In a time and place where his wrongness would lead to him being stoned or burned unto his death, Ezekiel found a way to fulfil all of his duties as given to be him by God, and yet still be true to himself.

This is the story of Ezekiel's Victory.

There was a single great cheer.

Then there was silence.

It was done.

Chapter 4

"Come now," said Samuel with a sad sigh. He handed Hope to his new son, Ezekiel, and ushered his family inside. "We have much to do if we are to leave in the morning. Through the sacrifice of our daughter Grace and through the Grace of God we have been given a chance to save ourselves, we must not waste this opportunity. We must defer our grief until another time."

Later in the night, Samuel and Charity harnessed their horse into the wagon and led it through the darkness up to the hill. As they walked beside the head of the horse, Samuel spoke quietly to Charity.

"I need to speak to you words that you may find surprising. But they need to be said, and I need to say them before this night is done. Please understand, they come from the love I hold for you as well as the duty I owe to you as your father."

"I am listening, Father. What would you say to me?"

"It has always been known among us that our ways are not for everyone. From time to time a few who have grown amongst us have found their nature not suited to living as we live. Such few have either stayed and been tormented by our rules or they have spoken out against us and been whipped or hung for blasphemy or they have left us and gone to make their own path in the world."

"What are you saying, Father?"

"I am saying that you may be such a one. Tonight God opened my eyes that I might see Grace in her true form. Those same opened eyes saw you standing beside your sisters. You shine with a light that cannot be bound and held inside the way we keep our light inside us. I fear that if you try to bind yourself tightly as is our way, then you will end up in despair and lose God from your heart."

Charity listened carefully and thought about her father's words.

"Perhaps it is our way that is too tight not just for some but for most. Did not everybody in the village lose God from their hearts this night? Maybe some, such as yourself, can bear the pain better than others but I cannot imagine anybody living as we do without feeling a pain in the soul."

"My daughter, with those words I am assured that I have seen you truly. Your nature is not suited to living as we do. To live as I do is not a burden to me, yet it is clearly burdensome to you."

"Father, are you telling me that once we are safely away from this cursed place that I must leave you and go my own way? "

"No! I am not saying you must leave us. I am saying that if you feel the desire to separate from us, and find your own path, then you may do so with my blessing. I only ask that you walk with God in your heart."

"Then I will stay with you. I have a duty to my husband that I intend to fulfil. Perhaps I do need to find my own way. But, with your permission, I will do so while walking amongst my family."

"It would gladden my heart if that is your choice. But if you do stay with us then you must restrain yourself — particularly when in the view of strangers. I would not have you treated as Grace has been treated should any mob decide you are unnatural."

Charity nodded. "I think I can find a path that avoids offending too many. But you said to restrain myself before strangers. Does that mean I may truly be myself when within the bosom of my family?"

Samuel smiled. "I beg you go easy on me. You have already set aside some few of our rules this evening and I don't know that my heart can take much more. While you live in my house, you will …"

He shuddered and walked for a moment in silence.

Then Samuel sighed.

"Do what you must, my daughter. Remember that we love you and do not wish you to despair. Hold God in your heart and think of others before you act. If you do those two things then we will find a way to live together. Perhaps I will learn something from watching you on your journey. God has already taught me much, this night. I am not too old to learn more."

"Thank you, Father. I feel a weight lifting from my shoulders as we speak. Let us talk more of this tomorrow. But for now, we have another task and I would honor my sister and my husband by putting aside my own concerns."

They walked in silence as they lead the horse the last few yards up the hill to where the ancient tree stood.

Charity guided the horse until the wagon stood directly under the branch of the tree from which her sister still hung in the darkness. Samuel stood on the back of the wagon and cut down the body of his eldest daughter. For a moment, he held her in his arms and sobbed. Then laid her down in the back of the wagon.

They swapped places and Charity stood on the wagon while she carefully wrote a short message onto the tree using a brush dipped in ink. Her father patiently held a lantern for her while she wrote. Once that was done, Samuel lead the horse and cart quietly back down the hill and back to their house.

In the back of the wagon, as they rolled down the track, Charity carefully laid her sister out and arranged her clothing so that it lay neatly around her. She took a damp cloth that she had brought with her in a dish and carefully wiped clean her sister's face, neck and hands.

When Charity was finally done, she lay down next to the body of her sister and wept.