As Colman approached the cathedral, he could see the light of candles from within the open door. No doubt some priests would be in the middle of their evening prayer, possibly even Gardiner.
Entering the building, the Young Poet looked back and forth. There were indeed priests in the middle of their evening prayer, but were any of them Gardiner? Stepping forward to look the clergymen over, Colman did indeed see Gardiner among them and Hugh, as well.
Kneeling to join the priests in their prayer, Colman prayed for Ruby. He worried about her and Apollo's lustful desire for her and so he prayed for her safety, prayed that Apollo would leave her be, forget about her completely, find someone else. He did not care if Ruby saw him only as a compeer, he only wanted her to be safe from Apollo.
When the prayer ended, Colman stood up and looked around. Hugh approached him first and inquired, staring at the Young Poet's lips: "Did you have a good evening?"
"I did and I would like to apologize for earlier, Hugh." Said Colman.
Raising a hand, Hugh shook his head and uttered: "No, no, my fault entirely. I am all too willing to resort to violence. Master Gardiner says I will never know the cruelty of man, but is not a man who is all too willing to resort to violence cruel in his own right?"
"I would say he would be more hot-headed than cruel." Commented Colman.
Nodding, Hugh said: "Yes, perhaps that is the case… Hot-headed… With all of the redheads around here someone ought to be, eh?'
Colman could not help but chuckle. He did not find what Hugh had said that funny, so why was he chuckling?
The moment Gardiner approached Colman stopped chuckling. His mentor looked him over before saying: "I see the two of you have made peace since earlier."
"Yes, sir." Answered Colman, looking his mentor in the eye as he spoke.
"I wish to know where your Walking person friend got that locket, Colman."
"She was given it by her adoptive grandmother."
"And where did she get it?" inquired Gardiner. "The Triskelion is a druidic symbol and the Walking People are Catholics."
"Just as I am and Christians just as Protestants are." Commented Colman.
"Answer the question, please." Uttered Gardiner, his blue eyes looking into Colman's mismatched eyes.
"Apparently her twice great-grandmother, Ruby's grandmother's, thus being Ruby's four times great-grandmother, was given it as gratitude for healing a young woman she had found." Answered Colman. "According to the story, the young woman was a high priestess of an assembly of enchanters."
Immediately, Gardiner's expression turned to one of confusion. No doubt the enchanters were truly druids, but how had a group of druids managed to survive so long into this Age of Christianity?
"How long ago was this?" inquired Gardiner, stroking his chin.
"According to Ruby, during the reign of Henry VII." Colman answered.
Gardiner was still confused. Henry VII's reign had ended a century ago and Colman said that the locket had been given to Ruby's four times great-grandmother? There must have been some error in mathematics.