The Inquisitor's Judgement

But Elissa smiled and sighed with relief at her answer, and the three of them made their way over to the caravan to receive her recompense. The caravan master was just as armoured as his brothers and sisters, the golden halo crowning his head shining bright in the early evening sunlight. His face did not seem friendly, however, and he looked as though he was annoyed it had taken her so long to show up. Matilde suddenly realized that she might be the last person to arrive. He grabbed the paper from Sadie's hand with some aggression, read it over, and seemed dissatisfied with its content.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded in a deep voice, a vein visible on his forehead. But he dropped the issue before Matilde could even responded, a dissatisfied sigh escaping his lips. "... I must respect Miss Sadie's decision in this matter. Here, take your reward." He handed them the food supplies, intended to last an entire month. Vegetables, flour, oil, butter, cheese - even herbs and spices. Then, he reluctantly handed her a small but very expensive looking box. "Now don't go selling that the first chance you get, young lady," he insisted with a hint of vitriol. "Holding the favour of the inquisitors is worth more than some gold coins."

Elissa took the box out of Matilde's hands and opened it, gasping loudly. It was the freesia insignia of their order - a symbol of devotion to the Lady - a holy symbol of the Judgement. It was supposed to be displayed on the peasant girl's clothing - a promise from the inquisitor's to keep an eye out for you, in times of trouble. It also allowed safe passage to the capitol alongside any of their caravans, should one desire it. Was it.. An invitation? Matilde couldn't help but wonder as she stared at the emblem with a surprised expression.

"I won't ever sell it," she promised the caravan master, smiling.

That evening, when Matilde returned to her home, they spoke nothing of their Judgements. That was normal, as the acts one would have to endure was not seldom unpleasant or shameful. Matilde did not know which tasks her family had been assigned, and she didn't want to know either. But the both of them had brought back a lot of food, and alongside Matilde's own contribution, they would not go hungry this month.

But Matilde could not stop thinking of Sadie. She kept staring at the insignia as she sat in front of the fireplace, the light of the flames dancing across the polished metal. In her mind's eye she imagined Sadie was right there with her, the two of them sitting on a rug in front of the fire. But then she realized how silly that thought was. Sadie would never spend an evening in the home of a peasant; she was quite sure of that. And suddenly she wondered if the offer to take Matilde with her on her travels was a serious one, or just something she had said in the throes of passion. The inquisitors would travel to other villages, and carry out more Judgements. Maybe Miss Sadie would soon take another lover, and Matilde wasn't even on be on her mind anymore. The very thought sent a sharp stab through her heart.

As the minutes trickled by, however, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had made a horrible mistake. The longing she felt in her heart for the woman already, having only been parted for an hour or two at most, was unbearable. The mere thought of never seeing her again - of never hearing the beautiful sounds of her voice once more, or feeling her warming touch against her body - it felt like it might just destroy her from the inside.

Should she run after her? But what about her family? What would they think? Her mother was getting older, and her sister would have no chance at a better life than the one she had been given already. Matilde looked at the box in her hands again. Sadie was so generous.. But had she given her this gift because she was happy with Matilde's attentiveness to her needs, or in order to keep her safe, or.. In order to provide her with passage to come with her if she so desired? Or to come find her in the capitol in case she'd change her mind later on?

The sound of the fire cracking as it devoured the logs filled the room, drowning out the sound of Matilde's quiet tears. Matilde bit down on her lip, and squeezed the box tightly in her hands. Sadie had made her feel things she couldn't possibly begin to explain, things that were new to her, but things that she desperately wanted to understand. However, they were from two different worlds. Sadie belonged to the noble houses, and had sworn allegiance to the inquisitor's and their order. Matilde was just a peasant. A nobody. But despite that, she found herself unable to shake the image of the her face, the feeling of Sadie's skin against hers, the taste of the blonde woman's kisses upon her tongue. And as tears rolled down her cheek, she closed her eyes, thinking about all this. She realized, then, how desperately lonely she had felt before today, and how full her heart had become with thoughts of her first lover. Sighing softly, she hugged her knees to her chest, feeling the warmth of the fire against her back.

"Mom..," Matilde began hesitantly as her mother entered the room with two large wooden bowls, which were steaming with a hearty soup, "I've been thinking."

"What is it, dear?" Her mother asked, concerned. She could see the tears on her daughter's face.

Matilde thought for a moment. Then she spoke. "What would you say if I told you I've fallen in love?" she asked quietly. Her mother raised an eyebrow, but did not laugh or make fun of her. Instead, she took a seat on the carpet in front of the fire, placing the bowls of soup down between them, pushing one towards her daughter.

"I would say that you're young and that you've had a long day, full of experiences that you probably do not fully understand." Her tone wasn't judgemental or accusing. Instead, her voice sounded sympathetic and soft. "I think you'd better eat your supper and then get some rest, dear. You must be tired."

Matilde nodded. "I am.." she replied quietly. She grabbed the spoon from her bowl and started to eat her soup slowly, watching the flickering of the flames as they cast dancing shadows across the room. But despite the warmth of the fire against her skin, Matilde couldn't shake the feeling that the nights would always be cold from now on.

They ate in silence. But she couldn't stop thinking about Sadie - about what they had done together. About how her heart ached at the thought of being apart from her. And as the minutes turned to hours, she felt more and more hopeless. At any moment, the inquisitors would leave. Sadie would walk out of her life. She may never see her again. Matilde began to panic. This wasn't right! She didn't want this!

"Mom!" she cried out all of a sudden. Her mother's expression was full of worry as she looked at her daughter, startled. "I.. I can't do this.." She was close to crying again. The realization that Sadie may never return here felt like a giant weight on top of her shoulders. "I've met someone.. Someone wonderful who makes my heart feel.. like it might explode..." she trailed off. Elissa looked up from her book, and listened carefully. "I want to be by Sadie's side. If I let her leave without me, I.." she couldn't finish the sentence. She knew that if she didn't run to Sadie before it was too late, every night from then on would feel meaningless and empty, like something vital in her was missing.

"... I know that look in your eyes," Elissa said in a hushed tone, looking straight at Matilde. Her gaze was serious and intense. Then, she turned to their mother. "You have to let her go," she said sharply.

Their mother gasped, almost choking on her words. "Y.. You must be joking, Elissa..! That lady is an inquisitor, and the two of them just met!"

Elissa shook her head. "It doesn't matter whether we understand it or not, mom.. Just look at her.." She motioned to her sister, whose expression was one of utter desperation and fear. The peasant girl sat still as a statue, her face white as a sheet. "Look how much she cares for this lady. She's in love, mom. It might not make any sense to us, but if we keep her here, she'll be miserable.."

Matilde continued staring into space. It was true. It felt as though a storm had suddenly opened inside her chest - powerful and unstoppable, it raged inside her heart with relentless strength, making her want to run to Miss Sadie as fast as her legs would carry her.

Her mother looked between her daughters. Then she sighed. "I see your point. But, dear, do you really believe you can trust an inquisitor?" she asked with a frown.

Matilde thought about it for a moment, before finally nodding. "I have to try, mom," she answered, determination clear in her voice. "Please. Sadie's a good person."

"Sadie's an inquisitor.. and a woman.." their mother said with a hint of hesitation. But then, she swallowed hard. Her hands were shaking slightly. "I think you should go to bed, Matilde. Get some rest. You'll feel better in the morning. One day you'll marry a nice man and this whole day will be long forgotten." Matilde looked at her with complete disbelief, not buying a single word, and her mother saw it. "Listen, honey.. Your inquisitor friend might return next month, or some time in the future. You might see her again. And when you do, if you still feel the same way about each other.. You'll have my blessing."

A sudden smile appeared on Elissa's lips, but her mother's expression remained grim. "The Lady will protect us, and will guide your decisions," she said with a deep breath. And so Matilde did as her mother asked - she got into bed and laid down. But as she closed her eyes, images of Sadie instantly flooded her mind. It was all she could think about. Why was she still here, in her bed, when she should run to her before it was too late? She couldn't understand how she had gotten herself into this situation. If only she had the courage to listen to her own heart, instead of worrying about what everyone else around her thought.

As Matilde slipped into a sad slumber, Sadie caressed her dreams. Memories of her touch. The taste of her lips. The smell of her sweat. The sound of her moans as they made love. She dreamed that Sadie kissed her on the forehead, whispered sweet nothings into her ear, then caressed her cheek softly. Even played with her butt again.

She woke up in a cold daze, unsure of how long she had been out for. Somewhere outside, she could hear the sound of distant bells ringing. The inquisitors were leaving. The realization struck her like a thunderclap, and she hurried out of bed. But her legs would not carry her any further, and she fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. She tried pulling herself together, and screamed out to her mother and sister that she had to go. That she couldn't stay here without Sadie. She stumbled towards the door, wearing nothing but a thin linen shirt and her underclothes. Her shoes were left untied.

As Matilde made her way down the street, towards the sound the caravans leaving, her mother shouted for her to come back - telling her to realize how reckless she was being, and to think it through first. Matilde did not turn back. She couldn't. But Elissa caught up with her, embraced her sister and cried quietly into her shoulder as they shared an embrace. In her hand, she had the box with Sadie's gift - and Elissa opened it, pinning the insignia to Matilde's clothing.

"... Go get her."

And so, Matilde began running again. Away from her home - away from everything she knew, and the only family she had - as she heard the caravans fade out into the distance. She prayed silently to the Lady, begging for her blessing, for shelter against the storm within her heart, and for her to catch up with Sadie. But even if she'd make it there on time, would Miss Sadie allow her to come with them, with her stumbling through the night half-clothed like a lunatic, tears running down her face? The only thing she knew for certain was that she had to try.

She ran until her lungs were burning and her legs wanted to give out from exhaustion - and still she kept going. Her hair was dishevelled and she looked quite terrible; dirtied, sweaty, and shivering from the cold night air. But she was gaining on them. The sound of the enormous caravans was getting closer and closer, until finally - right at the edge of the forest path - she could see them there in the dark of night. She cried out for Sadie as loud as she could. Then she noticed one of the inquisitors look towards her direction, before calling out to another person in the caravan, who responded by jumping off their wagon. Matilde immediately recognized who it was. The giant wagons came to a halt.

"Miss Sadie!" she called out desperately, her footing poor and unsteady. The inquisitor smiled weakly at her, then opened up her arms and ran towards her. When their bodies finally collided with a thud, the two embraced tightly and fell down onto the hard dirt, Matilde on top of her armour-clad lover, holding each other close. And even though there were tears streaming down Matilde's cheeks, and snot was running from her nose, Sadie just held her tighter still, kissing Matilde's forehead tenderly, like she hadn't seen her for months.

"What are you doing here, little blossom?" Miss Sadie said, her voice thick with emotions. "And where are your clothes, young lady?"

Matilde couldn't find any words to answer with. She just shook her head violently back and forth, unable to explain what she felt inside, or why she was there. In that moment, nothing seemed more important than making Sadie understand, but no words seemed to do the moment justice. "I love you!" Matilde finally blurted out with a desperate sob. "I love you so much, Miss.. Please don't leave without me!" she continued, pushing herself up to stare at Sadie in earnest - her expression full of concern and fear, yet also hope. The peasant girl placed a quivering kiss on Sadie's lips, then stared into the blonde woman's eye, waiting for an answer.

But instead of giving her one, the blonde noblewoman let out a quiet sigh of relief, pulling Matilde close again, caressing her tousled hair - and just stayed like that, holding onto each other for a moment. A few of the other inquisitors approached, seemingly quite startled by this unusual display.

"... Is everything alright, Miss Sadie?" one of them finally asked.

"Yes," Sadie responded - and got on her feet, together with Matilde, holding her lover's hand in hers. "Everything is as it should be."

--- THE END ---

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed the story, kindly leave a rating and maybe a comment! If you didn't, please do let me know what I could improve upon in the future. Any constructive critique is warmly welcomed.