I Care Not Should We Freemen Die To See the Garden Flower

[lugh-thecelt.livejournal.com]

The New Church
Evening, Monday 12 October

Eris told me this morning that Brother Laurence has got a new church. He's been working on it for a while. So much for spending time at the office. This new church is right across the street.

I'm leaning in the doorway of the paper, watching Laurence moving around his new place. The laborers he hired have already left for the day as the shadows are starting to lengthen. I pull the fedora I'm wearing a little lower on one side and walk across the street.

Decided that today was a day worthy of wearing more clothing than I've deigned to wear lately. Blue jeans, motorcycle boots, a white button down shirt, and a blue leather jacket. Took me a while to do it, but I finally went through the wardrobe Ares has at the ranch.

I knock on the open front door. "Excuse me. Brother Tillerman?"

[OPEN to Laurence]

[CLOSED]

Comments

[brotherlaurence.livejournal.com]

I slept here last night, when I slept. I prayed, I worked, I did anything to feel the pain in my chest at all that has happened. Knowing that I am truly not cared for by Kate.

The workers come and go, working all day without fail and gratefully accepting the food I serve them, then leaving as the sun prepares to go down. I do not stop in my work, though. Idle hands are the Devil's playground, I hear.

"Excuse me. Brother Tillerman?" someone says after knocking and I turn around to face the tall, well-dressed man. I give him a welcome smile.

"I hear it can now be Father Tillerman, but I prefer Laurence. How can I help you? Please, come in."

[lugh-thecelt.livejournal.com]

Laurence turns from his work to look at me. He smiles and says, "I hear it can now be Father Tillerman, but I prefer Laurence. How can I help you? Please, come in."

I smile. Does he not recognize me? I hope it doesn't give him a start when he finally does. I cross the distance before us and shake his hand.

"Laurence, then. Nice to see you again. I love what you've done to the place," I say, looking around and removing my hat.

[brotherlaurence.livejournal.com]

"Laurence, then. Nice to see you again. I love what you've done to the place," he says, shaking my hand. I do not recognize him until he removes the hat and I smile, though it is slightly more reserved.

"It is good to see you as well, Lúgh. Thank you. I am hoping to open on Sunday." I pause and look about the room. "I doubt that you are here for some kind of confession."

[lugh-thecelt.livejournal.com]

He recognizes me now. His smile turns a bit cooler, more professional man of the cloth. I've seen it plenty of times before. "It is good to see you as well, Lúgh. Thank you. I am hoping to open on Sunday. I doubt that you are here for some kind of confession."

I hold out my hands and smile. "You'd be correct on that." I set my hat down on the bench near me. "Sunday? Looks like you're well on your way there." I step over to a piece of wood trim under the window sill. "Enh. Laurence, this board's about two humid days away from rot." I turn around to look at him and give an apologetic expression. "'Sorry. I can't help but meddle sometimes. Don't mean anything by it."

[brotherlaurence.livejournal.com]

I glance at the wood and realize he's right. I raise an eyebrow.

"You see anything else that needs replacing?" I ask with an amused look on my face, I am sure. Help is help, sex-crazed god or not.

[lugh-thecelt.livejournal.com]

I cast my gaze around the place again, slower this time.

"I'd say everything else looks sound. That piece," I say and tap the sill. "That's an honest mistake any miller could make."

Not sure why I feel like reassuring him that he's not getting screwed over by whoever is supplying him with lumber, but here I am doing just that.

[brotherlaurence.livejournal.com]

I nod.

"Thank you. I will see that it gets replaced." We still have not touched on why he is here. I motion to a bench. "Care to sit?" I ask as I lower myself onto one. He will tell me why he is here. In his own time.

[lugh-thecelt.livejournal.com]

"Care to sit?"

I smile at the offer and accept it, sitting on the bench across from him to face him.

"Laurence. What do you know of demons and possession?"

[brotherlaurence.livejournal.com]

I raise my eyebrows in surprise and let out a sigh as I think.

"Not a great deal. I've read of them in passing, of course, in the Bible and in my studies." I furrow my brow slightly "Why do you ask?" So many demons in this town. It seems to me he'd know about them better than I.

[lugh-thecelt.livejournal.com]

"Not a great deal.I've read of them in passing, of course, in the Bible and in my studies." I wrinkle my nose a little as my eyes go down to the floor. Not the answer I'd been hoping for. Maybe I shouldn't ask him. "Why do you ask?"

I look back up at him, head tilted slightly. "I need help," I say after a moment. An honest admission. I've never been comfortable lying to priests.

[brotherlaurence.livejournal.com]

"I need help," he says after a moment of silence falls between us. I look at him. He seems so...genuine. Not putting on a show like at his home.

"What do you need help with, Lúgh?" I ask, a bad feeling rising in my stomach.

[lugh-thecelt.livejournal.com]

"You know the doctor? Lucien Constantine. Do you know that he is possessed?"

I lean in and speak lower.

"I'm going to free his soul and kick out the demon." I smile at Laurence. "But I can't do it alone."

[brotherlaurence.livejournal.com]

"You know the doctor? Lucien Constantine. Do you know that he is possessed?" I nod. How could I forget? Lúgh leans in closer and I feel myself leaning forward, as well. "I'm going to free his soul and kick out the demon." He smiles. "But I can't do it alone." Ah, now I understand.

"You want me to perform an exorcism." I nod thoughtfully. Rescuing a man's soul is certainly a good thing to do. And it isn't as if I need fear for my safety. God will save me if I am to live. If I die, no one will be hurt by my loss. Perhaps it is a good thing that Kate and I broke up. Perhaps this is what He has been saving me for. "When?"

[lugh-thecelt.livejournal.com]

"You want me to perform an exorcism." Laurence nods, thinking. Then he says, "When?" and I look at him in surprise.

"It's very dangerous. Are you sure you're willing to risk your life for this?"

[brotherlaurence.livejournal.com]

I nod again.

"He has helped me, taking on my own pain, and helped save someone dear to me." Pain sits heavy in my chest, but I ignore it. "Yes, I am sure. If it is my time to go, there is little I can do to stop it. When?"

[lugh-thecelt.livejournal.com]

I consider Laurence's words silently for a time, looking at the handiwork that has gone into restoring the inside of this building. He is so calm, so at peace with the potential consequences. Helping Lucien is barely even a debate in his mind. His conviction is a refreshing change from all the doubt that's faced me lately. From Kaeli. From Wanda.

"When?"

My thoughts drift to Eris suddenly. Something I must do before saving Lucien. "Soon. Very soon," I say absently. I blink and turn my eyes to Laurence. "I'm grateful, Laurence, that you're willing to do this."

[brotherlaurence.livejournal.com]

"Soon. Very soon," he says, but I can see his mind is elsewhere. Then he blinks, as if to clear his thoughts, and looks at me again. "I'm grateful, Laurence, that you're willing to do this."

I could say that it is no problem, but really, it is very dangerous. He would know that I was not exactly being sincere.

"I do what should be done," I finally say and take his hand in a firm shake. "It's good of you to do, Lúgh. Whatever your reasons." He seems worried, but I choose not to dwell on that. At least one of us must be at peace, or it may never work. "I will begin the research and preparations immediately."

[lugh-thecelt.livejournal.com]

"I do what should be done," he says finally and extends his hand. We shake-- guy's got a strong grip. "It's good of you to do, Lúgh. Whatever your reasons. I will begin the research and preparations immediately."

I smile and stand. "Thanks, Laurence." I start to walk to the door out. "And, for what it's worth, for love."

I walk out, a smile on my face. He is convicted. He has his faith. What it'd be like to have a worshiper like that again.

[brotherlaurence.livejournal.com]

I stand as he does and watch him leave, walking out the door with a smile on his face.

For love. The best reason of all.

I take a deep breath and, instead of continuing manual labour as I had planned, I lock up and head to the Smithy for my small collection of books. This truly will require preparation.