| Subject: Where You Live Wheel: Tithing |
Author:
Pollyanna
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Date Posted: 20:12:21 05/08/02 Wed
Title: Tithing
Author: Pollyanna
Rating: G
Characters: Amanda, Matthew McCormick, offstage Darius.
Summary: God moves in mysterious ways
Notes: Lyrics were from Rachel from the soundtrack of the movie Labyrinth. I took them in a more cheerful direction than first reading suggested *g*
This is shorter than I intended - too much research kept adding more and more ideas to the original idea, so I gave up and went back to just one scene.
I live in Winchester, UK where the cathedral church is dedicated to the Saxon saint Swithun.
~~~~
Winchester, 1535
~~~~
"I can't believe you made me crawl through that foul hole," retorted Amanda, brushing imaginary specks of dirt from her sumptuous clothes.
"Humility is good for the soul," replied Matthew. "That's why you pass through the tunnel, so you approach the shrine on your knees."
Amanda twirled to face him and her fine eyes were flashing. "I've been poor and humble, Matthew, and it does not promote divine thoughts. The poor are too busy trying to survive in this life to worry about the next one."
Matthew caught one of the approaching novices giving Amanda's trembling bosom a worshipful regard that was certainly less than divine. He reflected that her passage through the nave had probably caused a score of monks to lament their vows of celibacy. The cap she wore on her head was set back so the sheen of raven hair was apparent. Although she modestly wore a linen cloth around her neck, it was of such filmy texture that the swell of her breasts was quite discernible beneath. Her figure was displayed in rich fabrics, and her swaying walk hinted at what lay beneath the skirts.
As he ran his own eyes over her alluring form her fit of pique lessened noticeably. Amanda always liked to be admired and he knew just the way to distract her further.
"You have to admit that the shrine itself was worth the visit."
Her eyes lit up with quite another fire and her voice took on a rapturous note. "Miraculous."
The admiring novice was quite overcome at this sign of piety and scurried away, probably to chastise himself for allowing his lewd thoughts to dwell on such a devout woman.
Matthew and Amanda watched his retreat and their eyes met in conspiratorial humour before they amicably continued their walk towards the door.
"It is supposed to be one of the richest in the land," said Matthew. "After all, he has been venerated here since Alfred's time."
"And what did he do that was so awe-inspiring?" asked Amanda with only a touch of waspishness.
"Oh, the usual: teaching, building churches, healing the sick. But I think he is remembered because he also took great thought for the common people. There is a story of a poor woman who dropped her basket of eggs on the way to the market. Swithun met her on the road and made all her eggs whole again so she could sell them," he paused, smiling as a memory came to him. "Darius calls it the humblest of miracles."
"Since you have mentioned him, perhaps you could kindly explain why Darius told you to seek me out."
Matthew waited until they had passed through the door and were walking across the open ground before the cathedral. "I needed a thief and my usual one was detained elsewhere."
Amanda stopped abruptly. "I may have need of one of the worthy saint's miracles. I think I've gone deaf, or perhaps I have succumbed to madness. I thought I heard Matthew Salisbury, a man renowned for his probity, admit to keeping company with thieves and even worse, being in want of one."
"Does not Darious keep company with thieves?" he inquired mildly.
"That is a different matter," she protested with her chin lifted defiantly.
"Why? Because the thief is you?"
"No. Because Darius doesn't cast stones," she cried.
Matthew met her glare with a rueful smile and they stood silent for several moments before he continued. "When Darius replied to my letter asking for help, he wrote, 'I commend to you my good lady Amanda who I feel sure will aid you in this matter'."
Her teeth caught her bottom lip, making her look like a young girl, as she asked hesitantly, "He really wrote that?"
"I can show you the letter if you want."
"No. I believe you." Her face cleared and she bestowed one of her radiant smiles on him. " What do you want stealing?"
Matthew's face was perfectly calm as he said, "The jewels from St. Swithun's shrine."
He suspected that there were few things that could surprise Amanda, but he wondered for a moment if he would have to catch her if she swooned away as seemed likely.
Her mouth opened, then closed, then opened again before she squeaked, "But that's not just illegal, it's ... it's blasphemous. Sacrilege."
"And it's what our good King Hal intends to do within the next year or so," Matthew said grimly.
"The king?"
"You do not attend to affairs of state, do you, Amanda?"
She was regaining her composure slightly and was able to reply saucily, "Well, some affairs of state are more interesting than others."
His lips twitched but he managed to carry on. "The king has broken away from the church of Rome and is now the head of the church in England. That means that all the goods and chattels of the church belong to him, and he will make sure that a good portion of them belong to him directly by any means he can. I intend that some of that wealth is diverted and used for the good of the common people as Swithun would have wanted."
"And you just expect to walk in and take them?" asked Amanda incredulously.
"No. That's why I need a thief, and a skilled thief at that. The jewels have to be taken in such a way that nobody realises they're gone. A difficult task and one that will mean death if we are discovered, and perhaps not just a mortal death."
Amanda stood silently, her eyes downcast.
Matthew said softly, "It is a dangerous task, Amanda. No one could blame you for walking away, especially not Darius."
He felt guilty for a moment for using that name, but also knew that Amanda would recognise his words as the complete truth.
Amanda looked up, her face grave but her eyes merry. "Immortal life can be so tedious without challenges. I'll do it." She shrugged her shoulders deprecatingly. "After all, it's not often I get to be on the side of the saints. Let us away to find a jug of Rhenish and plan our campaign."
"Just one more matter, Amanda. I think you have something for me." Matthew held out his hand.
Amanda's eyes widened into pools of limpid innocence.
"Amanda."
She pouted.
Matthew continued to hold out his hand.
She frowned.
Matthew rubbed his thumb and forefingers together.
Brow furrowed, Amanda reached into her skirts and withdrew something that glittered in the sunshine and dropped it into his hand. Matthew quickly slipped it out of sight and with a brilliant smile held out his arm for Amanda to take.
"You, sirrah, are no gentleman," she snapped but reached out her hand.
He intercepted it and bowing, brought it to his lips, then looked up affectionately. "But you, Amanda, are Darius' good lady."
THE END
When Henry VIII's commissioners stripped the shrine of St Swithun in 1538. They recovered almost 2000 pounds of silver, but reported that all the gems had been replaced with paste copies.
Underground (excerpt)
It's only forever
Not long at all
The lost and lonely
No one could blame you
For walking away
But too much rejection
No love injection
Life can't be easy
It's not always swell
But don't tell me truth hurts little girl
Cos it hurts like hell
But down in the underground
You'll find someone true
Down in the underground
A land surreal
A crystal moon
It's only forever
It's not long at all
The lost and lonely
That's underground, underground
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