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Mariana sat by the fire, watching Metztli. She couldn't believe everything that had progressed. Mariana feared the worst when Esteban told her that Padre Federico may have done something to her. She hoped Esteban made it before the Padre did anything else. 

"Mmmnnggh..." Metztli was slowly waking up.

Mariana stood, walked, and sat beside the young woman. "Metztli?"

"Nnnooo...get away..."

"Metztli, it is I, Mariana, you're safe, child." 

Mariana gently put her hand over Metztli's, making her violently flinch and sit up in the bed. "No, get away from me! Away! Away! Away!" Metztli slapped Mariana's hand away. 

Mariana flinched from the slap, but she couldn't blame her. "Metztli, please, calm down! It's me, Mariana! You're safe! Esteban saved you! Please calm down!"

Metztli frantically looked at her surroundings. The door suddenly opened, and Guillermo entered. "Madre, are you alright!?"

"Do not come closer, Guillermo." She focused on Metztli, who was hyperventilating. Mariana gently held onto Metztli's face. "Take deep breaths, look at me. It is I, Mariana. Remember?" 

Metztli looked around and realized that she wasn't in the church and noticed Mariana. "M-Mariana? How...?" she said while shakingly holding her elder's hands.

"Esteban brought you to me from the church. You are safe. Try to calm yourself." Mariana looked at her son, "Guillermo, please leave us and help make breakfast." Guillermo looked as if he was about to argue, but with one glare from his mother, he knew that it was best not to argue. He left and closed the door. Mariana slowly sat back down on the edge of the bed. "Esteban told me some things, but he wouldn't elaborate. Did...Padre Federico, do something to...?" The mention of his name made Metztli violently flinch again. "I shall not ask you again. If you wish to tell me, then you may do so, if not, then-"

"He's a monster..." Metztli said in a faint whisper. 

"What?"

"Monster..."

"A monster? You speak of him, right?"

Metztli put her legs in front of her and held them together. The memory of that couple being forced to have sex made her skin crawl violently. "H-He forced them..."

"Forced them?"

"The small house, on the table, and..."

Mariana closed her eyes, shaking her head, knowing what Metztli wanted to tell her. "There is no need for you to speak more of what you saw. Now, I know what you saw."

Metztli slowly looked at Mariana. "You knew? You knew what he was doing?"

Mariana sighed. "Victoriano told me what many of the Padres have done to our people. He didn't find out until one day a couple told them what one of the Padres forced them to do in front of them. That building you went to was described in previous confessions by our people."

"A-Are you saying that the Padres force our people to...?"

"Yes, but Victoriano ordered such an act to be banned, for it is a sin. It was difficult for him to get the other Bishops to agree, but the others relented. Padre Federico would seem to disobey the order." Mariana gently touched Metztli's hair. "I'm sorry that you had to see such a thing."

A knock on the door echoed in the room, making the women slightly flinch. "Mariana, it is I. May I enter?"

"You may enter, Victoriano."

The door opened, and Victoriano appeared. He entered as he closed the doors behind him; everyone was silent. Metztli didn't look at him; she was still traumatized from everything that had occurred. The Bishop slowly walked toward the women, where Mariana got off the bed; he sat beside Metztli. "Esteban told me what happened. You are not hurt, are you?"