Iniquity [HS]

Chapter I.

"We are truly sorry for your loss, Celestria." A woman came up to her, extending her arms to hold her palms. She nodded, forcing a little smile. Her eyes were pointed down to the wet ground. The rain was pouring sadness in the dirt. The trees were whispering all the secrets her mother couldn't tell her. She loved her mother with everything she had. With everything she was.

The woman moved her hands and cupped her face. "It's going to be okay." Celestria stared blankly behind the old woman's shoulder. Her eyes unfocused for a moment staring at someone's back. A beautiful back. She thought. But her thoughts disappeared effortlessly, in just a second. She was too devastated to think about that sort of things. About psychical attraction. She wanted to dissappear in that moment. She was not ready for all the false, rich, sadness and empathy that was about to come after her mother's funeral. At all.

An old man spoke loudly. "I think we should start now." He had a lot of power in those lungs. Celestria was not sure, but he could not be younger than eighty years old. She sighed when the woman clenched her fingers on her wrist firmly, dragging her into the church. The smell of candles and incense wasn't unpleasant, however it was too much for her nostrils. The elder woman followed her everywhere, holding her upper arm.

People were slowly entering the church and closing their umbrellas.
There were people she did not even know that well. Strangers even. All were filthy rich. Her mother was loved and appreciated everywhere. She was a kind soul. Celestria smiled for herself a little.

The old priest came out of the altar and started the ceremony. She was next to her mother's cold head. She lifted her arm and opened her clenched fist, then withdrew her hand hesitantly. Celestria had the courage to touch her mother. Every human in that long hall they were calling a church stayed aside, with their hands in their pockets or glued to their coats, beside their body. Even her grandparents stayed away. But it was maybe because Celestria was her daughter. And the only one who knew her truly. She was frightened for a good second. Then she closed her eyes and sighed. Her mother was freezing cold. She could easily see blue veins going up from her neck to her head and around her eyes. Her lips were a cold violet. She bowed her head a little and left out a sigh followed by a tear. Only one.

Then she looked up, her palm still on her mother's beautiful head. Celestria's expression was unreadable. She was just staring forward. Then she noticed the beautiful back again. She swallowed, hoping the thought will go away. And then she started breathing heavily, still looking forward to the beautiful back. Her lungs were about to explode. She couldn't stop her thoughts this time.

He cannot be a priest. She thought. But what did she know about priesthood? He was dressed differently. His priestly vestments were a rubious velvet, while the other priests were wearing a black material with gold embroidery. But she could only see his back. Her thoughts were fighting in her head. She could not think about that. Not at her mother's funeral, not anymore. She shook her head gently, while the corners of her mouth curved subtlety.Turn to me angel. She thought. Her heart won this time. Make me a sinner.

"Celestria," Her heart skipped a few beats. She took her hand away from her mother and turned her head rapidly to see who just touched her shoulder. Her grandmother. "We thought we should leave you with her for a few minutes before.." She stopped her grandmother with a rapid nod. She did not notice the end of the mass. Or the start. When she turned her head to the altar he was already gone. The rich people of Bladeshire started to leave, heading to the enormous cemetery behind the church. Her entire genealogical tree was buried there. Six generations of the Evans family to be precise. Each generation lasted approximately eighty-five years.

After everyone left, her head leaned back and her eyes darted at the humongous chandeliers filled with tapered burning candles. But what took her attention was the angelic painting representing the birth of Jesus. He was surrounded by angels and happiness was spreading all over the world. That's how she felt when she was with her mother. Surrounded by angels and happiness.

After a blink, she remembered where she was and looked down. She kneeled next to her mother and started brushing her thumb against her forehead. She somehow managed to make a warm spot on it. Celestria did not considered thinking about the people that could hear her, she did not care about any of those rich people. "My beautiful mama." She spoke. For the first time since her mother passed. Her eyes flooded and her face turned a little red. Her head was hurting, so was her heart.  

"I love you." She whispered, the echo of the church making her words sadder. She could feel her heart sink, closing itself with locks and chains.

"She seemed lovely." A manly voice echoed in the empty church. Celestria moved her sight to where the voice came from. She immediately locked eyes with the man standing exactly in front of the altar. He looked angelic. His long brown hair was down, laying gracefully on his back. His green eyes were sparkling in the sun that had just won the fight with the rain. Sunlight danced on his face like the most graceful ballerina. He was staying there, giving her a kind smile. A warm one. As if he tried to comfort her grieved heart. He had dimples. His face had foreign yet beautiful features she could not figure out how they made her feel. He was holding a handful of long thick candles. She was distracted by his rings. She shook her head immediately when she realized what she was doing. Celestria turned her head back to her mother, trying to ignore his presence. She could not do this. She wasn't allowed.

Her mother's forehead was now not as cold as before. She smiled a bit. Steps were capable of being heard by her eardrums. The sound of heavy shoes on that marble floor made her shiver. As soon as she placed her knuckles on the ground to lift herself up, her shoulder felt a firm and warm touch. He leaned on her and kneeled down next to Celestria and her beloved mother.

Her heart skipped a lot of beats. Celestria moved her head on the opposite direction, to avoid his eyes. His gaze was all over her. He extended his arm and turned her face to his with two fingers on her chin. She was still avoiding his glance, looking down at the red velvet carpet that made perfect contrast with his priestly vestments. Then it hit her. It was him. It was his beautiful back.

She lifted her gaze to catch his. He seemed concerned in the most beautiful and caring way. However she was probably just hallucinating from pain. It affected her a little. Maybe a little too much than she thought it would. He is a stranger. Someone who is probably married even. She can not be a homewrecker.

"You are a priest." She spoke, barely separating her lips. Though, he still managed to hear her words. Her head moved again the other way, causing his fingertips to lose her chin.

"Yes, I am. And my job is to listen to people who suffer, to sinners and the ones who are guilty to God." Celestria gave him a side look. "Now tell me, handmaid of the Lord. Who are you?" He spoke, reaching for her face, firmly brushing his thumb against her cheek. "Is this a religious moment or are you flirting with me?" She opened her mouth. His face was unreadable and he tilted his head waiting for a response.

God, her thoughts were fighting again. Is it the way his green eyes are gazing all over me? The way his rings are freezing against my cheek? Or the way,

"I am sinner." She spoke, letting her eyelids fall over her eyes. She rested her head onto his warm palm a few seconds, then she realized that what she was doing was wrong.

"Excuse me." Celestria stood up on her legs and started walking towards the wooden doors.

Bladeshire's church was a long and large room, filled with paintings of Saints and angels. The space between every window was reserved for candelabras. The only source of light when the sun wasn't present. On the way to the door, against the walls, chairs were placed for elder believers. The floor was all marble, pure marble. A long red carpet was placed in the center, from the door to the altar. The same gold embroidery that was sewn on the priestly vestments, was also on the edge of the carpet.

"Who are you really?" He repeated his question loudly, the echo made his words reach her ears in a second. The sound of her heels echoed along with his voice. Then she stopped and turned to face him.

"A sinner." Her words echoed through the walls. He smiled to himself and whispered as she opened the doors and left the echoing room. "I know."

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A/N : i hope you're enjoying this <3.