Karna
You see a scrawny child perhaps of 5 or 6 years. Her large pale green eyes are wide and slightly solemn while her smile is usually shy although, ocassionally, it does brighten. Her soft golden-brown hair falls down to her shoulders in wavy disarray, while her straight bangs arch down past her eyebrows. Her small rounded face is a pale white with a tendency to become flushed. Altogether, she appears fairly clean except for a few dirty smudges which usually adorn her cheeks.
She wears a sunday school dress of velvet and lace the shade of a funeral mourner's gown. A little bow, matching the shade of the dress, is charmingly arranged in her hair.
Carrying:
Terathel
At first glance of this woman, there seems something vaguely familiar about her. To many who see her, her face and form bring forth a memory of what was once a nation's icon: the Statue of Liberty. A stern, noble grace frames her features, softened by the warmth of maternal compassion. Her large, lucid eyes are grey, the eyes of Athena, suffused with calm wisdom. The subtle beauty of her face suggests dignity rather than glamour, skin seeming wrought of pure marble. Its natural solemnity of expression is often dispelled by a gentle, friendly smile. Surrounding this vision, long, dark-brown hair cascades down in thick curls, to hang below her straight shoulders.
The woman's clothing is simple yet tasteful, a white blouse covering her upper body with comfortable grace, and a black skirt that hangs to mid-calves. The clothing enhances the easy, relaxed freedom of her movements.
Chapter House - Wormwood Abbey
The wide curtain-covered archway opens into a broad room in which it seems the architects have attempted to capture some of the grace and beauty of the ancient monastaries from the world before The End. It is a large chamber, and though the mosaics and paintings that ornament the other rooms are absent, in their places are slender pillars climbing up to the ceiling. Gargoyles, chiseled crudely though obviously with painstaking effort, leer at you from the buttresses. The walls are lined with bookshelves, stocked with seemingly any theological text that the Order could acquire, and small oil lamp-lit desks with stools. A raised area on the side of the room opposite the archway is used by those addressing an assembly, for, outside the chapel, this is the chief congregation place of the Order of Wormwood.
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Karna sits at one of the small desks, a book, probably belonging to the Abbey, spread out upon it, a look of concentration upon her youthful face, her tiny hands neatly folded beneath her chin.
Terathel steps softly into the room, footsteps hushed. Her grey eyes brighten with pleasure as she views the large collection of books, travelling over their serried stacks. Finally, her gaze falls upon the small child seated at the desk, and a gentle smile tinges her lips.
Unaware of the woman's gaze upon her, Karna continues to study the book placed before her, frowning in deep concentration as she does so, sometimes sounding a word aloud, although quietly, her index finger marking her place.
Terathel continues to browse through the books, stepping quietly so as not to disturb the child's concentration. Finally, she selects a book from the shelf and tiptoes to a chair, seating herself in the light of a window.
Karna suddenly fidgets, squirming about in her chair, at last shifting her gaze away from the book she had been studying. No doubt this is because she has the short attention span of a young child or, perhaps, her eyes simply need a break. Whatever the cause - she carefully closes the book and stands.
Noticing Karna's movement, Terathel lifts her head from her own book, regarding the child with a gentle smile.
Karna smiles shyly, in return, at Terathel before slowly returning the book to its place. Afterwards, turning to face Terathel, she mouths the word "Hello" - looking at her with a fair amount of child-like curiousity.
"Hello to you," the woman responds, smiling more warmly. She leans back in her chair a bit, setting her book on a side table without looking at it, attention drawn to her visitor now. "My name is Terathel, but you can call me Tera. What's yours?" she asks in a pleasant tone.
Karna slowly makes her way toward Tera, continuing to smile at her but less shyly than before. At last, standing before her, she tucks back a stray lock of hair, after just one stern at it and solemnly answers "Karna."
Terathel dips her brunette head in a soft nod. "It is good to meet you, Karna," she replies. Her eyes travel briefly to the shelf to which Karna has just returned her book. "Been reading anything interesting, Karna?" she asks with a smile.
Karna continues to smile widely at the woman before her before nodding, in reply, to Terathel's question. "Oh, yes. Karna has but . . ." She frowns a little ruefully "but . . . it is difficult to read. It has an angel in it, though" she adds, nodding emphatically.
Terathel smiles with interest. "Do you like reading stories about Angels, Karna?"
Karna nods with a great deal of childish enthusiasm "Oh yes! Karna does . . . sometimes her Mommy used to read Karna stories about angels. Sometimes Karna just looks at the pictures though." She admits the last more than a little ruefully.
Terathel smiles gently, leaning back in her seat. The mention of Karna's 'Mommy' catches her attention, and also the fact that the girl speaks in the past tense. "It's very good that your mommy was teaching you to read, Karna." A brief pause, then, "Is she here with you in the Abbey?"
Karna quietly listens to Terathel speak, fidgeting a little as she does so. "Hmmm" She frowns a little, looking a little upset but not overly "No, Karna's Mommy is in Heaven Miss Tera."
Terathel gives a gentle nod. "I'm sure she is happy there, Karna," she says softly. Her grey eyes travel over the child's small form, as if wondering why this one was left behind, alone. But the Lord has a purpose for everything.. "You must miss her, though.." she remarks, voice still very gentle.
Karna nods in reply, thinking over Terathel's words "Karna misses her Mommy" she admits sadly, her pale green eyes dimming a little, "but . . her Mommy is in Heaven and Karna should be happy for her." She adds, almost out of the blue, "Miss Io is in Heaven too."
Terathel listens to Karna with a soft, sympathetic expression, which brightens again at the mention of Io, so famous here and in the world Beyond. Nodding, she replies, "Yes, everybody knows her there. Did you know her too, Karna?"
Karna appears to perk up a little "Really? Oh, yes, Karna knows her. Miss Io said that she thought about Karna since the Lord took her to Heaven."
Terathel's lips curve in a soft yet bright smile. "Then you have a Saint in Heaven praying for you, Karna. You are a lucky girl." For her, this is far more than a superstition. She has seen the power of the Saints first-hand, after all.
Karna frowns slightly in some surprise "Really? Karna has a Saint in Heaven praying for her? Miss Io said that she prays for Karna, Karna's friends and everyone." Suddenly, almost unexpectedly, she asks "Is Miss Io a Saint now?"
Terathel continues to smile warmly. "She is called such, yes. Yet, I think she herself might not wish to use the title."
Karna nods, quietly considering this, yet she can do so for only so long - until she can no longer contain the urge to ask another question "Miss Io said that Mister Azrael, Ezekiel, Cecil and Brude are in Heaven with her too. Do you know them?" She smiles, fidgeting a little.
"I am acquainted with them, yes, Karna, but not very closely. I've spent most of my life working on Earth, so I haven't had much time to get to know people in Heaven." Terathel smiles, and stretches her fingers out on her lap, as she reveals this little tidbit of infomation about herself.
Karna nods, smiling curiously up at Terathel "Are you an angel Miss Tera?" she asks. "Or a Saint?"
Terathel grins, and winks. "Just an Angel, I'm afraid, Karna."
Karna gasps, her pale green eyes widening, her mouth forming an 'o' "Oh my" she says. "Miss Tera you are an angel" She seems a little awe-struck to say the least.
At Karna's reaction to the news, Terathel releases a soft, musical chuckle from her rosy lips. She bends forward in her seat, lowering her face to be closer to Karna's level and regarding her fondly. "Yes I am, dear. But that's nothing so special, really. I was created to help people like you.. the Children of God."
A bit puzzled by the angel's words, Karna frowns, thoughtful. "Really?" she asks, a frown still marring her young face.
Terathel nods softly. "We Angels were created to be the servants of God's Creation," she explains. "Human beings, like you, are God's own children. Heirs to His Kingdom." She pauses, wondering if Karna knows what an 'heir' is, but waits for her to respond.
Karna fidgets a little, trying to puzzle out Terathel's words "God's own children?" she asks. "Heirs to His Kingdom? Karna thought she was her Mommy's and . . . what does . . . heirs to his kingdom mean?" she asks.
Another soft smile.. and, unexpectedly, but moving quietly so as not to startle you, Terathel slips off her chair to seat herself on the floor beside you, where she can be on your level without having to look down. "Yes, Karna," she begins, "You are your Mommy and Daddy's daughter, and also God's. Your parents made your body, and God made your soul." After this simple explanation, she goes on to the next question, "An 'heir', Karna, is someone who inherits. When a Human mommy and daddy go to Heaven, they leave things behind for their children. Their house, for example.. that is an inheritance." She speaks slowly and clearly, giving the girl time to digest the new concepts.
Not long after you seat yourself on the floor, Karna moves a little closer to you, sitting down beside you, and looks up at you, watching you carefully as you speak.
Terathel smiles softly, watching you to be sure you understand and aren't too confused. Her gentle voice goes on, "The Kingdom of God is the Heavens and the Earth. He made both Earth and Heaven to give to human people like you, to be your inheritance. Your birthday present." Her grey eyes are warm and tender.
Karna continues to watch you, her eyes remaining fastened upon you. "Oh, a birthday present" she says, smiling. "Karna's Mommy gave her a necklace when she went to Heaven . . . like that Miss Tera?"
Terathel nods with quiet enthusiasm, "Yes, Karna, just like that. God wants to give you something special, because you are His special child."
Rock
Out
Logged and edited by Ele.