SUPPORT - Brigid and Giselle - C-Rank

The spectacle of a massive, motherly blonde on her knees never got old.

She had hands clasped tightly together, and head bowed. Allowing fluffy, bouncy blonde curls to fall all over from her long hair. In the light of those stained-glass windows lining the old chapel, Giselle Leonhart looked like a painting of a saint.

BRIGID WALLACE, STAR PALADIN OF CYGNUS, could scarcely hold back her surprise. Considering how proud this city had been of independence following their bad breakup, seeing their leader so lost in devout prayer that she failed to notice the clanking of heavy red armor…

Too strange to avoid commenting.

“A sight for sore eyes, as ever.”

The mayor opened one eye, but kept the other closed. “Brigid, greetings! Have you come to pay your respects, as well?”

Brigid scoffed. “Considering how I feel about respect, or paying for things, I can’t imagine combining the two would make me amenable. What are you doing?”

Giselle smiled warmly. “It seems rather obvious. I’m praying.”

“Why?”

That smile grew. “Leadership means setting an example.”

This is why I like you better than your daughter. If your places were reversed, Adi would follow up, and excoriate my, uh, delegation-heavy leadership.

“Even if you don’t believe?”

“Especially then.” Giselle got to her feet, which given her bulk and build was no mean feat. Even in a long, flowing robe, there was simply no way to hide her enormous, plump body and huge chest. It was a body fit more for sin than church.

Though sin in church had its own particular appeal.

“Your turn, Brigid. Here’s a riddle. If not to pray, why visit a chapel?”

The paladin ran a gauntleted hand through fire-red hair. “I guess it just kind of hit me all at once, that I’m gonna be a champion. Represent a whole lot of people. So I figured I’d get out here and… See for myself.”

It was surprisingly unnerving to see a heroic rendition of her in a few hasty paintings, hung up in corners of the chapel. There hadn’t been time for masterful sculptures or breathtaking stained glass, thankfully.

Considering all the work Brigid did to tirelessly puff up her reputation, and reap the many benefits thereof, it was odd for this to trip her up. It was all to the good, when the goal was fame, fortune, and fine wenches, right?

Maybe the bigger thing bothering her; was there more to life than that?

“I don’t know if it's escaped your notice, Giselle, but I’m not a faithful person. In word, deed, bond, religion… To a certain degree, that last one was what drove me to stay in Cygnus and make my stand here. I admired what you guys were trying to do. Still do, in fact.”

Brigid shook her head.

“I mean, should I even be saying stuff like this? Especially in public?”

Giselle conceded, “You may wish to consider the time and place before speaking, though I know new habits are difficult to form. Ahem! The Lord chose you. You might have campaigned for the job, but He accepted you as His champion. Just as this city did. It was not a decision either made lightly.”

“He’s just not known me long enough to regret it,” Brigid said. “And look how much good I did for our fair city, when the walls came tumbling down. I turned tail and ran. Left you to die. Not that it did me any good…” She let out a big, heaving sigh, and the metal adoring her muscular body clinked in sympathy. “Sorry. I’m not normally like this.”

“As you are fond of saying in your high moments, you brought Him to us. In our hour of need, you were a true ally to Cygnus, and everyone knows it.” Giselle gave a womanly chuckle from deep within that massive bosom. “As for the rest, I promise, I won’t tell anyone that you were genuine.”

Brigid nodded solemnly. “I very much appreciate that, Giselle.”