Four of a Kind
By
UCSBdad
Disclaimer: By, God! I do not own Castle. Rating: M Time: The very near future.
Chapter 14. Into the fire.
Castle watched in shock as Kathleen walked away from them without so much as a backwards glance, holding on tightly to Bracken's arm. Then the soldiers dragged him and his remaining wives down several flights of stairs and threw them in the dungeon.
Castle had had his heroes thrown into dungeons, or at least cells, before, but the reality was something he wasn't prepared for. The cell they were in was dank and damp. In the corner was a bucket overflowing with urine and feces. The stone floor was covered, just barely in moldering straw that looked like it had been there for years. The only light came from a torch outside of the heavily barred door. He saw a rat scurry across the floor and through the bars of their cell.
"At least were together." Kate said, trying to sound upbeat.
"I wish we were somewhere else." Kaye said.
"I'm sorry." Rick said. "This is all my fault."
Kate, Kaitlin and Kaye all rolled their eyes, which cause Rick to smile, slightly. "It's not your fault, Rick. It's Meredith's fault and the fault of her damned society. And it's Bracken's fault. God, he's crazier here than he was on our Earth." Kate said.
"No. I'm the one that just had to fool with that ancient…machine, or whatever it was. I started this whole mess because I couldn't leave well enough alone."
Kate kissed him. "It's not your fault. So quit talking about it and let's see if we can get out of here."
A quick look told them that escape wasn't possible. The walls, ceiling and floors were too thick and the door too strong.
"If we're blaming people," Kaitlin grumped, "we should save some for Kathleen. Some sister she turned out to be. We should tell Bracken she's a witch. At least she'd burn with us."
"I should have known." Kate said. "Like I said, I've dealt with battered women. They're terrified of the powerful men in their lives. They'll do anything to please them for fear of punishment. Kathleen is just acting the way she always has. After all, what have we done but make promises to her? Promised to take her with us, or leave her wealthy if we can't take her with us. And we bought her some clothes and things. But she knows now she'll never be Rick's wife. So she latched onto the most powerful man she could find."
"I still hope she burns in hell someday." Kaitlin said.
They sat together, not talking, for several hours. Then a jailer came by and put out the torches. They were plunged into total darkness.
"I guess we should try to sleep." Rick said. He piled up as much of the straw as he could and lay down with Kate in his arms. Kaitlin snuggled up against his back and Kaye moved as close to close to Kate as she could to conserve heat. Even though surrounded by three beautiful women that he loved, in one way or another, Rick was not the least bit aroused.
Early in the morning a jailer pounded on the bars to their cell. Rick looked out to see a squad of soldiers standing behind the jailer.
"Time for your trial, heretic." The jailer said, sounding all too happy about it.
"We need to use the…bucket." Kaye said. "Or at least I do."
"Go right ahead." One of the soldiers said. One by one the women used the bucket as the soldiers made lewd comments. Rick balled his fists, but knew that fighting was out of the question. He had no idea what he should do though.
As they left the cell, the jailer put manacles on each of them. Then the soldiers led them upstairs to what must have been the courtroom. The Castles and several dozen other prisoners were shoved onto a cold stone floor. On the other side of the courtroom were nearly fifty apprehensive looking people, young and old, rich and poor and in between. Castle wondered out loud what they were there for.
An old man next to him laughed, more of a cackling sound, really. Then whispered to Castle. "The Archbishop does love to be seen to be dispensing justice. A few of them are relatives of those on trial today, hoping to beg for mercy. The rest were passersby dragged in of the streets by the soldiers so there'd be a good audience." A door in the back of the courtroom opened. "Ah! Here comes the Archbishop himself. The fun's about to start."
To Rick's surprise, helping Bracken was Kathleen, now dressed in a shapeless black dress that covered her from neck to her feet. Her hair was pulled back in a sever bun and her face was devoid of makeup. She gently helped Bracken to his seat behind a large wooden desk. Then sat to his side. In the light of day, Bracken looked even sicker than he had the night before.
"I think Bracken is not long for this world." Rick whispered.
The old man smirked. "And neither are you, my friend. I fear the good Archbishop will be here after you've left."
Bracken rapped a gavel and the soldiers called for order. The first defendant was called forward and stood before Bracken.
"Michael Kenny, you've stolen pork worth five crowns. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"Your Grace, I was starving. I was hurt when renegades attacked my farm and can't work. They killed my woman and my children. I had nothing."
"You were idle." Bracken sneered. "The Lord helps those who help themselves." Bracken made a notation. "Five hundred lashes. Take him away."
"Five hundred lashes!" Kenny cried. "I'm to be lashed because your so-called soldiers are too gutless to fight the renegades, or anyone else who can fight back! You take our taxes and give us nothing but misery. You may be an Archbishop, but you're no Christian."
Bracken shot to his feet. "You! How dare you say such a thing to me, of all people? I am the representative of Our Lord on Earth." He screamed at the guards. "Hang him! Hang him now!" Bracken staggered and collapsed in his chair.
Kathleen was with him in a second. "His Grace needs his poppy juice. I'll get it." She disappeared through the door and came back in a few seconds with a small glass beaker and some water. "I have your poppy juice, Your Grace." She put a few drops into the water and helped him drink it.
"Thank you, child. You are truly and angel sent from heaven."
Kate and Kaye muttered an alternate place that Kathleen was from, while Kaitlin and Rick just glared at her.
"Next case." Bracken said in a much stronger voice.
A soldier brought another prisoner before Bracken. This one was a young girl, perhaps in her mid-teens. "Sarah Coll, Your Grace." The soldier said. "Missed Mass."
"What do you have to say for yourself, Miss Coll?" Bracken asked.
"Sir, I was watching the ships down by the docks and time just slipped away from me."
The soldier slapped her across the ear. "You will address His Grace properly, girl."
"Your Grace…" Was all she could mumble.
Bracken nodded. "I think that six months in the convent of Saint Ursula would teach you to be prompt. Take her to the sisters."
The girl was dragged out crying.
"Is the convent that bad?" Castle whispered to his elderly friend.
"They'll work the poor girl sixteen hours a day, seven days a week and feed her nothing but thin potato soup. But, it's better than being sentenced to working in the soldiers' barracks. She'd have a company between her thighs by nightfall."
"Olaf Magnusson." Called a soldier. Castle's friend stood up and walked to Bracken's desk.
Bracken sighed. "Olaf Magnusson. You are here once more? Why haven't I hung you long before this?"
"Because you know I'm a good Christian, Your Grace, most of the time. But, as Your Grace knows, there's a devil in strong drink and that devil gets to me. Oh, that the governor would see the error of his ways and ban all liquors from Clontarf. There would be such a rejoicing that the Devil himself would have his evil heart broken." Magnusson then added. "Except for wine, of course. Our Lord Himself drank wine."
Bracken nodded. "There is much worth in what you say, sir. A month working for the Monastery of Saint Anthony will help you, I'm sure."
"Thank you a thousand times, Your Grace. I will pray that the governor will open his ears and his heart to your wise counsel."
The remainder of the prisoners we disposed of quickly and with great severity. Rick and his ladies were the last ones to be tried. Rick had no doubt that their fate was already settled.
"We are fortunate that Miss Kathleen Beckett, a fine Christian woman is here to bear witness to the evil that these four have done." Bracken said. "If you will tell your story, my dear?"
Kathleen nodded and stood up. "I have been a good Christian all of my life. I was engaged to Thomas Demming , a good, hardworking Christian man. That man, "She pointed at Rick, "foully murdered the love of my life and took me prisoner. Then they dragged me to their den of iniquity and stripped me naked." Kathleen began to sob. "I can't tell you what they did to me. It's too shameful."
"No need, my dear." Bracken said, glaring at Rick.
"They took me to a large tub of water and called up a demon, straight from hell. And after that, I could only do as they said. Oh, Your Grace, it was terrible. They murdered an estate agent to steal his gold and a man named Coonan who tried to stop them. Then on the ship coming here, they took control of the crew's minds and took another ship. It was awful what they did to the crew. But as soon as I saw you, Your Grace, the Devil flew right out of me and I was free from their evil spell. I can never thank you enough." Kathleen sank to her knees and continued to sob.
Rick stood up and began to clap. "Now that's the best acting job I've seen in years." A soldier slammed the butt of his carbine into Rick's ribs and he sank to the floor in pain.
"You will be burned at the stake tomorrow at noon." Bracken said coldly. "Take them away."
Once back in their cell, they could find nothing to talk about. They just sat there for hours until it was dark. Then there was a tapping at the bars of their cell. Rick looked up to see Kathleen standing there.
"Come to gloat at us?" He asked bitterly.