Cinder-Mari

A most unusual turn of events.

Marinette stood in the middle of the cemetery, her short, black hair spread out over the black dress she was wearing. Many people came to express their condolences to her, but she barely heard them. All that she could think about, was how fast her world was crumbling. She almost did not even notice the tall figure who stepped in front of her.
"Lord Bourgeois? What are you doing here?" The tall, slightly rotund man before her nodded his head. "Hello, Miss Marinette. My apologies about your mother and father." Marinette graciously dipped hers as well "It was their time to leave this earth, but thank you for your kind words." He nodded distractedly, looking out over the horizon. "Seems that it was the time for many, including the father of my Chloe's own kindred spirit. Did your parents know him, he was an officer in the army, by the name of Roger Raincomprix."
She shook her head, smiling halfheartedly at her wealthy neighbor. "I have never heard of this man, but I am sure he was a very gallant hero. How does his daughter fare? Her name is Sabrina, right?" "Yes, that is correct. Her mother died in childbirth, so the poor girl has no one to care for her now, much like you." Marinette put a hand to her mouth in shock.
"Oh, my! Who will take care of her now? Will she get sent away to distant relatives, or will she be unfortunate enough to go to the workhouse?" Lord Bourgeois looked around the graveyard uncomfortably, putting his hands behind his back. "Well, since she is such a dear friend of my own little girl, I hope to welcome Miss Raincomprix into my household as one of my own." Marinette smiled, but her eyes were clouded with confusion as she listened to these words.
"This is wonderful news, but in the years that I have been alive, you have spoken to my parents maybe once. Why come all this way to tell me how you will open your doors to another orphaned girl?" "It is not what it seems, Marinette. Sabrina is not the only girl who has gotten an invitation from me, I also wish to extend one to you." Marinette looked up at the man in front of her, and for the first time that day she felt hope bloom in her chest. "You mean, I will be able to live in your household, and view you and your daughter as family?"
Andres Bourgeois shook his head. "Not exactly, for you see my daughter was very defiant about it. While I do not know the reasons why, her happiness has been and will always be my top priority. Do not despair though, for I believe I have a solution. I am willing to hire you, Marinette. I will provide you with everything you could want for, and in return you will work as a maid in my household."
Marinette nodded, the wheels in her head turning. "Very well. While I do not know why your daughter dislikes me any more than you do, I promise to serve you and your family to the best of my ability." Andres nodded, and turned his heel in the ground to return home. In the distance, Marinette could see two girls about her age, one with golden hair and the other with flaming red. They ran up to Lord Bourgeois, and he shared an embrace with them before holding hands with them on either side.

"Are you all right, my dear?" Marinette turned to where the voice was coming from. It was Father Damocles, the priest who taught the weekly sermon at the local church. He had just finished the prayers that would send her parents up to heaven, and had seen the exchange between the two. "To tell you the truth, Father, I do not know. I am so scared, and I do not know how well this will turn out."
The priest took her hand and patted it, smiling softly. "Marinette, I do not know why your parents died, or why Lord Bourgeois made such an offer to you. The only one who knows the reasons of these events is our dear Lord, but I promise that he will take care of you when no one else does, for you are his beloved daughter. Please remember though, that you are always welcome at the church, even if it is not Sunday."
"Thank you, Father Damocles. Where did you learn to be so kind?" He chuckled, then opened up the bible he was holding to The Gospel According to St. John.
"And they said unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He who is without sin, let him first cast a stone at her."
He closed the book, and looked solemnly at her. "For you see Marinette, no one in the world could have cast a stone at the adulteress, except Jesus Christ himself. I am not saying I am anywhere near the standard of the Son of God, but there is much I indeed can do. We cannot scorn others for what they may do, for if we were to say we were better, we are only hypocrites."
She nodded, understanding what he was saying. "So what you are saying, is that I need to try to be like Jesus as much as I can, and not judge them for what mistakes they make? Father, but what if people never stop being cruel? How am I supposed to love them then?" "You love them anyway. Marinette, do you think everyone loved Jesus for what he taught?"
Marinette shook her head. "No, in fact you said the men tried to get him to say something wrong, when they brought the adulteress to him." "Yes, in fact he was often an outcast. He ate with sinners, healed the homeless and eventually received the death sentence that was reserved for thieves and murderers. Still though, he loved the people who did such terrible things to him, and begged his father to forgive them."
Eyes swimming with tears, she ran into the arms of the priest and began to cry uncontrollably. He welcomed this embrace easily, and began to stroke her hair gently. "I'm so sorry, Father." She said as her tears began to run dry. "I was angry at Lord Bourgeois and his daughter, for not taking me in as one of their own. I feel so selfish." "Yes, because you are human. God does not expect you to be perfect, but to work to become better every day." Marinette slowly released him, and nodded. "Then so I shall."