/due/

The color drained from her face in horror as she realized she had just been trying to flirt with a man who was the community's newest priest. Fiorella jumped off the place she was sitting at the bottom of the stairs, and straightened out her dress, before taking a step forward and grabbing his hand in both of hers. Bringing his hand to her lips, she kissed it as a sign of respect, saying a stream of apologies all the while. "I'm very very sorry, father. I had no idea you were the new priest."

He pulled his hand away from her and shot her an awkward smile. "That's fine." He told her.

But Fiorella shook her head frantically. "Its not okay. I'm so embarrassed, father. Please forgive me."

"I forgive you." He nodded, if only to get her to stop with her apologies. He was embarrassed of the whole ordeal as well and did not want it to go on longer than it had to.

Still, she was about to continue apologizing when they heard footsteps coming from the entrance. Soon they saw father Cesar emerging from the room where the party was taking place. With a smile on his face, he called out to the young priest. "Father Hemmings, I see you already met little Fiorellita." He gestured to the teenage girl who looked down shyly. 

Luke nodded. "Yes, she's a very nice girl."

"Her mother is Antonella Vanella, you met her earlier." Father Cesar explained. "They own a home style restaurant nearby, and that's where I have my meals every day. You will be eating there as well."

Again, the young priest nodded. 

"I can show you to your room now. You probably want to rest." Father Cesar looked at the backpack Luke was carrying, and he could also see it in his eyes. The trip had been long from Australia to Argentina and Luke was very tired. Luke agreed with a silent nod of his head. All he wanted at that point was to sleep off the jet lag he had, especially considering that he would give his first religious service the next morning.

The young girl brightened at the mention of his new room. "I can take him and you can go back to the party, father." She offered innocently. "My mother and I do the cleaning for the priest and I made sure the room was extra perfect for father Hemmings." 

Father Cesar's smile dropped in an instant. "Fiorella, it is not proper for a man and a woman to be together in a room alone, even if he is a priest." He scolded her in an authoritative voice. 

"Yes father." She nodded, her smile was erased from her face. "I'm sorry."

The older priest patted Luke on the shoulder reassuringly and then walked ahead, gesturing for him to follow. Fiorella stayed behind by the entrance of the room and Luke shot her a few stolen glances over his shoulder while she continued to wait for someone. Their eyes met a few times, but she looked away shyly when it happened.

Just as they were almost out of sight, an old little Volkswagen Beetle car pulled up in front of her. From it emerged a young man with dark hair, fair skin, and dark eyes. He was tall, and handsome, and she ran into his embrace with a big smile on her lips. He was equally glad to see her and lifted her up in his arms as she giggled delightedly. When they pulled away she got on her tip toes to kiss him on the lips. 

He seemed to say something to her before they both got in the car and disappeared down the dirt road. 

Luke had stopped in his tracks and was now turned in their direction, watching them go. His eyes had been drawn to Fiorella. Father Cesar noticed and said to him, "That's Fiorellita's boyfriend. His name is Rubens or something like that. I don't much care for him. That boy is bad news, always trying to make the church look bad in his articles that he writes for the newspaper. He's an atheist." The way he spoke of Fiorella's boyfriend was with disdain, especially when he mentioned that he was an atheist. If Rubens was writing articles to make the church look bad, then he was probably writing about St. Ignatius and that was something he was sure Father Cesar didn't like.

They continued down a small stone path lined with trees and bushes full of flowers until they reached a small house like building behind the church. It was there where the priest lived whenever he didn't have church duties to tend to.

Father Cesar led Luke to one of the rooms upstairs. Most of the rooms on the first floor were either offices or storage rooms for bibles and other items that were used at religious services during different times of the liturgical year. Father Cesar would have to show Luke where everything was, but for the time being he would let the new priest rest.

When he opened the door, Luke saw it was a small room and very plain. There was only a made bed in the far left corner, a desk on the right, and a wooden cross on the door. Though it was very simple, to Luke it was already beginning to feel a lot like home. 

He had been at the seminary since he was eleven years old, and though he learned a lot and he loved it there, it always felt more like a school than an actual home to him. His mother had dropped him off there when he turned eleven and was allowed to start with his religious learning. When he was born, he had several problems with his health. It was so severe that doctors thought he wouldn't make it past his first birthday.

His mother was a very religious woman and she prayed to God, and begged for him to let her youngest son live. And with that plea, she made a promise that would determine Luke's life forever.

She promised him to God. If he were to survive his sickness and fully recover, he would become a priest and serve the community in God's name. Luke never had a say in it. That was just the way it always was. 

The doctors were surprised that the baby had made it and seemed to be in perfect health.

And his mother never thought to go back on her promise. From a very early age, Luke and his brothers always knew he would become a priest. 

Though his faith was strong and he did not dislike being where he was now, Luke somewhat resented his mother for what she had done to him. He didn't like that she had made that promise without asking for his opinion on the matter. But how could he have made an opinion anyway? He was a baby who knew nothing and whose mother relied on faith when medicine condemned him.

Luke set his backpack down by the doorway and walked into the middle of the room, taking it all in.

"Its nothing extravagant," Father Cesar admitted with a sigh. "But a priest was never meant to live a life of luxury. That will come when we enter the kingdom of heaven."

With a smile playing on his lips, Luke said, "I like the room, and I like the village. Its very peaceful."

"I'm glad you like it." The older priest added as he observed him. Most priests who went to Valle Daza ended up requesting to change communities. The majority of them didn't like that it was so secluded from the rest of the country. But that was how life on the pampas had always been. He was glad, and rather surprised that Luke seemed to like it. With a polite smile, Father Cesar added, "I'm going to get ready for confessions in a couple of hours. If you need anything, don't hesitate to look for me. Oh," He remembered one last thing. "Tomorrow is our weekly meeting with two other priests in the area. They're really excited to meet you."

After Luke promised he would attend the meeting, the older man turned and left the room, leaving Luke there on his own.

Father Cesar closed the door as he left, and Luke went to lie down on his bed. His ocean blue eyes stared up at the ceiling for  few minutes until he began drifting off to sleep. And as he did, he found it strange that his thoughts drifted towards the young girl he had met that day.

Fiorella.

-

here is another chapter because im feeling inspired with this story. i really want to write an update for shadow, but its really fucking hard. how can i top the ripper? i cannot. which its why im having a hard time. i want to write a story that you will all like, but at the same time im scared its gonna be absolute shit.

anyway, thank you all for reading. it really means a lot to me.

blessings, clary xx