Darkhorse

@flashfictionfridayofficial

"The Holy Father - may his name be numbered among the high priests - was a sick man towards the end of his life as those of us who saw him regularly will attest!"

Through the gap in two of the watching Cardinals She fixes her gaze on him

Oh, no you do not get to say that to spread those lies. The Holy Father, rest his soul was tired and suspicious and in pain in both his good dear heart andvhis mortal body,but he was as sane and as clear thinking as I or Dean Lawrence. Yet you would slander him as you slander good Archbishop Wozniak's reputation and capabilities- when it is you causing the pain. You who brought Sister Shanumi from her good work to an element of humiliation here, to get Cardinal Adeyemi out of the way (not that he was fit for the Role). You who have bribed and bullied and blackmailed others to stand in a prominent position in this Conclave, when you should not be standing.

Dean Lawrence stands his ground to protect the unfortunates, offering himself instad and there is utter uproar.

Now I begin to understand what Sister Felisia suffered when school was rowdy.... and these are grown men, princes of the Church... apparently

“Eminenze... Eminenze!”

Dean Larence hears her first, she sees the shift in his focus towards her, but her second shout cuts through the racket enough to stun them all to silence. Even those near turn with a startled blink.

They honestly do not notice us unless they want us, is it just my order, or all the nuns they serve with.

"Eminences, although we Sisters are supposed to be invisible, God has nevertheless given us eyes and ears. I know what prompted the Dean of the College to enter the Holy Father’s rooms. He was concerned that the sister from my order who made that regrettable scene might have been brought to Rome with the deliberate intention ofembarrassing a member of this Conclave. His suspicions were correct. She was indeed here at thespecific request of Cardiinal Tremblay."

There, Your Eminence, spoken plain and simple, only the facts. His eyes are as weak as water as she holds them, now all the focuses is on him in the click of a moment.

Because of their rank, and let no-one accuse her of showing disrespect, she inclines her head just enough, genuflects the required inches, turns, and shows herself out.