The as-yet-unnamed castle, when Martel first arrives there with his scars and his exhaustion and his inability to lay down, doesn't strictly speaking have a chapel. It doesn't strictly speaking have much of anything, in fact, being only more years of abandonment away from being a ruin. The chapel, though, is more of a specific lack; the former inhabitants weren't faithful people of any particular religion and their home (now his home) reflects that.

He ignores it, for a time.

The bedchambers that'll be in use are a higher priority. Candice's suite, and the rooms set aside for Maria and her child. Guest suites for the possibility of Sephrenia (and by extension his own erstwhile brother) visiting. The kitchens, baths. Work and training rooms. A study. The library needs cleaning, repairing, restocking. He has yet to touch the outbuildings and a stable will have to be built almost from scratch before he can think of horses. Receiving rooms, anterooms. His great hall. There's so much to be done and that's only considering what he needs to be in use now, never mind the sheer enormity of the task if he sets about renovating the entire castle.

It keeps him busy; keeps him from thinking about the ache in his chest under the scar that he shouldn't have, shouldn't have risen from, the absurdity of second chances when he'd systematically and deliberately destroyed any he could've had in life.

In a moment, quiet and deciding whether or not he'd meant what came underneath his words, he remembers the chapel that isn't.

He chooses one of the smaller halls, the following week, drafts a plan with Ewar for what it is he'll need. (Dweia? Ewar asks, and he shakes his head, puzzled.) He puts himself in contact with the smith who'd crafted his armor, sketches out a brief explanation of what he wants.

For the time being, he fills it full of candles and fresh flowers, and regretfully cuts pork out of his diet.



[prompt: 'write about something you cleaned up'.
word count: 327
fandom: the elenium
yes i am applying to theatrical_muse finally, eat it.]