Jon Chess strode up the steps of the Cathedral of Light in Stormwind, disquieted. Jon had not seen Priann, his usual confessor, for some weeks. Days ago, he had asked Brother Benjamin, one of the instructors of the priesthood novates, if he could tell Jon where she had been assigned.
"I am sorry, Master Chess... if she has been assigned elsewhere, I would not be able to discuss it. May I ask what is your need?" Jonathan had explained that she had been his regular confessor, and Brother Benjamin had promised to find Chess a suitable replacement.
Chess entered the main hall of the Cathedral. The center of the religious life of the Church of Light in Stormwind, if not the entire Alliance, the construction of the cathedral had been started by Bishops Benedictus and his mentor, Archbishop Alonsus Faol. After being damaged during the First War, the Cathedral had been repaired and expanded.
Jonathan had gotten in the habit of going to confession during his enlistment in the Northrend campaign against the Liche King. He had regularly seen Argent Confessor Paletress behind her confession screen; she had soothed any doubts, any worries, any uncertainties he may have had as he operated as a commando, spy, and agent of sabotage for the Alliance forces.
He had tried to maintain this habit in Hearthglen and Stormwind, but had found while Hearthglen, a base of the Argent Crusade, has understood the importance of confession as a military order, the more secular priests of Stormwind gave it rather a short shrift. Priann had seemed to understand the importance, but she went where she was assigned, wherever that might be. Jon hoped she was safe.
Chess passed through the threshold to the main hall and nodded mutely to Brother Sarno, who greeted newcomers and directed them to who might help them most. Chess had used to greet him cheerfully but had barely managed to restrain himself from flatting Brother Sarno the first time he had heard him greet a newly-arrived Ren'dorei.
"Oh! Hello there... fellow member of the Alliance," he had said, startled at the appearance of a Void Elf. "I mean no disrespect, but... I'm just not entirely sure the Cathedral is the most... appropriate place for... for... for someone who indulges such... unique proclivities."
Chess had taken Sarno aside and read him the riot act.
"Sarno, who the Fel-fuck do you think needs the Cathedral more? The virtuous who already have their feet on the path, or people who have been touched by the Shadow, and suffer from its influence? The Light shines down on all of us just the same, your sanctimonious ass - but the sinner needs the compassion, understanding, and help more than some brainless idiot who is never tempted to sin! "Chess's rants had fallen on deaf ears - Chess found that bigots did not attend rational reason.
Still, it took everything Chess had to not take Brother Sarno out back and administer a savage beating, thereby proving that Chess needed the Light and its teachings even more than some.
Brother Benjamin greeted Chess as Chess came over to where Brother Benjamin stood. "Good news, Jon," Brother Benjamin has said, smiling. "I have found you a priest who is willing to serve as your confessor until Sister Priann may resume that duty. " Brother Benjamin had shown Jonathan to the area in the subterranean level set up for confession, where he introduced Jon to his new confessor.
"Jon Chess, this is Confessor Veronica Eaton. She has agreed to hear your confession for today."
"The honor is mine, Confessor Veronica Eaton," he said, bowing to the priestess. Confessor Veronica Eaton was human and quite pretty, with shoulder-length dark hair and a dark olive-skinned complexion. Her welcoming smile put Jon at ease. She wore what looked to be soft white and black traditional robes of those who served the Light as a priestess, with gold trim.
"Please, Master Chess, come this way," she had said, leading him behind the confession screen. Behind the screen was a comfortable stuffed-leather chair and behind it another, less comfortable wooden chair. Confessor Eaton smiled at Chess. "Please, make yourself comfortable." She settled herself in the wooden chair and gestured for Chess to sit in the other.
Chess made himself comfortable in the chair, which molded itself easily to his body; it was the kind of chair in which one could easily fall asleep.
