(These events took place on a brief trip that was time skipped for sake of roleplay.)
The crack of the whip and the cries of pain reached her ears as she pushed through the crowd. The deep purple cloak covered her from head to about knee level as she escaped into a side street.
Panting gently, she slumped against the stonewall and pressed a hand to chest, her midsection heaving with each breath. Hot tears began to roll down her face and as she swiped away at them, she pushed herself upwards and kept moving.
"...SHE IS NO BETTER THAN I! WHY HAVEN'T YOU CAPTURED HER AS WELL?" A pained voice shouted from the direction she had come, but she simply kept going. She had to keep moving, away from her family and away from the once lover, she had betrayed.
Darcie's eyes opened and she raised her head from her reverie. She gazed up at the furnished alter in her family's private chapel. Her knees rested upon the kneeler as she leaned her head down on the back of the pew in front of her.
The sound of wood creaking and a soft sigh caused her to straighten and turn.
"H-holy father…"
"Good morning child or so I believe it is just morning now…" Rumbled the elderly Reverend who smiled warmly towards Darcie, who in turn glanced toward the window. The sun had just begun to rise, signaling that it was just about daybreak.
"What brings you here so early? Mass doesn't start for many hours yet." He leaned back in the pew, gazing toward her, his smile still ever warm.
Darcie frowned and turned slightly so she could see the man more clearly.
"Recalling past events, Holy Father… My… Own misdeeds."
"Misdeeds? Care to speak of them, my dear?"
Her frown deepened as she considered this question before gently nodding and speaking again.
"I… Despite so many forgiving me for it, I still feel responsible for the death of… Someone I once loved."
"Did you have an actual hand in their death?"
"W-well no, but…"
"But what my dear child? The blame resides elsewhere. Not with you."
"But I… Still feel that if it weren't for me, they'd… Be still alive." She looked away from the holy man, looking toward the altar and sighing heavily. Her shoulders slumped and she clasped her hands together, thumbs rubbing absently against each other.
The Reverend frowned and leaned forward, looking carefully at Darcie before speaking again.
"You appear as if you carry the world upon your shoulders, my dear child. Drop your burdens and look to the Spirit. Ask for guidance, for forgiveness." He said softly and reached into the pocket of his robes, retrieving a beaded rosary and offering it out to her.
She hesitantly held out her hand and the man cupped her hand with his free hand and dropped the rosary beads into her palm and closed her fingers around them. Darcie looked towards the man, ocean blue eyes searching a pair of forest green ones.
The man smiled and gently squeezed her hand before releasing his grip upon her.
"Pray child and the Spirit will listen. That is where you will find the forgiveness, guidance and all answers you need. Pray for the people you have wronged and those who have wronged you. But most of all, pray for your own self. Lower your burdens. The Spirit is always with you, my child." The Reverend rose from the pew, bowing his head slightly toward the altar before moving to exit into the sacristy.
Darcie opened her palm and gazed down at the rosary she held. Her thumb rubbed over the beads slowly before she turned and lowered herself to the kneeler once more.
Closing her eyes firmly, she shifted the rosary and began to thumb over one bead at a time, her lips moving in silent prayer.
She had never truly been the most religious of Ailors, but that would change in the coming months. She had found the will to forgive herself after nearly a year. She would no longer carry the world upon her shoulders. The guidance she sought was in front of her this whole time and she would do as the Spirit commanded.
She would change. Perhaps for the better.
The crack of the whip and the cries of pain reached her ears as she pushed through the crowd. The deep purple cloak covered her from head to about knee level as she escaped into a side street.
Panting gently, she slumped against the stonewall and pressed a hand to chest, her midsection heaving with each breath. Hot tears began to roll down her face and as she swiped away at them, she pushed herself upwards and kept moving.
"...SHE IS NO BETTER THAN I! WHY HAVEN'T YOU CAPTURED HER AS WELL?" A pained voice shouted from the direction she had come, but she simply kept going. She had to keep moving, away from her family and away from the once lover, she had betrayed.
Darcie's eyes opened and she raised her head from her reverie. She gazed up at the furnished alter in her family's private chapel. Her knees rested upon the kneeler as she leaned her head down on the back of the pew in front of her.
The sound of wood creaking and a soft sigh caused her to straighten and turn.
"H-holy father…"
"Good morning child or so I believe it is just morning now…" Rumbled the elderly Reverend who smiled warmly towards Darcie, who in turn glanced toward the window. The sun had just begun to rise, signaling that it was just about daybreak.
"What brings you here so early? Mass doesn't start for many hours yet." He leaned back in the pew, gazing toward her, his smile still ever warm.
Darcie frowned and turned slightly so she could see the man more clearly.
"Recalling past events, Holy Father… My… Own misdeeds."
"Misdeeds? Care to speak of them, my dear?"
Her frown deepened as she considered this question before gently nodding and speaking again.
"I… Despite so many forgiving me for it, I still feel responsible for the death of… Someone I once loved."
"Did you have an actual hand in their death?"
"W-well no, but…"
"But what my dear child? The blame resides elsewhere. Not with you."
"But I… Still feel that if it weren't for me, they'd… Be still alive." She looked away from the holy man, looking toward the altar and sighing heavily. Her shoulders slumped and she clasped her hands together, thumbs rubbing absently against each other.
The Reverend frowned and leaned forward, looking carefully at Darcie before speaking again.
"You appear as if you carry the world upon your shoulders, my dear child. Drop your burdens and look to the Spirit. Ask for guidance, for forgiveness." He said softly and reached into the pocket of his robes, retrieving a beaded rosary and offering it out to her.
She hesitantly held out her hand and the man cupped her hand with his free hand and dropped the rosary beads into her palm and closed her fingers around them. Darcie looked towards the man, ocean blue eyes searching a pair of forest green ones.
The man smiled and gently squeezed her hand before releasing his grip upon her.
"Pray child and the Spirit will listen. That is where you will find the forgiveness, guidance and all answers you need. Pray for the people you have wronged and those who have wronged you. But most of all, pray for your own self. Lower your burdens. The Spirit is always with you, my child." The Reverend rose from the pew, bowing his head slightly toward the altar before moving to exit into the sacristy.
Darcie opened her palm and gazed down at the rosary she held. Her thumb rubbed over the beads slowly before she turned and lowered herself to the kneeler once more.
Closing her eyes firmly, she shifted the rosary and began to thumb over one bead at a time, her lips moving in silent prayer.
She had never truly been the most religious of Ailors, but that would change in the coming months. She had found the will to forgive herself after nearly a year. She would no longer carry the world upon her shoulders. The guidance she sought was in front of her this whole time and she would do as the Spirit commanded.
She would change. Perhaps for the better.
