Chapter 25- The first meeting with Aunt Belladona

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Everything had an ending, even the stairs commissioned by hell. Thankfully, we reached the end at the right time, since I was almost dying from lack of breath. Jenni, however, looked calm and collected as always.

I watched her in disbelief,  thinking, for a second, she was a robot and not a human.

Due to the heat and the heavy effort, my eyes started to feel less lively. My dazed looks attracted Jenni's attention and she let out an encouraging smile my way before worry started to crawl in.

"Ladies of the Mountnero house, please proceed to the main temple." Said a man's voice.

When I looked up, I saw a young-looking priest with a friendly face. He was in at our front, shielding us from the sun and pointing to the big marble building that blinded people with its reflection.

I thought we would get some help, but instead, the idiot just stayed put, pointing to the fucking building.

I know where that shit is... anyone with two cells can see a white, big, and pompous building and think...Uhm... maybe... it's the temple!

Instead of helping two obvious tired children, he just looked at us with that stupid smile of his. Unhelpful jerk.

I so wanted to punch him, but couldn't... not only because of the trouble I would get by doing it, but also because I lacked the strength to do it. Instead, I just pushed forward, hoping dearly that when I reached the temple I could just sit for a while.

While I walked, my inner sailor let out all the obscenities that I could think to call that priest, the duke, and these temple people...

At the entrance, two closed golden doors were between us and the Temple and our finishing line.
Out of nowhere, two priests come to open them and let us inside. I got surprised at how two skinny dudes were able to take on such heavy doors. But was not the most surprising thing this day would bring.

Reaching inside I was filled with a fresh breeze and my tiredness disappeared. Confused, but refreshed I looked around the temple, the one called the jewel of the Sun Empire's faith.

Similar to the outside, it was made of marble, however, in here there was water everywhere. It was falling from the top of the ceiling to the small pools below. The sides of the building had an abundance of water flowing everywhere. Next to the pools were benches that sprout out of the ground. They were of marble as well, not comfortable but aesthetically pleasing.

In the middle was a path that led to two side golden doors from each side, and the most prominent figure of the Religion. A statue of the Goddess, enormous and with a pool at her feet. The same pool that connected to the side pools and all the water in the temple. She looked like a calm figure with a flower crown, a scepter on the right hand, and a shield on the other.

For some reason, it gave me chills and a perception that she looked quite sad. I didn't like it or any of this...

But there's was no way around it, so I let Jenni push me forward.

I noticed then a figure praying near the feet of the Goddess. With her back on us, I couldn't see much, only a white drippy dress, the flower crown, and that familiar blonde hair color.

Well, not much question as to whom that lady was. Time to meet aunt Belladona.

As we reached closer, something may have ticked her off and she got up and turned to us. I saw then those same cold blue eyes, as the Duke. They made me freeze in my tracks instantly.

She noticed my reluctance into moving forward. As a reassurance act, she gave me a warm smile, and her stance got inviting.

"My dear nieces. Come to my side and leave your baskets here. I am sure it is heavy." She pointed at her side, talking gracefully. The Priestess indeed resembled the idiotic Duke. The Mountnero genes sure were strong.

I noticed Jenni walking to the right side of Aunt Belladona, calm as usual and greeting the lady. However, I stayed put, thinking that not even the aunt was willing to help a small child carry this shitload... I was indignant and, to be honest, unsure of what to think of Aunt Belladona.

"Oh dear, I may have scared you with my expression before, but that is only because I was expecting your father to have come as well. Instead, he is avoiding his sister, as always." She again gave a warm smile, which made her look even more jovial than ever. Well, she looked quite young already, even though Aunt Belladona was older than the Duke by 12 years.

The High Priestess looked very much like she was in her 20s though I was sure she would have been more than forty.

Dazed at her beauty and smile, I continued to stay put, until I caught the worried look of Jenni. It was then that I started to move to Aunt Belladona's left side.

"You girls must have cursed your way up the stairs, having to carry something so heavy." She said while I moved my way next to her.

I shot a glance at her, surprised that she got it right away. Not that I would admit it, but I scared she could read my mind. Jenni shocked, said a Lady would never do such things, to which the High Priestess just laughed.

"Oh dear, indeed you are the perfect lady. Just like your mother." A hint of sadness filled her face before she returned to her smile and her glance at me. "When I did it, I cursed my way up the stairs, thinking the priests were awful people for letting a small child carry such heavy load."

I pretended to be busy with something to avoid her glance, and just sat next to her at the Goddess's feet, near the water. The silence was your friend on these occasions.

"I didn't understand what it all meant back then. And I am sure you neither. Girls, by the grace of the Goddess you were born in a good home where you will have everything given to you. So today is the day you shall make a sacrifice and push yourself in order to understand the pain and the suffering others have to through. Things the Goddess had to go through to save us all. It teaches you that under the Goddess you're equal, because the more you have, the harder will be your way up." She told with a serious face, but with a nice tune in her voice.

I looked at her and was in disbelief. Way to butter the pay up they received from the families, by making it seem the children were learning a "valuable lesson".

Sure that Aunt Belladona didn't want to have a religious discussion with me, only preaching, I just gave a smile in return.

It made her happy and I was sure I would be free of any more preaching.

No more preaching, please!

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