15x03
Savina paid close attention to Lady Nishi's movements as the woman sat down on the edge of a chair opposite them and smoothed her skirts. Her stiff body and refusal to make steady eye contact with her visitors suggested not only aristocratic distance—an attitude Savina knew well—but also something else: she was nervous. I wonder if she has something to hide, or if she just thinks that Inquisitors are scary?
"Thank you for taking the time to speak with us," Tavi began. Nyoko gently brushed her eyebrow. At the silent hint that he was being too polite for an Inquisitor, Tavi fell silent. Savina could guess why: he was perfectly capable of giving orders, of course, but giving orders to an older woman of his own station went against all his courtly training.
Kormick jumped into the gap. "Lady Nishi, tell us about this book, The Lady's Ways. Your father copied it?"
Lady Nishi became, if possible, even stiffer. "I don't recall, Inquisitor-san," she said, and Savina thought she seemed evasive rather than forgetful.
Kormick persisted. "But he did copy most of the Alirrian books that are now in your library?"
"He did. Since the Affirmation, it is our right to possess Alirrian books." In a flash of understanding, Savina diagnosed the Lady's problem just as she might diagnose an illness from a single symptom: Lady Nishi feared persecution for her religion, so she feared Inquisitors.
Savina spoke up before Kormick could continue. "Lady Nishi," she said. "My name is Savina di Infusino, and I'm a Blessed Daughter of the Givers. I'm an Alirrian, and I—I assure you, the Inquisition respects the Affirmation now."
Lady Nishi looked from Savina's Inquisitorial robes up to her face. "You? An Alirrian?"
Savina pulled the necklace with her Alirrian holy symbol out from under the robes, showing it to the woman. She intuitively felt that the cure for Lady Nishi's fears lay not in Kormick's bluntness, Mena's sternness, Twiggy's logic, or Nyoko's protocol.
The cure was a personal connection. Following her instincts, Savina said, "When I was little, I always loved the holy days of Alirria. It seemed like the whole city was covered with flowers, and everyone was in such a good mood. But I didn't really—I didn't understand what it meant—until I was older. Then, one year at the Spring Invocation, I really heard the words of the prayers for the first time, and I loved them. I had my maid escort me to services every week after that, until I was old enough to join the Givers. And on this journey—I can't explain, exactly, but the Goddess—I've felt closer to her than ever. And I love her more than ever."
She held Lady Nishi's eyes with her own. Detecting what she hoped was a slight softening in the woman's gaze, Savina took a deep breath and continued. "I'm here as an Inquisitor because—Lady Nishi, this rite that your husband celebrates is contrary to everything I've learned about Alirria. I'm not accusing you of heresy, but I think someone has lied to you."
Lady Nishi said nothing.
Softly, Savina continued. "Allow me to ask… does the rite help you feel love and happiness?"
It was Lady Nishi's turn to take a deep breath. Then she shook her head no. "I tolerate it," she sighed. "I tolerate it because the book says that Alirrians must do so, and I am loyal to the Goddess."
"Allirian rites are supposed to be more fun than that," observed Kormick.
"Did your father practice it?" Savina pressed.
"No," Lady Nishi admitted. "Not before my marriage took me away from home, certainly, and he never mentioned it later."
"So it follows that your father did not have this book, The Lady's Ways, at the time you were married?" Kormick asked.
"I did not have exhaustive knowledge of his collection…"
But Savina sensed that she was saying "no." Lady Nishi didn't believe the book belonged to her father, but she was trying hard not to cast doubt on any part of his library, for some reason.
"Do you have any idea where it came from, then?" asked Kormick.
"It arrived with his library after he died. My serving woman Rin supervised the shipment."
"Is there anything else you can tell us that might be helpful?" Savina asked.
Lady Nishi shook her head.
"In that case," said Savina, "thank you very much for your help, Lady Nishi." Savina stood up, and the others stood up around her.
As they moved to the door, Lady Nishi jumped to her feet. "Inquisitor Savina-san!" she said. Savina turned around to see Lady Nishi crossing her arms self-protectively, obviously still more frightened than angry.
"Yes, Lady Nishi?"
"You will not—the Inquisition will not—you will not use this one false book, if it is proven to be such, as an excuse to destroy my father's library—will you?"
"Of course not!" Savina said, saddened that the woman would even think entertain such a paranoid thought, but understanding, now, why she was so reluctant to help them prove that the rite was a heresy: she was terrified that the Inquisition might overreact.
"And the Inquisition will not—you will not stamp out all Alirrian worship?"
"Never," said Savina.
Unexpectedly, Mena spoke up. "I do not follow Alirria," the Defier said in her low, even voice, "but I have put myself on a path to see her will fulfilled. One thing I know: no one can stamp out the Goddess. She is greater than we are."
After a moment, Lady Nishi nodded in quiet agreement. Then, without another word, she bowed them out of the room.
Savina paid close attention to Lady Nishi's movements as the woman sat down on the edge of a chair opposite them and smoothed her skirts. Her stiff body and refusal to make steady eye contact with her visitors suggested not only aristocratic distance—an attitude Savina knew well—but also something else: she was nervous. I wonder if she has something to hide, or if she just thinks that Inquisitors are scary?
"Thank you for taking the time to speak with us," Tavi began. Nyoko gently brushed her eyebrow. At the silent hint that he was being too polite for an Inquisitor, Tavi fell silent. Savina could guess why: he was perfectly capable of giving orders, of course, but giving orders to an older woman of his own station went against all his courtly training.
Kormick jumped into the gap. "Lady Nishi, tell us about this book, The Lady's Ways. Your father copied it?"
Lady Nishi became, if possible, even stiffer. "I don't recall, Inquisitor-san," she said, and Savina thought she seemed evasive rather than forgetful.
Kormick persisted. "But he did copy most of the Alirrian books that are now in your library?"
"He did. Since the Affirmation, it is our right to possess Alirrian books." In a flash of understanding, Savina diagnosed the Lady's problem just as she might diagnose an illness from a single symptom: Lady Nishi feared persecution for her religion, so she feared Inquisitors.
Savina spoke up before Kormick could continue. "Lady Nishi," she said. "My name is Savina di Infusino, and I'm a Blessed Daughter of the Givers. I'm an Alirrian, and I—I assure you, the Inquisition respects the Affirmation now."
Lady Nishi looked from Savina's Inquisitorial robes up to her face. "You? An Alirrian?"
Savina pulled the necklace with her Alirrian holy symbol out from under the robes, showing it to the woman. She intuitively felt that the cure for Lady Nishi's fears lay not in Kormick's bluntness, Mena's sternness, Twiggy's logic, or Nyoko's protocol.
The cure was a personal connection. Following her instincts, Savina said, "When I was little, I always loved the holy days of Alirria. It seemed like the whole city was covered with flowers, and everyone was in such a good mood. But I didn't really—I didn't understand what it meant—until I was older. Then, one year at the Spring Invocation, I really heard the words of the prayers for the first time, and I loved them. I had my maid escort me to services every week after that, until I was old enough to join the Givers. And on this journey—I can't explain, exactly, but the Goddess—I've felt closer to her than ever. And I love her more than ever."
She held Lady Nishi's eyes with her own. Detecting what she hoped was a slight softening in the woman's gaze, Savina took a deep breath and continued. "I'm here as an Inquisitor because—Lady Nishi, this rite that your husband celebrates is contrary to everything I've learned about Alirria. I'm not accusing you of heresy, but I think someone has lied to you."
Lady Nishi said nothing.
Softly, Savina continued. "Allow me to ask… does the rite help you feel love and happiness?"
It was Lady Nishi's turn to take a deep breath. Then she shook her head no. "I tolerate it," she sighed. "I tolerate it because the book says that Alirrians must do so, and I am loyal to the Goddess."
"Allirian rites are supposed to be more fun than that," observed Kormick.
"Did your father practice it?" Savina pressed.
"No," Lady Nishi admitted. "Not before my marriage took me away from home, certainly, and he never mentioned it later."
"So it follows that your father did not have this book, The Lady's Ways, at the time you were married?" Kormick asked.
"I did not have exhaustive knowledge of his collection…"
But Savina sensed that she was saying "no." Lady Nishi didn't believe the book belonged to her father, but she was trying hard not to cast doubt on any part of his library, for some reason.
"Do you have any idea where it came from, then?" asked Kormick.
"It arrived with his library after he died. My serving woman Rin supervised the shipment."
"Is there anything else you can tell us that might be helpful?" Savina asked.
Lady Nishi shook her head.
"In that case," said Savina, "thank you very much for your help, Lady Nishi." Savina stood up, and the others stood up around her.
As they moved to the door, Lady Nishi jumped to her feet. "Inquisitor Savina-san!" she said. Savina turned around to see Lady Nishi crossing her arms self-protectively, obviously still more frightened than angry.
"Yes, Lady Nishi?"
"You will not—the Inquisition will not—you will not use this one false book, if it is proven to be such, as an excuse to destroy my father's library—will you?"
"Of course not!" Savina said, saddened that the woman would even think entertain such a paranoid thought, but understanding, now, why she was so reluctant to help them prove that the rite was a heresy: she was terrified that the Inquisition might overreact.
"And the Inquisition will not—you will not stamp out all Alirrian worship?"
"Never," said Savina.
Unexpectedly, Mena spoke up. "I do not follow Alirria," the Defier said in her low, even voice, "but I have put myself on a path to see her will fulfilled. One thing I know: no one can stamp out the Goddess. She is greater than we are."
After a moment, Lady Nishi nodded in quiet agreement. Then, without another word, she bowed them out of the room.