Forge's outdoor workshop…
"Alrighty," Sir Forge, the wise and learned knight, muttered to himself as his arm generated a series of mechanical feelers. "Just a few more tweaks and…" The feelers whirled into action, letting out a slight hum. "…Done!" Letting his arm morph back to normal, Sir Forge stepped back and marveled at the pair of sparrows who were wearing his newly built towing harnesses. "Now to string up that coconut…"
Sir Forge turned to rummage through his workbench, but stopped short as he heard a commotion in the distance. The disturbance approached rapidly, and the learned knight soon found himself facing a mob of local townsfolk.
"We have found a witch," loudly proclaimed Townsman Lance, who was at the lead of the procession. "May we burn her?"
"Well, that's what we do with witches," Sir Forge affirmed, placing his hands on his hips. "Bring her forward."
The crowd cheered and a gaudishly dressed woman was hustled forward by Townsman Todd and Townswoman Tabitha.
"Stop this!" The woman protested. "I'm not a witch!"
Sir Forge looked down at Townsman Lance. "Hey, she says she's not a witch."
"She's lying," Townsman Lance assured. "She is called Daytripper and is a witch of much renown."
"I am not a witch!" Insisted the woman as she was thrown in front of Sir Forge.
"Oh, yeah you are," Townsman Todd countered.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course we're sure!" Townswoman Tabitha attested. "She looks like one!"
Sir Forge leaned forward for a closer look. The woman has long, blond hair, a dimple on her cheek, and was dressed in skintight red leather cat suit with bright yellow trim. "No she doesn't."
"What'd'ya mean?" Demanded Townsman Todd.
Sir Forge scowled. "Witches look like old hags. They're ugly, worn out, and dress in raggy black robes."
"That's a common view," Townsman Lance spoke up. "But it's really just an uninformed stereotype. Real witches are actually quite vein, and are very concerned about their looks. Any witch worth burning can easily cast a few beauty spells and transform herself into an unassuming babe."
Sir Forge stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Good point. I never really thought it through like that." The learned knight regarded the woman for a moment. "And she certainly looks like an unassuming babe. Lets burn her."
The townsfolk erupted in cheer.
"No!" Protested the woman. "I don't really look like this! They dressed me this way!"
Sir Forge glanced at the townsman beside him. "Did you dress her like this?"
"No…"
"Yes you did!" The woman insisted. "My name is Amanda Sefton, and I'm a natural brunette. I've never had a dimple and these are not by breasts!"
Sir Forge blinked in disappointment. "They're not?"
"No, they are false ones!"
Sir Forge looked disapprovingly over the townsfolk.
"Well," Townsman Lance reluctantly admitted. "We did do the hair."
"And the chest," added Townsman Todd.
The crowd remained sullenly quiet for a moment.
"But she's a witch!" Townswoman Tabitha yelled.
"Burn her!"
"Burn her anyway!"
Sir Forge raised his hands and gestured for the crowd to calm down. "Quiet. Quiet…" The knight paused for a moment. "We have ways of dealing with this. Now, why do you think she is a witch?"
"Yo, she looks like one!" Townswoman Tabitha cuffed the back of Townsman Todd's head.
"We have tested her, sir knight!" Proudly proclaimed Townsman Lance. "She weighs that of a duck, and she doth float on water!"
Sir Forge raised an eyebrow. "How does that make her a witch?" Townsman Lance's smile faded, and he sullenly looked at the ground. "And did you use that big scale in the town square? That thing has been broken for years."
After a moment of silence, Townswoman Tabitha spoke up. "She made the air fetid and smelly at the Darkholme Inn!"
"That was Townsman Fred during burrito night." Sir Forge looked out over the crowd. "Well, why else?"
"I told you, good sir knight," pleaded the accused woman. "I am not a witch and have done nothing to warrant be accused as one!"
"Of course you have!" Yelled back Townswoman Tabitha.
"Like what?"
Townsman Todd reluctantly spoke up. "She turned me into a toad, yo."
Sir Forge crossed his arms skeptically. "A toad?"
"Yeah. See?" Townsman Todd opened his mouth, and a long grayish tongue shot out and snatched buzzing fly. The tongue instantly retracted and the townsman swallowed. "A toad."
Slightly stunned, the learned knight scratched his head for a moment. "Well," he proclaimed at length. "Looks like she's a witch. Lets have ourselves a burning!"
The crowd erupted into a cheer, and the witch was triumphantly carried off.
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