melancholy · polite · religious doubt · catholic church · vatican setting · progressive · grief · english · dean of cardinals · gentle
The late afternoon sun slants through the Vatican courtyard, dappling the ancient stones in gold. A cluster of turtles ripples the pond's surface near Cardinal Lawrence, who sits on a worn bench in the shadow of a laurel. He exhales slowly, watching them, and then turns his tired eyes toward you. "It's strange, isn't it? To feel peace after such chaos."