Catan and the elf are taken out

Sir Aengus had fled up the tower stairs so hastily that the blind elf was left to feel his own way up behind him. He was not likely to lose his way, however: he could follow the retreating footsteps and he could hear the murmured conversation at the top of the stairs.

He also knew that Catan was wherever he was going, and he could follow her light. Perhaps he would even find something to say to her this time.

Aengus was already moaning into his hands by the time the elf arrived, presumably upon the sight of his baby. The frail fire of the Lena-​​elf was behind Aengus, and behind them both was the radiance of his wife.

A low, cold voice was explaining, “The kidnappers must have changed their mind. They left him in the cloister at the abbey. And when your men came to ask whether we had heard anything last night, I supposed it must have been the same child.”

The elf guessed that this was the Abbot, who the guards said had come with the baby shortly before they had returned.

“It is our child,” the Lena-​​elf said carefully and then laughed like a girl. “It is our child for you and for me!”

“Aye, Lena,” Aengus whispered.

“Pe-​​ne-​​dick is name for him,” Lena said proudly.

“Benedict,” Catan murmured.

The elf lay his hand against the door to steady himself. She had spoken aloud in his presence. He had not forgotten her voice any more than he had forgotten the words she had said to him.

“Pe-​​ne-​​dick-​​ta! Ohhh!” Lena groaned at the apparent difficulty of the name. “Lord,” she asked the elf in their language. “What does this name mean?”

How could he explain this concept to such an elf as she? “It is… it means that he is one who is protected by a great magic.” He added in English for the benefit of the others, “I told her the name means ‘blessed.’”

“You know Latin?” the Abbot asked.

“Of course,” he said with a slight smugness. “I have read your Bible many times, and many other books.”

If the priest had something else to say after that, he did not get the chance to say it. Aengus asked dazedly, “You named him Benedict, Lena?”

“I named him,” the priest said. “I baptized him when I found him. I… I was worried about him. I’m sorry – I didn’t realize he had parents who might object.”

“No, no, Father,” Aengus murmured. “It’s a fine name.”

The elf would have liked to have held the baby. He would have liked to have seen what sort of fire there was in him, who had a mother with fire nature and a father who had a nature the elf had not yet learned to describe. Of course Lena did not have a hundredth part of the fire that was in him, but he would have liked to have had some idea of what his own children would be.

But more than anything he wanted to hear Catan speak again before he was sent away.

“Is it truly a boy child?” he asked.

It was the priest who answered. “I did not look before I named him, and I trusted the word of the monk who found him. Fortunately, he did not lie.”

The elf leaned against the door again. He could not help but imagine how Vash would have crowed over the news. Here was another child who was not what he was supposed to be. Perhaps he could have a daughter with Catan after all. Perhaps…

“I have spoken to your wife, sir,” the priest said to Aengus. “I have told her the story that Catan told me of how this child came to be. That is not to say that there is any excuse for adultery before the Lord, but it may ease the mind of your wife to know that you were weak in a moment of great despair.”

“Aye, Father…”

“However, you will need to speak to her yourself and beg her forgiveness.” The priest’s voice was cold and unforgiving, like an Old Testament prophet’s. “And afterwards I hope you will come to me or to Father Brude if you have not yet atoned for this sin. Regardless, we must decide what is to be done about this woman and her child. The boy, at least, must be brought up in the Church.”

“Aye, Father,” Aengus whispered.

“Now.” The priest’s voice softened slightly. “We shall leave you alone a while with your son and his mother. Do not forget your duty, sir.”

“No, Father,” Aengus said humbly. “I shall not.”

The elf stood tall and tried to lift his face over the heads of Aengus and the Lena-​​elf. He could not see Catan, of course, but he hoped she would see him. He hoped she was looking at him. He was about to be sent away, and even though Aengus seemed to be a friend to him now, he did not know when he would be permitted to be near her again.

He scarcely paid any attention to the Abbot when he spoke, until the words “you two” filtered down into his consciousness. He realized that besides Aengus, Lena, and the baby, and besides the priest himself, he and Catan were the only others in the room.

“You two,” the priest had said, “please come with me. I wish to speak with you both.”