Part 31 (1/2)

”I like it, very much,” Cortin said. ”It feels right--a simple altar, no fancy vestments--” She looked at herself, then at him, and smiled.

”None at all, in fact. Is this how He wants it, do you think? An intimate kind of wors.h.i.+p, maybe just family and close friends, with the senior spouses as celebrants?”

”Sounds reasonable to me,” Odeon said. It was an odd feeling, having her ask his opinion on the proper way to wors.h.i.+p the Protector; after all, if it felt right to her, acting in that capacity, who was he to say otherwise?

”To me, also.”

Cortin turned, not really surprised to see Sis and the rest of those who'd been at the airborne conference. Under normal conditions she would have been astonished, and probably suspicious as well--but these were hardly normal conditions, with Shayan on the loose, the Protector manifesting to Mike and Sis, and herself having visions. It was normality, now, that would have surprised her. ”You and Mike will celebrate it for us?”

”And each other, yes.” The nun smiled. ”Neither altar nor ceremonial is truly necessary for the Sealing or its celebration, but since we expect both, they add to the pleasure. Unfortunately we have not yet devised a ceremony, so we will have to content ourselves with informal prayers.” She approached the altar, embracing Odeon as Cortin and the rest knelt.

As she'd said, the prayers were brief and informal, praising G.o.d in His Aspect of the Protector, asking His blessings on those who were worthy of and wanted Sealing but couldn't be given it until the Protector came into the open, offering the milk and bread on the altar in their behalf until they could partake of the true Milk or Seed of Life.

That reference puzzled Cortin, until the two celebrants asked that G.o.d make use of them to do the Protector's work, and were accepted.

Something seemed to twist inside her, then she felt the exaltation of Consecration taking hold and she was praying for the new salvation the celebrants offered, not just from the effects of sin but from sin itself. As at Ma.s.s, the celebrants took the new Communion first, drinking from each other. The physical actions were little different from some of the things that went on at a shelter party--but the feeling wasn't s.e.xual, it was like her dream of both of them feeding from her: reverent joy.

Then the celebrants were finished, inviting those who hadn't yet partaken and wished to place themselves under the Protector's care to come forward. Almost as if Odeon were pulling her, Cortin approached him and knelt. Except that it was Mike only in form; he had become G.o.d, in the same way bread and wine became G.o.d at the Consecration during Ma.s.s. ”I surrender myself to Thee,” she said. ”I ask for Thy protection and guidance, that I might serve Thee to the best of my ability.”

”They are thine, Daughter.” Hands on her head guided her to the whiteness welling from him. ”Drink thy fill of the Seed of Life, that thou mayst be Sealed to thy Protector.”

Cortin obeyed. The droplets were sweet, not the slightly bitter taste she remembered. Taste was minor, though, next to the exaltation that washed through her. His thick sweet fluid was a generous feast, filling her with His love and life. It was forever and no time at all that she finished, reveling in His glorious bounty so freely given.

When He raised her to her feet, the exaltation faded as it did after Communion--not completely, but to a far lesser intensity. She stepped back; Princess Ursula took her place, while the Prince went to Chang.

It was beautiful, Cortin thought, in large part because it was real rather than hidden by symbols. She didn't object to such concealment in its proper place, such as the Ma.s.s--letting flesh and blood appear to be bread and wine was easier on celebrant and communicants both!

Milk and seed, though, could be given not only without pain but with obvious pleasure; Mike and Sis were both positively radiant. Some people, she knew, would think this obscene, be uncomfortable or worse at taking such nourishment directly from its source instead of from chalice or plate. She knew, but she didn't understand. b.r.e.a.s.t.s were made to give milk, testes to give seed; given and taken in the Protector's Holy Name, how could it be other than beautiful?

The royal couple was done; they returned to kneel with Cortin. The Princess was the last woman in the group, so Odeon waited, relaxed, while Chang fed the rest. Her last communicant was Pritchett--and unlike the others, he had a visible response when he drank.

Cortin found that a good sign, as well as being enjoyable to watch.

Chang very much wanted a baby, preferably Pritchett's, though that would take a miracle. It'd be an even better sign to those who hadn't been here if they were granted one today; it'd have to be seen as an obvious indication that this was G.o.d's Will. Chang stroked him briefly when he raised his head, then she turned to Odeon and they faced the group for a final prayer.

For Shannon/Shayan's reaction: 16a. Shayan

17. Family

As she experienced, for minutes almost becoming, each of the Sealed men, Cortin's appreciation of them grew. Tony's quiet, un.o.btrusive competence, Ivan's culture and dry humor, the Prince's devotion to his wife and the Systems, the others' varying individualities--and all of them loving her, she returning it. The full unity proved to be only between man and woman, which she found out when Princess Ursula suckled while Edward was merging with her--but she felt Ursula through him, knew the Princess shared her through him as well, sharing love with both.

Later, it was Tiny and Sis who joined her, Tiny's seed still filling the nun's womb though Cortin smiled, trying to project her delight that its work was done. The fourth person in this union was unformed as yet, but undeniably there, conceived in their unity and bathed in all three's when she and Tiny merged, erupting into each other.

When the unity faded, Cortin kissed both of them.

”Congratulations--what're you going to name him?”

”Name who?” Powell asked.

Cortin glanced at Chang, got a nod, and called, ”Gather 'round, people!” When they did, she said, ”Don't ask me how I know, because I can't tell you--but it's my honor and pleasure to tell you all that Sis is pregnant. The child's a boy, and Tiny's the father.”

There was a tumult of congratulations until Pritchett interrupted, looking stunned. ”But I'm sterile!”