[b][u]Sept of Baelor[/u][/b](with [@MrDidact])

One step after the other, the figure eyed the rich cobblestones of the sept. Draped in muted clothes, she continued to meander among the sea of people, in her lips a whisper of a prayer. The Great Sept of Baelor awaited before her subdued stare, as she joined the crowds of her peers. Septas entered and exited all the time, the hour having been chosen as the most bustling of the day.

Lysara reigned in her emotions and steeled her face. It was a bit worrisome, and scary. But she had faced worse. At least the people in the Sept werent all hungry for her maidenhead, like the mercenaries she had been used to deal in the past. She acted sheepishly, as she moved aside her now dirty brown hair, braided in a simple ugly braid.

Underneath her robes, she clutched the forgery of the letter of her transfer. She was now Mya, aa stowaway they had found in Gulltown, and that she had joined the Faith to escape a life out of the streets after a certain enlightened encounter. She also had made sure to study Gulltown and its places before being questioned, in order to make her claim credible should it be challenged.

One step after the other, she was in. She sheepishly made herself unconspicious and wandered about, always making sure that she followed the most of the Septas as well as the lowest ranked ones. She needed to find the Great Septa at any rate, and present the letter, hoping she would be fooled. But in the meantime, she could just try and listen if there were any gossip to be found...

The septas, septons, and clergymen of all ranks and orders mingled with Warrior's Sons and various pilgrims. Most of the talk was about spiritual matters, but there was a fair bit of gossip of the wars and goings on across the realm, and especially about the supposed bastard prince that Jonquil was carrying in her belly. Eventually, Lysara laid eyes on the Superior Septa, one of the Most Devout. She was a matronly woman, with long white robes and a silvery coronal. She was attended by a train of lesser septas and accompanying Sons. It was she who Lysara would report to. 

"Most Holy Mother, I- " Lysara began to talk, trying to hide her accent to some extent, her letter outextended. And there come forth the art of subterfuge and misdirection. For lies to go through, they had to have a base of reality sometimes... and a healthy dose of distraction. So Lysara gritted her teeth mentally as she made it so she stepped in her own tunic in eagerness, going face first against the cobblestones as she tried to hand out the letter, letting a little yelp while doing so."-transfer." She mumbled, reeling from a bit of genuine pain.

The Warrior Sons stepped forward to shield the Septa, but then helped Lysara up to her feet. The Septa looked her over in concern, making sure was alright before taking the letter and reading it, "I see. It seems everything is in order. We do in fact have a recent opening. You can be settled in the communal quarters with the rest of your holy sisters. You can start with one of the Superiors for your assignment tomorrow. The Seven go with you, child." She nodded and they walked off once more. Lysara was in. 

"Seven be praised." Lysara said weakly, as she rubbed her chest. Landing headfirst in her cleavage had hurt like hell, but it had been worth it. She betted that her fellow Septas had already flagged her as clumsy, and as such, somewhat harmless. She got to her feet, so far so good, and cleaned her clothes. The communal quarters were next, as she eyed her surroundings. Now where the quarters were? She begun to walk in the direction that seemed to be the most likely, always keeping an ear for her surroundings.

A gaggle of hooded Septas passed her, all seeming to head to rest for midday, and Lysara followed them. Soon they were in the more private wing of the Grand Sept, several septas were assigned to individual cots that were seperated by partitions. Lysara also had a room mate. A ginger haired stripling with freckles a plenty who greeted her with a smile, "Hello. I'm Eliza. Pleased to meet you." 

Lysara eyed the girl. Well, she looked rather...plain. But it was to be expected. Slowly but surely, she would have to slip in her role. She shifted back and forth in her bed, answering in the best smile she could muster. "Hi, I am Mya! Nice to meet you too! These cots are comfy!" She added as a random afterthought. Probably for the best to downplay her own intelligence. The moment of truth awaited, as she pulled her hood back, trying to see if her ability to put makeup had made a convincing job of making her much less comely.

Eliza grinned, "Not particularly, but definitely better than my parent's home. From Flea Bottom to the Grand Sept is a great transformation. What about you, where are you from? You don't look like a Kingslander. Country girl? First time in the city?" 

"I don't know where I am from. Me momma was not even from the city i was born, and me dad is a big unknown because me momma was one of these ladies of the night, which someone in Gulltown paid of a sum for." Lysara parroted, her expression feigning sadness. "But yes, Kings' Landing is big... betcha the King who landed had a big butt." Lysara added as a random afterthought.

Eliza laughed, "It's just an expression Mya. But wouldn't you know where you lived?" She pointed out with a smile. Obviously she thought Mya was something of a lackwit, "Well to be sure, King Tommen landed, but he was only a boy. So what brings you to our modest little sept?" 

"Uuhh...I lived in Gulltown, trying to scrounge whatever i could in the docks. Until ser whatwashisface i cannot remember put me in the sept." Lysara said, her finger pointing at her chin as she moved her feet. "But, well, they told me i could be useful in here yes." She frowned, faking strain as if she was trying to remember. "They said I could make men feel better?"

Eliza arched an eyebrow, "You are in the right place right? You weren't meant to serve at Chataya's were you?" She laughed and said, "There are many ways to do that, salving the spirit is one of them. That's what we do here, in addition to tending their hurts. You'll probably start with the hospital in the morning, if you're a healer." 

"Yes, that was it! I had some talent in healing, so they told me." Lysara said as she tilted her head. "They also told me i could sing well. But that doesn't help with hurts." She added, rocking back and forth. "...uh, whose cot was this?" she asked, trying to wiggle herself as if feeling uncomfortable.

Eliza shrugged her shoulder, "Singing can be helpful. They might have you work with children, or other patients that bandages wouldn't help." She looked at the cot with some sadness, "That was Jonquil's. She was a Septa here, one of our best, before she had to leave." Eliza didn't elaborate. 

"Jonquil... uuh. Well, i felt like if there was something pointy in the cot. It must be my imagination...." Lysara. "Did I say something stupid again?" She prompted at eyeing the face of Eliza, picking up the sadness in her stare. "I'm sorry." She added, awkwardly shifting her stare, or pretending to.

Eliza smiled softly, "Like I said, these aren't royal cots. Most like some defect." She shook her head and said, "It was nothing you said, I was just thinking about her. Jonquil was my friend. We started here at the same time, though she was at the Dragonstone sept first. She was my best friend actually. But life happens, eh?" 

"Best friend? Oh I get it." Lysara said, surprised. She was genuinely surprised, for once. Finding herself in the spot where Jonquil had slept before was a genuine success, for once, but she couldn't drop her guard down, after all the favorable winds of the investigation could change, and fast. "I wonder if she will be alright.  Because she made a baby with a prince. If it was Florian it would be a dreamtale." Lysara rambled. This train of thought of this Mya persona was somewhat...really intoxicating, for once.

Eliza smiled again, "Florian the Fool and Jonquil eh? Well, I think it was some fool. Some boy, Jonquil had met. These last past months she was practically walking on the air, which was a change because she is usually so folorn. She was in love. Broke her vows, and now someone is using that to their advantage. That's what I think. If you ask me, someone high in court spread the story and pressured the High Septon to go along with it. Most like Jonquil's lover lies in bowls of brown now." Eliza's expression had soured and she lay back on her bed. 

"So, she met a boy and stopped being grumpy?" Lysara questioned as she took notice of Eliza's expression before undoing her ugly braid, and grabbing a meagre comb, began combing her dyed hair. "Well, I suppose thats what it makes it a vow, if it wasnt that hard to keep. Boys are nice. Sometimes. When they are not trying to rob you of your food or kicking you in the gut cos you are weak." She sighed.  "What makes you think it wasnt the dreamy prince? Cause that is mean, to fool people like that." She said, feigning a sulk.

Eliza sighed, "I suppose in a manner of speaking. She was always a mellow kind of girl, smiled very little," She rolled her eyes at Mya's story about boys, "Yes, sometimes. When they're not trying to push you to the ground. But it's hard for most septas, especially girls our age, to stick by it. I just didn't think Jonquil would be one of them." 

"A prince? I doubt it. She may have been highborn, and sure she may have met the Prince at Dragonstone, but where would she have met a Prince when she was here? Aemon hardly could sneak in with his silver hair could he? Not outside of prayer and ceremonies. The royals stick out like sore thumbs whenever they come here. All it is is that sometimes Jonquil is part of the group that gives blessings to the royal family. Aemon may sound possible to most folks, but I sincerely doubt it." 

"Mmm, you never know Eliza. I once thought old Renas would never get a bethroded, and she did! Three days before she died of old age, she met an old man!  But I will try my best to be your best new friend!" Mya said, finishing combing her hair before laying down in her cot staring at the ceiling.[i] Well, with some dyes like me, maybe you could sneak in[/i].  

Eliza laughed, "Well, I suppose we'll see as long as you don't meet your own fool. I better get going, I have duties to attend to. Rest up, Mya, you have a long day tomorrow. It was good to meet you." She smiled at her and left, leaving her among the rest of the idly relaxing septas. 

Lysara eyed the girl as she waved her farewell with her hand, continuing to stare at the ceiling.[i] Well, now that was interesting. Should I send a message to Arya and Jahaerys about this? On second thought, maybe it is too risky now. Aahh, if only I had some of the strange powers people run around these times.[/i] She said, as she fumbled around. Maybe there was some kind of hidden diary in the cot? It would be a likely place to have one.

There was nearly nothing in the cot or around it, Jonquil or someone else likely cleaning almost everything out. All that she could find were some spare clothes that had been left behind and a copy of the Seven Pointed Star, which on first glance seemed to be quite standard. 

"Well at the least it won't hurt to read on the Faith." She mumbled to herself, and tried to use the Seven Pointed Star copy to refresh her notes about the Faith. A mind needed books to stay sharp, and someone pretending to be from the Faith needed to study the book at heart.

[i] I will wait a couple of days more, and then I will try to smuggle a letter out.[/i] She added as an afterthought, as she kept reading.

For several pages the tome seemed just like an average holy book, but soon Lysara started to notice certain things. Jonquil was prone to scribbling notes in the margins, circling or underlining certain portions of the text, mostly all notes on her reading and commentary. It was clear that Jonquil was well-read, thoughtful, and more skeptical of literal readings of the text than one might think a Septa capable of. On some writings put down by septons and holy men, she challenged their findings and even outright disagreed. Several passages about maintaining faith and the prevelance of good over wickedness were circled, as well as musings on marriage and bastardy. 

Finally, after skimming more than halfway through, Lysara came upon a thin, neatly folded note. Upon opening it, Lysara would find it read, "To my dear Jonquil. Whatever it takes, I will save you from your prison. Fool that I am. I swear it by all the gods. Have faith in me, and stay strong. Your Florian." 

Lysara almost blanched, as she picked the letter. This clue... this could be really helpful to the conundrum. But she would need the help of King's landing. Handwriting could identify a person, or disprove their identity. This could help the Crown greatly. But first things were first. She neatly folded the note back in its place, as she closed the book.  "At the very least, he was cultured and polytheistic." She mused to herself, as she thought hard, and made a mental note about the scribbles. She had to send the note  to Arya, but she would need to do it with the utmost care. She would have to wait for now... She thought to herself as she hid the book once again.