Thirty cups of tea, five canvases, and five days later Roisin sat at the edge of a lake close to the castle. She painted intently the picture in front of her, the beautiful landscape and the castle looming direly in the corner. Roisin couldn't resist. It called to her silently, wanting something but not knowing what it was. Then she heard the sloshing of water. She cocked her head and figured she was alone in this meadow. But there it was again, a slight trickling and splashing.
Did something just move over in the water? Roisin stopped painting and held her breath. The wind swirled around her making her hair flap in her face and the sky darkened. She picked up her painting, set it on the ground face up, and grabbed her bag. The easel fell over from the angry air that gushed through the trees. Roisin inched slowly towards the edge of the lake looking in the water. A dark head popped up making her jump back from the water hole. The woman's arm shot out and grabbed her.
"You will take my place," she shrieked as she pulled Roisin into the water.
Roisin swam to the surface and took a breath but it was short lived, as she was pulled back underwater. It twisted dangerously and pulled her into a vortex that she couldn't escape. She fought the current but it was too strong. Colors flashed in her face and music played in her head. The thought that she was drowning entered her mind. How was she going to get out of this?
But then she was going up towards the light. Roisin gulped for air as her face hit the surface. The deprivation of sweet air made her disoriented and her vision was foggy around the edges. She was baffled because where she fell in the water was not where she fell out of the water. She was sitting in the middle of a large fountain. Monster faces stared down at her, some had fountains of water flowing out of their mouths. She shuddered feeling as if they were alive with their glaring eyes. The water was clear and it sparkled in the sunlight but did not take away the eerie feeling of the castle. It looked frightful even in broad daylight.
Roisin stood up and saw all the people running in the distance. She looked around and had a feeling that they were looking for somebody. Roisin shook her head because she didn't want it to be her. She waded across the fountain and pulled herself out. Her clothes were heavy and she couldn't walk very well. A man came up behind her and captured her in his grip.
"I got her!" he yelled with his fist up.
Roisin tried to pull away but he held her too tight, "Get off of me you bastard. How dare you?"
He pointed in her face, "Your a WITCH! You don't deserve to live. All you did was change forms."
"I have no clue what you're talking about."
"Grab her!" "Tie her up," "Let's burn her." they all yelled.
Oh god. Roisin knew what happened during the Salem witch trials. This was going to be worse because she would be in it. She twisted in the man's arms and started to cry. She didn't want to be burned at the stake. This must be how all those women felt before they were tortured.
As they pulled her down to the ground a man walked up. He was wearing a black suit and was the only one in the crowd that had shoes. Roisin noticed this because she was looking at the ground. When she looked up his cold brown eyes were looking upon her with disgust. She knew he would not give mercy or even hear her pleas. She stayed silent. Provoking him would not help her.
He told her to stand up and she did it without question. Then he slapped her hard across the face. "Did you think you could get away witch?"
Roisin said nothing barely flinching from the blow and it enraged him even more, "Answer me WITCH!"
She sighed, "If I answer you it will only anger you more."
He hit her again, "Don't get smart. Women are not smart."
"I've probably been to school more than you. You ignorant fool."
His face turned red as an apple , and he threw her to the ground, "I will show you ignorant."
He started ripping through her clothes but she didn't go down peacefully. She just wasn't raised that way. Roisin fought with her nails and fists but finally started kicking. "It's people like you that make the church look bad."
A voice boomed above her. She couldn't see where it came from but she was glad it came. The male voice demanded, " Leave my property. How dare you do this in front of my castle."
The brown eyed man's attitude changed, "I'm sorry my lord. I will take this elsewhere."
"No! The girl stays. You will not touch her again," the voice sounded like a growl.
The brown eyed man seemed to want to say more but decided to remain silent and walk away. A gut clenching feeling tightened in her abdomen and she knew that he was not finished with her yet. Little soft goose bumps raised on her arms as she scooted backward and struggled to get up to her feet.
People cowered around her. The sound of her heavy sigh was the only thing that permeated the silence. The front door of the castle squeaked open. It beckoned her inside so she didn't hesitate. She looked back as she reached the portal and the cold brown-eyed man stared daggers into her back. She could tell his mind was working on a way to get to her. She hadn't seen the last of him.