Sacred flames
In a deserted house, a group of people; both men and women were gathered with candles in their hands as they all wore a cloak that covered their heads. A large stone chair was set in the middle as sat by a middle-aged bald man on a yellow cloak exuding arrogance and authority, who was surrounded by six people who wore a purple cloak, surrounding his sides and were faced with other people who were on a red cloak with their heads lowered.
"You may step forward". The bald man's voice rang in the room.
A man and a woman stepped forward to the throne with their heads lowered as they carried with them an unconscious child of about 3 years of age.
" You can place the child down now". He instructed.
The woman did as he instructed as she shakily dropped the child on the bare ground. "Please please, don't kill her, the child's innocent". The woman said in a quavering voice that silenced the room more while the man beside her nudged the woman to keep quiet.
The bald man stood from his seat as he walked toward the couple, stopping some distance away from them. " You have some nerve to talk when you had raised a traitor as your own amidst us. Do you think you have a face to raise or the dignity to speak when we are in this gathering?". The man barked at her.
The woman fell to her knees, rubbing her hands as she sobbed. "Please my lord, I know my daughter had done the abominable but the fruit of her womb deserves no such retribution as she is innocent and just a little girl who can't discern right and wrong. She is just a little girl been brought into this awful world.
" Silence". The bald man raised his hands, stopping her from speaking as his voice echoed through the room. "Your daughter is a traitor, who deserves worse than death and unfortunately for me, she died before I could give her a taste of hell and that was a fortune to her". He continued as he shook his head in regret. " The child which she has brought into this world is abominable and must be served as a sacrifice to atone for her mother's wrong path or your generations would face the wrath of the broken oath and everyone shall know that this reformation is no child's play. His expression hardened as he spoke.
"Guards, take this child away". He instructed the armed guards.
" No, please no". The woman shouted as she sprang up immediately rubbing her hands together with tears." Please spare this child, spare her. We have raised her for 3 years now and she has shown no sign of bad blood".
"Hmph!!". The bald man harrumphed as he turned his eyes to the woman's husband." I am truly ashamed that you have a bad family. A daughter who is a traitor and a disgrace to you and your wife who is a foolish defender to the traitor- - - He paused his words when one of the men on a purple cloak approached to whisper something to him before returning to his standpoint.
Exhaling a sigh, the bald man rubbed his chin as he stared at the woman. "If leniency is the case, then it would be granted. The bald man said which raised the expression of the downcast woman.
" Thank you my Lord - -
"I am not done yet". The bald man interrupted, frowning at the woman as the woman swallowed the rest of the words in her mouth.
" She would be marked with the sacred flame and at the age of 20, no matter where she is or where she decides to flee to, the curse of the sacred flame shall bring her here to be sacrificed as an atonement to your daughter's sins and the entire reformation. Remember you cannot do anything to save her or you can choose to free her by killing her yourselves". The bald man said announced as he turned to walk back to sit on the throne, signalling the armed guards to take the unconscious child away". "Bring her to the sacred fire for the marking".
" No no no!!!!!". The woman shouted as she lunged to rescue the child before she was seized up by her husband.
"Behave, woman". The woman's husband warned as he shook her in his grip.
" Let go of me, you bastard. How could you be so monstrous to let them hurt an innocent child". The woman said as she shouted in anguish as she hit the man, struggling to get free from his clutch.
"They would kill you if you continue to oppose this decision, you have to let them do whatever is right. Be assured they won't kill her till the right time". The man said as he tightened his hold on his wife.
" No no no, I beg you in the name of God, the little child would be traumatised by this through the rest of her life. Don't do this to her, please". The woman continued to beg, holding his collar as she saw the leader dispersing with everyone with the armed guards who carried the little child as a leper.
The leader stopped before he turned to stare at the woman. "There's no need for compassion when she would soon be killed in a few years to come". He uttered as he turned to leave with the rest.
" Noooo!!!, dear please go after them. Let them take me instead, tell them to let the child go". The woman shouted as she attempted to wiggle out of the man's hold.
"Behave, woman". The man said with no sympathy for the child as he dragged the woman through the old door.
" No, no, no. Let go of me, you monster, tell them to stop and seize me instead. "Tell them to release my grandchild". The woman shouted in misery as her voice died down with the breeze of the night.