Chapter 3
Lady Katherine Pryde stepped through the hallway of her family mansion, her heels clicking loudly on the polished marble floors. She held the front of her dress up as she began to make her way up the grand staircase.
"My lady!" she heard the familiar voice of one of her servants, young Robert Drake. Robert wore the deep blue uniform that all the serfs who worked in the Pryde residence wore, he looked dapper and regal, although this was not always the way he behaved when he thought no one of importance was watching.
"Yes, Robert?" Katherine stopped on the staircase and leaned over the banister slightly, "what is it?"
"Three more of your serfs have gone to battle in the North," Robert replied, seeming quite distressed, "and two are planning to leave tonight…"
"They've been called upon?" Katherine asked, beginning to immediately concern over this. Piotr had not been the only serf under her employment to leave for the battle. Five of them had gone off, they'd been the only ones called upon for battle.
"Yes, my lady," Robert nodded curtly, "from the look on the grim faces of the Paladins who came to call upon them, I could only assume that our men are not winning the battle in the north."
Katherine could immediately tell even Robert was concerned, he was not his normal mischievous laughing self. She caught herself wondering how long it would be before the youngsters of Bayville would be called upon to face the battle. Robert was barely fourteen, and barely possessed enough skill to wield a wooden stick let alone a .
Breaking out of her thoughts, she nodded, "Thank you for informing me," she said quietly, and began her way up the stairs, disappearing down the hallway, and then the slam of doors could be heard bouncing and echoing off the silent walls of the mansion.
Rogue was dragged into the stone prison of Southern Bayville, the place was located in the slums, the place has fallen into disrepair, but still it held people within its cold stony cells. The place reeked of despair, and as they came through the heavy wooden doors, distant cries and groans echoed down the long corridors.
"Where do you want her?" one of the Law enforcers asked of the Chief. He and two other enforcers had Rogue's arms pulled back behind her back so tightly it was hard to move at all. Rogue wished – that just once – they might accidentally graze her bare hands and cause the magic of her skin to work its wonder and have them pass out, they'd let go, she could make a run for it. But there was no such luck.
The Chief frowned, "throw her in the oubliette, it'd be a bad idea to put her anywhere else…this…magic…she has…will do her no good down there..."
Rogue's panic surged even more. She knew what an oubliette was, it wasn't a normal prison, it was a dungeon, a dungeon that could only be entered and exited through a hatch in the ceiling of it. People were usually left there to die.
"I'm INNOCENT!" Rogue screamed, for the hundredth time since they'd accosted her. They seemed determined to not listen or let her have her say – she felt fury building up within herself, "It was that Lady Katherine!!! She did it! Not me!" she struggled as violently as she could, it seemed to take no effort from the enforcers to hold her back.
"Lady Katherine is a lady of quality, her family have lived in this village for generations, her father was the King's right hand!" the Chief growled, "How dare you accuse a fine lady like herself of such malevolence, filthy peasant!" he spat at her.
Rogue turned her head to try and avoid the spit, she swore under her breath and tried to muster up enough strength to break free, it wasn't working. If only Logan had taught her how to defend herself, she might have had a fighting chance with these enforcers. She regretted the fact she'd been born female, if she'd been a man this never would have happened – she'd have been away to battle with Logan and the other men of the village, not stuck here in this town treated like slime on someone's shoe for a crime she didn't commit.
"I'm going to the Pryde mansion to get a statement from Lady Katherine. Once we have her statement in writing, we can perform a burning," The Chief enforcer grabbed a scroll of paper from the desk.
"A burning?!" Rogue demanded, "I'm not a witch!" she screeched.
"Shut up!" the Chief slapped her with the back of his gloved hand.
Rogue felt the pain blinding through her face for some moments, she tasted blood within her mouth and when she opened her eyes everything seemed slightly blurry for several seconds.
The Chief drew his breath, sucking in anger, "Put her down the oubliette, I'll be back soon."
Rogue looked desperately at him, "Please! Believe me! I didn't do anything!"
The enforcers began to drag her down the corridor, her feet slid across the floor, she tried to dig her heels into the cracks of the stone floor but nothing would delay them from dragging her. She was pulled into a small dark room, a hatch lay open already in the floor, and infinite darkness seemed to dwell below, and she was almost positive she could hear the scurry of rats.
"NO! Please!" she screamed, tears beginning to form in her eyes.
And then she was thrown, and down she began to go, it seemed like an eternity before she hit the floor with a hard thud. Her fingers felt straw and stone beneath them, and her back felt every bump. Rogue glanced up to the ceiling she'd just come through, it seemed ten feet above that the dim light from the room above seeped in through the hatch. A bloodcurdling creaking broke through the quiet, and then a loud echoing thud. Darkness only remained, and Rogue was alone in the oubliette.
Katherine slipped her wand into an oblong box lined with velvet, and shut it sharply, slipped a small key into the small lock at the front and twisted it swiftly. A quiet click ensured her secret was safe. She took hold of the pendent of the necklace she always wore, it had her family crest upon it – the rampant lion. She pushed the very small button at the side of the pendent and it opened up, a fine locket it made, and she slipped her key inside it, shutting it securely with a sigh.
The face of the girl she'd run into in the market square stayed painted fresh in her mind, that expression of disbelief, and loathing over what Katherine had done. It remained there in her head, and she doubted it would go away for some time.
Guilt was building up the more she would think of it, eating at her. It had been two hours since the incident, and already it was beginning to drive her mad.
But what can I do? She asked herself sternly. I might be the daughter of the kings former right hand, but I have no say over what the law enforcers do or don't do. There's no way they'll release her, even with my plea. And if I beg them – they'll know what I've done…
Katherine put her wand case beneath a secret trap door under the rug near her cabinet, and prayed no one would ever stumble upon it. Just as she had placed the edges of the rug back down securely, a knock at her door caught her attention. She moved quickly to the desk, sat down, and placed her hands primly upon her lap, feigning an expression of complete innocence, and spoke the word, "come."
The door slid open, and Robert Drake entered, he bowed before her first, then stood straight and rigid, "Chief Kelly of the Law Enforcers has arrived, and is requesting to see you urgently."
Katherine sighed, "did he say what it was about?" she stood slowly, and approached Robert.
Robert shook his head, "I did ask, but he said only that it was Enforcer business only. He's waiting in the study, my lady."
"Thank you," Katherine said humbly, and left through the door he'd left open. She travelled down the warm hallways, then down the grand staircase, and along the way to the private study, where Katherine would work on all her correspondence and meet with her financial advisors.
Chief Kelly stood by the desk, hands behind his back, he looked pleasant, and cordial, but Katherine saw right through it, knowing if she'd been anyone other than someone of regal birth, he would not have been so congenial towards her. "My lady," he bowed, and reached out for her hand to brush his lips against her knuckles.
Katherine took her hand back slowly, "I trust this isn't a social visit?" she asked. She hoped this appointment would be over with in minutes, as she did not want him lingering around her house.
"I'm afraid not, my Lady," he stated.
Katherine stepped over to the sideboard, a crystal decanter filled with some wine remained there, some glasses by it side, "can I interest you in a drink?" she asked, being obliging despite her incredible dislike for the man. She poured herself a glass of wine, and took a slight sip.
"Perhaps just a little," Chief Kelly moved over, as she poured a glass for him. "I come regarding the incident earlier today," he said.
The hairs on the back of Lady Katherine's neck stood on end from the fear that instilled her as those words passed his lips. By the gods, he's realised he's arrested the wrong woman, he's here to take me to that terrible prison, she panicked.
"Is there a problem?" she asked lightly, trying to remain very calm whilst inside her heart was thudding so loudly she could hear it within her own ears.
"Not particularly, no, it is just that I must confirm the events that took place before any action can be taken against the foul witch who caused the incident."
"Oh…" Katherine said, and handed him his glass of wine, her nervous heart still beating strong. "And what action would be taken against her?" she asked, quite innocently.
"Well, she'd be executed, of course, my lady. Witchcraft is grounds for execution, you know this," he replied.
Katherine felt quite sick, the room seemed to sway around her and she was sure this was not from the wine she'd just sipped. "But it was a mere accident, it was not as if she meant to do it…"
"You know the law."
Katherine felt despair grasp her within. This could have been her life on the line instead of this peasant girl who had been a total innocent in the whole ordeal. "But…think, I mean how would you feel if you accidentally used magic and hadn't meant to, would you be able to stand up to the charges of illegal use of magic?"
Chief Kelly snorted, "this would never be me. Besides, the girl obviously must have known about her cursed power, why did she not evacuate the village?"
"Perhaps she did not know?" Katherine tried.
"She knew. She's been a resident of this town for most of her life, I've seen her around. I'm sure she's the wife of that carpenter who lives near the forest. I've seen them together."
"She seemed a little young to be a wife," admitted Katherine softly, she looked away, lost in thought.
"Younger women make better wives, so I'm told," Chief Kelly replied, he put down his wine glass on the sideboard, and then retrieved the scroll from a satchel on his hip, "I need you to sign this, Lady Katherine."
"What is it…?" Katherine put down her own glass and took the scroll from his hand, she unrolled the paper and stared at the fine black writing.
"It's a statement, I've already prepared the details of the assault, you just need to sign your name to confirm it for us," Chief Kelly answered quickly, his eyes lighting up at the possibility of an execution within hours.
Katherine's eyes travelled over the words. The first paragraph chilled her.
I the undersigned testify that the prisoner in question
Unlawfully used witchcraft against me to do harm for
Personal gain. I fully support the Law Enforcers duty
To execute the accused accordingly.
The document went over several things, none of which seemed to have any relevance to the case and seemed more or less made up information to ensure the execution of the girl.
Katherine pressed her tongue against her cheek, she went over the words several times. It seemed a pitiful statement, short, and unjust and incorrect. The magic had not been used against her because she'd been the one to cause it. And she did certainly not support the Law Enforcers duty to execute the girl who'd been given the blame.
I can't tell him, she thought worriedly, she rolled the scroll up in her hands, holding it for several moments trying to decide how to handle the situation. If I tell him, I'll surely be executed – a vocal confession is all it would take to sign my own death warrant…but I'm certainly not going to sign this…peasant's…death warrant, even if she is only the wife of a carpenter.
"Is…everything alright?" Chief Kelly asked.
Katherine came to her senses, realising she'd been silent for some time, "I…no, it isn't," she said, she feigned a smile, and held onto the scroll tightly, "You must understand that before I sign anything, I must have it looked over by my advisor."
Chief Kelly seemed very displeased, "may I ask why?"
Katherine's answer came quickly and accurately, and she thanked the heavens for her knowledge of the law, something her father had insisted her learning during her education.. "Under the law, anyone under the age of eighteen must have a parent, custodian or someone of counsel overlook any document that requires a signature. You know that, Chief Kelly."
Chief Kelly's mouth twitched a little, eyes flickering with annoyance, "I thought in this case I could make an exception, I am the Chief after all."
"And I am the daughter of the man who was once the right hand of the King and for all I know there could be something misleading in this fine print that could cost me everything in my possession. This is my final word. I shall have my advisor overlook it, then, I will send it with – or without – my signature depending on what he feels I should do on the situation."
Chief Kelly nodded, "alright, but please don't take too long."