A maid’s past #2

Aiena's Pov~

While being witnessed by people we know and do not know we were going towards church square, I am still sad, but tears have all dried up just moving towards church. The kids are no longer throwing stones. Mama is still bleeding but we keep going.

After an hour or so we reached the entrance of the church. One paladin came towards us and move his hands toward mama. I did not want to see mama getting more beaten. I bury my face in mama's belly but that did not happen.

The paladin unlocks the chains that were binding us. But mama still kept hugging me. We were moved towards a priestess who was standing at the side of the gate. She shined our body with Holy light orb.

"The orb does not reject them, they are innocent," the priestess said

"My husband, where is my husband? " mama shouted at the priestess. I was confused and do not know what to say or do I keep hugging mama

"You will meet him soon. Let me heal you first, Mrs. Fernsby"

Mama becomes quiet. I was staring at the priestess, whose face looked full of kindness but still, despair did not leave my heart. It was as if something bad was going to happen. The priestess put the holy orb necklace back on and while holding it chant,

"By the power of holy light, heal their wounds with you might heal,"

She used a normal minor miracle to heal mama's bleeding head. Then paladin surrounds us again and takes us inside the church once my face turned towards the church square.

I could not stop my feet I run with all my might "papa, I missed you why did you not come home why" my papa was bound in the middle of church square by a miracle he looked so much in pain why would they bound my papa what wrong did he ever did my papa was not evil my mom also ran behind me and hugged papa

"Dear, why why did they call you evil god worshipper!? Why did you not return home tell me?"

"I cannot explain anything, dear; it is the condition they put on me. Let it go with the flow this is the only way to save Aiena,"

"You disappeared for a week and now that I see you, you would not answer me. What am I supposed to do!? why do they call you evil god follower? why!?"

"Dear I cannot explain if I do Aiena will also be in trouble, just for Aiena please I love you both remember it"

While mama and papa were talking, people start coming into the square. Lord Viscount arrived too, he was looking sad. But other people were either looking us at with disgust or anger. Then the high priest uncle from church who used to give lectures once a month in church school came and said something in a paladin's ear

"The Rite of Mercy will start in 5 minutes priestess set the square up," said the paladin

The priestess from earlier with other priestess came and moved us away from papa. Everyone was shouting kill him some people throw rocks at papa. Mama move my face towards her so I would not see it. My once dried eyes began to cry again and then the High priest came in front of papa and, shouted

"This person is a follower; of the Evil God, he was found associating with a suspicious person by Holy knight with the power of flames bestowed upon by goddess. Holy knight could sense evil in him. He apprehended him and brought him to church last week we checked his status and also tested him using the Holy light orb. Status showed a skill that can only be bestowed by Evil God and cannot be trained by human means and Holy orb rejected him" saying this High priest gestured toward people and soon everyone began to shout kill him, kill the Heretic, he does not deserve to live and set an example.

I did not want papa to die. I prayed to Light Goddess inside my mind. But my prayed would not be answered.

High priest gesturing everyone to be quiet turn his hand towards my papa,

"Even though he is a follower of Evil god, he is a human as we all know that once a human turn into a follower of Evil God, he is consumed from inside by the skill he carries if he ever tries revealing anything about it and it is most painful death one could have. So, we will carry out the Rite of mercy because Light Goddess is benevolent and merciful even to those who rejected her,"

At this, all the people fell silent. The High priest ask my mama to come forward and she did what he said. Once mama was near father and High priest he shouted

"To make an example out of this Rite of mercy wife of the Heretic will also be punished," shouting he put a slave collar on my mama's neck and continued

"This is a time-limited slave collar. She will have to make up for his husband's wrongdoings at Castle's Light Goddess Church serving for 10 years where she will not be able to meet any family member during the duration. As mercy we gave her the right to live in priestesses house and that her movement will not be bound to words in 1 km area surrounding the Castle's Church,"

Saying this he calls the priestess who was taking away my mama "NOOOO, mama please don't go mama" I shouted at this my mama looked back at me smiling with eyes full of tears, and said "Take care, Aiena we will meet after 10 years promise mama you will grow to be a good girl" I tried to run towards mama but I was pulled back by the paladin and I saw my mama leave she was crying.

And then High priest started speaking again while people were focused on my father and viscount was looking troubled

"The daughter of Heretic will not be given any punishment at the will of Merciful Holy knight"

At this, the bad paladin who burned our house earlier raised his sword upwards and everyone started cheering he was Holy knight a person that bad was said holy my mama was snatched away and I somehow knew now papa will be punished and people were already demanding him to be killed.

Whenever I remember it, my tears do not stop how why Papa is a good person why these people do not notice this is wrong? I kept crying but I can not speak or shout. My throat was hurting from all of the tears.

"Now, we wish for Lord Viscount to take the heretic's daughter to him and have a talk with him relating to his daughter's future. This is the mercy he requested before his execution."

To be continued~