YoungLisa
She Wolf
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2008
- Posts
- 2,974
Princess Devina
King Aethelwon and his wife Esobbrith had several children, most of whom either died of the plague, fell in battle or were married off at a very young age to strengthen alliances between the many kingdoms which made South West England. Yet one, their youngest daughter Devina had always felt herself called to the religious life and with her parent’s permission she left the royal household.
Accompanied by her parents she attended the convent at West Ghanan on her fourteenth birthday which just happened that year to fall on Ascension Day. There she was admitted as novice, dressed in white and was taken away from the temptations of the World, the Flesh and the Devil. Many tears were shed as she knew she would never, in this life, set her eyes on her parents again.
Four years passed and during that time the young Princess learned the ways of the Church, sang the Divine Office seven times a day became ready to make her final vows when she would be stripped of her white garments and vested as a full Sister some four days after her eighteenth birthday.
The morning of her reception dawned like any other spring morning with the crowing of the cockerel and the sisters gathering in their chapel. There had been stories of demons dressed as men coming across the sea to raid and pillage the towns which made up the various kingdoms but no one would attack a convent, especially one dedicated solely to prayer. They had nothing, no treasure, little food, no woodlands. There was nothing there a foreign invader would want. Or that’s what they all thought.
Devina’s Service of Final Admission was due to take place at three of the clock after the noon hour. Strangely the officiating Priest was late so the sisters knelt and prayed for his safe arrival. Suddenly a door burst open and the hospitality sister announced “Four of the local villages are burning. Men, women and children have been seized for slavery or killed and now the demons are approaching here.”
Screams of panic echoed round the chapel and the Reverend Mother advised the Sisters to leave. But Devina remained seated in her stall. “I am a Royal Princess” she said calmly. “When the invaders arrive bring their chieftain to me. I’ll explain who I am and give him a note to take to my father. He will pay any tribute demanded to free our people and leave our territory”. She looked round at the three sisters remaining “Come, pray with me until they come.”
King Aethelwon and his wife Esobbrith had several children, most of whom either died of the plague, fell in battle or were married off at a very young age to strengthen alliances between the many kingdoms which made South West England. Yet one, their youngest daughter Devina had always felt herself called to the religious life and with her parent’s permission she left the royal household.
Accompanied by her parents she attended the convent at West Ghanan on her fourteenth birthday which just happened that year to fall on Ascension Day. There she was admitted as novice, dressed in white and was taken away from the temptations of the World, the Flesh and the Devil. Many tears were shed as she knew she would never, in this life, set her eyes on her parents again.
Four years passed and during that time the young Princess learned the ways of the Church, sang the Divine Office seven times a day became ready to make her final vows when she would be stripped of her white garments and vested as a full Sister some four days after her eighteenth birthday.
The morning of her reception dawned like any other spring morning with the crowing of the cockerel and the sisters gathering in their chapel. There had been stories of demons dressed as men coming across the sea to raid and pillage the towns which made up the various kingdoms but no one would attack a convent, especially one dedicated solely to prayer. They had nothing, no treasure, little food, no woodlands. There was nothing there a foreign invader would want. Or that’s what they all thought.
Devina’s Service of Final Admission was due to take place at three of the clock after the noon hour. Strangely the officiating Priest was late so the sisters knelt and prayed for his safe arrival. Suddenly a door burst open and the hospitality sister announced “Four of the local villages are burning. Men, women and children have been seized for slavery or killed and now the demons are approaching here.”
Screams of panic echoed round the chapel and the Reverend Mother advised the Sisters to leave. But Devina remained seated in her stall. “I am a Royal Princess” she said calmly. “When the invaders arrive bring their chieftain to me. I’ll explain who I am and give him a note to take to my father. He will pay any tribute demanded to free our people and leave our territory”. She looked round at the three sisters remaining “Come, pray with me until they come.”