— 𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝛥𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑢𝑠

• ——————————————— • 𝐼 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑓𝑖𝑥 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙. 𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕. • ——————————————— •

He let his fingertips graze the other’s hand as he took the cloth back, allowing time for him to think about how he wished to answer. “Many would label me as such. I prefer not to limit myself to such rigid terms. Perhaps a prophet, or a visionary would be more *accurate.”

“Your confession has been acknowledged, and may your God have mercy.” He straightened up to grab a handkerchief from his breast pocket, so he could offer it to the other. “If this was my church, rest assured you wouldn’t need to feel guilt for indulging in something so simple.”

There it was. “Deep breath, my friend. You look like I’m going to smite you.”

“A habit?” His smile seemed to grow. “Which one? Visiting here? Smoking? Smoking *here?”

Oh, how amusing to see the mouse fight to keep from trembling. Even mere moments ago, they appeared more confident. “How curious. To be so comfortable to bend the rules when you believe no one is watching.”

“Yet it’s not sage you burn on such holy grounds.” A subtle glance to the cigarette. Then, back up to them with a smile. “Do you find solace here because your religion? Or because of how peaceful this environment is?”

“Consider me a friend of the priest here.” As is making a point, Raphael sat in the pew right behind Rowan, resting his arms against the back of the pew Rowan sat in. “The chapel is typically closed today; looking to repent?”

“That’s hardly Christian-like.”

A thoughtful rumble as warm hand graced her face to brush a curl away. “And if I’m not in a giving mood, would you still find yourself so arrogantly *confident? Will you still wag that oblivious tongue of yours?”

Nothing has gone to hell since his leave? He’s almost *disappointed.

“Pity.” A raise of his brow. “Contacts to make and deals to fulfill. As I’ve been doing for the past few centuries. The last I checked, you didn’t have anything to say to me.”

Really? “If you smudged my ink, I’m skinning you to replace my parchment.”