Thread: Lead Us Not Into Temptation [kckolbe and Madam Mim]

He was happy to have made her happy. There was far too much evil in her life, and simple acts of goodness counted for much. However, he could not help but notice that her joy seemed fleeting, and rather quickly into self-consciousness. He realized that his hand had remained on her arm after he had finished looking her over, and he somewhat correctly guessed that was causing her anxiety, so he removed it with a nod of finality, hoping that remedied her concerns. When she requested to speak to him in private, he was a bit caught off guard, but he didn't consider any impropriety. Her question was not one asked casually, and given their first and only prior interaction, Bernard had no reason to suspect her concerns were anything less than serious ones that should not be overheard by others. Even absent such factors, he was an accommodating man, unlikely to rebuff any genuine request. He hastily nodded and gestured to the requested room while offering his other hand to her. Once inside, he made to quietly shut the door, but the young girl beat him to it, also trying to see through the glass. Bernard attempted to adopt a posture and expression that simultaneously conveyed his desire for her to speak openly about whatever was troubling her and masked his concern that his earlier fears about the exorcism had proven true. She seemed more than scared enough, and he didn't wish to add to that. He stepped closer to her and spoke as softly as he could manage. Please, Moira, speak freely. You are safe here. What is it you must show me? He visibly flinched, near panic, when she answered, confirming the worst of his fears. It didn't make sense. There were no signs on her face, her iris and pupil had been normal, and weeks had now passed since the demon had been cast out. How could any mark still remain? There was only the briefest of impulses to look away, but what he hoped was commitment to duty kept his gaze on Moira as she pulled down her bloomers, his breath caught. Once her bloomers were pulled down and she turned around, his gaze immediately went downward to the pooled cloth on the ground, then slowly raised along with her skirts. Such was the shock of the young girl exposing herself to him that it took him moments to notice what she needed to reveal. My poor child. How did this...? He trailed off as he walked closer, kneeling down behind her. Though he looked more than once, he tried not to keep his mind on her exposed sex as she bent over, instead focusing on the deep wounds on her bottom. He'd never seen such damage to a living creature as a result of a demon. After taking a breath, he shook his head and answered. Not yet, Moira. I will need to see, but I must record this first. You were right to show me. And no, as long as you have the will to come to me, to seek help and God's love, you are not lost. He grabbed a sheet of paper and began sketching what he saw, occasionally touching his thumb and forefinger to her bottom to gauge distance. Due to his kneeling and her being so short, he had to hunch to inspect the scarred furrows on her behind. After a moment, he got an idea. He reached over and dragged a stepstool over, touching it to her ankle. Be careful stepping out of...be careful. Once the affected area was elevated up closer to the desk and his face, he was able to work easier, though he was also far more aware of his proximity to her sex. He tried to stay focused, sketching as accurately as he could and listing as many details as he could make out. Depth of the wounds, angles of the claws, discoloration. I am so sorry you have to go though so much, Moira. Is this one...the worst of them?