Father Bob saw young Eron Hart the Fifteenth sitting on the pew, not for the first time in the last few days. It wasn't uncommon for members of their Order to spend time in the church outside of services, but he did find it unusual for Eron to be there so often.
The retired priest made his way over to the boy whom he had seen grow up and sat down beside him.
"You've been here a lot lately. Something bothering you?" he asked
Eron looked up at him. He seemed stunned into slience for a time, then gave a one-shouldered shrug.
"I've always wanted to be a paladin. A true paladin."
"You're having doubts?"
"Yes. No. I don't know."
Father Bob smiled to himself.
"Well," he said. "I think your mistake is in deciding to be a paladin of the inner circle before you're mature enough both in life and in your walk to know if that's the direction you should take."
Eron chewed his lip but nodded his head slightly, acknowledging the subtle rebuke in using the 'slang' term for paladins of the inner circle.
"Every paladin I have never known has always spend years, decades even, as paladin of the outer circle before taking the vows of the inner circle. These are not vows that should be taken on a whim, nor with inexperience. They require a great deal of self dicipline to keep."
"I know," Eron replied. "I always thought I could do it. I never..."
He swallowed and broke off.
"Something had happened that has made you think that you might not be able to fulfill your desire?" Father Bob inquired. "There is no harm in that, my son. How can anyone know if they can take vows to decline from doing certain things if they have not had some encounter with it? Within reason, of course. Anyone can take a vow in ignorance of what they're giving up. That just makes confronting the situation harder later on."
There was silence for a time. Father Bob's smile widened and he patted Eron on the shoulder.
"Your great-uncle Barak dated before he became a paladin on the inner circle."
Eron started.
"He did?" he asked.
"Of course. He wasn't what you would call a ladies' man, but he dated. Got quite serious with a young lady for a time but..." Father Bob shrugged. "One day he realised that he wasn't intended to marry. This is a serious thing Eron. God never intended man to be alone, which is why Eve was created. But some of us are intended to serve Him without a spouse, for in serving him alone, they serve Him better. Barak is happy. He does not regret not having a wife and children of his own. Now, your father on the other hand, he knows - and you can ask him yourself if you want - he knows that had he made the vows of the inner circle he would have been miserable. Your mother, you and your siblings... they mean a great deal to him. He thought about doing it once, as you are, but realised that was not the life that God intended for him."
"Do you think God intends it for me?" Eron asked quietly.
"I have the gift of knowledge, not prophecy," Father Bob chuckled. "I can't tell you that. Now, if you don't mind my asking, I'm curious: who is this lovely young lady that's managed to capture your attention?"
Father Bob was certainly intrigued, as he hadn't known Eron to have paid any notice to any particular girl. Of course, this may have been a good thing, as the Harts were one of the oldest families in the Order and thus Eron was probably related to half the eligible girls in his age group already, if only distantly.
Eron smiled.
"Friday. Friday Black. The slayer."
"The one who's half dathrian and has been coming to services?"
"That's her."
"She has an interesting power, I understand?" Father Bob said with a frown, trying to remember what it was.
"Sex change," Eron replied. "Day says she finds it very effective during battles with vampires because men and women are built differently. Centre of gravity, how the body is balance, stuff like that. It throws them off and distracts them when she does it."
Father Bob raised his eyebrows and nodded.
"An interesting application," he observed. "I wouldn't have thought that 'sex change' would have had any offensive properties."
"Has some defensive ones too," Eron went on. "Day told me that sometimes - when she used to patrol on her own - she would turn herself into a boy. It would throw the vampires off because slayers are always girls."
"Very creative."
"Day's been joining us on Saturdays sometimes too."
"Ahh, for the gaming?"
"Yes. She's getting rather good."
"I can see why you might like her," Father Bob replied.
He gave Eron's shoulder a squeeze.
"Go on," he encouraged. "Date her, court her. Spend time together, enjoy her company. Dating now cannot get int he way of your ambition, not if it's what God wants for you. But ambition can get in the way of dating, which, in my book, is a lot worse."
Eron nodded.
"You will always treasure these memories of Friday," he went on, "even if nothing permanent comes of them."
"I hope so."