Gretchen found a will to fight in Mary, which was important in any brush with the evils such as the one that wanted to plague their town. It seemed, for every darkness, there was a hero, almost as though the world was a stage, rather than a collection of happenstances. It had made Gretchen believe when her faith sought her out, and fueled her in times of doubt. She looked at the girl when she returned, and waved at Hille to be served first. The two younger women had to stand since Greatchen didn't entertain much in this house, and didn't have the furniture for it. If she'd have it her way, she would never be here at all, defending the ruins of Celvara.<br/><br/>"The place that time is breaking down in the clearing, overgrowing with brush as though nature wants to help us forget, was introduced as a church and monastery when it was unveiled for the townsfolk, two hundred years ago." Gretchen nodded at that number. "It already had traditions when I was born there, by a mother who'd begged for medical care. She became part of the place, and still lies in the ground there." Voice trembling. It would seem the woman had not been drawn to remember her mother for a while. It was reassurance that kind of love never relents its grip on the heart.<br/><br/>She went on to tell them about the beautiful springs and the bitter winters, when the cold would try to seep into their habits, and make the fire of their candles a lie. Her words were well chosen, because she had been waiting to tell this story. it would seem the two women were doing the crone a favor, taking what parts of her life were important to her, when she might not carry them much longer. She told them about her sisters in faith, and mentioned a handful of names like she was singing and they were the chorus. She spoke of a dark haired priest that was the most cheerful, silly man you could imagine to ever wear the robes. Abdic.<br/><br/>Then, when the question had stayed in the air for long enough, she looked at Lena, who was so surprised she dropped the saucer of her cup, and turned it into sharp pieces by her feet. Gretchen didn't mind the ruckus. "But the church wasn't there for ordinary people, even if it would answer them. It was there to bring out of those who were afflicted. Abdic was good as it job, and would travel often. It was our job to bless the ones who were touched by evil then, in his absence." A proud nod. "I quickly became someone they relied on to get it done."<br/><br/>Lena was still puzzled why these words were spoken directly at her, and meant to protest it, damn old lady, but in stepping forward to do so, forgetting the shards, she startled herself on the unsure footing, and dropped the cup also. Steam and yellowed water in the air. Gretchen didn't flinch at the shrill breaking, and kept her milky eyes at the young thing. "Then someone just like you came to us on a gurney, with Father Abdic." Gretchen revealed, and shook her head in pity, as though that girl had indeed been Lena. The twist seemed to still Lena's anger, and she reached for Hillie's hand, to steel herself to hear the rest.<br/><br/>"That girl had been seen by someone on the way in, and while we tried to extract the spirit that had taken her, men flocked to see if the story about her beauty was true. It was of course, even Father Abdic would say as much in trying to keep them away. 'beautiful yes, but sick, please don't come in'. But they didn't listen. We worked on the girl, who's name was Therese, for a week. The dark thing that had her kept her supple somehow, and gorgeous, despite the abuse her body took." she threw an eye at Lena again, this time as though the admittedly pretty young nun was falling short. It upset Lena so much she squeezed Hillie's hand harder.<br/><br/>"You must know, Hildegard." because truly, she was speaking to the more formidable woman. "That Abdic was tired. He'd only had very little sleep and food himself. He was delusional in trying to save her." Gretchen shook her head. "When I came in with water for them both, not that Therese had taken anything since she arrived, Father Abdic had broken his vows, and was stabbing into her while she encouraged him." Gretchen had pain on her face then, the kind of desire that haunts a life. "It was the worse abuse and the most beautiful thing I ever saw, Mary." she confessed and shook her head. "As he released, he begged me to kill him, so the demon couldn't escape with his help." Gretchen cried without tending to the tears. "I pulled his cross tight around his neck, and he mouthed thanks before her bowed one last time." Gretchen looked exhausted and dipped her own head low, too.<br/><br/>"Celvara became a prison after that. We kept only a few sisters, those that knew, and then we spent our lives guarding the demon behind iron bars." She shrugged, and it seemed to fill up the hunch. "I don't feel sorry for the girl anymore, but I should, because while she wasn't in there long after Father Abdic, she didn't get to pass on peacefully." She pointed to the books Lena had touched. Her finger was straight and strong, which suggested it still saw use. And the books were free of dust. "The green one, leather bound. It translates the tablets that are still buried in the library. The building is broken, but when it rains and there's wind, there is a special whistle from the iron still surrounding what used to be the east wing, where the library was. If you dig around you'll find three white tablets. It'll tell you the story of the demon." Gretchen touched her chin. It looked like remorse. Remorse on ancient things promises validity to their regrets. "Too many people were involved in  getting us those stories. Somewhere in there is the answer to its demise." She sighed. "I hoped it wouldn't return, and couldn't dig them up because there are bad incantations there too. But now we'll have to risk it."