[Yael] Through Heaven’s Eyes [Zekiel | Fallon]

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Traveling beyond Yael’s shore had been an enlightening experience—and not one Zekiel had ever expected to partake in prior to. It had simply never seemed the gods intended such a thing for their Chosen.

In retrospect, however, it was still something he was glad of doing despite events not unfolding quite as one might have hoped. It had been strange, and invigorating simultaneously to step upon the soil and breathe the air of other gods and peoples. While there, he felt a different history in the air. Hundreds of thousands of lives and stories unheard and untold of on Yael weaving together a tapestry no less complex and rich than their own, if still alien.

But, he had found nothing they’d come for.

Tacrith was still nowhere to be found, and on the larger scale, it didn’t seem that collaboration had yet netted any cohesive answers as to how to address the Dretch abductions. His people were still frightened. Confused. And at the gathering, it seemed the other nations hoped they would lay down more lives of their own for an uncertain purpose, when it had been they who polluted their shores with the corrupted tree women to begin with.

But at very least, the threat had shifted off of them for the time being. So it was with at least that sliver of consolation that Zekiel had returned home.

It felt good to return to his temple, the sights and scents familiar and soothing, like the welcoming embrace of family as his boots had crossed the threshold again for the first time since his departure. Further, in his absence there was no shortage of work to catch up on and a seemingly endless train of those hoping to have a personal audience with him, so that one wouldn’t think his mind would still find time to wander.

Yet, even as the weeks passed between his trip abroad and his return, he could not shake the sense of something coming. Something larger than any of them, beyond their gods and unexplainable. I’m going. They took our people…if that is where we must go to stomp out these vermin, so be it. A small pinch furrowed his brow as Rainer’s words flit back to him, not for the first time, and in a spontaneous decision, Zekiel reached, taking fresh parchment and a quill to him before drawing a breath.

It was time, he thought, to call on the audience of a friend himself. So far as he understood it, one of his oldest and closest peers from his early training days in the Sanctum had recently ascended to the rank of cleric, and congratulations were in order regardless. If he thought it might be calming just to see her well also—that would be as it may, and perhaps the opportunity to talk with one also close to the gods would loosen some of the stray energy tangling itself under his skin.

Dearest Fallon…

His pen scrawled neat, looping letters as he laid out an invitation. The last winter festival would be upon them soon, anticipating the coming of spring, and perhaps, if her timing worked out well, the town would be especially lively upon arrival.  

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

A letter awaited her when she returned from morning prayers. Not something unusual since there were friends she penned sometimes. The elegant lettering gave away who the sender was and Fallon smiled as she opened it to read. The invitation to come visit was subtle among the pages of things it seemed were swirling about in her closest friend's mind.

After letting her eyes scan the words several times she moved over to her desk and sat down. It took Fallon a full moment of thought before she reached over to grab paper and pen.

My sweet Zekiel,
I see there is a lot that weighs on your mind. I send this letter to inform you that I should be present within a day of it's arrival. I have a promise to keep to a devoted follower and then I shall set out. I look forward to seeing you and hearing about your flock.
Yours - Fallon

Once the reply was written, in a slightly less elegant hand than Ze's, she found it pack to be sent out. The young cleric removed herself from her seat and exited her room to find a courier. Fallon wanted to send the letter out before she continued onward to see one of the citizens of Pajore. It would take her a few hours to fulfill the promise that she had made. Possibly longer if things didn't go as planned. So once she found someone to carry her message to Zekiel she handed it over with instructions on where to go and sent them on their way. After which she was on hers to do her duties before setting off for the visit.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Heras Box

“Thank you, Madame Yenne,” Zekiel said again with a tip of his head. “Gods be with you.”

“And also with you, Father.” The woman, a middle-aged florist who ran the local garden shop well before his arrival in Ilidan, gave a smile as he stepped away, his purchase carefully tucked under one arm.

Madame Yenne hadn’t missed a single mass to his awareness since he had begun conducting them himself, and somehow, she had always managed to sneak a word in with him about her flowers, eventually inspiring him to pay her shop a visit himself. He found it reminded him of someone, and had made a habit since of being ‘persuaded’ into at least one purchase a month—not that he usually had any idea what to do with them but set them about his own temple and eventually pass them on.

This time, however, he had come with intent, and after some time spent explaining his absence, had gone on to inquire at length about the meanings and uses of the various flora in her collection. She evidently noticed his particular curiosity this day, but had let it be after he assured her it was intended for a close friend who had only brief occasion to visit.

The maghai daisy had an especially small center, little larger than a fingertip, with fair, thin petals and a winding stalk with a propensity to climb given half the opportunity. Atop that, despite its delicate appearance, the plant was well-known for a surprising hardiness, its blooms often persisting into the chiller months long after other flowering plants shriveled for winter. According to Madame Yenne, it represented beauty, growth, and endurance.

As Zekiel made his way back towards his temple — to which he had provided Fallon with instructions — he mused on how long it had been since he first met with the young woman, a girl then, in her greenhouse.  

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

A mere few hours after her letter would arrive Fallon herself would appear in Ilidan. She carried with her a bag of necessities clasped with both hands as it was held in front of her. A yawn forced it's way out and caused her to let go of the bag with one hand to cover her mouth as her eyes shut. Physically she was exhausted. Showing someone how to start a garden from scratch was a bit harder than she had thought. Of course she'd never tell them that she wouldn't help out.

Fallon smiled and waved at the driver of the cart she'd arrived in. "Thank you for the ride." The older lady nodded and grinned as she was happy to help someone from the Sanctum.

Going off memory she made her way toward where the Temple was located. She hadn't gotten to see it on her previous visits so this visit was special. Fal wanted to get a full tour of the place of worship that her friend had inherited. It did have her wondering if perhaps it was cozy like Marleya's home had been. She would need to stop in and see the woman again, see how she was doing and just enjoy being in the space that was her house. Fallon had liked it very much when she was last there. Turning her curious mind back to the temple she wondered if there would be a greenhouse or a garden like the Sanctum had.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Heras Box

Thankfully, Zekiel arrived at his own front steps before — if not much before — Fallon did herself, and was just in the process of wondering where he ought to set the potted plant in his grasp for the time being, when the sound of movement down the way caught his attention. Illidan’s temple was set atop a hill overlooking the village to its east, which lit up each morning in sunrise, and the jungles and ocean beyond to the west. It made for a lovely view, but sometimes difficult access during heavy rain, given the slope of the path up.

Thus, on hearing approach, Zekiel quickly set the flower’s ceramic container to the side of his path before the door before darting out and glancing down, and surely enough—he beamed. “Fallon! Oh- You’ve luggage…” He started his way down the path as quickly as he thought maintaining any appearance of ‘priestly’ dignity might allow—that was apparently important. And he stalled at her side, offering a hand with a glance to her bag. “Is there anything I might help you carry? Did you fare well on your journey? You look…”

Tired.

His eyes warmed a touch. “You look as though the gods have kept you busy. I know I can’t be the first by now, but I wanted to congratulate you on your promotion…the title suits you. Now I need only wait to call you priestess.”  

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

When she heard Ze she blinked and looked up to see him coming toward her. Fallon offered a giggle and waved at him as he drew closer. "Hello Zekiel." As he held his hand out and asked if she needed help carrying anything she looked at her bag then at him. "Are you sure you wish to carry it?" It wasn't heavy really, it just held her change of clothing and a scripture or two. If he was sure then she would hand it over, if not then she was fine carrying it herself.

"The trip was just fine, a nice woman heading this way allowed me to travel with her." Fallon smiled brightly at the niceness she had run into. His mention of the way she looked caused her to flush brightly. "I apologize. A citizen requested help with growing a garden so I spent some hours helping them start one." Fal looked down at herself and did a double check to make sure she was at least presentable.

Her cheeks grew even more red as he congratulated her on her promotion. "Ah, thank you." Fallon beamed up at him. She was proud that she had managed to progress in her training. "I am a step closer but still a long ways off. I shall simply have to get lessons from you Priest Zekiel." A small laugh followed her words. She was playing around but would enjoy any help he could provide her with.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Heras Box

“Of course!” As soon as it became clear it wouldn’t be objected to if he aided her with it, Zekiel took up the bag carefully, and it wasn’t particularly heavy, but being that she had been the one to make the journey again to see him, it felt only right that he do whatever things, even small, that he might to make her visit easier and more inviting. At her explanation, he nodded. “That sounds wondrous. You did always make such life with your plants. It is good of you to share it…”

Some, apparently, had thought Fallon spent arguably too much time and dedication on her plants, at least previously. Or, so Zekiel had heard. But it was good to see she hadn’t abandoned that connection entirely, and couldn’t help draw to mind, as they came up the path:

“Speaking, actually, of your plants,” he said, “I understand you have mostly ceased work with the greenhouse to focus on your studies—which has had its rewards as I see, and blessings upon that! I thought, though- Well, since my arrival here I have come to know a woman who owns a garden shop herself, and whenever I step near to pay her visit, I think of the greenhouse as you once showed it to me.”

As they came to the temple’s entrance, he notched his head to indicate the conspicuous small plant by the door. “I don’t know what to do with most of them, but even if you don’t have time to spend in a whole greenhouse, perhaps there’s room in your window for one bloom to help inspire fruition in your studies? And, when you have a temple of your own…” He tipped his head. “You’ll have all the space about it to make green if it pleased you. It could be planted anywhere in the earth about your grounds, and when it blooms in full summer, the veins in the white petals loop in small spirals…Madame Yenne says the maghai flower is a symbol for growth and endurance, of which you have done both to make it where you are.”

He blinked, though, at the lattermost comment. “Lessons? In progression?” His smile was warm, but bemused as he shook his head. “I would teach you anything I knew, but I think you’ve always been a better student than I. I couldn’t say I know yet why the gods brought me so far as they did…but I can only attempt to account for my blessings and never forget the gods’ kindness.”  

[Heras Box]

The Only Black Uke

She missed the greenhouse. Fallon showed an expression of longing as she thought about her plants. "I miss them but they were far too distracting in the long run." As Zekiel continued on and spoke of a woman who had a garden shop she smiled. "I would love to visit this shop and see her creations." The cleric nodded.

With the plant by the door being motioned to she turned her soft gaze toward it and smiled even more, the longing look gone from her eyes. "It's beautiful. And the perfect size for my window." She did have space there that was in need of something. Fallon could also use something to care for in the privacy of her own room. After all, her visits to the greenhouse were very rare these days and mostly only when she was in search of Miss Keai, her mentor. "Thank you Ze, I absolutely adore it." She knelt down to collect the plant and hold it close to her chest. Instantly she was hit with the fragrance and it felt comforting.

"I do learn quite fast but you have something that I don't." Fallon turned red in the cheeks again. This time out of shame more than anything. "You understand things long before I ever do. That is why the gods promoted you. They are still waiting for me to understand things before they allow me my own temple." A gentle smile spread across her lips as she went from looking at Zekiel to focusing on the plant in her hands.