For the first time that day, Seraphina's gaze softened. She bent down slightly, resting a gentle hand on the child's shoulder.
"Do not cry," she said, her tone calm yet steady. "Your father will not be cast aside forever. He will be judged justly by the Church of the Moon. And depending on their sentence, he may return sooner than you think."
The wife looked up, trembling. "Truly…?"
Seraphina nodded. "Truly. Justice is not cruelty. Justice ensures that the innocent — you, his family — will not be left to suffer for his sins."
The words carried a soothing weight, and though tears still streamed down their faces, a sliver of relief flickered in their eyes.
