Winlay is honest about her fears

"It is a little weird," commented Mika as they were walking back to their assigned room. "How all the other interviews last for about fifteen minutes, but yours lasts for over two hours." Winlay had been thinking about that exact detail in the schedule. She'd rather even go first than meet with the High Priest in her current time slot. Still she smiled at Mika and gave her a little push as she answered.

"You know that's not it Mika. I just happen to be the last appointment before his midday break." The answer seemed perfectly reasonable to Winlay as she said it, but at the same time she wished she was scheduled for any of the other time slots.

"Yeah, either that or he really likes you." Winlay knew that Mika had intended the last remark as a joke, but it felt like a noose being placed around her neck. Tomorrow was supposed to be the beginning of her wonderful new life, but the events of the day had been brewing like a vitriolic poison in her guts and now she wasn't even sure she wanted to be Sister Winlay anymore.

Her pace quickened as they entered the hallway with their room and Winlay was just able to drag a surprised Mika into their room before she burst into tears.

"I'm sorry Winlay." Mika's voice sounded frightened and pained. "That wasn't funny, I should never have said it." Winlay tried to smile at the normally vivacious blonde to show her she understood but instead her sobs grew louder and more heartbreaking. When Mika gathered her in her strong arms Winlay pressed herself against her not even caring that her tears were soaking the shoulder of her friend's robe. After several minutes of clinging to Mika, Winlay finally started to try to explain her reaction.

"You were right, you know, at lunch when you said Beldan gave you the creeps." Her voice was occasionally broken by gasps and blowing her nose on a hanky that Mika produced seemingly from thin air. Once she started talking the words came in an unstoppable torrent. "I've seen men in my village look that way at girls, I just never thought I'd see that same look from the Mouth of Xelta." Mika’s arms tightened encouragingly around Winlay supporting her both emotionally and physically. "And then there was Sister Prudence in the library and the things she said and did Sister Margaret tried to explain, but I think she just made it worse!"

Once again Winlay started crying and Mika lacking any words rubbed her back and kissed her gently on her temple just like Winlay's mother used to. It took a while but gently over the next twenty minutes Mika coaxed the full story out of Winlay, and then the two sat side by side on the bed in silence.

“Maybe we should tell someone?” Mika broke the silence at last.

“I thought of that” Winlay responded "but I don’t know who I could tell. I doubt Sister Bernadette would understand. Sister Margaret might, but she is powerless to do anything or she would. I just know it!”

“Then I guess we’re on our own, at least until we find some others who can support or dissipate these fears.” Mika pulled Winlay from her arms and carefully wiped away the tears from her reddened cheeks. “I don’t want anything or anyone to hurt you.” Suddenly Mika smiled with that mischievous grin she got just before she did something that bent the rules.

“Let’s switch appointments!” Winlay looked at her friend's bright smile and started to believe things would turn out all right after all. “I’ll go in your slot, you go in mine. We can tell them we got the times mixed up because we were so excited!”

“But won’t you be putting yourself in danger.” Winlay couldn’t stand the idea of anything bad happening to Mika because of her.

“Nah, Beldan isn’t interested in me. Besides,” she added “I’ve had a big brother all my life and had to put up with his friends.” Kissing Winlay excitedly on each of her cheeks Mika declared “This will work I know it.” Winlay felt just a little flustered by Mika’s emotion, but she could see a graceful way out of the dilemma and her face broke into the weak smile that Mika loved to see.

”So you’ll do it ?” Mika asked.