Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed. The only thing I own are any characters that are made up . . .and you'll know who they are. The prologue takes place in the Medieval times. A/N: The prologue contains some reference to rape and sex. If this offends you, do not read further. A/N: Fanfiction was screwing with my paragraphing. So I spaced it apart. I might just do that for all the chapters because it's annoying otherwise. Also, I have the first 5 chapters laid out; if you want more, REVIEW!!!!!!!!!

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The girl looked out from her tower window. She saw little but the ocean and the sun setting, casting an eerie orange and red glow. She sighed and turned, walking back into her room. Her long green dress fell past her feet and brushed the floor. The sleeves were tight and came to a pointed bell at the end. Her hair was long, straight, and raven black, falling to mid-back. Her hazel eyes were filled with longing and sadness. In just a few hours, she would be gone, her life ended long before it should be. She was only sixteen yet death was staring her in the face, cold and full of hate. She had tried quit a few times to escape but had been unsuccessful. The bright red marks on her back only proved this. She had been beaten, whipped or worse, each time she had attempted to reach freedom. All the magic in the world could not save her.

The sound of boots scraping against stone jutted the girl from her thoughts. She turned to face the locked wooden door, crossing her arms nervously. No one ever came to her tower room. She was scarcely fed and her death was still about three hours away. What could anyone want with her? But then she wondered . . . and suddenly knew. The sound of a key entering the lock caused the girl to jump and step back. The door began to swing open and she ran to the balcony again, attempting to jump off. She'd rather die a painful death than face what was about to come. She climbed onto the stone railing and was about to jump when strong, rough hands grabbed her around the middle and she was yanked backwards, back into her room.

"No!" she shrieked, kicking and swinging her arms as hard as she could.

"Stop it, you idiotic girl!' hissed the person holding her, one of the guards. He tossed the girl onto the ground, crossing his arms and grinning at her with cold hate and amusement.

The wooden door opened again and three more guards appeared. They entered the room, closing and locking the door behind them.

"Should we gag 'er?" one of the guards asked, grinning and revealing that some of his teeth were missing.

The guard who had first entered the room shook his head. "No. I want to hear her scream and beg for mercy," he replied coldly, laughing.

The girl back peddled until she hit the wall, then pushed herself into a corner, legs curled up close to her body. The four guards, outnumbering her without a doubt, advanced on her. One of them lunged at her, grabbing her upper arm and squeezing tightly. He forced her to her feet and threw her onto her bed. Two of the other guards swaggered over and got on either side of her, taking her arms and tying them to the bed frame. The fourth guard stood by the door, in case anyone came. He locked it for extra security and watched eagerly.

"What about her legs" questioned one of the guards. "She kicked me in the stomach las' time!"

The other two guards looked at each other and laughed.

"Serves you right, Charles," laughed one of them.

Charles scowled. "Shu' up, Mitchell!"

Mitchell chuckled and turned to the other guard. "Wanna go first, William? You haven't had a chance yet. You always say ye'll go last and we always run out of time. And this is what? The fifth time?"

William shook his head. "Last is fine with me," he replied calmly, glancing at the girl, fighting with the ropes that bound her to the bed. He looked away.

Mitchell shrugged. "Suit yourself." He grinned at the girl, who had tears in her eyes, and brushed hair out of her face. "There, there, love. You know the routine."

"You filthy pigs!!" she cried. Not a smart idea, really. All it did was anger Mitchell, who smacked her across the face. Her cheek stung.

"Didn't your mummy ever teach you not to speak back to your elders?" he growled. "Right, I didn't think so. She was too busy sacrificing lil' innocent children. You O'Bryans' are all alike . . . you and your black magic!"

"We don't practice black magic!" she cried, eyes wide. "My family is not in the practice of such a thing."

Mitchell snorted, got onto the bed, and did what he had come to do. When he finished, he took the job of guarding the door so that Caleb could have a go, then Charles.

By the time they had finished, the sun had gone down.

"Ah, William, out of time again. You can get your turn next time. Mind untying the wench?" Mitchell said, leading Caleb and Charles out. They closed the door and could be heard laughing as they marched down the hall and out of earshot.
William rounded on the girl, who looked in pain and terrified. She eyed William suspiciously and fearfully as he approached the bed, pulling at her ropes in an attempt to yank them free and escape. Silently, he pulled her green dress back into place, retied it, and then untied her hands. He pocketed the ropes and started to leave.

"Wait . . ." the girl said suddenly.

William paused and turned. "What is it?" he asked curtly.

"Why do you always help me? You've never joined your retched friends . . ." she paused. "I-I mean . . . the other guards . . . and you've always helped me after, untying me and such."

"Would you prefer I did what they do?" William asked, sounding surprised, yet his expression remained neutral.

"N-no . . . I don't . . ." she murmured.

"Right. So don't ask questions. Besides, you're due to die in three hours. That's the last time those – how did you put it? – pigs will be able to harm you. Though if I had a choice between death and . . ." William paused and left the room.

The girl frowned in confusion. She stood and straightened her dress and hand combed her hair. She had only a few short hours left to live and nothing to do but sit and wait.

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The three hours passed sooner than she had hoped. Soon, two guards, both of whom she had never met before, came and roughly dragged her from her tower room, down a hall, and many flights of stairs. She was brought out into the Town Square where she was to be executed. The whole town had come to watch.

She was to die by burning, traditional for an accused witch. She was brought over and handed to William. He nodded at the guards and, rather roughly, dragged her to a tall, wooden stake with a circle of rocks around it and wood to the left. He forced her to stand in front of the stake and pulled her arms behind her, where he bound her arms. But, as she soon realized, the ropes weren't tight at all and she could easily slip out of them. William stepped in front of her and, discreetly, winked at her. She nodded as he turned and walked to where other members of the castle stood.

"Sarah O'Bryan, today, the 31st of October, 1567, you are hereby accused of using black magic. On behave of the King's Court, you are to die by means of burning. Any last words?" Said the king's assistant.

Sarah chewed her lip. Did she have anything to say? Not really, but she decided she'd say something. "The magic I practice – and yes, I admit I am a witch – has run in my family for generations and is Good Magic. If I am to be burned for something I was born into, then so be it. But I do have this to say: You only burn witches because you fear them and you fear them because you are clueless."

The king narrowed his eyes. "On with it!"

The executioner approached. He tossed wood around Sarah, then started a fire on the last piece he held. He began to toss it into the wood when Sarah, who had made eye contact with William – who was nodding – slipped her hands from the ropes and was then able to use her powers to send the executioner flying. Townspeople began to scream and run away. It was total chaos.

While this happened, Sarah O'Bryan slipped away, unnoticed.

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She didn't know how long she'd been running. She didn't really know where she was. All Sarah did know was that someday, somehow, she would thank William, her knight in shining armor, for saving her. She was the last in her line and had feared that it really would end with her. Now all she had to do was get as far away from Europe as she could, find someone she could love, and continue her line. She ran for about five more minutes when she heard the sound of hooves approaching. Throat dry and tight, Sarah hid behind a large tree and watched apprehensively.

"Sarah? Sarah O'Bryan?" called a gentle voice softly.

Sarah peeked out from the tree. Relief flooded through her and she ran from her hiding spot. "William!" she cried, running straight into his arms. "I can't thank you enough for rescuing me! But . . . won't they kill you if they realize you purposely loosened the ropes?" she asked, backing off.

"They will,' William replied, nodding.

"So why did you help me?! I admitted to practicing magic and used my powers," Sarah questioned.

"Because your beautiful and kind. I couldn't allow them to do such a horrid thing to an innocent girl.'

Sarah stared at him, eyes wide. Before she knew what was happening, she and William had leaned in close and kissed. Suddenly, they were on the ground, kissing passionately. And for the first time since she had been imprisoned, Sarah knew her line would continue on.