The Knights Under the Rose Banner

[Logan]

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As Brother Arsène, one of the Knights of Ste Therese who had chosen to take vows as a Religious Brother rather than remain a lay member, finished his prayers as he got up from the kneeler, taking a few minutes to contemplate the chanting of the brothers in the Abbey. Walking out of the church, he looked over the bay that surrounded Mont St-Michel. The Entire island and the bay surrounding it were now under joint Church-State ownership, with the Island, still open to tourism, repurposed to serve as the headquarters and living space for the Knights. Arsene always thought it was a gimmick to have a military unit stationed here, but he understood the importance of their post. The knights themselves were, at least in theory, under the joint jurisdiction of the State and Church, and their presence here was to be a symbol of that.

Crossing himself as he walked back down towards the base proper, Arsene quickened his pace to meet with one of his squadmates, a secular knight (in context of the Catholic Church, secular means "lay," rather than non-religious) and childhood friend he had grown up with.

"What's the news, René?"

"I'm unsure, Brother Arsene. The Lieutenant's told me to keep my sidearm on me, and Knight-Captain Bertrand has been on the phone with Bourges all day. My guess is that we're about to be deployed for something."

"a domestic deployment? what for?"

"I don't know. I'm going to put on my fatigues. I suggest the same to you."