Wedding

[Vixen]

OOC: ">.<"

--

The seventeen year old quirked a delicate eyebrow, though few would notice that when her eyes were flashing green fire. Regardless, her voice was as controlled as Isaac's.

Though, it was anything but half-hearted.

"His will is for us to be apart from Outlanders," Zipporah reminded him. "That child is an Outlander. I do not understand your wisdom Isaac, for I am but your humble sheep for you to lead," once again she bowed deeply before him, hanging her head so he would not see her murderous clenched teeth before she rose and continued, "but I see no reason to show such mercy unto a child that is not the Lord's."

[Bunny]

"Indeed," Isaac agreed, staring down at his follower, nobly displaying her humility. "That child is an outlander." He placed emphasis on the age of the Outlander. He Who Walks Behind the Rows favored children, and this was the first time that he had allowed a child to stumble into their sanctuary.

He allowed the cursed adults to trespass unto them to test their devotion to him.

Maybe he had allowed a child, an exalted child of an age the Lord did so favor, to trespass unto them to test their mercy to the holy.

[Vixen]

Child.

Zipporah knew when an argument was lost. Or rather, when an argument was best left unfinished. She needed Isaac's favor. Isaac was exalted by the Lord, but at the end of the day, he was still a boy. All boys, be they old like her old Freshmen Geometry Teacher, or young like the wise Isaac, liked thinking they were right.

Malachai always disagreed with Isaac. Zipporah had to be better than Malachai.

"Oh..." she breathed, parting her lips as though betraying her shock. "I...I apologize, your Grace. I did not take her age in account. Please forgive my transgression." She bowed deeply to him.

[Bunny]

Isaac inclined his head in an acknowledgment of her humility. Her sin was a mild one. Zipporah's intentions had truly been but to keep the congregation safe. A noble quest if there ever was one. Besides. Not only was she now a celebrated hero, he had greater concerns.

"Please busy yourself elsewhere," he said. "I'm certain your concern would be appreciate elsewhere. Allow yourself to take part in subduing Malachai, or assist Solomon in chastising Rebekah and Damon."

[Vixen]

Zipporah's sour mood sweetened. Her green eyes grew alight and she delicately rose from her bow, careful to keep the look of triumph from falling off of her face. She had just been given an order from Isaac. Not that that was anything new, but it was the weight of the orders: both carried requests for her to carry out a punishment.

That had been Malachai's old position.

She would have it shortly, of this much she was certain. Still, she had to ask. Her ambition would not allow for her to step away and and take but Malachai's work but not his position. And his position was that Isaac confided in him. And in return, the one by his side could confide back. And there was the true power.

"Of course your Grace," she said, once again sweeping him a curtsy. "But pardon me for being forward, but you seem troubled. Do you wish to share your concerns with me? I hate so to see you shouldering all this yourself. Are you stressed?"

[Bunny]

OOC: Sorry it took me awhile to get back to you. Busy day yesterday.

IC:

Of course he was stressed. He had not had to deal with this weight since the day of the Purging when all wrinkles had to be ironed out, for one mistake would lead to an Adult escaping and warning its peers. But at least that day it had all related to one thing, and no true danger had ever come to his person or his soul. Malachai, the Lord's supposed-most-faithful servant brandished a dagger before Isaac's throat. Another supposed-servant, Esau, revealed himself to be a heathen who had been living secretly in their ranks for the past two years, profaning their holy place with his very presence. Meanwhile, Rebekah and Damon went on an adventure to Hemingford, killing an Outlander in the Outlander's own land, and taking one of the children.

The Blue-Woman straying into Gatlin, harming a four-year-old-child, and nearly murdering several of the Children, was the least of Isaac's worries. It had been a simple problem, and Zipporah had solved it brilliantly.

"I am not stressed," Isaac said. "For I have the Lord to help me carry all of this. Do not fear for my health in the walk with God. It will not waver."

[Vixen]

"Your spiritual health and devotion is beyond rebuke," Zipporah agreed with an amicable smile. "But it is your physical health that I am concerned for. You are the voice of God, but you are still but human. Surely you are hurt by Malachai's transformation into a Judas? Surely you grow concerned with Esau's evil and Rebekah and Damon's coercion by his tongue to leave this Happy Place and populate it with outlanders instead of the Lord's Chosen?"

She was voicing his thoughts. She had to be, she reasoned. Her outlines were just that: vague outlines that were so great in scale that Isaac's feelings (for the boy preacher surely had some, no matter how he tried to mask it) had to fit inside their wide boundaries.

Once more she lowered her eyes in the photograph of humility. "I overreach myself," she apologized, dipping her head. "I just wanted you to know that if....there's anything you need to talk about, that you have my ear and my confidence. You do so much for everyone. I merely want to return the favor to you, my lord."

Isaac troubled himself over the health of all of the Children. Surely he would appreciate someone taking an interest in his well-being, for a change. And not merely out of concern for the fold, but for he himself. It was a selfless concern.

Selfless concern. That's an oxymoron if there ever was one.

[Dot Dot Dot]

Ruth peered over at the conversing Isaac and Zipporah. Apparently, according to Zipporah, Isaac was stressed. The very thought nearly made Ruth's eyes bulge out. "Oh my..." she breathed. If Isaac was stressed, he might try to relieve his stress. With deaths. She didn't want to end up dead for spilling those vegetables earlier. She scurried over to the pair, her eyes wide and troubled as she stared up at Isaac. "Cheer up!" she cried. "Be happy! Be happy, happy happy! You're great Isaac, you're not dead, Malachai is captured, and we really appreciate how great you are. If you need a break, take one! Go take a nap!" Naps made her get unstressed. Maybe Isaac would like to take one.

[Bunny]

"You do overreach yourself," Isaac admonished Zipporah, though a small smile was offered to lessen any hurt feelings. "My mind is heavy, you speak the truth. I will need to pray to the Lord for a steadier hand and a clearer mind so that I may better serve him." He paused and speculated her. She had nothing but concern painted across her features. Zipporah was truly blessed. Her soul possessed the beauty of her body. "But your kindness is most appreciated." His eyes strayed towards Ruth who had scurried over and suggested a nap. He almost rebuked her, as well, but ultimately decided against it. The only sin Ruth and Zipporah were committing, if it could indeed be called a sin, was speaking out of turn. But their motive was concern for his well-being, and thusly their sin could be overlooked.

Besides. The girl had a point, and it was underscored when a yawn rose unbidden. He covered his mouth as decorum demanded, and when he lowered it he also lowered his cheerful gaze to Ruth. "You have much wisdom," he praised jokingly. "I believe I will retire for early tonight, if that is what the congregation demands. Today has been tiring," he went on. "Let all who wish to retire early do so.. The night is for the fold. We must all thank the Lord that the blue-woman has been dealt with and that He Who Walks Behind the Rows will care for Malachai. Spread the words that we shall have a meeting tomorrow at noon to commemorate Zipporah's heroics." He dipped his head sightly to her, and turned to leave.

[ellie]

Deborah ran over with tears streaking down her cheeks. She successfully escaped Jacob's dragon. The five year stopped dead in her tracks in front of Issac, Ruth, and Zipporah. "He Who Walks Behind the Rows can make dragons go aways right?!" She blurted out to no one in particular. Instantly she covered her mouth in fear of rebuke for Issac. He might say she had to go walks with He Who Walks Behind the Rows and ask him. And that would be terrible cause if He couldn't then how could she warn the others? She'd be MUCH too shy then. She looked horrified at the group.

[Vixen]

Zipporah had been about to fire off another witty-yet-humble response to Isaac's praise, but her attention, and probably the attention of the boy preacher and Ruth as well, was stolen by the young child Deborah, who asked, in a rather blunt fashion, whether or not He Who Walks Behind the Rows could make dragons go away.

For once, Zipporah, whose tongue had been lashing in a perfect repartee with Isaac and sewing her a great future as Isaac's right hand was tied. When she recovered, her brow furrowed. The child was taking attention off of her. And she had just had it too -- far more than any other girl had certainly received from Isaac. She had wanted to be his right hand, but she had seen how Isaac's boyish gaze started to wander over her body. Maybe it was the mere affection he claimed to have for all the fold, or maybe it was just natural teenage hormones or maybe it was nothing, but...but maybe it was an opportunity.

And Deborah had to squash it because she was afraid of dragons. However, pouncing forward and scratching a five-year-old's eyes out probably wouldn't be looked upon favorably by Isaac so she said through clenched teeth, "Of course, Deborah. He Who Walks Behind the Rows is all powerful. He can make dragons go away, spill their blood in the dust, or turn them into five-year-old-girls who interrupt people and end up dead." Okay. So she probably could have handled that better.

[Dot Dot Dot]

Dragons, now? Ruth's jaw dropped. Speaking over Zipporah she cried, "There are dragons? He Who Walks Behind the Rows has to defend us from dragons because dragons exist? Oh nooo..." The 'ooo' was drawn out as she slapped her palms against both cheeks, her eyes as wide and gaping as her mouth. To Deborah she asked, "D-did you see one? Did it try to eat you?" Will it try to eat me? She hadn't even known that there were giant fire-breathing lizards to be afraid of, but she cataloged them right between being sacrificed by Isaac and bears. Brown bears. Bully brown bears. Unless she was wrong. "Are they better or worse than bears?"

[Bunny]

Isaac stared blankly at Deborah. "Why would you ask such a question?"

[ellie]

Deborah's eyes started to water again for about the fifth time today. She she didn't mean to interrupt. Why were the big kids always angry at her. "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! I-I-I-I-I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE YOUS ANGRY AT ME!!!!" She wailed as she sat down on the ground and tried to hide beneath her arms. First she was almost eaten by a dragon and now a big kid was going to do bad things to her. In front of Issac to! Why would He Who Walks Behind the Rows allow this to happen to her today? "Yes! It tried to eats me! Jacob's is attracting dragons with his dingy bell on this necks! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"

[Vixen]

And the deck wouldn't stop stacking itself, would it? To Zipporah, Ruth's babbling voice sounded like nails against a chalkboard, and Deborah's scries sounded like more nails against a noisier chalkboard. Quite the opposite of sending her away, her snap had dug her into a deeper hole. But she had yet to learn from her mistake. "Stop crying," she ordered. "Jacob's bell does not attract dragons, and you did not almost get eaten by one. If you keep u your lies, your tongue might have to be cut out, either by one of he loyal children of He Who Walks Behind the Rows or the king of hell."