She nodded, wondering just how Nadia had gotten her scars. She decided she would ask her if the right time arose when they met next.

"Religion is a touchy subject in most places." She said, nodding. "It's why I do not preach the way many of my elders would like me to. I don't feel that anyone is inherently in need of scripture or sermons in order to feel the light I offer to them."

She looked down and sighed, "That's part of the reason they sent me here, to get me away from the younger crowd so I couldn't influence them with my way of thinking. They can't get rid of me, as until I am married off or taken in by some other house I am their ward under their laws, but they can send me away from my home and my friends. The elders that are joining me are also of more progressive persuasion, but they are still very much held by the old standards. They won't get in the way, they are too old to do much of anything and they are non-magic users, but they will report my actions to the rest if I am not behaving appropriately."

Her mother had chosen the Church to give birth to Ayrie and take refuge after her father had beaten her again. She had not recovered well from the abuse, constantly anxious and afraid, she lived only until Ayrie was ten. Growing up under the thumb of the Church, Ayrie had had no choice but to become a priestess, as there were no other family members that could be found to take her. It was just dumb luck that she hadn't become a cloistered nun, shut away from the world under a vow of silence. Her power had relvealed itself just after her fifth birthday, and the one elder left who knew how to train light magic had died only days after teaching her how to sheild herself. [i]'It's probably my power that keeps them from punishing me too severely or locking me away.'[/i]