Miracle Worker Approved

“I can’t believe you’ve put it up.” Said Giste. “On the wall. Where people can see”

“Oh what?” Liissá turned around, “It says Miracle Worker approved.”

“Everyone here knows who it was.”

“That’s not going to put any regulars off, and people passing through aren’t going to know. Just that a legitimate Miracle Worker certified this place.”

“She’s signed it.”

“It’s a signature, no ones going to look close enough to read it.”

“Really? Because that’s a fairly big ‘M’ and an ‘R’ right there and there’s fifteen of her Urizeni refugees in Osric’s hall and at the farms.”

“Look. A miracle worker certified the place...”

“She called it a sanitary inspection.”

Liissá looked up towards the bedrooms nervously. “Shhh. Keep your voice down, that really upset Erta last time.”

“That was why you sent her with the message whilst the fish was here?!?”

“Seriously, keep your voice down.” Liissá looked upwards guiltily again but there was no sign they had been overheard. “Look, we get to say we’re especially virtuous ok.”

“But it’s Medea Ruth.”

“She’s still a Miracle Worker according to the Synod.”

“It’s Medea Racistfish Ruth” moaned Giste again.

“Ok, anything that gets us a Virtuous reputation is good. And look,” Liissá put a comforting arm around the older woman’s shoulders. “How Long do you think she’s going to survive? The amount of assassination attempts on her has to be growing and one will be successful. Once she’s dead we’re free and clear because all that will be left is the knowledge she was a Virtuous Miracle Worker, hell maybe even a whateveryoucallit, Paragon or Exemplar or something and she won’t be around... Medea Ruthing all over the place.”

Giste groaned. “It was ok when you’d barred her, Aethelric would invite her to Sigehold and we’d get extra custom from everyone who wanted to avoid her but now you’ve put that damned certificate on the wall.”

“It was one time, her checking through our herb dates, and a Virtuous reputation is good for Prosperity.”

Giste looked at her employer pityingly.

“You didn’t hear her say she would be doing this annually did you?”

Liissá looked at Giste for a moment and then silently reached for the Mierkovan vodka.