Chapter 8
"The princess has been praying for the wellbeing of our warriors so intently. I admire her kindness. It reminds me of her mother."
"Bless her soul. She must be looking down at her daughter proud of how she raised the princess. The king did not deserve Anne."
"Ssh, do you want to be killed? Let us go and stop staring at the princess," one of the villager women said before dragging the other off to look for their children on the outside.
Unaware of the people around her speaking about what she was doing Amelia continued to pray.
’If you let her child be a girl, I promise to give up my sarcastic remarks. No, that won’t be easy. It’s in my blood for me to be sarcastic. I will give up my comebacks to my father. No, I can’t do that either. Forgive me if this comes off as rude. If Annabelle’s child is a girl, I will increase the number of funds sent to the orphanage the same day I get the news. Please listen to my words and grant them,’ she prayed, bowing over and over.
’Please protect our warriors out at war and send them home to their loved ones safely. Hear their cries and grant their wishes. Thank you for listening,’ she kept the promise she told the old man.
Amelia opened her eyes once she was finished praying and looked up at the statue of Gods surrounded by candles in the temple. Hopefully one of them would grant her prayer or they might hurt her for wishing someone had a certain gender baby.
They had not listened to her request for her father to choke and die. Why did the Gods have to be so merciful? Didn’t they see how much people had to suffer for keeping one man from dying?
Amelia stood up from the floor with grace and gave one final bow to the statue before turning to leave the temple before she might run into the priest. With her back turned to the statues, Amelia wasn’t able to witness candles blowing out around the statue of Eris, Goddess of chaos and discord, before becoming lit by themselves again.