Sorry this took so long to get out, school demanded that I put FanFiction on hold for a while. I hope you enjoy this slightly angsty chapter as compensation for my horrible updating-skills! I've drawn a picture of Noah, it's now on my DeviantART-page so please check it out!
"Have you heard? Noah's been accused of witchery!"
"What? But she was such a sweet girl, there's no possible way that she could be a witch!"
"I heard it from the Mayor himself; he has no reason to lie!"
"I heard that she has been housing Satan ever since the attack! Can you believe that?"
Samuel sat in a corner, trails of dry tears visible down his cheeks.
"They're lying… they're all lying…" he muttered, picking at one of the bandages wrapped around his slowly healing legs as he listened to the patrons of the Inn whispering about the biggest rumor currently in town: that Noah, their sweet and gentle healer, had been accused of witchery and fraternizing with the Devil.
They disgusted him.
"She has probably been spreading her legs for the damn demon all along."
"I always knew that she was a little loose, morally, I mean."
"I'd tap that ass of hers if she would stop being such a prude 'bout it."
Samuel clenched his small hand, staring at the wooden planks below him as he listened to some of the village's men talking about Noah.
It was as if they saw her as a piece of meat, not even a human anymore.
And it was the Church's fault, every single bad thing that had happened since then.
Clenching his hand tightly, Samuel twisted his torso to reach for his crutches, needing fresh air all of a sudden.
He ignored the looks he received on his way out, refusing to acknowledge those around him, refusing to accept their damn pity!
He didn't need it!
He didn't need them!
He only needed Noah!
She was the one who had given him a chance, making sure that he would survive, as if she had been one of the Angels he had learned about from the local Priest, Father Andrews.
"Samuel, dear child, what are you doing out here?"
Samuel looked up, meeting icy blue eyes surrounded by flaming locks.
"Hello, Father Andrews…"
"You seem to have lost spirits, child. Is there anything I can do?"
Samuel bit his lower lip, remembering what he had declared mere moments ago, before he sighed heavily and looked at the Father.
"It's… it's about Miss Noah, Father Andrews… she has always been so kind, she even tried fixing my legs when they got broken, and now everyone is calling her a witch! They're wrong!" Samuel sniffled, his eyes begging the Father to confirm his beliefs.
Father Andrews bit his lower lip, clearly not knowing what to say without completely bursting the crippled child's bubble.
"Samuel… I agree with you that Noah always has been a sweet and caring soul but the evidence against her is… forgive me," the Priest muttered, looking away from Samuel's now crestfallen expression.
"No," Samuel muttered, "You can't believe them, Father Andrews! T-they're talking about Miss Noah right now inside the Inn as if she's a piece of meat! They… they talked about doing adult-stuff with her! They're not nice to her at all and all we've heard is rumors!" the boy cried out, ignoring the looks he received from those passing by the Inn.
"Samuel, I—" Father Andrews began before Samuel cut him off.
"You can't just agree with them, Father Andrews! Y-you just can't! If you do then I'll be all alone again!" the boy cried, tears running down his cheeks once more as he stared up at the Priest with begging eyes.
"Y-you can't, Father Andrews," Samuel hiccupped, reaching out and clenching a fistful of the Priest's robes in his small hand, "Y-you just can't!"
The Priest sighed softly before he kneeled before the crying boy, carefully wrapping his arms around the shivering child.
"I promise, Samuel, that you are never alone."
…
…
Chapter 11: The Fourth Day, Denial Can Be Cruel
…
…
Liam yawned, his eyes bleary as he grabbed the reins to his horse and hoisted himself up on his chestnut-colored steed.
The pale sunlight didn't do much to lighten the mood among the soldiers, except interrupt the lovely dreams the five of them had been experiencing while not on watch-duty.
"Rough night?"
He looked to the side, nodding at his brother, before he twisted around to make sure that his backpack was properly secured to the back of his saddle.
"Yeah, demons and God knows what else inside m'head," he grumbled, giving a small noise of approval when Ivan silently handed him a piece of bread and an apple.
"Roberts has a bit of ale in his satchel somewhere if you're thirsty, he snuck it with him from the barracks back home," Ivan said offhandedly, looking at the strips of leather securing his saddle as he spoke.
"Thanks," Liam muttered, immediately heading over to the older soldier to nag him for the alcohol.
Ivan watched in amusement as the two men started arguing over the ale, their faces a mixture of annoyance, sleep deprivation and soreness from sleeping on the hard ground.
Not long after Liam returned, holding a small felt flask in his hand as a victorious smile spread on his lips. Taking a swig from the bottle, he sighed in pleasure, feeling the ale soothe his scratchy throat, before handing it to his brother without a word.
"We're heading a little further east today, men. Roberts and I will search the coastline—we'll search the caves too—while the rest of you should go through areas of the forest," Liam spoke up, capturing the attention of his soldiers.
"When should we head back?"
"Sunset, not a damn moment later. If you find Noah bring her in, do not harm her," Liam said quickly, waving Roberts over to the side before the two of them split from the group.
"Later, Captain!" Ivan shouted as he and the two others headed further into the forest, disappearing behind a cover of thick willows.
Liam and Roberts continued riding in silence, one as stoic as the other was brooding, the tall trees nothing but a mesh of dark brown and green as they rode down the stony trail leading down towards the beach.
Turning his head ever so slightly, Liam watched his subordinate's tense expression as the two of them got closer to the stony caves near the beach.
"Don't worry, Liam, I'm sure that the Church just made a mistake. We all know that Noah's no witch."
Yes, that had been his younger brother's words last night when the two of them had switched watch-duty but to Liam it didn't matter what his brother said.
The seeds of doubt had been cleverly planted in his mind, locking out everything else, making sure that no other thoughts about Noah was present within his mind.
'Who do I believe? My heart or my duty?'
"Y'should stop brooding, it ain't somethin' I find fun t'look at!" Roberts snapped, effectively pulling Liam out of his thoughts as the two of them continued down the stony path.
"Wha—?"
"And stop playing stupid, brat, I recognize grief when I see it," the older soldier continued, slowing down his horse to a quick walk instead of the furious gallop just moments before.
"It's none of your business, Roberts, leave it," Liam grunted, slowing his own horse down while avoiding the piercing dark eyes of his subordinate.
"That's where you're wrong, brat. You're my superior and without you the rest of us would just run around like headless chickens," Roberts reasoned gruffly, his eyes sweeping over the forest floor, "That you're beatin' yourself up over a witch is pathetic."
"Just leave it, Roberts! I don—!" Liam began, only to be silenced when the sound of frantic horses could be heard behind them, "Is that the others…?" he muttered as he twisted his head to look over his shoulders.
Roberts turned his horse around, hand immediately on the handle of his sword, as three horses came into view, the riders on top of them screaming at the top of their lungs.
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO IDIOTS DOING?! GET AWAY!"
"CAPTAIN, RUN!"
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
As Liam and Roberts stared at the three men in horror a flash of green appeared behind them, before all three men screamed in agony as emerald flames began consuming them.
"LIAM! LIAM, HELP ME!"
Liam's eyes widened the very second he recognized the voice currently screaming in agony as the green flames consumed his men and their horses.
"IVAN!"
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