The Convent's Weasel

I made it on time for dinner.

     As I walked back my quarter earlier, everyone assumed that I was one of the knights, so no one dared ask where I had been or where I was going. I felt like a ghost treading through halls. I was there, but no one could really see me, or they just chose not to.  

     The mess hall was packed. The split log tables that were usually spacious for its length, were fully occupied except one. However, no sister was courteous enough to join the guests for supper, so we had to cram.

     I was seated between Agnes and Edith, and across Hana who was alongside Fatma, and sadly, next to Abigail. We were at the corner of the third old table in the hall, adjacent the table of the knights.

     Hana was tediously slicing her plate, eyeing me, “Where have you been?” She whispered.

    “I ran with Rufus.” The girls, except Abigail who was enjoying her dinner, worriedly glanced at me. Edith then gestured, is there something wrong?

     “No, nothing’s wrong. Rufus has to run once in a while and so we did. Don’t worry, okay?”

     Are you sure? She added.

     “Yes, ma’am.”

     They knew that whenever I feel suffocated or wronged, I always run away from the convent for some air. I wanted to do it permanently. But I would never leave my family behind, and they would never flee their home.

     Abigail finally noticed that we were talking, “What are we talking about?”

     “Nothing.” Agnes and Fatma chorused, their eyes also synchronized as both rolled.

     “Just make sure to finish your chores before running.” Hana reminded with her eyes scowling.

     “Didn’t I do all my task?”

     “Nope.” All of them mumbled, even Abigail.

     “You forgot to fetch water for Sister Rene, but don’t worry we already did it for you.” Fatma said while Agnes winked at me funny, “We got you, princess.”

    “Stop calling me that Agnes, and thank you.”

     “Why? Is the prince the only one who can call you that?”

     Both of them laughed, but Agnes forgot that she was holding a bread knife, so I snatched it before she could cut herself.

     “You will hurt yourself, clumsy, and no, no one’s allowed to call me that,” I warned, flailing the knife in front of them.

     “Ooh, scary.” Agnes and Fatma exaggeratedly reacted.    

     Hana then snatched the knife from me, “This is not a toy., and what are you guys talking about?”

     “It’s nothing.”       

     Hana would be frantic if she would know about my dire encounter with Gabriel. Luckily, the girls were clever enough to heed the hint of rhetoric on what I had said, and so, Agnes diverted the matter.

     Out of the blue, she started whimpering. It was not loud enough to get unwanted attention, but it seemed sincere because of the tears rolling her cheeks. And because Hana could not resist a sister in distress, she fell into the trap. 

     She was all ears as Agnes started telling the reason of her sudden outburst, Fatma even supported the act by adding fuel to the made-out story. They were in the middle of a silly lie, when my eyes caught Mother Renata and the head of the knights.

     They were the only ones at the table in the front of the hall, both seated on a high chair behind the illuminating mosaic of dancing little angels. They were few distance apart from each other, and both busily eating their meals. But it was obvious that they were talking, or in my perspective, arguing.

     Mother Renata had her eyes fixed on her plate. She was slicing through her meat, but both of her hands were shaking as she muttered to herself. I moved my eyes beside her, and witnessed that the Father of the knights was also muttering while his serious gaze was upfront.

      Perhaps if I stare more, I could figure what he was talking about. But before I could even make out the next word that escaped his mouth, I was interrupted by a salty voice.

     “What do you think you are doing, young lady?” Sister Rene said as she abruptly stood next to us.

     Did she noticed that I was staring at them? Or that I was paying attention to someone else’s conversation? My breathing skipped for a while.

     “Excuse me?” I asked, pretending I did not know what she was talking about.

     “I am not talking to you, Mathilda, so shut up,” Her last words were whispers.

     “I told you to always mind your manners, especially during meal time, didn’t I, Sister Agnes?”

     Seriously? She heard Agnes even from afar?

     Hana was quick to answer, “It was my fault, Sister Rene. I insisted she tell us something funny.” 

     “Did I ask you to speak, Sister Hana?”

     “No, Sister.”

     Hana just bowed her head as Sister Rene slowly put her scrawny hand on Agnes’ shoulder.

     “Let me ask you again, Sister Agnes. Did I or Did I not told you to always mind your manners?”

     Agnes’ voice was shaking, “Yes, sister.”

     “And what part of table manners did you not understand, should I remind you now?”

     Agnes held my hand as Sister Rene’s grip tighten on her shoulder. There were few eyes watching us, even a set of blue ones that were close by.

     I had enough.

     “I do not mean to disrespect, but you are interrupting our dinner, sister.”

     Unintentionally, my voice reverberated like a thunder crack. All of the clacking of the cutlery stopped, even Mother Renata and the father of the knights halted their argument.

     “What did you say, Sister Mathilda?” Her eyes were about to flee their sockets.

     Hana was shaking her head, warning me, it was opposite the guy behind her, who seemed amuse.

     “I said you are interrupting us. We are still having our meal. It’s disrespectful of you to stop us because of something you believe you heard.” I sweetly said as I looked at her, smiling. But I was actually anxious.

     “Are you saying that I am just making it up?”

     I straightly replied, “Maybe.”

     “Pardon me?” She was now more than irritated.

    “Maybe you heard someone else, or maybe you imagined it. I was with Agnes the whole time, so I can assure you that they were just speaking in silence.”

     Gabriel was still beaming, and I returned his smile with a wicked one.

     I firmly stood, and further blended my voice into honey, “Excuse me, Sir Gabriel, I hate to interrupt, but I think Sister Rene heard you laughing earlier. It was you right? The person who laughed?”

     The silent ultimately broke as Gabriel chuckled with his sulky voice, as if he expected that I would sweep him along this mess. And now, all of the eyes were at him. I just hope laughing is not a taboo for the knights.

     He stood, and then raised his hand to be acknowledged, “It was I, who laughed. I am very sorry if you find my gesture mannerless. I do not know that it was impolite. We are allowed to laugh whenever we like, so I had no idea that it was the opposite in here.”

     “I assure you that I will be cautious next time.” He added with a slight comical bow.

     Well played Gabriel.

     “Thank you, Sir knight, for your honesty and for clearing this misunderstanding,” I turned to Sister Rene, “May we continue with our supper, sister?”

     She smiled, but it was obviously a cloth of phony, “Yes, you may Sister Mathilda. Carry on.”

     Sister Rene was definitely boiling, but she could not burst into whistle, not now, especially that the knights were here. She went back her table, but her eyes stayed at me and they were sharp.

     Every one of us was relieved, but mostly, Agnes, who had never let go of my hand, but still had the guts to smirk, and Hana, who had heaved a hundred sigh.

     “Don’t ever do that again.” Hana muttered.

     “I will if I had to you know that, even for Abigail.”

     “What me?” She was still munching her tenth loaf even after what happened. 

     Agnes pressed my hand three times. She did not need to say it for me to know that she was grateful. I pressed hers back.

     I had to thank Gabriel too, for the help, I thought, but as I glanced back at their table, he was gone again.