Tea in the workshop.

As soon as Mika and Winlay finished cleaning the Oracle's upper body, Margaret started working on the festering welts and swollen joints. Adam hovered near the table radiating anger and frustration at the Oracle's treatment, and Winlay had several more opportunities to look over the handsome Templar.

Despite his large size and obvious strength, Adam wasn't muscle-bound; he reminded Winlay instead of the great golden cat that she had once seen in a traveling show. The huge feline had paced restlessly inside a cage made of iron bars and snarling at the boys who got too close. Like the lion, Adam seemed far too large for this small room that tried to contain him. He wore only the undyed linen work shirt that stretched tightly across his chest and a pair of loose shorts that ended a little above his knees. He paced restlessly around the room, his bare feet made little or no sound, but Winlay was acutely aware of his presence whenever he moved.

"Winlay, dear" Sister Margaret interrupted her woolgathering "Can you boil some water?" She pointed to where a small cast iron kettle sat on a brazier. "I have a brew that will help Mychael, and the rest of us could use some tea as well before we get you settled."

Winlay was startled by Margaret's use of the Oracle's first name. Of course Winlay knew that his name had been Archbishop Mychael Klausman before assuming the office of the Oracle, but she had never heard anyone ever call him anything other than 'His Holiness.' The way Sister Margaret spoke his name suggested that she had known him as Mychael long before his elevation to Bishop Klausman not to mention His Holiness the Oracle of the Church of Xelta. The Oracle looked about ten years older than Margaret, and as Winlay dutifully climbed to her feet to boil the water in the kettle she wondered how well the two had known each other in some past decade.

Fanciful thoughts filled her head about unrequited love between a handsome priest and a lonely young initiate from Cryn who was homesick and looking for companionship. As her mind wandered dangerously, she forgot completely about how short her shirt was and just how little of her legs the shirttails covered. Suddenly she felt Adam's gaze following her as she moved about the workshop, he turned away as she glanced at him, but not before Winlay saw the hunger in his eyes. She quickly turned back to her task hoping that no one would notice her blush, and wondered about the warmth that caused her to tingle all over. When High Priest Beldan had leered at her she felt a cold nausea, but when Adam had let himself be distracted by the exposed skin of her thighs and calves, the feeling was very different.

Thankfully the water in the kettle came to a boil not long after that and Sister Margaret's calm energy as she made the herbal concoction for the Oracle and brewed tea for the rest of them defused the tension that seemed to fill the air. Winlay helped hold the Oracle upright as Margaret gently coaxed small spoonfuls down the old man's throat, after a few minutes he revived enough to hold the cup himself and take a few more sips grimacing at the taste with each swallow. As they drank their tea in silence, the loud peeling of bells ringing high in the convent tower suddenly broke the stillness.

"The convent is going into lockdown." Adam told the gathered companions, "I guess it was too much to hope that they might not notice we had snatched the Oracle from them." His voice was grim, but Winlay thought she detected a glimmer of eagerness at the action that was soon to come.

"Finish up then, my unexpected but most welcome guests." Margret was not at all phased by the tolling bells, if anything, she seemed to be expecting them. "We'll wait a few more minutes for the last of my initiates to get back inside the convent walls and then we'll have a clear path to move you to a safer hiding spot."

As they waited, Margaret gathered the burlap sacks that contained their soiled robes and Adam picked up his weapon's belt and chain hauberk and wrapped them in more of the burlap. As soon as they had dressed the Oracle in the last of Margaret's shirts the five of them headed for the door. Mika and Winlay supported the Oracle as he climbed slowly to his feet. Margaret's potion seemed to do him a world of good; he had more color in his cheeks and his eyes were clear again.

"Let me go first and I'll give you the go ahead when the coast is clear." Margaret told them as she unlocked the door and paused before opening it. "We are headed for the greenhouse just down the path."