Amelia and Jack left the temple early the next day, going back to the home Amelia's mother stayed in.
The city was large so traveling by foot would take a while, but Amelia was a native and knew the city well. With her guidance, she led Jack down various alleys to cut time off their travel.
Eventually, the two of them arrived on a street full of people.
The scene was not one a person would be used to if they were in the center of the city. Here, the homes looked lacking.
They were not built tall, nor made up of brick or stone like the other places in the city. These homes were made up of wood mostly, and looked as if they were a hundred years old.
Some of the wood was chipped, and the yards were not properly cared for.
All around you could see the painful expressions on the citizen's faces. Worn-out clothing, emotionless eyes, and the feeling that hope was all lost.
In this section of the city, these people were not rich. They could not even be considered middle-class.
Day to day, they worked hard only to barely make enough money to live through the week. Anything extra was a luxury, something none of them would be able to get.
Jack was not bothered by the view, he grew up in a village that was almost the same. These people were just living their lives, it was hard but it was something everyone had to go through.
For him, he was lucky and got out until he landed a job as a guard.
He knew that they were facing the same struggles as his family, high taxation monthly, low paying jobs and a deep fear of losing everything they held dear.
This could not even be considered part of the city, but it was.
"This way."
Amelia said as she turned down the dirt road.
"Things look different than before, it has been a while since I've been here but things are looking much better."
She commented as they walked.
Jack was not sure what her gaze was on, but the two of them were looking at two different things.
Amelia was an insider, she knew the state of this place better than him. What appeared to be a dump in his eyes, was a thriving community to her.
Yet, he said nothing and continued to follow her footsteps.
All eyes were on them, as most of these people in this region never saw a priest. Amelia's pure white clothing and transparent veil drew their attention.
To them, she was a holy entity, something they could only dream of becoming.
However, they only looked at her from a distance. No one got close in fear of being rejected.
Their king did not care for them, so why would the holy mother? If she truly rejected them, it would crush their spirits.
Amelia, however, felt bitter inside.
This was where she grew up, it was difficult to see how those who were just like her treated her.
She was not different, the only thing that changed was the path she took.
Soon, the two of them approached a small wooden home.
There was no gate to block people from coming inside or guards in place for protection.
Amelia's heart sped up as she saw the open door to her mother's home. The wooden door was broken, half hanging on its hinges.
"Mom!"
Amelia shouted as she rushed into the small house, hoping to see that her mother was alright.
Jack quickly followed.
What he saw caused his heart to stir.
He was not one to interfere with others' lives, but he definitely would not stand by and watch injustice happen.
A faint memory appeared in his head as he was forced to turn his gaze away. His hands were clenched tightly, as he gritted his teeth.
Appearing no more than forty was a woman in torn clothing laying still on the hardwood floor. Her face bruised and swollen, while her eyes were wide open with dried tear marks going down her face. She looked lost almost like the spirit in her body was spirited away.
The tan shirt she wore was cut open down the middle, revealing her two large breasts. Around her pink nipples, were teeth marks, while just below one could see the marks that were left after someone punched or kicked her.
Her long skirt was destroyed and tossed to the side, revealing her plump legs. They were flat on the ground spread, but the left was bent back. Between her legs, a clear fluid leaked.
The woman laid still. Breathing slow, barely noticeable.
Amelia cried as she raised her mother's head and held her close to her heart.
Knowing nothing of the young woman in front of him, Jack could still feel her pain. He need not know who she was, or where she was from. To him, this was disgusting beyond words.
He felt sick to his stomach but did not dare leave Amelia alone.
This was not something one should experience, but he knew it happened all the time. Yet, while the victim would be traumatized, the family members would be filled with dark thoughts.
This was something he experienced, and he knew just how bad those emotions could cloud your mind.
"A-ame...lia?"
After calling out her name constantly as if she was in a trance, her mother finally responded, but in a weakened voice.
"I'm here mom! I'm here…"
Tears were brought to the woman's eyes as she reached out to grab her daughter's hand.
"Amelia…"
She could not even begin her sentence, instead, she just shed tears in her daughter's arms.
Amelia left her a little over a year ago in hopes of becoming a priest, and she has not seen her since. Now that she has returned, this was how they met.
As a mother, she was ashamed.
Amelia's face was barely visible to her, but seeing her wear that veil and white clothing she knew that Amelia succeeded what she set out to do.