Music Recommendation: Journey Sequence- Max Ritcher
Eve's face turned pale.
It was because she noticed the people around watching her with a loathful gaze. The look in their eyes was something she had never expected to see, and now that she did, it frightened her. Her cheek that the man had slapped had turned numb in pain.
Some of the people, even though they didn't utter a word against her, didn't support her either and watched the scene in front of them.
Someone in the crowd shouted in rage, "Drag her to the town's centre!"
"Aye! Aye!" A few townsfolk agreed while Patrick stared at Eve with his nose up high.
There was no one here who supported her, and she was alone. Her blue eyes had turned wide, and she tried to defend herself, but it was one against many.
Patrick noticed Eve looked helpless, and he sat on his heels to level himself with her gaze. He said in a low voice only for her to hear,
"It isn't too late to change your ways, Genevieve. Ask for forgiveness and I will protect your honour by marrying you."
"I'd rather die than marry a man who would lie to this depth," Eve glared at him, and soon she saw Mr. Humphrey's lips turn into scorn.
Patrick stood up and shouted, "Take her to the town's centre! She lacks morals!"
A few men, who had their eyes on Eve for the longest time, had no confidence in approaching or asking for her hand until now.
But now as the young and beautiful woman had fallen in everyone's eyes and with her value plummeted, they took the opportunity to touch her. When she stood up, they pushed and pulled her towards the centre of the town.
The crowd had gone wild as they shouted and threw names at Eve that she didn't deserve. The mermaid had gone speechless and numb over the people's behaviour. People mishandled her, such that when she was dragged and pushed, it tore her long sleeves, ripping it. Deep scratches appeared on her arms as people had dug their nails into her skin.
Eve was then shoved to the ground, and Lady Humphrey informed everyone, "My dear people of Meadow. We have gathered here because of this woman with loose values, who refuses to accept her misdoings and will only continue it. What do you think we should do?"
"Throw her out of here! We don't need her here!"
The town's magistrate had just arrived at Meadow, when he noticed a commotion far from where he was. He quickly made his way to the place and noticed a young woman on her knees, while people called her names with anger and hate.
"Punish her! Stealing other women's men without a conscience!" One woman shouted.
Patrick walked over to where his mother stood, taking her place. Eve watched and heard people continue to humiliate her, and it broke her heart. Tears glistened in her eyes as she had never imagined to be demeaned to such an extent.
The magistrate quickly walked to where Mrs. Humphrey stood, but it wasn't just him but also Mrs. Humphrey's husband who had walked to her.
The magistrate questioned Mrs. Humphrey, "What in God's name is going on here?!"
"This woman here is a whore, spewing lies and has gone as far as to spoil others' marriages. A woman came here, crying out about her mistress's marriage that this woman is trying to break. We as the people of Meadow have decided to take the matter in our hands!" Mrs. Humphrey stated as if she was doing the magistrate a big favour.
The magistrate frowned before he said, "You cannot do that, Mrs. Humphrey! This town is my responsibility and without my approval, you cannot go picking on someone no matter what they have done!"
Mrs. Humphrey turned irritated that this magistrate, who was of their own town, was denying what everyone in Meadow now believed in.
Her husband was shocked, and he pulled his wife to the side and questioned in a low voice, "What are you doing? Leave such things to the authorities, and what she does has nothing to do with you." Earlier, the man was at his house when he heard about what was going to happen to Ms. Barlow.
Mrs. Humphrey's eyes widened, and she responded, "Of course, we have everything to do with her. This is our town, and we need to make sure nothing bad happens here."
"You and I both know that's not what this is about! You are only offended because of her refusal to Patrick," said her husband.
"I would never do that!" Mrs. Humphrey looked offended and said, "If you cannot support the town, I suggest you go home and not partake in this."
The man couldn't believe how things had turned and looked at the helpless young woman. He warned his wife, "Let the young woman go, and let us get back home." But Mrs. Humphrey was too stubborn, and the man sighed, "What you are doing is not right. Things like these have repercussions."
Eve slipped her hand into her pocket, and pulled out the coin with the skull and crown symbol on it, that Vincent had given it to her. She knew showing it to the townspeople would never work, because they didn't know its importance, but the magistrate did. The magistrate's eyes on falling on the coin, widened.
When the magistrate tried to say something, the crowd pushed him to the back, and he struggled to get things under control. Frustrated, he decided to bring the guards to get things.
Eve sat on her knees on the ground, similar to a criminal. Patrick had slapped her face so hard that blood oozed from her forehead and the corner of her mouth.
Patrick roared to the people, "Greed makes us do bad things. And this woman was greedy and who knows for what more? A woman spreading her legs shamelessly with different men."
"Tie her to the horse and let it drag her!" One of the men shouted.
"Don't you have anything to say or beg for forgiveness?" Lady Noida, who was familiar with Eve, questioned her, while being appalled by Eve's lack of reply.
"Genevieve, there's no point in you behaving as if you are innocent. The best would be for you to beg for your deeds. This way, we will consider reducing the severity of your punishment," Eve's neighbour, Mrs. Edwards, said to her.
Eve, who was staring at the ground, raised her head to meet the woman's eyes and said, "I have done nothing wrong to ask for forgiveness."
"Yet she continues to protest!" Another stone was thrown at Eve, but the stone passed above her shoulder because of the lousy aim. Patrick caught the back of Eve's head, gripping her hair enough to make her cry in pain. But the sound only fascinated him and a few others as if wanting to hear her cry more.
When Patrick started to drag Eve, a massive gust of wind swept the town of Meadow, mainly where most of the townsfolk had gathered, and dust rose in the air.
