Her eyes followed the crack that ran along the length of the cliff to the bottom, where the water was gushing out. Tall, lush trees shaded nearly the entire area, where water lilies bloomed in abundance. There were also banana plants, an unusual sight for the mountainous island.
The Monastery of St. John stood to the east of the spring, at a distance of half of a kilometer. Anna looked amazedly at an empty bucket tied to a cable that appeared suddenly and filled with water from the spring. It was then slowly pulled up to the monastery. "Such ingenuity," she thought to herself. High above them, a young monk was reeling in the bucket from the other end. When Father Gregorios arrived at the monastery, his face was stern.
"All right," he said. "First of all, we must attend to the lady's injury." He pointed at Anna's leg. "Officer Nikolas, here, give her a shot of penicillin."
Anna nodded at Nikolas and said:
"Don't worry, Father. He will do as you say."
Nikolas took the syringe and with Anna's careful instruction, gave her the injection in her right buttock. Anna clenched her eyes as she felt the sharp sting of the needle. Then she relaxed.
"Anna, you will stay in the lower chapel with the other women," the priest told her. "Officer Nikolas, you will be with the brothers in the upper cells of the monastery."
"Very well, Father," Nikolas replied resignedly. "But please keep in mind that I must return to my ship as soon as possible." "Do you know where it is?" asked Father Gregorios.
"Either Heraklion or Souda Bay," said Nikolas. "When I left, it was in Heraklion." "We will find out," said the Father.
***
In the lower chapel the women cleaned and dressed Anna's wound and gave her a bath. Then they furnished her with local peasant clothing and head gear. Later, when Nikolas and Anna met with the monks for a light meal after evening prayer, he flirtatiously winked at her. She looked great as a peasant woman and Nikolas could not hide his admiration for her beauty.
The meal was simple: lentil soup, olives, homemade bread brought by the village women, and plenty of local red wine. After the meal, they held prayers again. It was a peaceful night. Together with the rest of the women, Anna went to the lower quarters to sleep.
The only one who was uneasy appeared to be Father Gregorios. He felt like a shepherd, knowing the wolves were coming and it was up to him to guard the flock. Noticing his uneasiness, Nikolas sat next to him and asked: