“Sizrit, Where are you?" Quinn said as he sat in the musty, stone cell. It had been two days since he was placed in the cell for the murder of one of the Witches of Rashemar. A crime he was only witness to but, because of his impeccable timing, he was caught by none other than the daughter of the murdered witch. He tried over and over again to explain that he didn't do it but the women wouldn't listen through her rage.
"If there was ever a time I needed your company now would be the time." He whimpered to the small slit of a window that was his only source of light. Sizrit had disappeared when the witch captured him and teleported him here. Since then he has been nowhere to be found. A stray tear ran down Quinn's face as his thoughts lingered to horrible reasons as to why his friend hadn't showed. The clang of metal against stone jarred him from his thoughts. Two barrel chested men moved towards his cell, dressed in leather armor and carrying battle axes on their backs.
“The tribunal is ready for you Halfling." One of the men said as the other took out a ring of keys and unlocked the cell. “I can't believe someone so small could kill a Wychlaren."
“How many times do I need to tell you people? I didn't kill her!" shrieked Quinn.
"We'll let the tribunal decide that. Come now the Tribunal does not like to be kept waiting." The two men grabbed Quinn by either arm and effortlessly hoisted him off the ground. The sun blinded Quinn for a moment when he was brought up from the dungeon pit; the wind had a slight chill to it from the mountains that made Quinn shiver harder. He was brought to a circular hut with a thatched roof and lambskin leather covering the door. Inside men and women sat in chairs on either side of the hut and yelled curses at the Halfling like a lynch mob waiting for an execution. Twelve women in masks sat at a long table in the far end of the room and watched as the barbarians dropped Quinn to the floor before them. Quinn looked up at the Witches and then around the room and spotted the girl that arrested him at the tower staring angrily at him.
“You are charged with the murder of Wychlaren Othura Ravenwind." The tallest woman in the center boomed over the crowd. Her eyes intent on Quinn. “The penalty for such a crime in this land is death. How do you plead?"
“I didn't do it!" Quinn said sharply. The crowd roared their disapproval with the outburst. The witch held up her hand calmly and the crowd silenced.
“Aluthine Ravenwind. Please describe what you told us earlier to the accused." Aluthine rose and walked to the table to address the crowd
"I found this Halfling at the scene of my Mother's death. She had been freshly murdered and he was bent before my mother's ashes after he removed the mask from her face." The crowd gasped when she mentioned the mask and a murmur lingered in the crowd “I found him before he was able to finish his theft."
"Theft! I was doing no such thing! I was trying to see who she was!" Quinn countered desperately.
"Silence!" The woman at the table roared “You will speak when spoken to and only then! Do I make myself clear?" Quinn did not answer due to the fact that he was fuming with rage.
"Answer her!" Aluthine demanded.
"Yes"
“The Tribunal has reached a verdict. The prisoner is hereby sentenced to death for the murder of a Wychlaren" The lead woman proclaimed.
"What! This is no trial!" Quinn could not help himself from the outburst. "This was going to be an execution either way wasn't it? To please the masses I suppose?"
“I wish to present a case for the accused." Said a voice from the door. A woman dressed in silver robes and stark white hair stood in the shadow of the doorway. Quinn looked in shock at the stranger and she met his eyes with a wink.
“And who, may I ask, are you?" Aluthine demanded.
“That is of no concern to you, my dear." The witch was struck aghast at the comment and began gesturing a spell. The strange woman smiled and turned. She pulled someone else into the hut and threw him down to the floor in front of her. “May I introduce you to the true murderer?" The crowd gasped at the bound man before them. The whole of the tribunal stood up at the sight of the red wizard before them, bruises and bloody wounds all over his face and arms.
“What say you Thayan?" The lead witch growled. “Did you kill the Witch of the watch tower?"
"Yes" He spat and then looked at Aluthine with a sadistic grin "She had such a beautiful voice when she screamed" Those were the last words the Wizard said before the spell from Aluthine, fueled by all her rage, struck him dead.
The bindings were released from Quinn's hands and he stood up. He walked over to the strange woman.
"Who are you and why did you help me."
“Let’s just say that saving you is for the birds." She smiled. Quinn was struck dumb for a second and then burst out laughing.
“What other tricks do you have hidden up your sleeve?" he chuckled. Sizrit only smiled.
“Let’s go this form is getting itchy."
No comments:
Post a Comment