The Stranger in the Storm

The Shepherd was awakened from a deep sleep, by what he wasn’t sure. Then it came again: a loud knocking at the Temple’s front door.

Glancing out the window, he saw that the snow was still coming down in sheets.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” The Shepherd said in answer to the continuing knocks.

He threw on a cloak and hurried across the sanctuary, muttering to himself as he went. He fully intended to give this late night visitor a harsh piece of his mind: no one had any business being out in this weather.

But when he pulled back the lock and opened the door, a weatherbeaten figure stood on his doorstep, so pitiful looking that no one could feel angry towards it.

She was tall and had half a dozen eyes. But she wasn’t scary, not while she shivered in her boots and had icicles hanging from her hair.

“Good lord! In in in!” The Shepherd ordered, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her inside.

The wind chose that moment to kick up a notch, making the Shepherd struggle to close the door again. By the time he had it bolted, there was a small drift in the front hallway. The Shepherd turned to face his guest, but she was gone. A trail of water and mud lead across the sanctuary and too the roaring fireplace he himself had been napping in front of a moment ago.

Pulling his cloak tightly around himself, the Sheppard made his way to his visitor’s side. She had a big, heavy coat, but hadn’t been wearing it. Instead, It was wrapped around a bundle in her arms. What could be so valuable she would face the terrifying storm to protect it?

The Shepherd pulled back the coat, careful not to disturb the woman, and discovered it was a child, with the same eyes as the woman, fast asleep.

“Dear dear” The Shepherd murmured to himself. “I’m certainly anxious to hear your story.”

The woman heard these words, but didn’t have the strength to open her eyes. The Temple was large and drafty, but it was out of the wind and snow at least. And the warmth from the fire felt so nice.

She had no idea how long it was before she found the strength to open her eyes. She had drifted in and out of sleep and still wasn’t entirely sure which she was now: this place was beautiful enough to be a dream.

The Temple was large and drafty because the sanctuary was at least two stories tall, with floor length stained-glass windows. There were enough pews to fit a thousand on the ground level and even more on the balconies lining both walls.

The carpet was a rich scarlet, as was the easy chair sitting nearby. It and the fireplace were just off to the side of the raised platform and pulpit, with a pipe organ and choir stands in the back. The air was tinged with the smell of something cooking, causing the woman to realize how hungry she was after her long march.

She tried to get up, but a deep voice barked at her too stay down.

The voice echoed around the sanctuary, making it sound ethereal and frightening. The woman decided to stay where she was. Her child was safe and warm now… and she could rest.

The carpet did not cover the floor entirely, the woman noticed. It stopped just short of the walls, where a thick metal grate ran instead. These series of grates lead back to the fireplace and the woman realized it was a rudimentary heating system.

She was broken from these thoughts by the return of the Shepherd. He came from the direction of the hallway, arms full of big fuzzy blankets. He looked something like a bipedal badger, though a little bigger.

“Ah, I see you’re awake” He said cheerfully, setting the blankets down on the easy chair and throwing the top one over the woman. “We’re usually happy to have visitors, but we also usually like them in the morning.”

The alien face did not stop the woman from discerning a twinkle in his eyes, which made her chuckle in return.

It hurt. There was something broken.

“Thank you lad” The woman said in a thick accent, while the Shepherd threw two more blankets over her and her child. “You’ve saved our lives. Though I’m sorry for the incon-”

“No no, none of that” The Shepherd interrupted. “This is what we’re here for. Dinner, or breakfast I guess, is on too cook. I’ll be right back with some tea.”

The woman smiled tiredly and nodded her thanks. The Shepherd, as promised, was back soon, catching the woman grimacing as she tried to reposition herself.

“Are you injured?” He asked.

“Just a little banged up” The woman lied, covertly checking her shoulder to see if the bleeding had gone down. “Now that I’m warm.”

She gladly accepted the offered tea. The Shepherd took a seat in the easy chair, scooting closer to his guests.

“Doctor will be the judge of that” He said. “In the morning of course. For now, just sit there and rest. This is “Our Lady’s Temple of Grace”, by the way. I’m guessing you missed the sign, since it’s buried in the snow.”

The woman did not miss the reproach in his tone.

“It was nare my intention to get caught out there, believe me” The woman promised, gesturing at the storm raging outside. “My name’s Charlie, by the way. Charlie Malice.”

“Well Charlie Malice, you won’t be able to say my name, it’ll sound like barking too you” The Shepherd explained. “Just call me Badger. You likely won’t be seeing another one of us to confuse me with.”

“I was wondering about that” Charlie nodded. “I’ve heard there was a second people on this world but me and Kid haven’t met any yet.”

“Well you have now” Badger chuckled. “And I was guessing you weren’t, er, local. You are much to pink and boring.”

Charlie had to admit that was true. Compared to the first people of this world, the fact that she stayed the same color all the time was quite boring.

“Besides, locals know better than to take children out in weather like this” Badger quipped. “Or themselves, for that ma-”

There was another loud knocking at the door. Badger and Charlie exchanged looks.

“Maybe I spoke too soon” The Shepherd said, getting to his feet and hurrying towards the door. “My word, I’m going to need more bacon and toast, aren’t I? How many people are going to be foolish enough too-”

Badger was cut short, as as soon as he had the door unbarred it was thrown wide, sending the portly man flying across the entranceway.

A dozen men burst into the temple, all clad in wool coats, iron weapons and scowls. Each had the colorful, constantly changing skin of the planet’s first people.

“There she is!” The tallest barked, spotting Charlie.

“Grab her” One with a missing ear ordered.

“With pleasure, I owe her for this” One with a mohawk snarled, pushing past the others while tracing a scar across his face.

“Now see here!” Badger declared indignantly, clambering to his feet. “This is a Temple! You do not want to do this.”

“Oh, we beg to differ” The leader with the missing ear retorted. “This one’s lead us on a merry chase. But the chase is over, girly.”

Charlie had somehow found the strength to get to her feet. She carefully placed her bundle down next to the fireplace, a fire of her own burning in her eyes.

“We’ll make this simple” The leader said as he and his boys slowly marched into the sanctuary. “Give up the child and we promise not to hurt you.”

“I don’t promise that at all” The one with the mohawk muttered.

“Let’s see if you remember my answer from earlier” Charlie snapped, raising her fists even as she swayed. “I believe it went OVER MY DEAD BODY YOU MILK DRINKERS!”

“If I may interrupt” Badger said, while struggling to close the door again. “I was being serious when I said you don’t want to do this.”

The thugs ignored him, even when a deep voice reverberated around the room; “Stop this”.

“Knock it off old man” The mohawked one sneered. “Not all of us share your religious sensibilities.”

“Yes, I gathered that from you trying to kidnap a baby” Badger said mildly. “But this is Our Lady’s Temple of Grace. The Sisters don’t allow violence.”

The ruffians were ready to ignore the warning, but the leader held up his hand to stop them.

“WHAT sisters?” He asked.

“Are we seriously scared of some, some church ladies?” One of his men, who had stayed green this entire time, growled.

But he, and the other ne'er-do-wells, fell silent as Badger pointed to the balconies.

Charlie looked too and started.

Seven women stood on the balcony. They wore canary yellow robes which hid their faces. Ominous whispers seemed to fill the room in the silence left by the bandits being scared quiet.

“Our Lady’s Temple of Grace” The leader shuddered. “Gosh drat it.”

“Stop this” The deep voice repeated. “Leave.”

“We’re not scared of you!” The mohawked one shouted.

There was a cold gust of wind and the fire went out. The thugs fumbled around for their lights. When they found them, it revealed the Sisters were now standing among the pews. They took a step forwards. The bandits took a step back. The voice spoke again, ordering them to leave.

The retreat was neither slow or organized.

Badger shook his head, as a second later, he was staring at snow blowing in through his open door again. The Church was empty of ruffians and one of the tall robe-clad women was relighting the fire.

“The Sisters Grimm” Badger explained after returning from his third struggle with the door. “A convent sworn to the defense of this Temple. They were founded by a stranger from another world, come to protect this one. People say they still wield some of her power.”

Badger pointed towards one of the stained glass windows, the image of a woman in a scarlet red cloak.

Charlie wanted to express her thankfulness for the miraculous save, but couldn’t seem to find the words. She trembled as one of the Sisters walked past, but not from the cold: she understood why the bandits had run, their mere presence was… beautiful and terrible, all at the same time.

She was also trembling, Charlie realized a second too late, from her last bit of strength giving out.

Luckily, one of the Sisters caught her and set her gently in the easy chair. Another handed her her child back and a third tossed the covers back over them. Badger smiled as the sisters solely faded back into the shadows, leaving a final message.

“You should sleep now. You are safe”

“For what it’s worth, I think you could have taken them” Badger quipped, standing next to the armchair. “You know what they say the most dangerous creature in nature is?”

“A Dragon?” Charlie guessed, reluctantly opening one eye.

“A mother defending her children” Badger said. “I don’t suppose you can tell me why those ruffians were after your kid?”

“In’a morning” Charlie managed to say, before finally drifting off to sleep.

Badger nodded, sticking his hands in his pockets.

“Yes yes, of course” Badger sighed. “I have to eat all that bacon and toast myself now. Have any of you Sisters gone back on your oath against corporeal existence?”

A light laughter filled the Sanctuary as the fire dimmed.

“Very well” Badger shrugged, walking back towards the hallway. “Shame those boys couldn’t have stuck around, they looked the hungry type.”



“Sleep well, Charlie Malice.”