Martial law

"The whole city is under martial law." Sister Margaret told them glumly. "Master Templar Raistlor and Sir Werner have had the convent buildings locked down for the past two days and the whole place has been searched systematically three times." Winlay looked at both Mika and Adam but neither of them seemed surprised by the news. Adam seemed deep in thought as he listened to Sister Margaret's news. Winlay would have given almost anything to be able to read the thoughts that darkened his grey eyes.

"First by the Templar, then by Sister Bernadette's disciples and finally, yesterday afternoon, by Beldan's personal guard."

Winlay could sense the tension in Sister Margaret's voice, she could easily picture how annoyed the woman must have been to have so many strangers sorting through her domain.

"Warden-Major Werner hired a pair of Gundar trackers." Margaret continued after the slight pause. "They were able to track you to the sewer grate and pick up your trail there, so they know you came through the garden gate."

Winlay looked around in alarm, if the trackers were able to follow them through the sewers, could they have followed their trail to here?

"I'm one of the three people in the convent who has a key to that gate so I've had a few intense conversations with both the Warden-Major and Sister Bernadette."

Winlay wasn't sure what Margaret meant by 'intense conversations' but it didn't sound good.

"But anyone could have picked that lock!" Mika exclaimed in surprise.

"Perhaps dear,” Replied Margaret with a smile that made the wrinkles at her eyes deepen "but I doubt pointing out the lapses in the convent security at this time is likely to endear me to either Werner or Bernadette."

"The searchers of course didn't know that they were looking for the Oracle, just that they were searching for two women pretending to be initiates and a sick old man." Winlay sat quietly as Sister Margaret shared with them the news from the convent it was like listening to a fairytale and for a while at least she didn't have to think about Adam.

"The official story is that you two" she nodded at Mika and Winlay "attempted to **** the High Priest two nights ago."

Winlay paled when she heard what she was accused of. The High Priest was clearly an evil man, but her family and everyone she knew would be told she was an assassin! What would her mother say?

Turning to the Oracle Margaret told him "You apparently are the Cryn spy-master that coordinated the attempt. No word yet about your involvement Adam, but they are looking for you too." What Sister Margaret said next surprised and scared Winlay even more.

"Unofficially though, rumors are circulating that the attempt on the High Priest was made in conjunction with the treacherous **** of the Oracle as he landed in Cryn."

Winlay's mind whirled as she tried to understand the implications of so much news and missed the first sentence or so when the Sister began to talk again.

"...slums by the harbor. Tomorrow you will make that trip with me. And so you aren't recognized..." Margaret paused with a twinkle in her eye "... I brought a few gifts for you." She carefully took a pair of sharp looking shears, several small vials and a pile of worn clothes from the bag at her feet. Turning to Mika she picked up the shears apologetically.

"I'm sorry dear, but that hair will have to go. Everyone in all of Telnon is looking for a pretty girl with a head full of golden curls." As her deft hands cut handfuls of Mika's hair with smooth precision she continued "However the streets are full of teenage boys with short ragged haircuts and mischievous grins." With her hair cut short and wearing the oversized shirt belted at her waist Mika did look a lot like the boys who were all around the busy city.

"My turn?" Asked Winlay tentatively wondering if Adam would still have the same desire in his eyes when he gazed at her if her hair was cut short like MIka's. Sister Margaret just chuckled at her.

"Child, it would take a lot more than a haircut and a bit of mud to make anyone believe you are a teenage boy." Margaret set down the shears and picked up a small clear vial nearly full of a dark viscous fluid. "You Winlay, will be a prostitute - a pretty caramel-skinned native of the Southern Islands working in one of the harbor's brothels."

Winlay swallowed deeply, a prostitute!?! She opened and closed her mouth two or three times but couldn't find words to express the many thoughts that flooded her thoughts. Margaret deftly dabbed the dark fluid onto Winlay's fair skin using a ball of cotton fiber, and Winlay watched in quiet fascination as with each touch her pale complexion darkened into a rich golden brown.

"It's the juice of walnut husks among other things." Margaret explained "The smell will disappear in an hour or two, but your skin will stay this color for at least a week, maybe more." It took almost twenty minutes for Margaret to darken Winlay's face, arms and long smooth legs. As she saw her skin transformed by the liquid she felt less and less like an initiate of the church and more like a free spirited island maiden. By the time Margaret turned her attention to the tops of her breasts Winlay slipped her shirt from her shoulders without any hesitation, daring Adam to pretend he didn’t still long to hold her.
She smiled a little when she saw him look away, he did care. She knew he did.

It took a while and the little vial was only one third full when Margaret sat back with a smile on her face. "We'll braid your hair tomorrow to perfect the look, but go try these on. You too Mika..." She gave each girl a bundle of clothing and passed hr the rest of the darkening liquid "...and take this, make sure I didn't miss and spots."

As Winlay and Mika headed for the privacy of the shower room, she heard Sister Margaret's plan for the Oracle.

"Your Holiness, you are now Madame Wanda, (retired). You used to run the Golden Hook where Winlay currently works, but you now spend your life trying to atone for your sins of years past." Mika made a whispered comment about how she hoped Sister Margaret was able to find a dress big enough for Adam to wear. The idea of disguising the massive Templar Captain in a dress sent both girls into an uncontrolled bout of giggles.