exsilium | ｔｅｘｔ + ｖｉｄｅｏ.

Venite da me tutti voi che lavorate sotto un pesante giogo; io vi darò riposo.

[ no one will ever know how long it took her to type that.

the video clicks on after the message. vanozza set aside the red silks for today in favor of a simple apricot gown.

a show of humility is becoming with her topic. when she addresses the network, her smile is quiet and kind. ]

Idleness is a dreadful labor it is said, but rest is blessed. I have set aside a room to serve as a chapel. A place for peace and meditation. [ there are some simple directions here. ] I would be grateful for any assistance you, kind listener, may provide and would be glad for company besides. Those not of the Catholic faith are welcome as well. We are all but children in the eyes of the Lord; now is a time for togetherness.

[ the walls and floor have been washed and a few chairs appropriated from elsewhere. several pillows from the unoccupied rooms now sit on the floor for use of the supplicant. vanozza sacrificed one of her gowns to create a runner for the table upon which to set a cross. two unlit candles sit before it. the room is sparse, but clean and, as promised, peaceful. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You must first tell me of your Avatar if I am to say. But I can tell you of Jesus.

He is the Son of God who was born to a woman and walked among men and gave his life to save us all from sin. He is leader and teacher and redeemer. His teachings are many: to act righteously, to show kindness even to your enemies, to be humble and charitable in all things. And it is through him that God's splendor was revealed to us and through him how we may reconcile ourselves with God.

[ basically jesus teaches everything her family does not do. #borgia life yolo ]

Uh, the Avatar is the connection between the physical and spiritual worlds who helps maintain balance between all the nations and between our world the spirit world. He or she is reincarnated with the Avatar's lifetimes stretching back thousands of years.

So... Kinda. Except he doesn't have to die to save all of us, I guess. But this Jesus guy sounds pretty cool. I don't really get this 'God' thing though. Is that like a spirit?

A spirit... You could call Him such. There are many spirits, but He is greater than they. For it was He who created the universe and who sustains it and everything, other spirits, heaven, earth, mankind, they are all His creations.

Oh. That's pretty interesting.

I don't think we have a spirit that created everything, though.

[ more primitives she thinks though she does not say it aloud. her curiosity is frank. ]

Which are your spirits?

Well... For the Water Tribes, the big ones are the moon spirits. La and...uh.

And Yue. [ He pauses here, silent for a moment or two. ]

They keep the tides in balance and let waterbenders, well. Waterbend. But there are a lot of other spirits. The Avatar is a spirit, just reincarnated in different lives. There's really too many to list.

Waterbend?

Using form and technique to manipulate water!

[ so it's a fountain...? ]

Through pipes?

No, no. Through martial arts. Bending is a discipline of the mind and the body! Kinda like using a sword.

[ Sokka imitates a waterbending move, poorly. ]

[ she smiles. ]

La and Yue teach you these?

Well, originally the first waterbenders learned by watching and imitating the tides. And that was La and Li.

I'm not a waterbender, though. Just related to one.

Can Li no longer move the tides?

...Well, this guy, General Zhao, he killed Li. And...

[ Sokka goes quiet for a moment, clenches his jaw as his brow furrows. ]

Yue had been healed by Li when she was a baby, so she had some of Li's life energy in her. So...she sacrificed herself to restore the moon and kinda. Take over as the Moon Spirit.

[ He falls silent, looking more than a little lost in thought now. ]

A bittersweet tale. Do you think she chose her fate?

I know she did.

[ His voice brooks little argument. There's a long pause before he speaks up again. ]

I held her in my arms when she died. Or turned into a spirit or whatever it was she did, exactly.

[ surprise flickers over her face but she schools her expression quickly so as not to be rude. ]

You have my deepest condolences.

[ Sokka smiles slightly, shakes his head. ]

Thanks. It's been a while since then, but...yeah. It's hard to think about sometimes, you know?

I do. [ god knows she does. one son gone, one son buried, a daughter changed and cesare. ] Loss is a constant companion. But loss can be tempered by memory and the knowledge that our loved one is at peace.

Yeah. I know it was her choice and that she's... I guess she's in a better place. I dunno.

Thanks for telling me about your Jesus guy.

Of course. Thank you for telling me of bending. Perhaps you can tell me more of it. [ now or on another occasion. ]

ｔｅｘｔ + ｖｉｄｅｏ.

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