Chapter 2.
"And I am telling you that woman is not a witch," Grissom stated before the group of inquisitors, there among his boss, it was a few months after they had first slept with each other, and Grissom was called back to give his report.
"What about her husband's death and the tales about different potions going around town?" said his boss Ecklie.
"There is nothing that says that she is the reason as to why he is dead, and there is nothing dangerous about making herbal tea," he said, well aware she did make potions of different sorts, not knowing if they all were well meant.
"You cannot expect us to believe it is just herbal tea, that is just plain stupid," said Ecklie.
"You are the ones that are stupid, sentencing young woman to their certain death, only because you are afraid of something that is different," said Grissom, his tone was starting to get angry.
"And you are talking like you are under a spell, tell me Grissom, did she bewitch you?" asked Ecklie in a really spiteful tone.
"Don't be stupid, I don't tamper with evidence, and I for sure not get involved with a suspect," Grissom was reaching the end of his ropes as he was lying through his teeth.
"Fine, then I will say you should be man enough to put her up for the test, if she is a witch she will die, if she is human not. It will take place the following Tuesday," said Ecklie with a triumphant smile.
"I will," he said with a nod, walking out of there thinking, 'Dear lord, no."
"Please just try to rest," Catherine whispered, looking at the weak woman sitting opposite her in the cottage. She was the tenth in two week's now. They all had the symptoms of a cold, but Catherine knew it could be more severe if she was right. She however had to see the development the next couple of days to be sure.
She put a cold wash cloth on her forehead saying, "Just drink as much fluid as you can, I will come and check on you tomorrow okay?"
She nodded weakly as Catherine followed her to the door and outside. The other woman slowly on shaky legs started to walk towards town. Catherine looked after her with worried eyes, hoping it would be okay as so far a child had died from this decease before she could start the treatment and more seemed to be getting ill.
She lifted up her young girl from the crib saying, "At least you are not ill, my little one."
The little girl shook her head like she had understood her mother's words as she said, "Gil…?"
"He's out of town, but he will come by later, and now you have to come with me as I go to tend to Sara Siddle," she answered, another of the towns woman that had gone ill.
Again the young girl nodded seriously as Catherine slowly gathered what she needed to try to slow this decease down as much as she possibly could. She sighed wondering what was making it spread so fast and what would happen on Grissom's meeting. She feared that she wouldn't be able to stop this decease and that her days were up.
"My little butterfly, what will happen to you if I'm no longer here," she whispered, tears starting to dwell up inside her. The little girl held onto her hard, trying to comfort her mother not understanding why she would have to go anywhere.
"So what did they say?" asked Catherine as soon as Grissom walked in the door, later the same day.
"You'll have to do the water test or rather I will be the one preforming it on you," he said with a heavy sigh.
"What exactly is that?" she wanted to know, not liking the sound of it.
"You'll be tied up left foot with left hand and thrown in the water, if you manage to get up from there you are a witch and will die at the fire, if not you'll be saved in time," he explained.
"You cannot be serious," she said, looking at him with terrified eyes.
"I wouldn't joke about something like this," he said with a heavy sigh.
"Then I am dead either way," she said with a heavy sigh.
"I hope not, but there is a great chance," he said, looking very troubled, he didn't like the thought of it the least.
"Then what will happen to the people I am treating for measles?" she asked him, thinking about the villagers that still needed her help.
"I honestly don't know," he admitted.
She nodded, figuring she could explain what was needed in time, just in case. She looked into his blue eyes, seeing sorrow and frustration, knowing he didn't wish to do this, but that he had no choice. She sighed saying, "And our little ones?"
"I'll take care of…" he stopped, knowing that day had led to something more and that she was now bearing his child for the fourth soon fifth month.
"She'll die with me by your hand," Catherine whispered, turning away from him. How could he possible agree to this knowing that his child were inside her womb.
"I wish there was another way," he said with a very heavy sigh.
"Prove that they are wrong, I'll do anything," her voice suddenly sounded so desperate. He didn't see her, but her blue eyes were shining with fear.
"I honestly wish I could, but we both know they are right. You're brewing potions of a various sort," he said.
"Only to help people, I would never harm. A doctor would do the same, why can't I?" she asked, her back was still facing him.
"Because you are not a doctor, you are a woman, meddling with…" he stopped, wondering what he was doing all of a sudden agreeing with her boss.
The young woman was now in tears, even if he couldn't see it, he could hear her quiet sobs. He walked closer, but she turned, hissing, "Don't touch me."
"Catherine, I didn't mean it like that," he said, looking at her with his calm eyes.
"You're no better than the rest, please just leave," she whispered, nodding towards the door.
He sighed, doing as she requested, leaving her shattered behind. The strawberry blonde sank down on the floor, sobbing heavily, wishing she never started to help the people in the village with her methods. Now her young girl would have to grow up without her in her life and the man she loved so dearly would have to do without her as well. It just wasn't fair.
From the crib young Lindsey was watching her mother, not understanding why she was sad other than that something was very wrong. Deciding to try to fix it she spoke up saying, "Mommy."
Catherine's attention got drawn to her, slowly she got up and lifted her out of the crib, holding her close, rocking her whispering, "I love you, I love you, I love you."
Lindsey clang to her, wondering what made her mommy behave like this, like she was terrified of something. Like she was afraid of losing her, little did she know that that was just what would going to happen in not long.
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