They sat in the chapel for awhile after the priest left, Shino talking of training as Kaidan collected himself.
Kaidan gazed at the alter, it was dedicated to the deities of War and Strife, the fierce goddess Lea, and her sister, the goddess of Peace and Healing, Sina.
"What next?" he dared to ask, a dirty orphan in a rich keep.
Shino, a beloved orphan of the keep, "you could stay, become a paige?"
"Me, a paige? I'm just an orphan, I'm not anyone."
"You are Kaidan, that makes you someone. And you can become a good knight, I can tell."
"I don't know. . ."
"Think on it, you'd be great," he placed a hand on Kaidan's shoulder with a soft smile.
"As if they'd let me in again."
"I'll handle them, don't you worry."
Kaidan shook his head and gave a soft little laugh, he could believe that. Shino was more than capable of handling things.
He curled up in the bench, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his chin on his knees, bare feet propped up on the dark wood.
"How would an orphan like me become a knight?"
"Training and dedication, you can make it."
A voice called from the door, "Shino? Father wants you."
"I'll be right there, let me just show Kaidan out."
Time to leave, then.
"Think about it, I'll be here."
Shino walked Kaidan past a glaring Alec and then the frowning guards.
Kaidan waved as he took off, back to the monestary.
No one seemed to have even noticed he was gone, as two more boys and three of the elderly monks were now ill as well.
A quiet despair filled the monestary, those he saw were performing their duties while praying, sadness writ all over them.
That night he snuck in the infirmary, sleeping poorly as he listened to his friends breathing, their moans and groans throughout the night.
He really wished he knew more of Kaidan's backstory, he died before the Kaidan centric book was released, to his continued disappointment.
The healer gently woke Kaidan, he reminded him of one of his older co-workers, James. . .
"Brother James?" he asked testingly, healer humming in reply before gently ushering him to breakfast.
Huh, either he had some of this bodies original memories, everyone he named never had one before or he had some power over the narrative. . .
They were mid breakfast when the visitors arrived, they looked very official as an older monk, Brother Clarence, led them on a tour.
He felt a spark of hope, were they here to help?
Brother Gregory led the off to work, but everyone was obviously distracted.
After they were sent to bed, Kaidan crept around, hoping to learn more.
In a courtyard he saw two shadowy figures talking, but before he could get closer, one left, he thought he saw something when the moonlight caught on ones belt buckle, a dogs head. . .
He entered the healers hall and checked on everyone, when he neared the healers small room he finally got a chance to properly eavesdrop.
"-are they really?"
"Yes, whatever you need."
"What's the catch?"
"I don't know."
Not much, but promising all the same.