A Broken Cleric

You should. Robes are better.

Priests wear robes.

I, uh, noticed. I can’t say I wasn’t tempted to resort to the same solution the first fifty times I couldn’t find my pant-leg.

[He ca muster a somber smile at that, in the very least.] That’s usually better. Pillows tend not to suffer serious injuries as a result, and only rarely hit back.

It... It happens. More often than most people might think. [He winces. He’s carried out more amputations than he cares to think about.] 

Maybe the Divines are so silent because whenever they try to speak, their faithful scream heresy.

[His voice drops into a hushed, rather flustered tone.] I don’t doubt that you mean well, but for your own sake, you must let this go.

And is that so terrible?  What’s so wrong about coming to a new understanding of something we can’t be sure we know completely?  

This is a matter of faith, child. You must be mindful of who you say these things to. There are those among the church who would... frown upon such a heresy. 

It’s not impossible.  Nothing’s truly impossible.  Just because someone says it can’t be done doesn’t mean it’s true.  How do you know for certain it’s impossible?

The Aedra... It would mean a complete redefinition of our understanding of divinity. You have to understand the implications of what you’re saying. 

You shouldn’t be sorry. I shouldn’t be acting so…I’m trying not to.

It isn’t your fault, this is... These things are difficult, I know. I mean, I can’t know, but I understand. 

[Her voice falls.  It’s strained and distressed, and she’s trying, very hard, to keep from getting frustrated.]  You don’t believe me.  No one does.

[His response is soft and somber.] It is impossible, child. 

Fine. What do you wanna know?

I’d like to know what’s bothering you so much, first of all.

This was different.  I heard it in my ears, inside my head.  It wasn’t my voice I heard, it was another.  Soft, like a breeze.  Like bells. 

I’m... sure it seemed quite real at the time. But the gods to not speak to us so plainly.