Sunday morning, Fireseek 2, 591 Common Year

The next morning, servants bring bread, cheese, and wine to Fingol’s room for breakfast. They remind him that dinner will be served in the hall at 9 am. In his traveling garb and armed only with the dagger in his belt, Fingol readies himself to go outside to greet the dawn upon the road (even if the roads in this case are the alleys of Westkeep) in honor of Fharlanghn, the god of travelers (such as the King’s Rangers). He stuffs a hunk of bread in his vest while holding the cheese in between his teeth and quickly pours a goblet of wine to drink on the way down the hall.

Just as Fingol puts the wine jug on a passing shelf and dashes for the door, goblet in hand, Lady Sedara appears in the doorway. “Cousin Fingol, I am so glad that I caught you. Are you coming to the Heironean morning services in the chapel?”

Fingol looks at her for a second, the cheese drops out of his mouth in his surprise, though he manages to catch it with his left hand as the right is still holding his goblet. “Uh… sure… That’s to say, it’s not my habit.” Fingol recovers himself a bit and quickly adds, “But if you are asking of course.” Then even more quickly, “I mean, I greatly respect the followers of Heironeous, it’s just that I don’t have the same uh… well… zeal about such things.” Fingol takes a quick look outside at the dawn breaking over the road and wonders how much of a stickler Fharlaghn is for ritual. “I guess you’ll have to show me the way to the chapel.”

Lady Sedara laughs gently and lightly touches Fingol’s shoulder to steady him – in a comradely way. She is, however, careful not to step all the way into his room, but remains at the threshold. “I am sorry Sir Fingol. I didn’t mean to startle you. And please don’t think that the services to Heironeous are mandatory. It is merely a courteous invitation. Being a ranger, I imagine that you are a devotee of Ehlonna or perhaps even Obad-Hai? Anyway, you are certainly welcome to come to the chapel with me. I am going to stop by Gar’s room to extend the same courtesy invitation to him as well, but he will almost certainly be performing his own devotions to Obad-Hai.

“In any case, my real reason for seeing the two of you is to ask you to please come to the Prince-Governor’s solar (private room) after the morning services. He would like to speak to the two of you in private.”

She steps away from the doorway, “Well I am going to see if I can catch Gar, otherwise I’ll try to find him after the services. Then I will be going to the chapel. Will you be joining me, or shall we meet up afterwards?”

“Oh, Lady Sedara,” says Fingol, “I’ve been meaning to say, I have heard of the struggles to set up a clinic. I could assist in some small ways. The rangers teach healing as part of their training, and I pursued it more strongly than some.”

Lady Sedara replies, “That is most gracious of you cousin Fingol. But I think you had better speak to the Prince-Governor first. He may have some other things in mind for you.”

“Well, I suppose we are all at the Prince’s service. Oh, and I’ll be right behind you!”

Fingol then follows Lady Sedara down the hall to Gar’s room, taking the chance to check out her rather pleasing posterior on the way. Now that Fingol is following behind her and no longer immediately basking in the view of her gentle smile or the gaze of her clear blue eyes, he observes that despite her imposing presence Lady Sedara is actually quite petite and fairly graceful. Fingol starts to wonder whether Lady Sedara could actually be a paladin herself. It’s hard to tell because she is wearing a loose white blouse – but she doesn’t seem particularly muscular, as one would expect of a paladin. He notices, however, that the edges of her hands are quite calloused.

They arrive at Gar’s room only to find the door closed. Not hearing anyone inside, Lady Sedara moves away from the door quietly and beckons Fingol to follow. In a soft voice she says, “Clerics often pray at dawn, sometimes together, sometimes alone, sometimes aloud, but at times through silent contemplation. If Gar has gone there is no use knocking, and if he is inside I fear to disturb him. It is my fault for not coming to see the two of you earlier. Hopefully we will find him after the service.”