tell you,” Albert said with a slight cringe.

“The bat could have rabies! What if it bit the children?” Tori almost choked with horror.

Constantine tilted his head to the side. “What is...raybeez?”

“A disease that is fatal and commonly passed from infected animal bites,” Tori said. She rubbed her head. “Never mind. Since she’s fine, I’ll just have more guards watch her next time.”

“The O’Tuagh kids are really good at losing their guards, though...” Ewan was almost hesitant to bring this up and Tori’s eyes widened even more. “But I went with them to make sure they wouldn’t hurt themselves!”

Tori's intense gaze bore into Ewan. “I will have a talk with Ava when we get to Moss Hill. Did you at least tell others where they were?”

“Yes...when we got back.”

Tori groaned. “They’re not here yet and I’m already regretting allowing them into my delta....”

Constantine was surprised that there was such a place in Viclya, but it seemed that with more people settling outside the village proper, there have been more discoveries about the local landscape.

There were plenty of animals and a herd of deer had somehow made themselves at home at the cemetery. Small animals and birds in cemeteries were considered good omens and in some places, flocks of birds were released into cemeteries for good luck. The cemetery, he remembered, did lead towards a forest, so small animals and even the deer were bound to come and explore.

“In the village where I was born, the forest has retaken it,” Constantine said as he walked with the group. “It’s said that when nature comes, it is to purge the area of the negative energy that had settled upon it.”

“Then, it’s good?” Albert asked. Constantine nodded.

“Where is your village?” JP asked.

“Between here and Mezzaluna, closer to the mountains. By now, all the buildings must’ve fallen apart without care. There is a shrine there for those who died during the plague,” Constantine replied.

“Have you gone back?” Sonia asked.

“A few times, but there is not much to see. I was very young when it happened, so I don’t have much attachment. When I pray for my parents, I can do so anywhere.” For some time, he’d felt guilty that he didn’t have as strong an association to his village as he thought he should’ve.

His uncle still thought of it very fondly as his hometown, where he was born, raised, and decided to become a priest. However, Constantine felt no such sentiments. His uncle never pressured him or admonished him. Rather, he said it was likely normal, as Constantine was so small when he took him back to Temple Mountain.

Temple Mountain, as far as Constantine was concerned, was his hometown.

“Did they ever find out the cause of the plague?” Albert asked. “I read it some cases it was from bug bites or contaminated water.”

Constantine took a deep breath. He did know. His uncle had been determined to find out, if only to prevent it from happening again and personally requested the Guevera March for their assistance. “Water contamination. The March actually investigated and found that the water source had been siphoned off and the water that was returned was not suitable for drinking. People became sick. I was still breastfeeding at the time, so I didn’t have direct contact. When people started getting sick, many villagers left. Those who stayed all died, except me, and I was on the verge of death by the time my uncle was able to reach me.”

Tori furrowed her brows and seemed lost in thought for a moment. She nodded. With the mood a bit heavy, Constantine redirected it to a casual tour of the famous parts of the city. Their evening was topped off with an outdoor play and then dinner where they could order an entire leg of lamb for the table and then cut it apart themselves.

The next day, Constantine had his markings checked to make sure it was healing well. Once the doctor at the monastery confirmed there were no signs of infection, he rushed downstairs only to find a carriage waiting for him with his uncle and Archbishop Florakis.

He’d seen his uncle wearing regular clothes, of course, and he'd seen Archbishop Florakis also wearing commoner clothing, but it was strange to see them with large sun hats that had a string tied under their chins to keep them from blowing away.

Constantine curled his lips inward to keep from laughing. “I didn’t expect you to be wearing hats,” he said with a smile as he climbed and took a seat beside his uncle.

“I was told wearing a wide brimmed hat on the water would protect my face and eyes from the glare of the ocean,” his uncle said. That was true, but why did they go with a straw sun hat?

“Do you think she will give us a tour of the ship?” the Archbishop asked. He twisted in his seat, looking as antsy as a child going to a fair. “What kind of ship doesn’t have sails! I knew it had to do with crystals the moment I found out it was hers.” He made it sound as if it were some sort of conspiracy and Constantine chuckled.

“It was a gift from His Imperial Highness to commemorate her graduation.”

“He gave her a ship? Why not crystals?” The Archbishop almost looked personally offended by the knowledge.

The word ‘crystal fanatic’ came to mind, but Constantine didn’t voice it. The carriage was escorted by the papal guard and Constantine peered outside.

“They are coming in uniform?” Constantine raised a brow. As they were doing an unofficial trip, he assumed it would mean they would go incognito. Being surrounded by men in gray and white uniforms and the crest of the Pope on their sleeves was a bit of a giveaway as to who his uncle was.

His uncle let out a heavy tired sigh and appeared a bit embarrassed. “They...claimed not to have proper clothing for the day.”

“They could’ve worn monks' robes as you did when you arrived, Your Holiness,” the Archbishop pointed out. “We are of no shortage at the monastery.”

“They said that it would be difficult to fight in robes.”

“Excuses.... If they’re as good as they think they are, a change of clothes won’t hinder them much!”

Constantine nodded his head. He was quite sure of that himself.

They reached the pier and Tori, along with some imperial knights escorting her, stood waiting for them. She bowed to his uncle and the Archbishop before leading them and the dozen papal knights to her ship.

Constantine had seen For Whom the Sun Rises before, but he couldn’t help but take a double take when it was the only ship at the pier without a mast or sails. It garnered the expected curiosity of sailors, merchants, and random passersby. There were many murmurs wondering if the ship was incomplete or if it had met with an accident that took off its masts.

Tori ignored the talk, though Constantine thought it was a bit difficult to, considering how loud people were speaking. Two imperial knights flanked the gangway and hit their chests when Tori when she arrived.

“This is a strange looking ship....” his uncle said. “It will really move without masts and sails?”

“It will, Your Holiness. And faster,” Tori said. She welcomed them on board and had the crew ‘set sail’.

“It never ceases to amaze me how many people watch when we leave the dock,” Sonia said as the group huddled by the starboard bow. The low rumblings of the ‘steam engine’ below could be heard and it didn’t take long for the large vessel to move.

“My goodness....” The Archbishop looked utterly pleased as he looked towards the dock and the crowd that had gathered, pointing, and gawking as if the ship were moved by magic. “Look at all those stunned faces!”

“It’s not so bad at the delta, Your Excellency,” Ilyana said. “Many of the transport vessels have transitioned to a crystal powered steam engine.”

Tori nodded with enthusiasm. “We expect all the transport vessels, for both passengers and cargo, to be transitioned by the end of the year. We have to do more than just put the engine in the ship and remove the sails and mast.”

“My lady, you cannot tell me this and not show me this engine you speak of,” the Archbishop told her in a stern voice.

“I cannot explain the mechanical portion well, but I can explain how steam is the energy source and it is created by carnelian. Not even high grade carnelian, just scrap carnelian,” Tori said.

When they were well into the bay, Tori gave them a tour of the ship before breakfast. It was quite large as the guest quarters could house dozens of people and crew, then there was a cargo area, dining hall and kitchen, and another area for horses and their fodder to be kept.

There were several horses there, but Tori was most excited to introduce Layla.

“What a beautiful creature!” his uncle said as he raised his hand to let the sleek, black horse sniff his palm. When Layla nudged his head, his uncle’s face lit up. “Such a pleasant horse! I will give you a blessing.”

Sonia and JP perked up. “Your Holiness...you bless animals?” Sonia asked in a careful voice.

“The blessing for animals is not only for their health and safety, but to be loved and cared for by the humans around them. It is to encourage a good relationship. You know, I had a donkey when I was a boy....” He chuckled and wrote a symbol over Layla’s large forehead with this thumb before speaking a few words.

“Uncle, would you be able to bless Nuage and Ciel Noir?” Constantine asked. “And Alexander?”

“Of course!” His uncle chuckled Sonia and JP beamed at once. After the two white horses were blessed, his uncle looked around. “And which horse is Alexander?”

“Nyaow!” A large, gray cat seemed to know it was his time to shine. Alexander jumped on to the wooden gate in front of Layla’s pen.

His uncle took a sharp breath. “A Declyan Temple Cat! Oh, my! Oh, my! How rare!” He rushed over and raised his hand hesitantly. Alexander sniffed his hand and then nudged his head against it. His uncle’s eyes trembled with joy. “Usually, Declyan Temple Cats are black and white. But a gray one...what a good-looking boy!”

“Nyaow!”

“Alexander is only half. He was born to a stray cat at school,” Tori said as she scratched Alexander’s chin.

“That is normal. You see, there are no ‘purebred’ Declyan Temple Cats. At least one of the parents should be a Declyan Temple Cat. If the God of Death sees fit, then they will allow the soul of their holy cat to pass on to another generation. That is how Declyan Temple Cats are born.” His uncle looked fondly at the gray cat. “And to cross paths with a gray one...it is a good omen.”

“Nyaow!” Alexander seemed to agree whole-heartedly and kept nudging his uncle’s hand.

Constantine watched his uncle, the leader of their church, happily follow around the gray cat and sit with him on the deck, enjoying the sea breeze.

“This really is faster than any ship I’ve been on before, and much more relaxing,” his uncle said as he looked over the side of the ship, watching it cut across the sapphire blue waters of Karap.

“When we get to shallower, clear water, we’ll stop for a bit. You can go fishing or swimming,” Tori told them as the ship seemed to slow down. The water was clearer, but as for how shallow, Constantine wasn’t sure. From the looks of it, it was somewhat calm, at least.

“Off this ship?” the Archbishop gasped and looked over the side with wide eyes. “Do you climb down?”

“You can. We have a ladder and a small raft deck we lower. However, some people choose another method.”

“This looks like a good spot!” Ewan shouted excitedly.

“Captain, is this spot acceptable?” Tori asked. A man in a white and purple uniform walked out on to the deck.

“Yes, my lady. The crew will lower the raft and ladder at once-”

“I’m going!”

“Ewan, wait! The raft isn’t down yet!” Several people tried to stop Ewan as he seemed to throw off his clothes, or rather just remove his shirt and pants to reveal a pair of swim pants below.

No one could stop him and Tori sighed.

“To adventure!” Ewan yelled and jumped off the side of the boat.

Some of the papal knights didn’t seem to believe what they just saw and ran towards the edge of the ship. The imperial knights were chuckling amongst themselves, as if seeing Ewan dive into the water was perfectly natural.

“That boy is brave....” the Archbishop said with some awe.

“Constantine, if you want to swim, we have extra swim clothes!” Henrik told him, though he didn’t seem to plan to dive in. “And we brought a cream for your markings so you can go in the water.”

“I got it from one of the crystal masters I know!” Tori said. “One of the knights will help you put it on.”

He was tempted. The water looked so inviting, especially on a hot day.

However, his uncle was onboard, and he should keep him company. Constantine opened his mouth to reject the offer, but he caught the expectant look on his uncle’s face. Light eyes silently asked him: you’re going, right? You’re going to play, right?

Constantine’s mouth turned into a smile. He looked back towards Henrik. “All right....but once the raft is down.”

He heard a familiar, warm, barreling laugh from his uncle. He turned to him and saw how elated he looked...and how relieved he was. Constantine cocked his head a bit, wondering why his uncle looked a bit relieved.

“If you’re going to change, the room we showed you is ready,” JP said as he passed, already in his swim wear. He walked to the side of the ship where the knights were lowering a wooden raft that would be attached to the bottom of a rope and plank ladder.

Once it was on the water, JP and Albert began climbing down with Sonia securing on a cork vest, just in case. In the water, Ewan was already swimming in circles and diving down, his bald head glistening in the sun.

The clear, calm water, the shade of the ship, and the inviting look of all of it under the hot summer sun made Constantine’s heart race and he turned and ran to his cabin to change. He couldn’t wait to get into the water.

When he came out after getting a thick layer of protective grease slathered over his markings, Tori was seated under a large sun umbrella with his uncle and the Archbishop speaking with a lot of hand motions. Splashing and yelling was coming from the side of the ship.

“Sir Wagner and Sir Dassler are there with the others in case of an emergency,” Tori told him as he passed.

“You’re not going to join us?”

“My territory is on the coast. I can play any time, but when is the next time I’ll get to chat with the Pope?” she asked with a slight grin.

“Don’t forget, Tori is a poor swimmer!” JP shouted from below. Constantine almost let out a laugh. Tori gave him a dull look and he made a small apologetic gesture before climbing down the ladder. He knelt down and asked Sonia to put some of the sea water over his marking to test out the protective film.

She started off slowly and then by the handful. “It’s not coming off at all,” she said, a bit impressed. “Can you feel any burning from the salt?”

“No, it’s still nice and cool!” It was perfect!

The water was warm, but still refreshing considering how hot it was. Sonia had brought down some balls and rings made of thin, woven wooden strips. There were seven balls and two wooden rings tied to a rope floating from the raft. Each team had a ring, which was the goal, and would race to get balls and put them in the ring. The team with at least four balls in their ring won.

For this, Constantine put on a cork vest just in case he got a leg cramp. It was JP and and Ewan versus him and Albert. Sonia refereed. She stood on the raft and lifted up the light wicker basket and tossed the balls into the water. She then blew on a metal whistle, and it was a race to gather the wooden balls.

Through the splashing and yelling, Constantine barely heard the cheering coming from the deck, but he did catch his uncle laughing merrily as he watched.

In the end, JP and Ewan, both of whom were superior athletes to begin with, won. That didn’t really surprise him, but Albert demanded a rematch without Ewan, so Sonia took his place. Despite Sonia wearing a cork vest, Constantine couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread.

“I think they’ll play well together. Too well,” he said as he floated next to Albert. “They’re twins. Don’t they have a sort of tacit understanding?” He’d seen them when they performed dressage with the horses. What if that carried over?

Albert clicked his tongue. “You’re overthinking it. Besides, Sonia is only a slightly better swimmer than Tori.”

JP and Sonia still won, and Ilyana’s snorting laugh could be heard from the deck as she shouted that Henrik owed her an iced coffee when they went back to shore.

A few of the off duty imperial knights also played a few rounds and to make it more challenging, the rings were placed further away from each other. The men were aggressive but enjoying themselves. Ewan was invited to join them, and Constantine thought he fit into the imperial knights well.

He glanced up at the deck and noticed some of the envious looks on the papal guard. He was sure that part of the reason was because it was a hot day and they were wearing heavy, long sleeved uniforms.

They should’ve changed into regular clothes.... Constantine shook his head before jumping back into the water to check out the school of fish Sonia found.

It didn’t feel as if they were in the water long at all before Tori called down to them that it was time for lunch. Constantine found himself letting out the same audible, disappointed groan as Ewan and Albert.

“Don’t ‘already’ me! You’ve been in the water for an hour! I know you’re hungry now, Ewan!” Tori gave Ewan a pointed look and Ewan lowered his head.

“I am hungry....” He swam back to the raft, and they climbed up one by one. Tables, chairs, and various dishes were set up and Ilyana handed everyone cotton robes and towels.

As the took their seats, Constantine sat beside his uncle and couldn’t remember the last time the man had looked so happy.

“Uncle?” He tilted his head to the side and furrowed his brows.

“I’m happy, my boy.” His gentle voice trembled. He looked around, taking in all the faces of his friends around the table chattering away, and then met Constantine’s gaze. “Because you are happy.”

·𓆩♡𓆪· ─────── ·𓆩♡𓆪· ─────── ·𓆩♡𓆪· ─────── ·𓆩♡𓆪·

“I’ll come with you to the pier-” Constantine snapped his mouth closed as Tori shook her head as they walked out of the restaurant. He gave her a confused look as she took a step closer.

With dinner completed, he would of course escort his friends back, but was rejected.

“We’re leaving tomorrow. You haven’t had much time to talk to your uncle, have you?” she asked with a knowing look.

His heart ached a bit knowing that he was once more parting with his uncle. He knew it was coming, but part of him wanted to pretend it wasn’t. Still, her reminder was done for his sake and the more time he had with his uncle, the better.

After all, after they returned to land after lunch, his uncle had hours of meetings back at the monastery, and was even late for dinner. Their time together was too short.

Constantine took a deep breath and gave her a thankful smile. Because his friends had come to see him and he had promised to take them around Karap, his first priority was to be their host. He looked towards the rest of the group and saw their encouraging looks. Sonia even tilted her head towards where his uncle was standing.

Constantine’s expression softened and he gave them a small, appreciative nod. “Then, I’ll see you all tomorrow morning.”

“We’ll have breakfast on the shore before we leave,” JP told him.

Tori turned towards his uncle and gave him a small bow of her head. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Your Holiness. If you do go to Horizon, please come by my delta. If you come by ship, we will await your arrival.”

His uncle’s gentle face seemed to become gentler as he raised his hand and gave them all a quiet blessing. “Safe journey to you all. I will hold you to that, Countess Guevera.”

The group headed towards the pier with a group of plain clothes knights closing around them. Constantine watched them leave and it wasn’t until they turned a corner and vanished from sight that his uncle called out to him.

“You missed your friends, didn’t you?” he asked in a warm voice.

Constantine’s lips curled up into a sheepish smile and nodded. He stepped closer to his uncle. “I’ve never had so many friends my age before.”

“Hmm...yes, I know,” his uncle said, thoughtfully. They walked slowly along the stone brick street that curved up towards the monastery. Around them, the Papal Guard had given some distance to give them privacy, but were still close. “You were always an amiable boy, but Temple Mountain didn’t have any children for you to play with. Allowing you to go to the town below didn’t help much since the guards scared children away.”

Constantine barely muffled his chuckle. “They were only being cautious.”

His uncle took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. “Do you blame me, Constantine?” he asked in a tired voice. “I knew my position would draw attention to you. At times, dangerous attention.”

Constantine shook his head. “Of course not, Uncle. I knew why you were protective, and I appreciate it.”

“There were times when I considered giving up my seat...retiring to give you a...normal life. Or as normal life as a former Pope could give.” His uncle chuckled with a small shake of his head. They both knew that even as a former Pope, there could be trouble. By remaining in his position, he could be guarded, and so could Constantine. “But the years passed so quickly...before I knew it, you were applying to Lycée du Soleil.”

“Were you worried, Uncle?”

“I was as worried as any parent whose child was going away to study for several years,” his uncle replied. “First, there was my concern about the journey there. What if you faced danger? What if you were targeted? Coupled with your safety, I worried about how you’d adapt to the environment. You’d never gone to a formal school before. I had all sorts of nightmares of you being bullied or questioning friendship.”

Constantine furrowed his brows and gave his uncle a confused look. “Questioning friendship?”

His uncle moved his hands in front of him as he spoke. “How do you know that those who wish to befriend you are doing so sincerely? Do they want to be your friend or does the fact that you are my nephew make their intentions impure?” He let out a heavy breath. “I was afraid that a bad experience would scar you.”

“There were always a few people who had a...less than sincere reason for befriending me, but in the end, I still found good friends,” Constantine said. “Ones who packed me gifts when I left, who set off fireworks in the bay when they passed by just to call out to me and tell me they were thinking of me....”

He felt a bit of pressure at the bridge of his nose recalling that night he watched the dark sky lit up. His uncle put on a playful expression. “I heard about that...I thought it was an ‘accident’?”

Constantine laughed. “Yes, yes,” he said as he wiped his eyes. “They didn’t know how that happened.”

His uncle chuckled. “You wrote about them, and I had prayed that they were sincere to you. When you told me they were coming not only to your ceremony, but to pick you up to travel around Soleil for the summer, my heart eased. I had been worried that perhaps they forgot about you.”

“That fear stayed with me, too, Uncle.” Constantine didn’t want to admit it, but there were days when he wondered if they’d remember him. After all, they’d only been close to him for about a year, as their first year was rather distant. Even then, it wasn’t until the end of their second year that he really felt that he was part of the group.

He was ashamed to find out that they’d been treating him sincerely earlier than that. They had often thought of him when they made plans. Sometimes, they assumed he was going with them without even asking, as he was so integrated into their lives.

Every time the feelings of doubt of friendship came in, he’d look at the painting of his friends, drape the quilt Sonia made around him, and remind himself that no matter what the future held, the past had been more than generous.

And then, he’d get fireworks and gossip from Archbishop Florakis telling him that they were planning to bring him with them on their summer trip around Soleil.

“I watched them yesterday, at your marking ceremony,” his uncle said with a wistful gaze. “They huddled as close to you as possible, including you in their decision making. The Countess even wiped your sweat and gave you a drink. They didn’t seem at all planning on leaving.”

“Solidarity, Ilyana says.” Constantine smiled.

“Yes...and I’ve never seen you so carefree as when you were in the water, desperately grabbing at balls!” He laughed with eyes filled with mirth. “You’re usually so calm, I didn’t expect you to dunk poor Ewan’s head into the water just to steal one of the balls in their ring.”

Constantine laughed. “He’s hardly ‘poor Ewan’ if he can lift me out of the water. I should’ve known we didn’t stand a chance.”

“You found good friends, Constantine. This gives me some relief...although...I was a bit envious. I was hoping you’d visit Temple Mountain to see me before you returned to Horizon,” his uncle said with a slight smug look.

Constantine flushed. “I’m sorry, Uncle! I was so caught up-”

“Don’t be sorry!” His uncle laughed and lifted a hand to put on his forearm. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to see you with a group of friends, having fun and enjoying life in your youth? I’ve always feared that because I brought you with me, I put you in a position where you’d lose that carefree innocence of youth. You were always a sensible, obedient boy, and while I was thankful, I was also worried that you could not enjoy life because you’d become so restrained.”

Constantine lowered his eyes. “Uncle, I have always been grateful for the care and love you’ve given me. I’ve never once regretted being raised at Temple Mountain.”

“But I want you to see more. Experience more. Learn more. It is an integral part of our humanity to be curious.” His uncle lifted his head and looked up at the night sky. Where they were, with all the street lights, they couldn’t see the stars, but he knew that was what his uncle was looking at. “I wanted you to be free to make your own decisions, Constantine.” He looked at his nephew. “You may tell me honestly, do you really want to join the clergy?”

Constantine drew his head back. He didn’t expect his uncle to ask so suddenly. “Not right now.” That was his honest answer. “But I plan to.”

“Should your plans change, my boy, do not think that I will be angry or disappointed.” His uncle lifted his hand and cupped the side of his head. “As long as you are healthy. As long as you are safe. As long as you are happy..., I can face your mother when I see her.”

Constantine’s eyes reddened. He lowered them and nodded his head. He knew how much his uncle struggled to raise him. Not that there was a monetary issue or lack of food or shelter, or anything, but it was difficult for the highest ranked member of the church to have time to properly raise a little boy. Especially when they did not have blood relations to support them.

His uncle had come to their plague-ravaged village against the voices of the people around him to find Constantine. He’d told people it was a miracle that Constantine was alive. He’d tried his best to love and support him, no matter how exhausted he was.

“The Pope is a father to guide the believers, and you have done that to the best of your ability. I know this,” Constantine told him. “But as my uncle, you have been my father. The greatest father I could ask for. And I am thankful for that every day of my life.”

His Uncle's eyes glistened over. “I cannot always be with you now that you are an adult, but I am confident that you will surround yourself with good people and that you will do good where you go.”

“Thank you, Uncle.”

“In the morning, let us do a prayer for your parents.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

Large hands that seemed more wrinkled than he remembered, cupped his head, and brought it down. For a moment, Constantine felt his heart clench. Since when was he taller than his uncle?

The man who could've passed as a grandfather now kissed the top of his head before stroking his hair back. “My boy, my heart is full, and my mind is at ease,” he said in a choked voice. “I am so proud of you, Constantine.”

·𓆩♡𓆪· ─────── ·𓆩♡𓆪· ─────── ·𓆩♡𓆪· ─────── ·𓆩♡𓆪·

They’d talked for some time in an old, secluded courtyard, discussing his plans for the future, his living accommodations while in Horizon, and if he’d considered field studies arrangements, which was common in large research universities like Université. Students could try to apply for positions either domestically or internationally, with an affiliated facility or other research institution to do practical studies in a different location.

Constantine had time to decide. He hadn’t started his first year yet, he wanted to get a taste of what to expect before considering moving to do field work, though the thought was very tempting.

Dawn began early in the summer, and it was only when the inky darkness of the sky began to lighten that his uncle urgently sent him to rest. He had to meet his friends in a few hours.

His uncle himself had to return to Temple Mountain. He’d already stayed a day longer than planned. They had to do their good-byes there.

Constantine had embraced his uncle, and only relative, tight.

“I will discuss with His Imperial Highness about security for your visit to Horizon,” Constantine told him.

His uncle nodded. “Yes, and discuss with Countess Guevera and Mr. Skuldsen about those comcry cases that make noise and vibrate. I am interested in that.”

Constantine nodded and stood at the threshold of his door, watching his uncle leave.

Now that he looked at him, his uncle had aged. His hair was now whiter and there were wrinkles on his face.

Time does move fast. He took a deep breath and walked back inside to spend his last night in a cell where he’d spent every night for the last two years.

He sat on the edge of his bed and looked across the small room, at the painting.

In the morning, he’d take it down and fold the quilt, put them in his chest, and have it brought down to the pier, not to be opened until they reached Horizon. Despite knowing this, a smile appeared on his face, remembering Ewan’s excited words while they were on the ship.

“To adventure!”

The summer was only beginning, as was the rest of his life.