Wiping my eyes, I glared at the thin white cloth which was now stained with tears.

Really. I was so strong in front of him. I kept my composure, no matter what he said or did… yet the moment he left…?

I became such a mess.

Sniffing, I had to wipe my face again as more tears came. I could tell by the feel of the small cloth that I'd need to replace it soon at this rate. Which was annoying, since that meant I'd need to do laundry tomorrow. I only had a few clean ones left.

Really, why was Vim so… well… like he was? Did he not know how terribly embarrassing it would be for me to have someone else wash my clothes and for them to find a bunch of tear-stained washcloths? He likely had no idea how many rumors that could spread from such an event… Though it was not as if Vim even knew how deeply I was bothered by his constant refusal to join the Society. Not really, at least.

Sniffing again, I sighed and shook my head. So stupid… so utterly…

"I take it Vim said no once again, did he?"

Burning eyes narrowed as I turned ever so slightly… to glare at the young man entering the room. Randle walked with a confident gait, the kind that made him seem kind of cocky. I was glad to see it, since it gave me a good excuse to scoff at him. "Why anyone would think otherwise is beyond me," I said.

Randle walked deeper into the room, passing chairs and pews as he did. "Well… I think everyone would…? It's rather obvious everyone knows you expect him to eventually join, as in it's a matter of when and not if," Randle said.

I scoffed again. "Then none of you have been paying attention."

He hummed for a moment as he finally reached the pew I sat upon. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed him glance at the chair that sat across from me, likely because he figured that Vim had been sitting in it as we talked. But Vim hadn't been. Vim… rarely if ever actually sat and spoke to me. He intentionally always did his best to keep a distance between us, and not just between me and him personally… he did it to keep a distance from himself and the Society as a whole. It was why even though he liked Lilly, to the point he seemed to always concern himself with her, that he still kept a distance from her. He had asked of her this visit but had not gone to see her, unless he had done so before leaving. Lilly would be upset with him if he had actually left without doing so…

"Did anyone let Lilly know he was here?" I asked since it was on the mind.

"Not that I'm aware. She flew off earlier this afternoon, I don't know if she's returned yet," Randle said.

Darn. Although I knew full well that Lilly was not the one to collar him to us, she was still someone he thought highly of… and I liked using every available tool and option I had. Especially since there were so few of them. Next time I'll make sure the two get a chance to meet.

If there will even be a next time…

I sniffed again and Randle glanced at me because of it. "What was he here for this time?" he asked. I could tell he was interested, but was also just trying to fill the air. It was his way of trying to help me over my emotions.

"He came to tell me of a village of non-humans. One in the west, near that inland sea in the mountains. He said they're reclusive but might prove useful," I said.

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Randle frowned gently at that. "He… is recruiting for us now is he?"

I shook my head. "I actually know of the village he spoke of. Or well, I didn't know where it was until now but I knew of it. It's a place he's not able to easily enter, though I'm not entirely sure why. He likely hopes to connect us with one another since he can't do anything himself," I said, explaining it a bit.

"So you've had a dream about them?"

I nodded. "They one day cause problems with the Goddess. The kind that cause friction… or well…" I felt like crying again as I glared at nothing in particular. "That's what should happen, at least…" I finished.

Randle hummed at that… and then stepped closer. He went ahead and sat down next to me, in a proper way for one who wanted to be a reverend. He sat close enough to be kind and show his comfort with me, but far enough to not seem weird about it. "Has he said anything about her yet?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Not a pip."

"Would he…? I mean, if they had met already… would he have told anyone? Told you?" Randle then asked.

Blinking at that, I frowned in thought. "You mean… if they had somehow met beyond the Society, unbeknownst to us… would Vim keep it a secret?" I asked.

He nodded.

Yes. Verily so. Even if Rennalee, as I expected her to be, was someone who'd never abandon us on any level… there was no doubt in my mind that Vim would keep us all a secret from her. Just as he would keep her a secret from everyone else. As a way to protect her, in his own way. If he would do so because of ill-will was up to debate, but he'd undoubtedly do so all the same.

"Celine?" Randle asked, since I'd not answered yes.

I cleared my throat as I nodded. "Yes…" I sighed as I nodded again. "Yes… if he and her have already met, and have done so outside of the Society… then yes. There's a very good chance Vim would keep the Goddess a secret. Especially so if she doesn't know of us, or has her own worries to focus on at the moment," I said.

"Would he do so maliciously?" Randle asked.

A tiny flinch of a shiver ran down my spine as I quickly shook my head. "Not purely. Vim can be cruel, as far as I'm aware rather spectacularly too, but not in that form. However… he would keep us a secret from her intentionally, if he knew by knowing of us she'd feel a desire to rush to our aid. He'd do so not to spite us, or even her, but in his perspective to keep her safe. From us, mostly," I said, rationalizing it.

Randle was quiet for a moment, and I was kind of annoyed at how calm he was being at the moment. I suddenly felt like I needed to get up and start pacing… or rather running around. I can't believe I hadn't even thought of such a possibility…!

It made so much sense! Obviously!

We've been searching for Rennalee for almost thirty years! Not only have I myself gone to many locations, I've sent hundreds of people every which way all over the lands as well! And not just to random locations either, but to places where I've dreamt and prophesized, places that she should have been or at least left enough of a trail at to have led us to her!

The fact that all this time has passed and she's still not showed up or been found… by the gods dead and alive it made perfect sense…!

"They're already together…?" I whispered in shock.

"Is there… any way to confirm it?" he asked.

"I… I don't know," I said honestly. Other than just outright asking Vim about her the next time I saw him, I wasn't sure how I would go about proving it. It wasn't as if I or anyone could follow him in secret or anything… he was a god slayer. A being beyond us. Anyone who tried would simply get caught, then likely die. It was a waste of life.

"Something to consider, then," Randle said simply.

I nodded slowly… as my tears dried up, and I found myself both hopeful… and a tad angry.

If this was the case, if Vim and Rennalee were already together… why were we still struggling? Why were so many prophecies failing and so many of us dying or being lost? They should be helping…!

Containing my anger, I nodded again… and decided to find a way to prove it. I wasn't sure how I would, but I had time. It'd be months if not years before I saw Vim again… so I had time to find a way, a proper way, to figure it out.

At the very least it gave me hope, even if only a little of it… and honestly right now that was more than enough.