Interview With When Stars Die’s Oliver Cromwell

I actually created new cover art that I think is much better than this.

Link to Amelia Gareth’s interview here.

I am happy to announce that I was able to bring in Oliver Cromwell to do an interview with me. He is generally so busy with his duties as a priest at Cathedral Reims that trying to get him to sit down for five minutes is almost impossible. But he is Amelia Gareth’s confidant and best friend.

Me: Tell me about your relationship with Amelia.

Oliver: We’re best friends and nothing more. We can’t be any more because I have taken my vows and Amelia will take hers when she is professed. To break these vows would mean more trouble for me than Amelia because she is a woman.

Me: Why does being a woman matter?

Oliver: It just does. It’s 1880, so ideals are very old-fashioned. Amelia would be exiled if she broke her vows. I would simply be suspended.

Me: I understand now. Tell me why you became a priest?

Oliver: My little sister Ella is a witch, and so being a priest means serving Deus, and I hope to cleanse Ella’s soul, similar to what Amelia wants to do for he brother. We both have very similar goals at Cathedral Reims.

Me: Be honest: what do you think about Cathedral Reims?

Oliver: I honestly hate it. I hate that Amelia must endure suffering to become a nun. I hate that everyone at the cathedral must suffer to take vows. We are all the children of Deus, and not once in the Vulgate does it mention we must suffer to be accepted by Deus. We just can’t be witches. So all the torture we go through is so unnecessary.

Me: What do you think you should go through then to become professed?

Oliver: A good understanding of the Vulgate is one thing, as well as Liturgy of the Hours and the inner workings of Cathedral Reims: illuminating manuscripts, caring for the plants in the green house, things of that sort. And your loyalty too through essays or prayers, but not torture.

Me: Sounds like you should be head of the Professed Order. What does a priest at Cathedral Reims do?

Oliver: Well, we can lead sermons, teach more classes, work out in the community more, hold more leadership roles, and be involved in more decision making processes than the nuns, such as creating more disciplinary actions for novitiates and things of that nature.

Me: I hear you’re actually rather persistent with Amelia. Tell us about that.

Oliver: Well, we exchange the occasional daring affection from time to time, but we will not go beyond that. No kissing either. We will never have a relationship because that is forbidden. It is Amelia’s dream to be professed, and I share in that dream with her. I want what Amelia wants.

Me: But that sounds dreadful. Isn’t it teasing?

Oliver: We’ve kept it in control for a while, and we can keep doing it. Once Amelia becomes professed, our contact will become limited, so we know our lots in life.

Me: Anything else you’d like to say?

Oliver: Nothing that won’t reveal spoilers. But I will say this: there are more witches out there than anyone can imagine. Even your best friend could be a witch.

Me: Thank you for those final words. Well, that wraps up this interview. Stay tuned next time when I speak with Nathaniel Gareth, Amelia’s younger brother!