"Captain Jack Harkness has been found guilty of sorcery. Our laws decree only one punishment. Death."
Rose was suitably filled with dread at the declaration but managed to restrain herself from doing anything too rash. Anything else that was. She waited with the Doctor as Gwaine and Lancelot picked up Jack and along with the injured Merlin, the company began walking back to Camelot.
Following but hanging back from the crowd, the pair spoke in soft whispers.
"They burnt witches, sorcerers whatever, they burnt them at the stake didn't they?" Rose questioned in worried tone.
"fraid so."
"But could that kill him? Being burnt to death I mean. He would just be ashes. He couldn't come back from that could he?" Rose was getting more frantic with each word. "Oh God they're going to kill him aren't they? Doctor, they're going to kill him! Aren't you"
"Calm down!" The Doctor interrupted, stopping Rose as she neared tears. Grasping her shoulders he gave her his best roguish grin. "Cause guess what?" he paused for dramatic effect. "We're going to save him!"
"Gwen! Gwen! Are you here? Gwen?" Rose yelled franticly as she returned to the house she had been in only a few hours ago. It seemed like lifetimes now.
Appearing from behind the makeshift screen Gwen took in her new friend's troubled expression and quickly moved to greet her.
"Rose? What's wrong? What's happened?"
"I don't even know where to start!" she exclaimed as she began pacing. Gwen waited patiently but grew more anxious by the second.
"First Merlin got attacked by the alien, bloody aliens," she muttered the last bit under her breath but Gwen wouldn't have heard her anyway.
"Merlin's hurt? I must go and help Gaius."
"Wait" Rose grabbed Gwen's hand, halting her retreat out the door. "You've got to help me!"
Although she was anxious to see how Merlin fared she couldn't ignore the very real terror and pain in her new friend's eyes.
"What else has happened?" she asked gently, guiding Rose into a seat.
"They arrested Jack." Rose whispered mournfully. "Arthur said he's going to kill him. They sentenced him to death."
Gwen gasped. "But why! Arthur would never…oh God! Is Jack? Did he?"
Rose looked at her friend as she fumbled for the right words.
"He's not a sorcerer." She interjected and Gwen let out a small sound of relief. "But Arthur thinks he is."
"Why? Whatever did he do?"
Rose blushed in embarrassment. She didn't want to lie to Gwen but she couldn't very well tell her the truth.
"That doesn't matter right now" Rose declared, surging to her feat. "I need your help."
"I don't understand. What can I do?"
"I need you to talk to Arthur."