The Children Of Sins

LILIUM5

Vanrick had never seen the Man in this state before. He jumped, he ran. He sang and danced. For the first time, Vanrick heard the Man laugh, but it was not for him. It was for the Woman. There was love in his eyes, but it was not for him. It was for the Woman.

The Man, besotted with her, fed her and watched her sleep. Vanrick was careful not to show himself to her. After four days, she spoke. And the first word she uttered was his name. Vanrick. She called and called, crying. It was painful, but the Woman sat up on her bed. She hugged him tightly and generously showered him with kisses. She made him tell her the thirteen years of his life, but he kept silent.

Every day, the Man carried the Woman to the meadows and the edge of the Forest. Every single time, the Woman made sure that Vanrick came along as well. She was nice to him. The couple sang songs and she tried to teach Vanrick some, but he never opened his mouth. The Man, of course, never took notice of anything else but his wife. He never spoke a word to his son. Vanrick hated himself for disliking something that made the Man incredibly happy. He was confused.

Some villagers who saw the Woman, trembled in fear of being cursed. Word soon spread. People began leaving. The village became as silent as a graveyard.

As usual, the Man sat the Woman on a huge rock and wandered off to collect her favourite berries and flowers. Vanrick sat far away from her, polishing his bow. He felt the Woman observing him.

"There she is, the filthy witch! Get her!"

Two men appeared. One carried a torch and a large wooden cross while the other had a sharp knife. The Woman stood up shakily. Vanrick was annoyed. He realised that she was trying to cover him.

She told them that she was not a witch, but the men disregarded her words and pointed the cross in her direction. Weakly wobbling forward, the Woman begged them to leave her family alone and promised to move out of the village.

The two men were slightly panicked by her movement. God wanted her dead, they yelled. In rage, Vanrick shot an arrow at their feet when they approached with their weapons aimed at the Woman. Another arrow parted one of the men's hair. Shouting curses, the men ran away. One of them threw his torch at the Woman before disappearing from sight. She stumbled backwards and lost her footing. She escaped the fire but fell seven feet over a cliff. Leaves rustled.

Worried, Vanrick rushed to the edge of the cliff. He looked down. A shed buck's antler penetrated the very womb that had held him for nine months.

It was difficult to accept, but Vanrick saw that all she had desired was for him to be happy. With tears running down his cheeks, for her, he gave his brightest smile before her eyes closed.