That afternoon, Hilde brings me my next dissection specimen.
We're in my cell at the table again, and as the newcomer sets out her books and stationery, Hilde places my lunch tray down and says with a wincing smile, "Crimson, this is Pontiff Sullivan. You may already be somewhat familiar or at least aware of her, considering her status amidst–"
"That's enough, Hildegard," the old wizened yellow-white eastern lung dragon interrupts, glaring at me from across the table. "No need for introductions. She knows who I am. And I know who you are, Crimson. What you are. What you've done. Who you've done it with."
I snicker, "Yes, there are quite a few women who I've done it with."
Hilde hisses a sharp sound and tries to stifle her laughter.
Pontiff Sullivan is not amused. "Your barbaric and callous insults toward the Goddess when Scribe Innes saw you were nothing short of abhorrent. He should have put you in your place, however, he is rather weak willed. But not I. You will not be permitted to speak so blasphemously in my presence. I will not allow it. And should you attempt to do so regardless, there will be consequences. Do you understand me?"
"Sure." I gnaw on a bone, making it loudly crack. "Slipstream."
"What in the Hells is that supposed to mean?"
Hilde sighs, "She understands. And she's following you."
"Good." Sullivan flips through a few pages. "Now then. I suppose I'll pick up where Innes left off. The Church defends the weak from the strong."
"With many multitudes of exceptions, apparently."
"There are no exceptions. I see here that you argued against Innes that your alleged abuse at the hand of the Valorant Order should have been prevented by Church authority."
"Alleged?"
"What you fail to realize and what he failed to convey is this. You, as a draconid, are not weak." She lets that hang for a brief moment. "The Fell used you to kill multiple Legends. That alone is evidence that you, personally, are not weak either. Therefore, with both these things in mind, the Church had no reason to intervene. You should have handled the matter yourself."
"Is that so?" I gnash on a piece of savory tender drake rib meat. "And how, pray tell, would I have gone about doing that?"
"By defending yourself."
"Are you fucking kidding me?"
"You'll not be speaking in that tone."
"What the fuck are you thinking, drac? What do you think would've happened if I did fight back and defend myself? Me, a lone crossblood who nobody gives a shit about–figuratively speaking, Hilde–going up against the highest ranking Fables in the Heavens? If I'd so much as scratched one of those snakes they would've brought the entire Blazing Spire down on me. I wouldn't just be in the Cages, I'd be in the fucking dirt. You think you have any right to sit there and fucking tell me that it was my own fault I was being abused? All because I could've done this one simple thing–which, mind you, would've seen me summarily executed as penance. I mean, how fucking drake-brained can you be? Hilde, take this one back out to the Lifespring; I think they lost a basking lizard."
She's trying so hard not to laugh.
Sullivan leans forward over the table. "Then you admit that wallowing in your suffering under these tribulations was preferable to doing something about them. You chose to remain complacent. That is not the logic of a worthy Fable. That is the logic of an impotent coward. The Goddess, and the Church by extension, were right to stay out of it. Your failure to take action is indeed your fault. You alone are to blame."
"Damn, drac, you really have it backwards," I dryly laugh, shaking my head. "And you just proved my point, without even realizing it. If I'm so weak that you're calling me an impotent coward, then the Church should have intervened, because this impotent coward was being harmed by the big strong Valorant Order. The Church defends the weak from the strong, right? And yet you're telling me that it doesn't. So? Which is it?"
"You are twisting my words. That is not what I'm saying."
"That's exactly what you're saying. In the same fucking breath, you just called me weak, then said the Church was right to not intervene in my defense. Therefore, you are saying that the Church does not defend the weak from the strong. Hells, Pontiff. What makes you think you have the right to say the Goddess is wrong? Hells. I for one am appalled that you so sacrilegiously corrupt the Goddess's good word with such foul distortions."
She's lost for words.
I crunch another bone in half and spit out the splinters. "Next."
Hilde sighs. "Pontiff Sullivan, are you–"
"No. Absolutely not. I will not allow such blasphemous venom to be spoken in my presence! You are vile, sinner! You filthy Wretched rotblood! You will learn your place by blood and fire–"
"If you so much as touch her," Hilde hisses as her tail shields me, "I will end you, Sullivan. Your ashes will be chained to the bottom of the sea, and your legacy will be erased as if you never existed. This is not the Inquisition. This is a place of peace. And I will not abide such rancid verbal abuse from my department's staff. Back to the fucking dungeons with you, and don't even think about uterring the word 'severance'. In fact, don't say another word. Take your shit and get out. Now."
"I'll devote my every effort to dismantling this little side project, Hildegard. You–"
"That's Legend Hildegard. Get. The fuck. Out."
Again, I snicker, "Don't trip over your tail on the way out!"
The door slams behind her.
A few seconds pass in silence before Hilde sighs again. "So fucking annoying. I'm sorry, Crimz. I really am. There's just not much I can do. They're practically lining up to be the one whose faith and piety purifies the wicked Wretch."
"I know, Hilz. You're doing your best." I stand up and embrace her around the waist, closing us in with my wings and tail as I rest my head in the crook of her neck. "Sorry you have to deal with this shit. If it's any consolation… I could do this shit all week. We'll carve right through them."
"Right. Honestly…" She closes her arms around my shoulders, grinning down at me. "If you do that enough times, eventually they'll just give up, and then I can hire the dracs I actually want to have on the job. You know what? I'll help you with it. Slip you a few notes about who you're dealing with ahead of time. Maybe quietly mention a few sore spots you could use against them."
"I do love making mischief with you. Let's do it."
"Yeah. Me too." She kisses my head. "Are you going–"
"I saved the salmon for you. All yours."
"Hells. You're so fucking good to me."
"Big dragons have to eat big, right?"
"Very. Share a smoke by the pond?"
"That sounds perfect to me."
I'm genuinely excited to rip the next one apart.