78 Questions of the sly fox- Part 1 (1/2)

The church bells rang loudly through the entire town. In the church, Heidi sat down, knees touching the ground and hands that were folded in prayer. Her eyes were closed, her brows furrowed as she spoke her concerns through her mind to God.

After her prayer, she stood up and turned around to see Lord Nicholas talking to a local family of the town at the back. It wasn't hard to spot the man, not because the church had very few visitors but because he held a commanding presence and appearance. The grey fur which he currently wore stood out. Only a person of a high status could afford such a high quality of cloak. For a common man, he would have to slit many throats of elites to acquire something like this. Both the family and the lord bowed, the family bowing at Heidi which she responded with a bow and a smile.

It was the time of evening, the sky resembling a painting she had seen in the mansion with different colors splashed on it. Normally she was escorted with a guard and a maid during her visit to any town. She couldn't visit the church last week as her mind had been occupied with various things and when she decided to visit it, the lord had dismissed the guard and maid, taking their place. Before the engagement he had been nothing but busy, always cooped in his study room or outside the mansion. She didn't know why he had accompanied her here when he wasn't going to pray.

Her heart was filled with mixed emotions as she made her way towards him. She was happy and at the same time the feeling of uncertainty lingered in her mind. The night of the engagement had replayed in her mind to the point that it had marked a certain part of her mind, not letting her forget what happened between them. More than a week had passed since then yet there were moments at night when she remembered the man who had held her so close like no other in her life. His words resonating in her ears which was still hard for her to believe.

Frankly she didn't know what she wanted anymore. No it wasn't that she didn't know but she was failing to acknowledge it. One side of her wanted to be selfish but the other side told her how wrong it was. Even if she did embrace it, what would happen next? It was hard to understand what Nicholas was thinking at any point of time, he confused her with his words and actions. And she was becoming weak to his words. It worried her. Worried about what the future was going to be.

”Done already? I thought you had something to confess,” Nicholas asked when Heidi slowed down her footsteps to a halt, to stand in front of him.

”I don't believe that these walls could hold back the secrets I whisper,” she answered.

”Do you doubt the priest? Is it because of the land?” he asked her curious as they began to walk outside the church.

Heidi shook her head, ”I just don't believe in general. Confessions can be sometimes used against you.”

”Care to put more light on it?”

”In a town which wasn't mine in Woville, there was priest like any other. Once a young woman confessed her problems in the church, she was a widow who lost her husband at an early time of marriage, abandoned by her parents as she had eloped with the man whom her family was against. One day when the young woman had only finished her work in the fields, she was violated by the man on her way home,” she explained.

”He wasn't a white witch,” Nicholas concluded to see surprise cross across her face.