Title: Charlotte's Tumbling TIme Travel: Parting of the ways
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on Outlander, I'm only borrowing them for the story
Author's notes: I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter. I had another writing project going on during the summer which had a certain deadline. But now I'm back. I really appreciate your reviews on the first chapter of this story and I hope you're willing to send me some thoughts on this chapter too. Thanks!
Lottie crawled on her belly all the way to the lid that covered the thieves hole. Dirt and pebbles entered the opening of her chemice and rolled all the way down to her belly but she ignored it. The trial would be starting in a little while and in just a few minutes guards would be coming for Claire and Geillis Duncan. She just had to talk to Claire before the trial started though, to get a chance to calm her and give her some hope. Ned had had a harder time than anticipated leaving castle Leoch without raising Colum's suspicions so when she had realized he would be arriving late to the trial she had snuck out to the stables to get Seoc and headed to Cranesmuir ahead of the lawyer.
She was so scared for Claire. What if the village condemned her. What would happen then? Did they really burn witches at the stake here? Fear grabbed hold of her guts and twisted them around in her stomach like someone tying a knot with a rope. This woman was like an older sister to her. Or maybe in a way even a mother. She protected her and stood up for her and was even willing to keep her with her and Jamie forever. Lottie was terrified of losing her. When she reached the thieves hole she grabbed hold of the bars and shook them, to see if she could move the lid. It was much too heavy for her small form though.
"Is someone there?" said a voice down in the darkness below her.
"Claire?!" Lottie whispered as loud as she dared.
"Lottie? Lottie is that you?"
Both Claire and Geillis became visible down in the hole as they placed themselves straight underneath the opening in the morning light. Claire's hair hung loose about her and she was dirty and appeared to be shivering. Geillis didn't appear to be doing much better either.
"Yes, it's me!" Lottie pressed her face against the bars to make herself easier to spot for the squinting prisoners below. Her green eyes met Claire's light brown ones.
"Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ what are you doing here? Don't you realize how dangerous it is?" she said with exasperation.
"I had to see you. Oh, Claire I'm so sorry this happened to you. But I had to tell you Ned is on his way to help you. He's going to defend you at the trial. And I'm going to help too. I promise the two of us will get you out."
"So many people that care about ye, Claire. Impressive," Geillis chuckled.
Claire stepped annoyedly in front of the other woman, pushing her back, and locked eyes with Lottie from the distance.
"Now you listen to me, Lottie Dawson, " she said with authority she seldom used on Lottie. "You are going to ride straight back to castle Leoch and wait for Ned to return from the trial there. You will not set foot at the trial, do you hear that?"
Lottie chose to believe that Claire must be stressed out over the trial and simply continued talking. There was no way she could go back to Leoch and hide while Claire was in danger anyway. It was simply out of the question.
"Laoghaire did this, you know," she said.
Claire nodded.
"Yes, I'm aware of that. You were right about her being a danger to us. But that's not the point here. You must do what I tell you now, Lottie. If Jamie were here he'd definitely order you to return to Leoch."
"Well, he's not here," Lottie said with downcast eyes. Then her whole body jerked at the sound of male voices approaching. "Someone's coming. Look for me at the trial!"
And she jumped to her feet and ran from the yard as fast as she could to hide behind a corner. She heard Claire's distressed call behind her and soon footsteps and the sound the barred lid being dragged aside so the prisoners could climb out of the hole.
As the church doors opened Lottie scurried inside as fast as she could to find a hidden place to watch from. She found what she was looking for underneath the judges' balcony. Underneath the balcony was a tight space between the wooden pew and the wall, which only left room for a person to stand and watch the trial. She was fine with that though. It was better that she kept out of sight as much as possible to avoid anyone getting the idea of throwing her out because of her young age. There didn't seem to any others her own age in the room.
It didn't take long before the room was full of chattering villagers. The pews were crammed with people and the ones who were left without a seat lined up along the walls and at the end of the isle. She stared incredulously at their gleeful faces. If they had bothered to look to the side they would have seen a slender young girl in a red highland dress standing there watching them with her back straight and shoulders pushed back. How could they find this entertaining, she wondered. These people must really believe there was such a thing as witches because if they didn't then ït must mean that they were just pure evil themselves.
The judges were two older men wearing white linen covered with black short sleeveless robes. They stared solemnly out across the audience, waiting for everyone to come to order before they ordered the prisoners to be brought inside. Soon people dispersed a little to let Claire and Geillis Duncan through. They were both manacled and lead forward by two male guards who looked like they were enjoying their task way too much. It was all Lottie could do not to jump in front of them and demand that Claire be released from her bonds. They were treating her awfully, and she could see red marks on both womens' wrists begin to take form. She tried to make eye contact but Claire didn't notice her. Lottie instead glanced around the room for Ned. She wished he would show up as soon as possible. What if he didn't show at all? Maybe Colum had discovered his plan and apprehended him at Leoch. No. Ned was on his way, she had to believe that. But if he wasn't then she knew what she would have to do. She would have to defend Claire herself in this courtroom.
Just as that thought crossed her mind Ned crashed winded into the courtroom. Lottie exhaled as she saw him. He really was a sight for sore eyes. She drew back a little though at the stern glare he sent her over his spectacles when their eyes met. He realized it was too late to do anything about her presence now though and instead began to focus his attention on convincing the judges to let him represent the prisoners.
As Ned's silver tongue worked its magic on the judges as well as the scrupulous audience Lottie finally found Claire's eyes. Claire's light brown eyes suddenly widened and her eyebrows pulled down as she levelled a glare at Lottie. One that told her she was not pleased with her for having ignored her earlier words. Lottie gave her a helpless shrug, tell her that she didn't really have much choice in the matter.
For an hour Lottie listened to witnesses accuse the two women of witchcraft in various ways. She clenched her jaw and bit her tongue as she listened to one ridiculous accusation after another. Ned certainly was a skillful lawyer and he defended Claire and Geillis honorably and passionately all the way. That was until the last witness stepped forward. Alastair Duffie. Ned had been able to turn the climate in the room from hateful to humorous almost every time a witness had spoken, but this time he was unsuccessful. The villager Alistiar Duffie's rendering of Geillis Duncan's summoning of lightning and thunder while taking air now made the crowd roar with fear and anger. Lottie watched as Ned tried in vain to calm them down. They seemed impossible to appease this time and she realized he wasn't going to succeed.
"That's it," she finally whispered with a frown.
She stepped out from the shadows of the crowded room and with determined steps made her way to its center. She had to try and turn the tide right away. Counting on her being a girl and also an outsider, as far as the villagers were concerned anyway, to be such a surprise to them she was sure she'd get their attention. She stopped next to Ned and raised her arms above her head and started waving them back and forth until people began to quiet down and stare at her.
"People of Cranesmuir!" she began with a loud voice. "Was Arthur Duncan a sorcerer?"
A confused stirring murmur went through the villagers and they all looked confoundedly at each other. They all had the same question. Who was this girl who suddenly had taken tone in their court?
"If he wasn't then how could his wife be a witch without his knowledge?" she asked. "Was he starry-eyed according to you then?"
One of the priests beat his fist against the balcony rail and leaned forward.
"Young lady…"
Lottie didn't let him interrupt her yet though.
"And didn't Claire...I mean Mrs. Fraser, save young Tamas Baxter with her fine medicinal knowledge when he was dying?!"
The room was quiet now and she had everyone's attention. Ned wore a shocked expression but hurried to put his glasses back on his nose and leaned closer to her.
"I don't know what ye think ye're doing, young lady, but you had better stop it right now no matter what yer intentions are," he whispered anxiously.
Lottie ignored him. She had done this before and she was sure she could do it again. For Claire. She had a story in mind and was ready to dazzle her audience with it and help Ned end the day with the crowd on his side. She stole a glance at Claire whose face had gone white as a sheet. Her lips soundlessly formed the word "Lottie".
"Who is this lass?" the other priest rumbled through the crowd's confused murmur.
"My name is Lottie Dawson and I'm with him, " she said pointing at Ned. "I'd like to ask you all if you have ever heard the story of…"
She didn't get any further before she was interrupted by a big,calloused hand grabbing her neck from behind. The hand squeezed and she felt her face go red. She raised her right arm and tried to spin to break his hold on her but his grip was too good. She stole a glance across her shoulder and saw that the man holding her in his grip was one of the guards in charge of the prisoners.
"Quiet!" the first priest yelled and the crowd went silent. "I don't care who you are, lass. You've weasled yer way into a trial conducted by the church and I intend to see you never repeat it."
The crowd seemed to agree for several of them nodded and a couple even cheered.
"Take her outside, Mr. Brown, and give her the thrashing of her life to help her remember not to make the same offence again."
He waved his hand and Brown began marching her down the aisle. Lottie heard Ned protest but the priest cut him off and asked if her wanted to continue in the accused witches defense tomorrow or not?
"We reconvene again tomorrow," the second priest called out.
"Lottie!" Claire called out in distress as she and Geillis Duncan were put back in manacles and dragged down from their podium.
"Let go of me, you big ogre!" Lottie yelled and fought hard to be set loose.
Brown's leather boots protected him from her kicks against his shins and he didn't seem to care when she reached back and tried to punch his big protruding stomach either. He flung the door open and forcefully lead her out into the street. They didn't stop there though, but continued into an alley. There he held onto her with one hand and started reaching to undo his belt with the other. He really was going to whip her, she thought with a gasp. His grip was still strong but now that he was focusing on two tasks it was no match for Lottie to break free. Especially since Brown wasn't expecting the small copper haired girl to be any danger to him whatsoever. Quickly Lottie raised her right arm high above her head. With all her might she slammed it down right onto his forearm as she spun around at the same time. It caused him to lose his hold on her and scream out in both surprise and pain. She aimed her foot at his groin and delivered a kick that would have sent a real ogre crashing to the ground. Providing it was a male ogre of course. Brown did indeed crash to the ground. He fell to his knees, groaning and then collapsed onto his side on the muddy ground.
Lottie darted off as fast as she could. Out of the alley and up the street she rushed, red skirt flowing behind her. When she reached the stables where she had paid to leave Seoc this morning she opened the stable door slowly and peeked in. No one there so she went inside and straight to his stall. Seoc neighed with happiness at the sight of her and she grabbed his reins and lead him outside. She knew what she had to do now. She was going to have to go find Jamie. Before it was too late and everything went even more to hell in a handbasket than it already had.
To be continued
A/N: Please send me some thoughts on the chapter. Good? Slow? Thoughts on what you think will happen or wish for happening next?
