"The Sisters," he could also say his sisters, "tell me your wounds are healing well." Of course the physical ones were the most superficial, he knew. "You could," Arnel said encouragingly, "if you wanted to. If you would feel more comfortable with an escort, I would be happy to be of service to you." Arnel's offer was earnest and honest, even if it was partly fueled by his own guilt over a thing most would say he shouldn't feel guilting about. He should be able to forgive her thought, he should be better than he was.
"They mean we'll," he said, "it's not you so much, not specifically... we accept and aid people who have done all manner of wrong doing, so long as their desire to repent is true. It's just hard for them to let go a lifetime's worth of bias. Anyone else besides you, in your unique position... even I might find it hard to believe..." He wasn't making excuses for them. Ekjin preached understanding and inclusion though, forgiveness and love. To understand and appreciate the perspective of another was vital to that. "We are all flawed."
Arnel made not attempt to correct her, when she called him birdboy again, but smiled faintly when she called him by name. Something about hearing her say it as her true self for the first time pleased him. "Makeup?" He repeated, but as a question. Humility, chastity, modesty were all teachings of the order - tenets of how to live a good life... makeup was rare amount the temple denizens, though not forbidden. He tilted his head, looking at her with open honesty. "I don't think you need it." He had always found her attractive anyway. A thing that until that very moment he had always tried to deny.
