Players:
Summary: Hosea tells Sophie about the man in New York City who was looking for her.
Date: Thursday, September 29, 2011. 8:58pm.
Log Title: Let the Lord Battle
Rating: G (Religious Content)
Xavier Mansion - Attic
Every wall is made of glass up to the domed ceiling. Storm has really done her work up here over time and turned it into quite the indoor garden. The room is separated into different parts for the different plants that are in there. There are flowers, vegetable plants, herbs, shrubs, small trees and much more. There are plants that shouldn't even be able to be found in this northern climate but they thrive up here. Anyone wanting to come up here for fresh herbs, fruit or vegetables are welcome to steal from the indoor garden. Depending on the time of year, various different species of flowers and different fruits and vegetables grow. In one area there are a few small fountains and a bench with some fresh dirt on the the ground with trees and plants all around. It seems like a good spot for meditation.
Hosea has been scarce for the last week. He's been fasting, though he hasn't announced it to anyone other than Sophie before today. The fast is over now, and so he leads Sophie up into the attic, the smells of the plants and vegetables easy to identify. "How have you been lately?" he asks. "I am sorry I have not been as easy to spend time with dis last week, but dere has been much to think about."
The blind girl clings to Hosea's arm, while her cane sweeps the floor in front of her. "It is quite alright," she murmurs, adopting a pleasant smile. "I know you have been busy, fasting and so forth, as you said, si?" She bobs her head, and clasps her hands around the top of her cane upon coming to a stop in the attic. "I always like this room; the air smells fresh. What have you been thinking about, Hosea? If you do not mind sharing?"
"It is important dat I tell you," Hosea says. "I have been fasting, praying for God's guidance before I tell you something vedy important dat happened to me." He pauses. "I was making a delivery for da church, and while doing so, I met a man who said he knows you. His name is Costanza. He was trying to find you, to convince you to go back to Spain with him. I would not tell him where you are, but it worries me. You said dat not all things back in Spain were good to you."
Upon the admission of the purpose for the fasting, Hosea has Sophie's full attention. Her smile wanes as she listens; then her face abruptly drains of color, going nearly as white as the blindfold that conceals her eyes. "I, I don't, I don't know anyone called Costanza," she stammers. "I don't… I don't want to go back to Spain. THe Mother Superior was very worried when the church sent someone to investigate my mutant powers. I am afraid of what they might do!" She takes a step back, and sweeps her cane around herself. "Is there a sofa nearby? I.. I need to sit down."
"Sophie," Hosea says in that patient voice that carries the 'I've got it' tone. He gathers her into a hug, so that if she faints she won't fall. "Dere is a bench, we can sit down. He takes her to the bench, and helps the girl find the seat. "It is all right. I did not tell him anything other den dat you were safe with people who could help you. He gave me a card, and David is looking into his identity now." He strokes her hair. "I have fought ruthless warlords, and God has given da victory so dat he would be glorified. I have escaped prisons dat he may be known to people who had not heard his name. God will win dis battle as well, just as he has won so many in da past. He will not allow his name to be trampled by da efforts of men, not even those who claim to be his ambassadors."
Sophie wraps her arms around Hosea's middle, letting her cane dangle from her wrist as she rests her head against his chest. "Thank you," she murmurs. Afterward she falls silent for a time, and leans against the powerful Nigerian. "Please, let's sit down," she murmurs. "I am alright… I will be alright. I knew they would come looking eventually, it is just… I did not think it would be so soon. But, they cannot take me from here, si? I will not go. They cannot make me go; and Xaviers is too well protected, si?"
"Dey do not even know dat you are heah," Hosea says, sitting them both down. "Dey cannot even attempt to take you from someplace dat dey to not know you are. He is flipping about da New York City. Ha, he will be searching a vedy long time, yes? And I have a card to contact him with," Hosea pulls the business card out, which he showed to David earlier. "I can lead him on a wild goose chase. Or if you like, I can be more direct." Given Hosea's past, direct could be quite intimidating indeed. "Xavier's is well protected, but I can protect you even if dey were to fail. Ms. Frost will know regardless of my desire soon enough, and perhaps she can be of use, yes? We have many heroes here, no one will take you." He holds Sophie close. "But I must ask, what is it dat scares you about dem? What do you think dey will do?"k
"I do not know. I… I only know that the man they sent from Madrid to speak to me had no kindness in his heart." Sophie picks at her skirt, and collapses her cane once she's comfortably sitting. "He asked me hard questions, and he did not believe me when I answered, even though I told nothing but the truth." She fiddles with the cane, mostly for something to do to occupy her hands. "The Mother Superior seemed very worried once he left; she told me to pray, bu tfor once she told me only to pray for myself. She arranged for me to come here, that night. I cannot imagine that the man from Madrid meant anything good for me."
"What did he ask you, and what was dis man's name?" Hosea asks. "Da more I know, da more I can do to make certain he cannot get near you. It is vedy important also, how did your Motha Superior know dat dis place existed?" If she could find it, surely so could he.
"I do not think that she did, to begin with," she murmurs. "I do not think she realized that I could hear her, from where I was praying, but I could hear her making phone calls for hours. I think perhaps she knew another mutant or two, and perhaps they knew someone who knew someone else who knew where I might be safe." She shrugs her shoulders lightly. "I'm sorry, Hosea… I don't know more than that. I wasn't allowed into the conversations. …The man from Madrid, he asked me about my powers mainly. He asked me more than once if I was lieing, and he had some questions about scripture, but mostly it was about my abilities."
"What do you believe he wanted?" Hosea asks. "It is much more to be afraid of someone because he has questions dat you do not like. What evil do you think he means for you?" He pets Sophie's back to help give her a sense of comfort.
Sophie shakes her head slowly. "I… I am not sure," she murmurs. "Imprisonment, perhaps. Or, maybe nothing more than an honest, determined effort to 'cure' me of being a mutant, si? I have heard of that being tried upon others, as if it were some sort of disease.""
"Hmm, Western views on mutants are vedy strange," Hosea confesses. Where he comes from, people would think of mutants as anything but diseased. "Fear not," he assures her again. "And do not trouble yourself any further, we shall go to God, and he shall provide what is needed. Let us pray."
Without so much as waiting for more than a breath, Hosea begins doing just that. He closes his eyes and earnestly speaks to the Father. "Yahweh, we your people come to you because you are da giver of all good things. Hear us O God of our righteousness. You give us relief when we are in distress. Show your grace and heah our prayer. Tho many rise up against us, you are da shield about us. Enemies may surround us and we shall lay down and sleep, for you protect us. We will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set dem against us, and not against one eitha. Arise Yahweh! Save us, God! You will strike all of your enemies on da cheek, and you break da teeth of da wicked. You save us, and we bless you for it!" The prayer is mighty and swelling, one that seems to be familiar to Hosea's tongue. If the passage is familiar to Sophie, she'll recognize it as the third psalm.
Sophie follows the prayer carefully, with her hands hastily clapped together in the traditional manner, as taught to her by the nuns of Santa Margarita. "The third psalm," she murmurs, once the prayer is finished, and she allows herself to smile pleasantly. "Si. There is nothing to fear here, you are right, Hosea." She pauses, and shrugs her shoulders lightly. "Someone once told me that faith is as gossamer, not armor, against the real threats in the world; and in the way he meant it, he was right, I suppose. But I think that faith is for preparation, si? And we are very well prepared, here." She clasps her hands around her cane, and taps the metal with one finger. "Thank you, Hosea. I am always grateful that you are here, with me."
