Ava finally went home after hours of weeping. She emerged from the water and dashed toward the gate. Ava stood rooted to the ground when she saw Queen Natasha, Amelia, and a group of women looking directly at her. Her heart began to hammer against her chest, and her mind was in a total mess as she didn't know what to say or do.
Natasha's eyes welled with tears and disappointment when she noticed the blood smear on Ava's face and skin. She slowly approached her, shaking her head. "Tell me, this was all a dream." She muttered.
Ava couldn't look Natasha in the eyes; never had she seen tears in her eyes. Even when she was going through a difficult time, she never cried, but there she was, standing in front of her, her eyes brimming with tears. She had made a mistake she didn't want her to make; she had disappointed her, and not only that, but she'd also broken the law of the land. What have I done? In anguish, her heart twisted.
Natasha raised her hand angrily and smacked Ava in her face, exclaiming, "How could you do this to me?" Her lips trembled as her tears threatened to spill freely down her cheeks. "I warned you severally!" She said with clenched teeth.
Ava burst out into tears as she fell to her knees. She found no words to beg for her sin because she believed it was unforgivable.
Amelia ran toward them and held Natasha's arms, crying as she pleaded with her to stop scolding her. The women glared at Ava as if she was a forbidden fruit in their mist.
"She could no longer live in this realm, my queen; she had to leave." One of them yelled with malice.
"Yes!" The women yelled in agreement. "She is no longer pure and can't stay among the pure ones. She is forbidden because she will be a stain on us."
"No! No!" Ava shook her head, looking up at Natasha for help. "Mother, no! No!" She wept.
"My queen, we can't listen to the voice of a sinner; she betrayed us, and she had to depart."
Natasha closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. She loved Ava so much that she didn't want to lose her. She had been like a daughter to her since her mother's death, and she had taken good care of her.
Ava was the former Queen, Queen Matar's, daughter. She had to leave her daughter with Natasha since she had a mission to go for in the human world. But Matar didn't complete it; she was killed.
Natasha remembered how Matar had helped her and sheltered her in her kingdom. She knew Ava couldn't get her mother's memories away from her mind since her death. She had wanted to visit her mother's grave in the human realm since she wasn't buried in her kingdom.
Natasha sighed heavily; her heart full of bitterness. She worried about what could happen to Ava if she was sent out of the kingdom. She had no family nor helper there. How does she cope? The other world was so filled with evil; how would Ava avoid it if she was alone? She was just a queen with no real power but had to follow what her people wanted. The true power was not with her but with her people. She wanted to know what had happened to Ava. She believed something must have happened to her in the other world, but no one was willing to listen to her story, nor would they allow her to speak.
Natasha's face grew pale as she stared down at Ava. Her heart sank as she thought of nothing to help her.
"You've stained your hands with blood and broken the rules." Natasha's lips trembled as she spoke. A few seconds of silence passed by before Natasha finally proclaimed her judgment.
"You will be banished out of the kingdom." Natasha walked away without turning to face her as she said her judgment. It was such a deep wound for her to part with her; she didn't want her to go and never knew what she would do if she turned around and looked at her tearful face. She could hear the sound of her painful tears, which continued to echo in Natasha's head as she walked away.
"Oh-no!" Amelia cried as the women rushed toward Ava, pushing her out of the gate. "No! Ava!"
Ava's heart sank as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She knew this would be the end of everything. She had to accept her faith, she thought with a sweet bitter smile, and prepare for the new life awaiting her in an unknown land.
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