Burning Lilies Chapter 10

Joan felt the cold stares pierce her back of the English men and women who have attended her court hearing. England sat in his large chair, staring down at her. He needed not to smirk, his eyes already said it. Joan sat down on the cold wooden chair, looking attentively at the Brit.

"Ms. Joan, is there anything you will like to say before I state my verdict?"
"But we didn't even have a trial! How can you pass a verdict without any evidence?"
"I have all the evidence I need. Don't play dumb. Didn't you say yourself that you were some type of prophet? Lies, I tell you. Making people believe in false hope. Isn't that one of the many sins of our world? Lies. Holy, they say? Ha, I think your spectators are only seeing a mere actress perform, but her act was too long. It's time to close the curtains. Anything you will like to say, Joan of Arc?"

Joan bowed her head and thought about his words. So much she can say if she was the sometimes hot-headed Francis, but she was just the farm girl Joan from humble roots. She processed this information, finally looked up and said to Arthur,

"When was it ever a sin to help those you love, Arthur? Did you ever love, dear England, and ever cared for someone? And has someone ever cared for you, Monsieur Kirkland?"

England looked at her with pure anger and sadness. He opened his mouth to scream, but paused, stood in his spot above the room, and turned around. As he walked towards the entrance of his chamber, he said,

"She dies under the stake tomorrow. And to think, I was actually considering your pathetic life. Take her away from my sight. I cannot bear to see such a miserable creature."

They put the heavy shackles on Joan as murmurs were heard through the court room. The rattling of the heavy iron echoed as Joan shuffled out of the room and into the dark dungeon once more. She whispered to herself,

"Francis, s'il vous plait, I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

She went into the darkness, the sound of the shackles still ringing through the halls.

----

"Maria! Maria! I have news! Where is Lovino? He needs to know too!"

Feliciano ran into the large cathedral-like home of his younger sister. His voice echoed through the pews of the large building. After his echoes ceased, a young girl appeared from behind the alter. Her eyes glowed green and her hair was bright red. Two curls stood out from her hair, forming something like a heart. Her white dress dragged as she approached her older brother.

"What is it, Feli? Is there something wrong? I was just studying some Scripture."
"It's about Signior Bonnefoy! Joan has been captured by England! We must do something!"
"We must! I will get the horsemen and ask for an emergency meeting with Signior Kirkland himself! I-"

"There will be no such thing."

North Italy and Vatican City turned to see their brother South Italy standing next to a model of the Pieta by Michelangelo. He looked identical to Feliciano, but Lovino had a deeper voice and was never the sort of person to say "yes" that easily.

"You see, my brother and sister, what Joan has committed is a sin and against the teachings of the Church. You, out of all people, should know this, Maria."
"What do you mean, Lovino? What should I know?"
"I mean that she has committed a great degree of blasphemy and has fabricated untrue accounts among the people of France. She deserves to die. France never deserved to win that battle."
"How can you say that, Lovino! What did she ever do? Tell me, big brother! You only believe this because you never liked Uncle Francis, right? You never did! That's why you hate Joan!"

Maria turned to her more timid brother.

"We have to do something, Feli."
"But how?"
"What do you mean how? I mean that we have to gather our men and-"

Lovino interrupts.

"The horsemen are under loan to our dear Uncle Spain. As much as I hate him, I had to do something about those horses, right?"
"Lovino, how could you!?"
"I think about these things, sister. I'm a realist. It's sad that you are such an idealist, Maria. Like Mama, right?"
"Don't talk about Mama that way, Lovino! She was a great empire!"
"Until she fell, right? The great Empire of Constantinople fell because of Constantine's sudden death, right? He was mere mortal, and died. Which will happen to Joan. There is nothing you can do, Maria. Nothing."

Tears filled Vatican's eyes, and she turned away from Lovino. She went back into the dark chambers behind the alter rooms. Feliciano was sobbing and followed his sister into the rooms. Before he entered, he stared into his brother's eyes and said,

"Where did you go, Lovino? All I see is the shell of what was once my brother."
"You want to know, Feliciano?"
"What?"
"You were Grandpa's favorite, that's what happened."

Lovino went into the middle aisle of the cathedral and walked down the path towards the large doors that was the exit. Before he left, he sprinkled holy water on his face, made the sign of the Cross, and left.

The door slammed hard, but not hard enough to muffle the sobs of Maria.