The Abbot's Processional, Part 1: Leaving the Abbey and Part 2: The Ruins of St. Ninians (sorry it got long)
Sorry for not fixing the typos. :)
Redwall Abbey's entryway
Krystal the squirrel. Lee, Konrad, Rosepaw and Streamheart, all otters, aswell as Lacota' another squirrel. DoraRose, Angela and LilyMoore, mice. Benar, squirrel. Silverstorm, sea otter. Zinnia, badger. Rayen, fox.
Krystal is sitting near the entry on the steps going up to the wall. She has spent a lot of time in the orchards today, by the bee hives of all places and one bee is still going on and off her left ear and she doesn't seem brothered by it at all.
Lee steps out of Great Hall, carrying his daughter, Konrad running off ahead of him. "Oy, slow down, son! We 'ave plenty o' time ta get to the pond." He chuckles. "Wot would yer mum say, hmm?" He pauses and waves at the squirrelmaid. "Ahoy, Miss Krystal. Beautiful day, ain't it?"
DoraRose comes out of the gatehouse, wearing an unbleached linen tunic with matching leggings and black boots. She watches the squirrel with the bee and decides to not bother them by coming close. She waves to the otters and says to everyone, "Good day!"
Krystal waves and smiles "Hello sir and yes its a good day today, even the bees are happy today" She flicks her ear and the one bee flies away back towards some flowers.
Benar comes walking out of the Abbey talking to Elmef and Sister Doreen. He's dressed in a light brown habit, a flowing set of vestments over the top and carrying a long walking staff with a small silver bell attached to the top. It's the same staff he carried at Lorimis' funeral and it is engraved along its length with images of Redwall and Mossflower.
Krystal looks over at the abbot as he comes close to where she is and walks over "Hello, sir abbot. I was wondering if I could maybe go on your...trip? To learn more about the abbey and to take you up on the offer of being A novice and helping with the bees." She waits on a reply.
DoraRose smiles as she spots the Abbot come walking out of the Abbey, and she hurries inside the Gatehouse, quickly returning with her daughter. They are both wearing haversacks, dressed in unbleached linen tunics and leggings and black boots. LilyMoore is so excited she does a line of joyful cartwheels. Angela comes hobbling out of the main Abbbey building and talks with the Warrior was they go to the training yard to pick up Dora's sword and axe. Lily comes up to the Abbot and smiles up at him, saying nothing so she won't interrupt anyone.
Benar raises his hands for silence and whilst everyone is shushing up he murmurs to Krystal, "Of course you can join us my dear, it will be a pleasure to have you along." he then steps forward, "Ok everyone, thank you for joining us today we journey to St Ninians Church. Whilst I am away Angela, Brother Elmef, Elder Zork and Papa Oz are in charge. We will never be more then a few hours away at best and we will see you all in a week on the edge of the Quarry for the Summer Feast."
Krystal smiles at thia and looks excited to go with them. wo knows maybe she can befriend some bees along the trip. She says a quiet "Thank you"
Lacota' exits Great Hall, carrying his walking staff. "Well, are we doing this, then? I left my Kitchen in capable paws of my senior assistant, Brother Ralph." Lee grabs Konrad's paw when Benar appears. "Oy, sorry, lad, no swim for today." He shushes his fussy daughter as she starts to grow restless. "I am not sure my wife and daughter are up for joinin' us, but I intend ta bring Konrad."
Benar exclaims, "We are indeed doing it Lacota," he puts an arm around the other squirrel's shoulders and steps out through the main gates, "It's tradition, a chance for us all to see Mossflower and give our thanks, come along!" He nods to the Brothers and Sisters and mostly Novices carrying the supplies and pulling the carts and starts to head down the road toward the south.
DoraRose comes back from the training yard with her sword strapped to her back and her black battle axe, Nightsong, in paw. Angela is walking beside her, and when they reach the crowd, they embrace and, after she hugs LilyMoore, the old healer heads inside to find her great-grandson, whom she heard was staying behind. She wants to find out for sure. LilyMoore claps her paws and jumps up and down on the balls of her feet with growing excitement. Soon the 2 mice are following the Abbot down the road.
Krystal smiles as she sees Lacota "Lacota, you are coming that is good."
Lee's wife Streamheart soon appears, to see her husband off. He smiles, and hands his daughter Rosepaw to her mother. "Oy, ye take care of yerself while I'm gone, alright, my love?" He kisses Streamheart's forehead and departs through the gate, carrying young Konrad. Lacota' nods to the Abbot. "Traditions are good. You've got a good head on your shoulders, though. If I weren't convinced of your good sense, I would have stayed home." Blunt as ever. Hearing Krystal, though, he turns and smiles. "I had no idea you were coming, Miss. I am very pleased."
Benar smiles at Lacota and shakes his head, "I know why you are joining us Lacota. If you stayed home I'd have put you in charge and you'd likely have killed me." He points down the path with his staff, the bell ringing gently, "Now let us be on our way my friends!" he heads off, grey tail streaming in the wind as the party begin the walk toward St Ninians, it is about an hour to walk that far, though more like two with such a large group and a stop half way for a snack and a drink.
Krystal goes to where she can walk beside Lacota and smiles at him. She looks around and takes in sights of the woods off to the side of he road and the grasslands as well "Such a nice sunny day."
DoraRose looks relieved to be out of the Abbey and not be hunting down and enemy, although she does wish she was alone...or at least in a smaller group. LilyMoore is beyond excited to be outside of the Abbey in the first time she can remember. She skips along and turns the occasional cartwheel, somehow managing to neither lose her haversack nor dump it. They have a great time seeing the sighs and hearing the sounds of Mossflower in summer.
Lee talks to his son and points out the sights and interesting trees as they walk. Lacota' nods at Benar again. "Two things about that: One, I *am* flattered that you have enough faith in my ability to consider leaving me in charge of Redwall, but two... You're quite correct. I have no desire for anything like that at this time... I have enough to worry about with the kitchen..." He smiles at Krystal again. "You look lovely today."
Krystal blushes as the friar says she looks nice and just smiles quietly, staying close beside him as they walk on down the road.
+St.Ninians{Sanctuary}+
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St. Ninians: Sanctuary
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The main hall of the church is old and abandoned. Lingering in
the air is a heavy odor of burning. The stone walls are covered
with soot. A heavy layer of dust coats everything, rendering it
a shadow of it's former glory. The seven multi-colored crystals
hanging above the now sooty stone altar are opaque, covered in
layers of dirt and soot, the candles behind each long burnt out.
Off to the left through an archway which was once shut off by a
door, since reduced to cinders, are the old priest's chambers,
abandoned for time beyond memory. This room feels cold and
drafty as well. The pews that aren't distengrated or dismembered
are shoved to the walls, a few thread-bare and charred blankets
draped over them. The roof in here is burned away to the charred
ceiling timbers.
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+=Exits and Entrances=+
[S]tairwell
[P]riest's [C]hambers
[O]ut to [C]hurchyard
[Li]brary [E]ntrance
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The afternoon is waning by the time the party arrive at the ancient church. The group of thirty or so Abbey beasts slow as Benar moves to a halt outside the church. He looks up at the tumbled ruin then pushes through the gate and into the churchyard. Several Novices detatch to start setting up blankets and baskets for the evening Meal as well as erecting the tents as the Abbot walks into the ancient church. He stops just inside and waits for the majority of beasts to join him.
Krystal walks over to jion the abot, she slowly walks as if unsure of the place as it looks old, " How old is this church?"
Lee has brought his sword, just in case, and before he enters the church with the others, he makes a quick survey of the perimeters of the grounds. Once satisfied, he steps through the crumbling doors. "As old as Matthias at least, ma'rm... An' it were old even then." Lacota' enters as well, leaning on his staff as he pushes his spectacles back up his nose. "Once a place of beauty and peace, then twisted to bad ends by evil beasts..."
Silverstorm has followed the others, just she is going a little slower than the others and had to help one novice with some tent poles and then she walked over to where the others wee standing.
Benar says, "Indeed, this church is as old as seasons," he turns to face the crowd and leans his staff to one side, the bell in it ringing once, "Once it was a place of goodness, a sanctuary against the wild woodlands. It's bell rang out over the land. It was a home of a peaceful family and they tended the sick, they prayed to those above and beyond and they offered a place to rest for those who had departed. They were friends of Redwall, Friends of the Badgers of Brock Hall and it was a peaceful place that stood for goodness, kindness and integrity. But in the end it fell, Cluny the Scourge befouled the sanctity of this Hall. In his season long siege of Redwall Abbey he despoiled what was good about this place. Seasons later Slagar the Cruel used it as a base for slavery and later an evil brood of ravens took shelter here and caused the death of an innocent of Redwall. And though this place is now no more, a ruin forgotten, tumbled, burnt it is not forgotten by Redwall. It is a lesson and a memory we cannot and should not forget what happened here, that good was turned to evil. It could happen even to our beloved Redwall if we are not true to ourselves, support one another and work together to keep the ideals of our Abbey alive."
Krystal listens as the abbot speaks, she frowns a couple times but she still listens closely to his words.
Lee nods his head solemnly, shushing Konrad as he starts to get restless. "Wise words."
Silverstorm looks around and nods. She doesn't know much about Mossflower and now she knows more than she did before."Intresting, bout this place" She says quietly.
Lacota' bows his head. "The good Church mouse family." He glances about. "So long ago, but never forgotten."
Benar says, "Tonight we stay here, to honour the memory of those who came before us and to remember. We all have tales to share, tonight there is no Abbot, no Brothers or Sisters we are all just friends. Gathered here to recall, to tell stories and to know one another so that we may all remember together our pasts."
Krystal stays close to Lacota and for now stays quiet. She is still getting use to most beasts from the abbey.
Silverstorm looks around silently and nods as she speaks, "Remember pasts?"
Benar walks over to Silverstorm and nods, "We share stories, it is part of the Redwall Tradition, we share stories from our pasts, our adventures, big or small."
Silverstorm nods slowly, well she has all night so maybe she will share later.
Lee holds his son, who is growing drowsy. "Rememberin' the past is very important." Lacota' hmms. "Perhaps, but there are some things I'd prefer to forget..."
Benar says, "We all have things we would rather forget Lacota," he looks around and sits down on a stone, "But let me go first, I'd like to tell you all about the day I joined the order. Some of you will remember it," he smiles at a few Brothers and Sisters, "Others where not here yet, but it was... a very emotional day for me. I'd been many things in my life. I'd been a Slave, I'd seen Sampetra, an Orphan then an adopted child living with my mother in the woods. Then I had been a soldier in Southsward, the realm of the Squirrel King and then... here I was, in Redwall Abbey about to embrace a life of peace.""
Lee nods and listens in silence.
Silverstorm sits down to listen as she is curious now of his story
Lacota' ear-perks, as he finds someplace to sit as well. "Southsward... I should like to go there someday."
Benar smiles softly, "I had never been so scared, I was going to turn my back on all I knew and embrace something new. I broke my bow, I stowed my sword where it could never be used again and I became a Novice of Redwall Abbey. If it hadn't been for Lacota and Sister Sunflower I would never have been able to take such a step"
Lee nods again. "That were a bold move, mate."
Benar says, "It was not easy to do, but I did m best to move forward and embrace my new lifw. In doing so I have never been happier or in a place to be able to help so many people at once.""
Lacota' adjusts his spectacles. "And now you're Abbot." He smiles. "Quite inspiring, Benar."
Benar says, "I never sought the office of Abbot, that is an important thing to remember, seek to help others that is all that is truly important. Now.. who wishes to go next?""
Lee raises his paw. "I can, mate. Ye know I ain't been at Redwall but a few seasons now. Before that I were 'omeless in the South. Not very pleasant life, ta be honest. I 'eard about Redwall from a passin' merchant, though, an' he had all kinds of good things ta say about it, so I decided ta come see for meself." Lacota' remains respectfully silent.
Benar says, "Tell on Lee, we are listening""
Lee smiles, and nods. "Well, it took me awhile ta get 'ere... Over 'alf a season. At times, I thought I'd never make it. But then I did. An' it were amazin', just like the merchant 'ad said. I came 'ere, seekin' a home, an' I was welcomed in willin'ly, an' I got that 'ome. Not long after, I got a job, too, defendin' the Abbey, an' I found a brother, an' a father." He pauses, nuzzling Konrad who's asleep in his arms. "But the most important was me fam'ly. Stream'eart, an' Konrad, an' little Rosepaw... I wouldn't trade 'em for the world..." Lacota' smiles again, something not usually seen from the crotchety Friar.
Benar says, "Family is one of the most important things we can ever find" he smiles warmly at Lee, "All of Redwall is my family and I would have it no other way.""
Lee nods, smiling. "Quite. Any way, that was all I wanted ta say. Thank ye for lettin' me make me 'ome at Redwall when ye did. Me life 'as been more complete because of it." Lacota' stands, and pushes his spectacles back into place. "I suppose, as an Elder, and the Friar, and whatever else titles I seem to juggle, I should share a few words as well..."
Benar smiles at Lacota, "Say whatever you are comfortable saying my friend, anything at all"
Zinnia has been listening to the stories, she has just been quiet during this trip, or least quiet right now.
Lacota' nods. "Ahem, yes. Well, as you beasts know, I've been a member of the Order an even shorter time than our friend Lee here. Barely two or three seasons. I know I'm not the friendliest fellow, that I'm frequently grumpy, cross, sarcastic, or downright crotchety. But underneath those layers, I love Redwall, and I love my fellow Redwallers. Like Lee, you fellows opened your gates wide and welcomed me, a poor, starving, depressed ex-slave from the Snowy North. You put up with my eccentricities with a surprising amount of grace," at this point he pauses, as if expecting some chuckles. "I realize I can be hard to get along with, that I'm opinionated and stubborn. But I'm so grateful, to you all, especcially you, Benar."
Benar shakes his head and reaches out to squeeze Lacota's paw, "It is a pleasure to have you with us, we've not had a kitchen run so well in seasons."
Zinnia listens and finally says least something "Guess...a lot had a not so good life before the abbey, and the abbey helped a lot have a good life" She then smiles.
Benar smiles at Zinnia "Would you care to share something with us Zinnia, in this place of memories both good and bad we stand tonight to share our pasts with one another."
Lacota' smiles at Benar. "I'm flattered." He then nods. "Yes, please do, Sister."
Zinnia looks between them as she shrugs and then nods"Well, when I first came to the abbey, I didn't get along with many, like at all. I was 4 seasons old and had been alone a season, well maybe 4.5 seasons but still fairly young to be all alone." .
Zinnia says, "I had no parents and was an orphan, because a vermin had killed my birth parents and the beast who did it took me captive, after a couple weeks of chaseing me down. I was thier captive for a season before I managed to get away. But I had help to get away. A beast I later would call papa came to my rescue that day. I was on the road north of the abbey and..he saved me by fighting the beast who had me captive and then he broght me to the abbey and later adopted me""
Zinnia says, "Papa taught me how to read and write and helped me learn the abbey charter which later helped me to become a novice in the order."
Rayen listens to all the stories that are told as she comes to sit down nearby. She had been keeping watch and now another beast took over the watch.
Zinnia says, "I then became a sister in the order, a little earlier than I had thought I would but I did well I think" She smiles "And even became recorder of the abbey"
Zinnia says, "And thats my story or least a summery of it as more would take a long time to tell"
Rayen yawns as she grows tried and decides to lay down and get some sleep, letting others talk among themselves, if they want to hear her story it will wait till morning, after breakfast in fact.
Zinnia also goes to sleep as things start to quiet down for the night.
Thanks for reading! To keep track of when we'll be where, go to here: http://rwmuck.limitless.org/rwmuck/content/abbot-benars-processional :)
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