Tynan emerged some time later. "They'll give us a place to wait for Ransik and Arum," he told them as some grooms came to take their horses to the stables. "I spoke to the Father here and he agreed, after a while."

Adam's brow furrowed in confusion. "After a while?" he asked, taking Tynan and Feather's hand as they headed towards the church.

"Yes, I had to persuade him," Tynan replied. "He owes me some favours, since I helped cure him of a sickness no priest should have."

"Chicken pox?"

"Er. Something like that." Tynan replied evasively. Adam was probably still too young to know this stuff. "Oh, feel free to gawk when you're inside, Adam, you're supposed to gawk in church - that's how you know Mezen is great, apparently." Tynan went on as they stepped through the arches of the church. The interior of the church was dusty and dim, the once beautiful stained glass windows were grimy, although Adam stared as if they were the most wonderful things in the world. The altar that loomed over the rows and rows of benches had the likeness of Mezen in flowing marble, the god holding a sun in his hands.

They approached a priest who regarded Feather haughtily then stiffly lead them to the the back of the church into the near-deserted cloiter beyond. Evidently, Ica had little use for her church. Through the arched halls they were led, windows overlooking a delapidated garden and a turgid pond that was once probably quite serene to look upon, having contained water instead of sludge. Their waiting room was a sparsely furnished room with two beds, a table and chair and a single oil lamp that hung from the cieling. There was no window.

"Feels like a prison." Tynan remarked.