Mortalis

the world at large.

'I have served the Prince of Honce-the-Bear for many years now,' Agronguerre went on, 'as fine a man as I have ever known. With his guidance, the folk of Vanguard have forged an alliance, a bond of necessity, with the barbarians ofAlpinador.' That news brought more than a few surprised expressions and more than a few gasps and groans. The Abellican Church had a long and disastrous history with the Alpinadoran barbarians. Many times, the Church had sent missionaries, had even established minor chapels inside Alpinador; and every one of those excursions had ended disastrously, with missionary monks never heard from again.

'Our ways, our beliefs, our entire lives are very different from those of our northern neighbors,' Agronguerre went on, 'and yet we found strength in unity against the minions of Bestesbulzibar, curse his very name; and from that necessary moment of peace, we found more to agree upon than ever we would have believed possible. And so I see our current situation within our own Order. We are faced now with the task of understanding the tragedy of Father Abbot Markwart, his reign and his demise, and with understanding the truth of Mount Aida, and of Avelyn Desbris. How widely opinions differ on this point and on this lost brother, Avelyn! Some would proclaim him saint; others, heretic. But there is a truth out there, my brethren, one that we, as a united Church, must discover and embrace, wherever it leads us.'

He went on for many minutes, recalling his own anger at the fate of Jojonah, speaking of Abbot Braumin and the others who claimed to have witnessed the miracle at the blasted mountain. He spoke of the relationship of Church and Crown, of the encroachment made on both independent forces in the battle-torn city of Palmaris, and the continuing struggle that Abbot Braumin now faced with Duke Kalas.

And then Agronguerre, after a pause and a most profound sigh, came around to the most pressing issue of all. He asked for a moment of silent prayer for Abbess Delenia, who had been a friend to so many of those in attendance and who had served the Church with honor and distinction for more than three decades.

' It appears that our hour of darkness has not yet passed,' he said quietly. 'Upon its discovery by Master Francis, the other masters wisely dispatched one of their own to the south to investigate rumors of the return of the rosy plague. Well, my brethren, those rumors seem well-founded. Master De'Unnero has reported the disaster at St. Gwendolyn, where the plague has devastated the ranks of our brethren, where pitiful refugees have crowded the fields around the abbey, begging for relief that we have no power to give. Let us pray, each of us, that the plague is restricted to that region, that it will not encompass the world as it did in centuries past, and that its presence in our time will be short indeed.'

He finished with a recitation of the entire litany of prayers, where all the gathered brothers joined in, and then opened the floor for comments.

And how they came pouring in, opinions from every quarter concerning how the Church should deal with the rosy plague. Some called for the complete isolation of the Mantis Arm-though Francis was quick to remind them that Davon Dinnishire lay between St.-Mere-Abelle and Palmaris, far from there. Others called for the immediate isolation of every abbey, barring the doors, holding masses outside with presiding monks standing atop gate towers and the like. On and on it went, with no practical answers, only suggestions wrought of abject terror. Father Abbot Agronguerre listened to them all attentively, hopefully, but all that he came away with was the understanding that this budding crisis was far beyond them, was something that only God could alleviate. The last call of that day, from the Father Abbot at the podium, was for all of them, for every brother in the Abellican Church and the few remaining sisters, to pray for guidance and for relief.

It seemed a meager weapon to the gathering of a Church that had just battled the armies of Bestesbulzibar, to monks who had used mighty gemstone magic to fell giants and powries by the score.

But it was all they had.

'I was no better a guest than you were a host, Father Abbot,' a blushing Brother Dellman responded after Agronguerre spoke highly of him to Abbot Braumin that evening after vespers.

'You were more than a guest,' the new Father Abbot replied. 'In your short time in Vanguard, you became as family to us of St. Belfour.'

Dellman searched for a reply, but merely bowed his head.

'Which is why I have asked you to join me at this time,' Agronguerre went on to Dellman and particularly to Abbot Braumin.

'Brother Dellman's integrity and graciousness come as no surprise to me, Father Abbot,' Braumin Herde replied, but there was an edge to his voice, telling Agronguerre that he understood where this was leading.

Given that, the Father Abbot got right to the point. 'I know how valuable a companion Brother Dellman has been to you,' he said, 'and I do appreciate your work in Palmaris at this troubled and delicate time, but I have answered the call of my Church at great risk to St. Belfour. Brother Haney, who will soon become abbot of St. Belfour, is an excellent man indeed, and I could not have asked for a more suitable replacement.'

'But…' Abbot Braumin prompted, looking at Dellman.

'He is all alone,' Agronguerre answered. 'Almost all the other brothers at St. Belfour are young and inexperienced, and though Prince Midalis is certainly a friend of the Church, the new alliance with the barbarians of Alpinador will place great demands on the abbot of St. Belfour. I think it prudent to give our young abbot a strong ally and a voice of experience and wisdom.'

'Surely there are others m-more qualified than I,' Brother Dellman stammered, obviously overwhelmed. His tone showed that he was not upset about the request, just stunned. 'Masters from St.-Mere-Abelle.'

'Abbot Braumin,' Father Abbot Agronguerre said with a great sigh, 'I know not in which of the masters here I can place my trust. Nor do I know any of them well enough to guess if they could tolerate the hardships of Vanguard. Master Francis comes to mind, of course, for he seems the most worldly of the group, but I believe from all that I have heard-from your own Brother Dellman-that I should keep Master Francis close at hand for a time.'

'An assessment with which I heartily agree,' said Braumin.

'Then?' Father Abbot Agronguerre asked. 'Will you lend your friend Brother Dellman to Brother Haney and St. Belfour? '

Braumin turned to Dellman. 'What say you, brother? This is your life we are discussing, after all, and I would say that you have earned your choice of abbeys. Will you return with me to St. Precious or sail north for Vanguard?'

Dellman seemed completely at a loss. He started to answer several times, but stopped and merely shook his head. 'Which would be of greater service to my Church?' he asked.

'St. Belfour,' Abbot Braumin said before the new Father Abbot could answer. He looked directly at Dellman as he spoke, staring into the younger man's eyes, showing his sincerity.

Dellman turned to the new Father Abbot and nodded. ' I go where my Church most needs me, Father Abbot,' he said. 'And, truly, I would be glad in my heart to spend more time in Vanguard, to learn more of the folk and of the good brothers of St. Belfour.'

'I will sorely miss him in Palmaris,' Abbot Braumin remarked. 'Brother Dellman was among the wisest of advisers and the most steadfast of supporters during the ordeal of Father Abbot Markwart's last days.'

'You make my heart glad, then,' the Father Abbot said, 'and this will not merely be to the bene?t of St. Belfour and our friend Brother Haney. Up there in wild Vanguard, you will attain the rank of master very quickly, perhaps within a few months.'

'I am not nearly prepared,' Brother Dellman replied.

'You are more prepared than most who attain the rank,' Abbot Braumin was quick to put in, 'and more prepared than I, certainly, in the role God has now chosen me to play.'

'Vanguard is not thick with brethren,' the Father Abbot said. 'And St. Belfour at this time, as in so many times, is without masters. I will send word to Brother Haney to rectify that situation as soon as he is established as abbot.'

Abbot Braumin nodded his agreement, his smile wide; and Brother Dellman, too, was beaming.

'Now for a less pleasing matter,' Father Abbot Agronguerre announced. He rose from his chair, motioning for Abbot Braumin alone to follow him into an adjoining room, where several masters and abbots were waiting, including Francis, Bou-raiy, Glendenhook, and Machuso.

'I had asked Abbot Je'howith to join us, as well,' Agronguerre remarked to them all, taking his seat at the head of the table and motioning for Braumin to sit right beside him-again a subtle but distinct hint about his attitude concerning the last days of Markwart's reign. 'But he has already departed, well on his way back to Ursal and St.