Lord Fred, Guardian of Virtue

"I forgive you."

"That's very well, of you, Fred, but you were not one of those who suffered from this wench's actions. It was not your son that was seduced by the wanton woman, nor was it your daughter whose heart was broken by this ... this ... "

Lord Fred interrupted, quietly. "Was she really without redeeming qualities? My heart says that she was not - why do I feel this compulsion to defend her? Saint Peter, how did she die?"

Saint Peter thumbed through the pages of the Book of Life and nodded. "It says here that she died of injuries suffered when she rescued the young children of the Earl of Marche from a fire that devastated the Earl's castle."

Fred smiled. "See? She is a good person, really."

Saint Peter continued, "She was in the process of seducing the Earl when the fire broke out, so she did have a good start."

Astra turned her palms up and shrugged her shoulders.

Fred edged over the saint's shoulders. "Saint Peter, look at all the virtuous deeds that the Princess accomplished in her lifetime. Here, she spoke up for the poor when her aunt, the Queen taxed the commons to support the luxury of the court. It took some courage to do that. That would make up for a lot of petty sin, would it not? She never fought in an unjust cause, but when she did, she fought well. She gave alms freely, as it says here ..."

"It is not all that she gave freely," observed the saint.

"Please," asked Astra. "I may not deserve heaven, but could I do something to make up for any harm that I caused?"

"Sir." Fred was unsure about protocol, but felt that he should be deferential. "I may not be a holy man, but my stay in heaven would not be sweet, knowing that Astra is suffering because of a few hundred indiscretions. For my sake, is their something that can be done?"

The saint looked at both of them. He would have to answer to the Boss, either way he decided. He sent a query to the Boss via the heavenly ether, and an answer was returned immediately. Saint Peter nodded. The Boss was a pushover when it came to the sincere pleadings of believers.

"Very well, Fred. I hope that it is not the demons of lust that are prompting you, for Astra can never enter heaven. Sorry about that. However, if you are willing to risk all in an ordeal, the Powers will allow Astra to slip in the first circle of Hell.

"What is involved with that?"

The saint beckoned Fred close and whispered in his ear. "It is not too bad, really. Not nearly as good as heaven, of course, and there would be no hope of achieving the ultimate salvation. But it is a lot better than the torments of the second circle. You can imagine what they use as punishment there considering the sin." Fred nodded, with a scowl on his face. "The first circle is much like life in the world, with all the pain, boredom, and what-not. They hunger after heaven - eternity does wear on even the most virtuous souls , but are wise enough to accept their lot."

"What do I have to do to help?" whispered Fred back.

The saint replied, "Simple. You and Astra are going back to world for ninety days."

1. If she can get undo the harm to everyone that was hurt by her actions, and stay chaste during that time, she gets promoted to the first circle. If not, then she goes back, and you get a thousand years in purgatory for your presumption.

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