L'Eglise Aristotelicienne Romaine The Roman and Aristotelic Church

[Adala]

A small room somewhere within the shelter of the German cardinals

Nothing special on this Sunday. The news from home – her beloved Mayence – are concerning but stable. Still there is a coronation to be planned. What a tedious work. Being the highest church official in the German kingdom work never stops. The half written sermon is now lying upon the desk, a small candle illuminates the working station. It is growing dark outside. Tired and exhausted the young cardinal yawns and stretches slightly, gets up from her chair and strolls over to the window. With a faint glow inside her eyes she takes a look outside. The sun is almost faded and the darkness of the night is about to take over. The place before the house is empty, people have gone to their homes and spent the night with their beloved ones. Minutes pass by in which she calmly thinks of her own, very uncomfortable situation. The problems, her own doubts.

A knock on the door draws her attention back to reality. Instead of calling the late visitor in, she goes to open the door personally. A monk of her personal small attendance – Brother Wolfgang – asks for a few minutes of her times. Startled, she lets him in, slightly worried by the looks of him. “Entschuldigt mich, Eminenz, bitte, doch ihr solltet euch dies hier anschauen” [„Excuse me, your Eminence, please, you should take a look at this.“], he addresses her in German and holds out a big book as to show her something. A quick look on the binding and it can be discovered that the book is a copy of the baptismal register of the year 1435. Wolfgang opens the book on a certain page in puts his index finger on one certain line showing his superior her own Name in the book. Her own first name, the same date of birth but with a different surname. And another name right under it. Terrified by the looks of it she stares at the page not being able to read a word as the letters become blurred before her eyes. She has to hold on a nearby chair and shakes her head. Impossible. “Wolfgang, bitte geh. Geh und hole mir den Kardinal. Ich bitte dich!” [„Wolfgang, please go. Go and fetch the cardinal. I beg you!“] A slight bow and Wolfgang leaves the room, leaving Adala alone with the book, her name and the name of a man she knows. Her father.
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[Quarion]

The Cardinal was walking in his office in Saint Nicholas Palace while someone knocked at the door.

"Come on, it's open!"

A monk came in with his head bowed, he went near the cardinal and, after kneeling to kiss the ring, he said:

"Eminence, Cardinal Adala and me found something that you should read, please follow me!"

Cardinal took his cape and walked with the monk until the lodge and, called a carriage, they arrived to the palace of the german curia.

He came in and, saying hello to the colleague, he smiled:

"hello sister Adala, so please tell me what happens.. I suppose it's very important"

[Adala]

Still she is sitting perplexed in her chair, starring outside of the window. After all those years. Time goes by so fast. Only a few moments have passed until Wolfgang is back, in company of Quarion. Time for truth.

“Welcome to our humble dwelling, Eminence”, she swallows slightly, what should she say? “Yes, indeed it is important, thank you for your urgent response to my call. Please – come over and take a look at this”, with a gesture she points to the open book on the desk.

Unable to say anything she indicates the line in questions with her finger not tearing her eyes from the man before her. Her heart beating fast and faster every second. How would he react. Was it true after all? Could it be?
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[Quarion]

The Cardinal went to the old registry and, after wearing reading glasses, he began to read..

his body staggered slightly...
a feeling of fainting ...
that name... Marina....
the year was the same and then his name written in these pages ....

The Cardinal turned around to looking for that face, because he didn't recognize her eyes, the same as for Vittoria..
A few tears came down his cheek until to reach the collar of the tunic ....
He couldn't speak, he could to say only a whisper: "Marina ..."

[Adala]

This reaction… His reaction.
Speaking more than a thousand words and thus he is reflecting the very same feelings she is experiencing that very moment.

She nods slightly. Yes – it is a name no one has called her in years and years. She almost forgot about it until this day. A quiet sob follows as she is not able to say anything further.
Instead she moves forward cautiously, grabs the arm of the man she believed to be just one of her colleagues and brothers in faith.

With watery eyes she glances to Quarion and addresses him gently with the one very pressing question inside of her.
“Padre?”
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[Quarion]

That word.
As a lightning lit the mind of the cardinal.
So many years passed since that rapture ... an incurable cut in the heart of that man.

For years he tried to imagine his daughter...
in the darkest nights and agonizing nightmares he dreamed her voice..
she cried calling his name... calling for help ...

But now... it was all true...real.
His daughter was in front of his eyes.

Without saying a word he hugged the girl, tears coming down from his eyes:

"My daughter ... the night when you carried off, a part of me dead ...
I stopped living for many years ... but now.. here is the resurrection, the cure to my sickness.. you, my daughter!"

Moving away, he smiled:

"I will not leave anything happen to you anymore! I'll never leave you alone anymore! Too much time passed since you disappeared, now best moments will start for us".

[Adala]

What an extraordinary feeling!
Being hugged by her father, never since her early childhood would she have imagined this to happen.
No more than a few words does she now know of the language of her origin. Germany has become her new home.

“GOD is good, he leads us together. I was lost once but the Lord in his grace brought me home!”, she speaks silently while lying in the arms of her father. Gently she rests her head upon his shoulder. Flashes of memories of long gone times coming to her mind.

Being robbed of all her childhood memories she has no more knowledge of her family except flashes of dreams, screams and a feeling of loneliness.
This day marks a turning point within the young life of the German cardinal.
God moves in mysterious ways.

Silent tears stain the cheeks and the eyes are gleaming happily as she looks in the eyes of Quarion.

“I am grateful. So grateful. Fate brought us together furthermore. From now on nothing will be able to tear us apart.
Whatever may come.”
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[Quarion]

Looking that young girl in her eyes, he saw a very determined and strong woman, but also very fragile, with enormous troubles behind.

"My daughter, now there will be much to do. You'll come to know all your family and also you will come to Rome to stay in the family villa.
But come with me.. we can walk a little bit so, we can talk better about what you've done during these years, I want to know everything!"

Smiling, he took his daughter's arm and together, they walked along the corridors of the Curia.

[Adala]

It is almost as if the world with all it's troubles and problems, it's wickedness and hypocrisies eases for a short while. She links arms with Quarion and follows him outside.
She feels excited. More than ever before.

"It will be an arrival in whole new world. I will be glad to meet the family. I never imagined there was one...",
she chatters on like a young child that has been given a treat.
Full of questions she wants to know what had really happened that day more than twenty-some years ago.

The young woman hasn't been seen that happy in a long time.
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