The robed figure made his way along the narrow dingy passageway toward the cells at the end his torch making swooooshing sound as he walked its light flickering making dancing evil shadows, the key ring on his belt jangling heralding for all who heard his approach. He slowed as he came to the corner then walked down the three steps to the section where the cells were four on the right, five on the left. He stopped at the first door and opened the small flap peered in then closed it moving on to the next one doing the same until on the fifth cell he found the one accused.
She sat on the crude wooden pallet her slender legs tucked up under her an old threadbare blanket covering staving off the chill of the cell. She sat there and dozed intermittently awakened only by the sounds of the cell doors being opened at various times and the gruff commands she heard mixed with the soft weeping’s of the female prisoner being led away. Where she wondered where they taking them and how long had she been here. She knew not only that she had been taken from her bed in the night cruelly bound and brought before a magistrate and in a sleepy daze had heard the accusation of her being a witch. She had protested against such but was takeaway by the cruel guards and placed in this small dingy damp foul smelling cell. For her the hours had slipped by slowly in confusion and fear until sleep had overtaken her and she dozed fitfully.
At the fifth door he opened the small flap and peered in smiling as he looked at the small figure on the pallet knowing this was the one.
He slipped the key ring from his belt, inserting the key turning it and opening the door.
It was the rattle of the keys that woke her from the her fitful sleep and as she looked up seeing the door open then clutching the blanket she pulled it closer to her as she saw the robed figure enter sliding further back into the darkness of where she sat hoping he would not see her knowing he would.
He entered the small lifted the torch and caught sight of her legs in the darkness placed the torch in the holder on the wall and in two steps he crossed the floor reached in and pulled her roughly from the darkness making her stand on the cell floor in front of him.
She held the threadbare blanket to her as she watched him enter the cell and place the torch in the wall then bunched up the end biting on it to stop from screaming as e walked towards her grabbing her small slender wrist and pulling her from the pallet to the floor.
Pulling her from the pallet he tore the blanket from her tossing it across the cell then as quickly clamped his hand over her mouth pushing her against the wall stiffling the scream that he could see coming. He looked at her, her small features the wild look of fear in her soft brown eyes as she struggled against him. He held her fast to the slimy stone wall saying," Be quiet you foolish girl I am not here to harm you only to talk to you, understand." He held her a few moments longer seeing her fear subside then let her go roughly pulling her to the center of the cell then walking past her to sit on the small stone seat against the wall.
She stood there looking at him trembling partly from the cold mostly from the fear as she waited for him to speak, brushing a strand of hair back from her face as she waited.
He sat looking at her small frame petite features, the rise and fall of her breasts under the coarse fabric of the shift she wore looked at her and then said," By what name do you go." He waited, watched as she looked at him biting her lower lip then said, "Shian Sir, I am called Shian." He nodded then said, "Do you know the accusations against you, are you aware of the seriousness of them."Again she looked at him her soft brown eyes starting to tear as she answered, "Yes I have heard them but only briefly." He nodded again the asked a third time, "What truth is there to these accusations as you know it." She looked back at him and unsure look in her eyes her composure breaking as she said, “There is no truth to them at all, I am only the baker’s daughter who bakes bread with him for the people who live here. Of these charges I know nothing at all." she then turned her head away letting out a soft small sob as she tried to regain some composure. She then looked back at him and waited his response.
He sat there head bowed thinking of this woman and how they would question her about her accusations, about how they would question her for hours upon end, wear her down, about the methods they would use on her, the devices, the implements, of how they would in the end secure from her a confession that he knew may very well be a false one yet to them a victory against the evil they felt coursing through the world. He looked at her again as he stood up and wondered how she would fair upon the rack, or under the lash that he knew was to come for her.
He stepped forward and roughly turned her around grasping her arms between her wrists and elbows pulling them behind her back.
" Please," she sobbed as she felt the coarse rope bit into her slender delicate wrists, " please what are you doing, where are you taking me, tell me please." she sobbed.
He ignored her pleas and sobbing as he bound her wrists tightly hearing her gasp as he did so grabbing her arm tightly as she started to struggle, then turning her around to face him he slapped her hard across the face saying, " Silence your tongue woman. I’ll take you now before the Chief Inquisitor himself so that he may question you and ascertain your guilt or innocence. It is not for me to decide your innocence or guilt."
She gasped as she heard the words knowing that she would face long hours cruel questioning, possibly in the hands of the torturers who would make her confess to anything they wanted to hear. She sobbed loudly as she he thrust her roughly towards the door way making her shudder as she stepped out into the passageway and the long dark walk to where the Chief Inquisitor awaited her.