The Assassin and the Sorceress Ch. 08

Ash's elderly physician worked his way out of the crowd and hobbled over to the large, wooden armchair which had been placed to the side of Lord Abel's throne, facing it sideways so both him and the audience could see him. Master Barber grumbled and grunted the whole journey.

"Oh, oh dear. I'm sorry this is taking me so long, Magistrate. My joints just aren't what they used to be. If you can be a little patient with this old man, I would be eternally... OHH! Oh, now that was a pop! Oof. That didn't feel good. Like I said, my joints..."

"The best you can do will more than suffice, Master Barber," Lord Abel interrupted him the moment he was finally seated. "Now tell me what you told the Captain of my guard regarding Rebecca's condition."

"Ah, yes. Ah, yes. Rebecca. Came down with a case of syphilis, or so it appeared at first glance. Now, now, I know what you're all thinking, but bear with me. She's a good, pious girl. Yes. Yes, indeed. But as I was saying, she came to me a month ago for some sores that appeared about her vulva, and... Oh dear! Can I say that here? Sores about her, well, intimate parts, if that term is more appropriate for a court of law."

"Tell your testimony, Master Barber. I'm more concerned with the content of what you have to say than how you say it. This trial will concern several matters not usually mentioned in diplomatic settings, but we must address them none the less. It's better to be direct and vulgar than polite and vague, for this case concerns the very safety of Ash!"

"Oh, yes, of course, Magistrate. So, as I was saying, I examined her in the, ah, area of her complaints, and found what appeared to be a case of syphilis. One of the clearest cases I've ever heard of, in fact! It matched the description in my manuscript "Ailments and Conditions of the Human Body" almost to a letter! Now, syphilis, of course, is passed on by sexual intercourse with someone already suffering from the disease, and is usually a sure sign of, well, infidelity. Rebecca, of course, claimed she had never been unfaithful to her husband. And I believe her, and this is why: Now, maybe you will call it divine providence or simple fortune, but if you were to ask my opinion, I would say it's a little of both. For Ash was founded by good followers of Christ and the one true God. And good men of the Lord practice good morals. Well, for the most part, I suppose there are a few exceptions, but maybe that's where the good fortune part comes in, eh? I tell you, we're nothing like followers of those pagan gods, with their fertility cults and drunkenness and debauchery. Ever since Christianity was declared legal, life in the Empire has only improved. Degrading the Empire! Pah! And let me tell you, I think not only will Christianity continue to be legal, it will soon be declared the ONLY legal faith, mark my words it will, and life in the Empire will only continue to get better after that!"

"Make your point, old man!"

"Ah, yes! Apologies, Magistrate. What I was saying was that due to the impeccable morality of the founders of Ash, and due to our relative isolation, syphilis never made it to Ash. It's just not here! With not one person infected, there's nobody for even the unfaithful to catch it from! In the, oh what now, forty-three years I've served as Ash's physician, I haven't seen a single case! And believe me, if something like syphilis was going around, I would know! Never seen it here in Ash, that is, until now, of course. I checked her husband, just to be sure, and he is clean. So, she didn't catch it from him. We haven't had any travelers or traders through here in a good long while, so there wouldn't have been anyone to infect her when she contracted it, even if she were inclined to be unfaithful. And Joseph confirmed when the onset of her condition occurred. Therefore, with no natural way to pass the disease to her, I can only assume it was transmitted to her, well, un-naturally!"

"Meaning witchcraft?"

"Why, yes! The work of the Devil! A deliberate attack on this poor woman, through unholy influence."

My blood ran cold. I had taken so much care to make my curse on her look like a natural disease. I had made a grave miscalculation!

"A deliberate attack. For what reason? And by whom?"

"Well, I have no personal reasons to suspect anyone in particular, but I asked the nice, young woman here exactly that. She gave one answer, and one only: Morgana, the accused standing right over there. I don't know if you follow the town gossip, Magistrate, but I guess there was a bit of a love triangle between Morgana and Joseph, her future husband. She told me Morgana grew very jealous when she found out about the marriage arrangements. She was absolutely convinced that Morgana did it in an attempt to get revenge and ruin their marriage, which I suppose makes sense. I asked her if she had any other enemies in all of Ash or beyond, and she replied, simply, 'None.'

"Another peculiar thing about this case is that it never progressed as it should have. As you may know, syphilis can be a morbid, deadly disease in its later stages, progresses quickly, and it is nearly untreatable even with the best medical provisions. The provisions available to me in Ash are meagre at best, yet by some miracle she never progressed to later phases, even started getting better! Yes, either it was a miracle, or, and this is what I think, it was never true syphilis to begin with, but a clever ruse meant to mimic the initial symptoms. Why it wasn't the true disease is anyone's guess. Either it was an act of mercy, which I still don't think excuses or mitigates the heresy of witchcraft, or that recreating the full course of the disease was beyond her craft. That is, her, or whoever cast this curse upon her, though I admit there are no other culprits at this time, not that I am aware of at any rate."

"Thank you, Master Barber, for your testimony."

"And thank you, Lord Magistrate. The pleasure was all mine. Oh, well maybe not pleasure, given the dire circumstances, but necessary. And I'm always happy to..."

"Thank you, Master Barber! Joseph and Rebecca, can you confirm what the witness has said?"

"Yes, Lord Magistrate," Rebecca answered from the front of the crowd. Joseph was silent. His face was very difficult to read, though he looked displeased.

"And do you have anything you wish to add to his account?"

"I only with to further emphasize Morgana's scorn for me and my otherwise happy marriage with Joseph. She tempted my good husband to commit a sinful act with her while it was well-known that we were engaged to be married. And after he had done his best to drive her off, she had the audacity to barge into the home of his father, while we were planning the arrangements of the very marriage she sought to ruin, and bade him return to her in front of all of us! So shamelessly brazen!

"There was always something strange about her... even creepy. She never bothered to make friends with any of us. The rare times she did open her mouth, it was usually something odd or off-putting. Not just what she said, but how. Her words were emotionless, like she lacked a human soul. Sometimes we'd talk about her, wonder if there was something different about her. We'd joke about her being a witch, or maybe a demon: some sort of changeling that had killed the real Morgana as a baby and taken her place in her crib. I don't think we were entirely serious about that; it was just too hard to believe. But there was something there that made us think that. Maybe we said those things in jest because we didn't want to admit how frightened of her we really were."

"Thank you, Rebecca," Abel said, after she fell silent. He then turned to me. "Morgana, Daughter of John, what have you to say for yourself?"

I didn't feel like there would be much point in defending myself with logic against people who were determined to hate me, but I had to say something. Silence might as well be an admission of guilt.

"Magistrate, I..."

"LORD Magistrate!"

"Lord Magistrate, I never infected her with any disease, and certainly not through unnatural means. I don't even know how I would do that, pass a disease to her that I don't have myself. And I'm aware that I was a strange child, but..."

"Then why do you avert your eyes when addressing me?" he interrupted. "If you are innocent, why do you hide yourself from my gaze in shame?"

What a stupid mistake! Esther had even told me about this tendency of mine, but I had forgotten all about when it mattered more than ever! She had said it made me look insincere. This time, though, I actually was.

"Because I'm frightened."

"And aren't the wicked always frightened when facing justice?"

"Lord Magistrate, I'm finding being falsely accused to be a rather harrowing experience as well."

"Only for the faithless..." the Vicar replied, suddenly. "Were you a woman of faith in the Lord, you would have no fear of false accusations. Through my presence, this trial is being overseen by God himself, and therefore, the truth will be known! Either you doubt His power, or you are as guilty as claimed. I've seen through much better-crafted lies than yours. It's written on your face and in your posture. Guilt weighs on you more heavily than those chains!"

"HOW WOULD I EVEN HAVE DONE THAT?" I almost screamed!

"BY CONSORTING WITH SATAN!" he yelled back. "The Adversary turned a staff into a moving snake! He empowered Simon of Gitta to fly! He has inflicted countless plagues upon the children of God in hopes that they lose their faith in Him! And you ask how you could have done this thing? Morgana, the heresy you are truly on trial for today is not making a few people fall ill, or ruining a few crops, but for accepting Satan's power in the first place!"

Before I could think of a response, Lord Abel called for the trial to continue. He brought up Orson, and several of the villagers who had witnessed the incident in the town square. Originally, Orson admitted shoving me into the horse trough only after finding himself break out in boils, which contradicted several of the other witnesses. I thought something might finally be going my way, until Lord Abel reminded Orson that he was not the one on trial here. Orson finally admitted to the true course of events, but cited Rebecca's description of me as his real reason for shoving me. He could just tell I was evil and demonic, he said, and was trying to protect the town from me. After this charge had been fully discussed, things were looking even worse for me.

Many more witnesses were brought up to testify on things I had no hand in whatsoever. As far as I could tell, after speaking to Rebecca and Orson, the investigators may have started asking leaning questions to anyone who had sustained loss or misfortune in any way, thereby encouraging people to attribute to witchcraft things that could easily be explained by natural events or simple misfortune.

"These are the charges that have been brought against the accused, Morgana, daughter of John," announced Lord Abel once each of the numerous charges had been discussed at length. It was already well into the afternoon. Several recesses had been called, so those present could fill their growling bellies and relieve themselves. I had been offered no such privileges. I was so hungry it hurt, and my bladder had filled to the point I was forced to wet my shift. I could have magicked the urine out of my bladder, but I had promised no more magic, lest they use the lack of urine on my clothes as further evidence against me. Was I being paranoid? Maybe. I just didn't want to use my magic anymore.

"We will now proceed to examine the accused's character to look for signs of satanic influence."

The first witness he called up was the pastor who led the school. He detailed that I was intellectually bright, but seeming to lack in faith, that my interest and success in studying scripture were somehow tangential to the greater purpose of holding faith in God. Next, he called up Rebecca to repeat what she had said of my childhood, this time from the witness' chair. He brought up other children who I had grown up with, as well as teachers and even shopkeepers who had interacted with me, to attest to my differentness.

He seemed to be going in chronological order, painting a picture of my development through life. Eventually, he brought my friends from the river. I was worried about Matthew being goaded into saying what the Lord Magistrate wanted, but he held fast, saying only that I seemed like a decent, young woman. Surprisingly, Magdalene proved to be a greater threat. She seemed uncomfortable telling lies. Nothing she said was a direct lie, but she left out a few crucial details. She agreed with what her brother had said, but left telling pauses in her story, while her eyes drifted downward. I could tell the vicar picked up on it instantly. He pressed her hard. She still refused to change her story, but by her lack of confidence her testimony fell apart in the eyes of Lord Abel and his vicar. They excused her well before she had finished her defense of me. Though she had tried, she had not helped me.

Gaius was called up. He was in full soldier's armor, now acting as one of Lord Abel's guards. Gaius tried to fill in the gaps that Magdalene had left. He was more comfortable telling literal lies. He asserted that while, yes, we swam in the river together, we were exceedingly cautious not to view each other indecently, in such a way that we might sin. He did what he could to defend my character. He had been the best defense for me so far, though I can't say if he had made up for the damage Magdalene had done, because they seemed to doubt his words. Things were not looking well.

Finally, it was my mother's turn. He had been saving the best for last.

"Hellen, wife of John, tell me about your daughter, Morgana. Do you believe she is a faithful woman of God?"

"I..." was all she managed to choke out. Suddenly, she looked morose, and perhaps even a little guilty.

"Keep in mind that I have a written account of what you said to the Captain of my guard. It will suit you to not change your testimony."

As vile a woman as my mother may have been, even she seemed reluctant to testify against her own daughter. However, her reluctance wasn't enough to stand up to the Lord Magistrate's veiled threats.

"Aye, Lord Magistrate. No, I do not believe she is a devout follower of the Lord. She was sometimes inattentive at Bible lessons. As the pastor said, good at remembering, but not at understanding. She never said her prayers unless told to do so, and even then, it was done with a roll of her eyes. She did not love or obey her father as the Bible commands, and neither did she love or obey me. She had been disobedient, having to be chastised many a time to finish her share of the chores. She was always off on her own business, doing God knew what, many times returning with soiled boots and pine needles in her clothes, as if frolicking through the woods. I knew not where she went or what she did. All children can be willful, though."

"Has she committed any sinful acts beyond a normal child's willful ways? Any grievous transgressions against God?"

"Aye, she has. But, is it really necessary to say such things in front of so many people?"

"There have been attacks on the good people of Ash, so yes, these are things we need to address. Surely you must agree that family privacy isn't more important than all of our safety!"

"Yes, Lord Magistrate. I agree. But..."

"It's already been said that you beat your daughter, the accused, severely. Yet, we know you to be a pious woman of God. Surely you wouldn't commit such violence against your own flesh and blood without very good cause!"

"No! Of course not!"

"Then what was that good cause? What transgressions has she committed that warranted such heavy-handedness?"

Mother gulped once, but after hesitating for only a moment, gave in.

"Very well. I've caught her sinning against the Lord many a time. Several times I went to her room to wake her in the morning, only to find her sleeping entirely naked! Not even the sheets covering her! Or I'd hear noises from her room... heavy breathing as if committing the sin of Onan. Sometimes several times in the same night! I punished her for it, even threatened to remove the door to her room. But I don't think she stopped, only took care to not get caught. Then one day I left her alone at home for a moment, and instructed her to finish her chores. But when I came back, I found her... sitting atop our dining table, entirely in the nude, violating herself! I was horrible! Unholy, even! I chastised her harshly."

"As any good mother would have," the vicar agreed. "You couldn't possibly hurt her as much she was hurting herself. No bruise the mortal flesh may sustain can compare to the injuries such sinful acts inflict on the soul!"

"And what was she 'violating herself' with?" asked the Magistrate.

"One of the carrots we were to have for supper!"

There were a couple of half-hearted chuckles from the attendees, but little more. Under normal circumstances I would have expected to be laughed at, but things were too grave to warrant much laughter. It was still humiliating. I don't think I could have looked up from the floor had I wanted to, or spoken a word in protest.

"Disgusting!" the vicar hissed.

"Aye," she agreed. "What else could I do? I had to chastise her! For her own good!"

"As any mother who loves her daughter would have! Surely, such strong discipline from a woman as Godly as yourself would be enough to set even the unruliest of children straight. Was she good and pious after that?"

"Well, no, Lord Magistrate."

"What? How? I can't believe that the will of a girl could best the will of her own mother, not if she performed her God-given duty as a mother. Certainly not a normal girl."

"Morgana is no normal girl! I tried my best, I truly did!"

"Then how did you fail to gain control of her?"

Mother looked down, appearing deeply conflicted. She mouthed several words silently to herself. She was desperate.

"HOW? How did the will of a frail, timid girl like her manage to overcome a 'godly woman' like yourself? Or did you neglect your duties to her after all?"

"It was witchcraft, as you've said, Lord Magistrate! Witchcraft! It must have been! Yes, I chastised her that day, and she ran from the house! But she returned later that night after having been gone for hours. She seemed to have changed. I think that might have been the night she became a witch. Maybe if I hadn't let her escape and chastised her harder, I could have saved her. I don't know how she did it, but she managed to charm her father into siding with her, like he was under her spell! That night, my husband beat me at my daughter's behest. He forbade me to punish her ever again, commanded me to spare the rod on our child, already far astray!"

Suddenly, I heard my father's voice from the crowd. "Wait, my lord! None of it happened that way! Helen beat our daughter nearly to death! I had to make sure..."

"Silence! Let her finish her testimony."

Mother went on, and I could barely believe what she said about us! She detailed that father and my joining forces as a family was a conspiracy against her and God. She berated his character as a worthless man of no skill, a drunkard, and irresponsible father. Perhaps this had been true of him to some extent at one time, but he had since proven himself a decent man. Well, Mother hadn't seemed to notice. By her account, I had bewitched him into getting revenge on her for trying to discipline me. I had taken over the family, and removed from power the one pious and responsible member of our family who could have prevented our descent to Satanism.

"Thank you, Helen! Your testimony has been particularly elucidating. Sexual perversion... recruiting the loyalty of the weak-minded, and against their own interests, no less... there may be something here after all. You've given us much to consider."