A Matter of Faith

Seeing Moryana's distress, Boudica puts an arm around her shoulders and says, "It's OK You don't need to have plans. Most young people don't, not really. That's what growing up and learning are all about. We'll make sure you find a place to help you get comfortable here, to learn and acclimate. You're not lost and you're not alone, OK?" She gives the girl a squeeze, though frankly she isn't really sure who she can turn to for the kind of support this girl truly needs.

When they arrive at Humphrey's, Boudica joins Will in explaining the situation to him. She adds, "The girl needs a healthy mother figure to teach her how to be a human girl, not a forest hag. She needs someone kind and patient. Do you know of any such women?"

"Had I known a kind and patient woman I would have been married to her" he jests, dryly, though Boudica senses there is some hidden pain underneath the faint smile. He looks at Morayana through the door and whispers a quick incantation. He studies her quietly for a moment, then exhales softly

"There is power in her. Wild; like nothing I've seen before. But...it's not like mine. Or any apprentice I've ever trained. She’s not for the Guild" he scratches his beard as he thinks about the predicament:

"Normally, the Church takes in wayward girls like this. But she doesn’t follow our teachings, does she? Would be a hard thing to ask, vows of chastity, devotion to ideals she was never raised to understand. Might break her before it saves her soul"

He sighs, heavily now "Threshold’s no great city. No noble estates looking for new maids. And even if there were… back-breaking labor’s not the right first lesson for someone who doesn’t even know how the world works yet."

He pauses. No. There is no perfect solution to this.

"Best you ask at the Church anyway," he says finally, resigned "There are some Thyatian families in town with soft hearts. If one of them agrees to host her for a few weeks… it might give her the time she needs to find her feet. And when she does, when she’s ready, she can decide what sort of life she wants. But it’ll be a steep climb. She’s not been taught any trade, not even the basics. It’ll take time."

Boudica nods in thanks and says, "Thank you. I will speak to some others about this. I am glad to have helped to return Stefan to you."

Later, away from Humphrey, she turns to her fellows and says, "I will speak to Balan. Hopefully he has better suggestions. Otherwise... I may have to take her to a larger community to find the help we need."

Excellent. We should return to the temple then. Perhaps we can gain entry, even though it appears heavily guarded.

"Maybe we should just keep her, train her to be an adventurer," Miyana muses aloud, out of earshot of the girl.