AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Little Bishop. Beth realized they’d probably changed his diapers at one time. “Well…I would like to do away with the right-hand rules in matters of war,” Bishop said.
Brief French mutterings rose between the Auditors before the middle woman turned back to them. “You and your wife will share the roll of the Fate Dice. You will roll one and she will roll the other. If you both roll yes, the answer is yes. If you both roll no, the answer is no. If you both roll opposing answers, the two of you will roll the Judgment Dice to determine who’s Fate roll wins. Come sah?”
Bishop leaned toward Beth and whispered. “Did you understand?”
Beth nodded and answered quietly, “I think so.”
“Come sah,” Bishop answered.
Samuel presented Bishop the Fate Dice and Bishop handed Beth one.
“Right here, Little Bishop,” the Grand Oratrice instructed, pointing to their table.
They both walked over and stood before her.
“Ladies first,” the woman said, sounding like she smiled behind the mask.
Beth let her dice fall on the table and leaned, her heart dropping. It was NO. Crap. “I’m sorry,” she whispered as Bishop rolled. “You got YES,” she said, happy.
“Bring the Judgement Dice, Seer,” Grand Oratrice said.
Again, it was two dice. Beth got one and Bishop the other. She looked at it in her hand, realizing they looked like normal dice. What if they both rolled the same number? “Ladies first again?” Beth asked.
“Meh yeah, sha,” the woman said kindly, sounding like she was having a fun time.
Beth became aware of the awkwardness in the air as she let the dice fall. Three. “Darn it,” she muttered, feeling like she needed to show they were on opposing sides. Otherwise, what were they even doing there? Something about Bishops countenance and body movements said he felt the exact same. She kept her prayers to herself that he’d win this. He needed to more than she did.
He tossed his die on the table and her heart sank. Atwo.Dear Lord, he had sucky luck like her.
“The roll is in Belle Eveque’s favor,” the Grand Oratrice said, her surprised tone sounding not surprised at all. “What is your second request Little Bishop.”
“That the wives will not be allowed to repeat the Gauntlet Trials should they fail the first one.”
This produced much French speaking and even some laughing. “Okay Little Bishop. The lady rolls the Fate Die first.”
Beth picked up her die and rolled it. DearLord,another fat NO.
Bishop rolled his and the chuckles erupted at the second NO.
“Meh, that one was easy,” the Grand Oratrice said, clearly humored. “What is your last request, Little Bishop?”
“May I have a moment with The Seer?”
“You may,” the woman said, leaving Beth at the table where she clasped her hands before her and stared at the floor. The ladies spoke hushed French mixed with stifled giggles. Boy they were having fun with this. She smiled to herself at the Little Bishop name. They surely had known him since he was a babe and adored him like everybody else. Little Bishop wanting to change the right-hand rules because he was so scared for his lil wife. Sha peechay as Mah-Mah often said when somebody was adorably pitiful.
Bishop returned to her side. “I have no final request,” Bishop said, her stomach sinking at his defeated tone. Nothing anybody would hear but maybe her.
“And the Belle Eveque?” the woman asked, surprising her.
She thought quickly at the sudden opportunity to maybe fix things. “Uh…might I have a moment to…gather my thoughts?” Saying she wasn’t prepared might look bad on Bishop for not preparing her. And saying he didn’t know she’d be able to make a request wasn’t a good look either given his position as leader.
“You may,” Grand Oratrice approved happily.
Beth closed her eyes and mentally raced through her options. He wanted to secure the safety of the women. That was all. What could she request to get that? Without looking like she was on his side. Something for her that would actually be for him. Something along the lines of her own job as Belle Eveque. The relationships and families, that was her forte. That was it. “My one and only request is…that The Twelve permit their wives a full year of apprenticeship as the right hand from the time of marriage before anything is decided and made official.” She looked down and cleared her throat. “If you please.” It wasn’t much but she’d hopefully bought him a year to figure something else out.
“Meh okay, sha,” the woman said, her tone light yet weighing with the same adorable pity they had for Little Bishop.
Beth rolled her die, fighting not to see Bishop’s gaze all over her. “YES,” she declared at reading the die.
