A hope fulfilled

You enter a spacious chamber, brightly lit by the daylight streaming through two high and ornate windows on the far wall. The walls are covered with tapestries depicting various scenes from the glorious past of the of order. To the right and left, two smaller doorways lead into unseen rooms. However, your attention is inexorably drawn to the figure seated at the table positioned in front of the door you entered.

Paladin Ilmara is seated behind her desk, its surface covered in maps, dog-eared tomes and scrolls. In her left hand she holds a quill, its point scratching against the surface of a small journal in front of her. Glancing up at your entrance, she nods at your presence then returns her attention to her work. "Sister Sabine," her voice is even, betraying no emotion, "please wait a moment, and I will be finished shortly."

You have **** but to obey, and you stand in front of the desk silently. She continues to write, pausing only to refresh the ink on her quill. You take the opportunity to study her closely - previously you've only seen her from afar, drilling the Paladins down in the training yard. She looks to be in her early forties, and you glimpse a few strands of grey in her shoulder-length black hair. Her dark eyes flit between her journal and one of the maps spread out on her table. When she turns her head to look at another document, you notice a long-faded jagged scar running down her left cheek. Her sharp nose looks slightly crooked and you realize that it has been broken in the past and likely more than once if even the healers of the Order could not set the bone properly.

Finally, she sets her quill down and directs her attention to you. Her dark eyes seem to pin you to the spot and you find yourself involuntarily straightening your back, as if you were standing on the training grounds ready for inspection. Ilmara studies you in silence for a few moments, before leaning back in her chair slightly.

"Sister Sabine - our savior," she speaks evenly, and words that would sound as lavish praise or sarcasm from others come as a simple statement of fact, "the Order of the Burning Rose owes you much."

"I - I was just doing my duty, Paladin," you reply, feeling wrong footed by the start of the conversation, "as any servant of the Goddess would have done."

"I think it is safe to say that during your travels you went beyond your duty to the Goddess, Sister," her voice is calm but her eyes continue to bore into you unrelentingly.

"I...yes, Paladin. Thank you," your stammer out uncertainly.

She studies you for a moment longer, then gracefully rises to her feet, her dark robes fluttering slightly. Even in such a simple motion the power and dexterity of her body is evident.

"Both the Goddess and the Order reward the faithful execution of duty - and your trials were extraordinary, Sister. Surviving the destruction of your abbey, delivering the holy relic to us here - even some of my own Paladins would not have been able to endure the road you traveled," her eyes find yours again, and for a brief moment you think you see a glimmer of something else lurking behind the cold exterior of the Paladin Commander. Before you have a chance to figure out what it is, her words carry you on.

"Sister Sabine - for your exemplary service, you are to be elevated to the rank of Paladin. Congratulations, Sister."

It takes a beat for the meaning to sink in - and once it does, your eyes widen in shock. It is here - the culmination of years of service and dedication, something you have been working toward since you first joined the order. For a moment everything else falls away, and you feel a surge of pure fulfillment, warmth and pride wash over you, and you know that the Goddess is pleased.

Still, it would not do to fall to pieces in front of your future commander, and with an effort of self-control, you bring yourself back down from the heavens. There will be time to celebrate later - perhaps with the Imp...just imagining how eager he'll be to fuck the ass of a Paladin of the Order sends a tingle down your spine.

"Thank you Paladin Ilmara - it is an honor," you manage to say, unable to fully contain your smile.

"To be sure, Sister," to your surprise she actually smiles back for a brief second, "and you should be proud of yourself - even in our life of service, we must take time to acknowledge and celebrate those of us the Goddess has blessed with a chance to show the depth of our devotion to her."

"When will the ceremony take place?" you ask eagerly.

"In a few days - no more than a week, certainly. There are still some preparations to make, but I will not make you wait longer than needed Sister - I know how much this means to you."

"Yes," you nod "thank you, Paladin, I will-"

"Of course," her dark eyes lock with yours again, and this time they are as hard and merciless as before, "that brings me to the second reason I asked you to come here, Sister."