<div align="center"><em>Vanessa obeys her father and goes to <del>another thread</del> the Big House</em></div><hr/><br/>"It's just our dad!"<br/><br/>No doubt Vincent had meant for this explanation to be a relief to his half-sister, but Vanessa only panicked more.  Her dark eyes grew wide and her legs nearly surrendered completely.  Maybe it would be better if she did fall, then she'd be on her knees.  That was the way it had been done at mass while she was a little girl.  Abuelo had taken her to mass for many years, and Vanessa had dutifully knelt and taken communion like a good girl.  Since he passed away, Vanessa had never gone back, instead finding herself at Camp Half-Blood enacting what seemed like the opposite of mass.  In mass, there was one son of The Holy Father who spoke in mysterious ways, the faithful partook in the blessed offering, and knelt to pray.  Here, all were children of many gods, the gods were given offerings, the gods appeared in flames to give you their words and you heard from your divine parent while standing on your feet.<br/><br/>Vanessa listened to her divine father, his words seeming louder than the loudest speakers she had ever heard.  So great was his voice to her that when he had left, the pavilion seemed suddenly icy and silent.  As Chiron instructed her and Vincent to go to the Big House, it almost seemed like he was whispering.  Vanessa only nodded mutely to him, her awestruck expression plain as day on her face.  She began to wander toward the Big House, not even noticing she was following Chiron or Vincent.