"It be time, lass."
The brown bearded dwarf looked through the steel bars of the cell. But all he saw was the darkness. His ears slowly perked up as he heard the soft rattling of iron chains on stone floor. Out of the darkness came a face, accompanied by a body. The female looked to be not older than 18. She still had a youthful face, although now it was scarred with worry and fear. Her once golden locks dirty from laying on the ground. She was wearing nothing more than simple rags, crafted by someone who could not see the difference between thread and rope.
Not that it mattered, the dwarf thought.
"Hol' your hands where I can see 'em."
The girl slowly lifted her arms as far as the iron chains would let her. She peered at the guard, her eyes seemed hollow, her gaze daft. The guard sighed as he took a heavy brass keychain from his belt, slowly touching each key, wording without sound the origin of each key, before getting to the right key for the job. The cell door cringed as the key was inserted and turned around.
These days, the cells seemed to be more occupied then in the days before the Happening. The dwarf seemed lost in thought as he automatically grabbed the chains holding the girl.
"Dun' ya try any of that foul stuff though."
The girl remained silent as they slowly started to walk down the dark hallway.
Old Ironforge used to be a place of reverence and wisdom. Now it was a mere prison for those practicing the foul arts or conspiring against the regime. But it still had some beauty. The guard looked at the gems encrusted on the walls as they slowly walked up the stairs. His iron armor did not help with the climb as he started to breathe a little heavy. As they walked next to a lit brazier, the face of the girl turned a thousand years older.
The red tabard with the black hammer of the guard slowly moved with every step he took. A reminder of the new regime since the Happening. Afterwards it had been the Dark Iron that had secured their place amongst the leaders of the city. This was no democracy. It was a mere dictatorship.
As the two entered through a large door they could hear people speaking, whispering some even yelling.
"DEAD WOMAN WALKING!" yelled one of the men standing near the entrance. Other started yelling all kind of obscenities towards the woman. She just kept her gaze directed at her feet as she slowly shuffled behind the guard. The guard ignored the comments but his gaze hardened slightly.
The gathered folk were a mix of different faces with different features. You had the long bearded dwarves who had remained within their own city. Amongst them also several smaller individuals wearing all manner of goggles and overalls. The gnomes had sought sanctuary within the city of their closest brethren. They were granted admission, for a price. There were also a few humans and elves amongst the crowd. Scavengers seeking refuge. Not all were granted access to the Mountain. Only those who had something to offer, were it goods or services. Although goods tend to run dry.
The two slowly made their way into the throne room. Before them a great throne doomed up. At both sides of it there were big chunks of rock missing from the wall. It had been the doing of the new Matriarch. She had teared down two thrones. For the council of Three Hammers was gone. Only one Hammer remained. The true Matriarch.
As they neared the throne the guard released the woman of her chains as he walked to a nearby side entrance. Not wanting to watch. He had seen enough of these procedures in the last months.
"Lethine Bronzecrag. Do you know why you have been put before me?" The dwarven woman on the throne stood up, looking at the dirty female in her brown rags. She slowly used her hand to fling a little brown hair out of her face. She wore a dress, black as the night and a crown with a red gem encrusted within the gold frame. Nobody could deny it, although she was a hard woman, Moira Bronzebeard had a certain beauty that she used often.
The female looked up at the Matriarch. "I-I did nothing wrong my Lady… Please.."
Moira cackled, "How can you be so ignorant? You have been accused of the most serious of crimes… Performing fel magic."
When Moira finished her sentence, the room exploded in yells and snarls all around. The crowd was going mad at the mention of fel. "Slay her! Make her pay!" they yelled in unison.
The woman started to cry, "I didn't do anything I swear… I wouldn't even kno-". The woman was rudely interrupted.
"SILENCE! Keep your foul tongue for yourself, fiend." Moira glared at the female. "I will not tolerate this in MY city!"
The woman fell onto her knees crying, "Please Matriarch… have mercy… my father.."
Moira raised her hand. One of the guards in the room hurried towards the woman as he pulled her back to her feet. The woman looked at the guard questioning his actions. Moira nodded at the guard, as he then slapped the girl in the face with his plated glove. The girl gasped in shock as even more tears formed in her eyes.
"Speak out of turn again and I will do far worse.. And as for your father.. he's being judged by the Gods as we speak.."
Moira gestured towards a corpse hanging from the ceiling, a rope around his neck. The woman's eyes followed the gesture slowly, she then screamed in agony as she fell onto the floor again. Tears streamed from her face onto the floor.
"DADDY PLEASE NO…"
Moira laughed, "Daddy is gone now, witch. But you shall soon join him. Listen to my judgment for it is the only absolute truth! You are hereby banished from the Mountain! Join the other witches."
The crowd began to cheer and applaud, yelling Moira's name in admiration. The woman did not seem to care as she just lay on the floor crying. Several guards moved towards her, grasping both of her arms.
"No.. no… please… not outside… no please Matriarch…" The woman kept begging as she was slowly dragged out of the throne room. Moira just looked at her with a wicked smile on her face. Nobody would endanger her rule. Nobody.
The guards threw the woman inside a room as they quickly closed the large iron door.
"No! You cannot do this! I did nothing wrong!" The woman yelled as she banged onto the door, in fear. She heard a crackling as the door on the other side started opening. "Walk or you will be fired upon." One of the guards yelled through a buzzbox.
The woman covered her eyes with a hand as the bright light seemed to almost blind her. She kept on crying as she slowly shuffled towards the exit. The guards looked at the woman as she slowly walked out of the room. The woman turned around looking at her home. She slowly fell to her knees as the fel corruption already began to take effect. She cringed as she coughed. "We're… doomed.." The woman slowly lay down as the corruption really began to kick in. She screamed in agony, and then nothing. The guards sighed as they slowly closed the door again.