The Accused Witch

Part 19

"It's time." Daniel told Abigail "Just cooperate, it's the only choice."

Abigail wailed as Daniel held her arms and dragged her out of the door. Rowena got a peek at the corridor, dimply lit with fluttering warm light that radiated off the oil lamps that hung on the wall. It was a long corridor made out of stone.

Heads turned as the girls got escorted onto the room, Abigail sobbing and Rowena with a face of worry. Her brows creased and Rowena was starting to realize the gravity of her situation, if her plan went astray, what would she do?

They got dragged before the judge.

"These young ladies, Rowena and Abigail, have been accused of Witchcraft!" Said the booming voice of the town Judge/mayor. He was a plump man with puffy hair and a mustache, he was unreasonable, cruel, boring, and very, very powerful. Whatever he says goes.

"For your trial, you may ADMIT to Witchcraft and ACCUSE another one of you OR you may face a PUBLIC HANGING" His voice went suddenly loud on certain words as he articulated it perfectly for the room to hear. "ABIGAIL! You may proceed."

"Wait!" Rowena cried.

The room went dead quiet as everyone locked their gaze on her.

"I...I would like to go first? If that's okay" She stuttered barely loud enough to be heard.

"I-I admit to practicing Witchcraft... And today to prove I have learned the errors of my ways, I will do what nobody was willing to, I will call out the leader, the one who started it all!"

Rowena Realised that the judge had too much power the only way to do it is not to attack the system but the judge, she had to hit it where it hurt. She had someone very special in mind to accuse. Someone that mattered to the judge.

And said person was...

"Nellie. Nellie Carter."

The audience whispered hurriedly.

"That. Is not possible." Spat the judge, his face getting red.

Rowena looked at Abigail with a meaningful look "What? Oh!" Abigail whispered.

"It's true, I did in fact participate in Witchcraft and I can confirm it was Nellie." Abigail said.

"Me as well." Surprisingly it was Philippa. She gave the girls a smirk and a quick wink.

The judge looked around desperately "That-that ca-n-not be!" His plump face turned to a deep scarlet shade as his bushy brows scrunched up.

But there is nothing he could do. This went just according to plan.

Rowena spent the last day rounding up anyone who was willing to help.

"I CAN ALSO BACK THAT UP!" Said the kid down the street who got accused weeks ago.

Some said she was insane and refused to help but she had enough backup.

"Me as well." Said Catherine, who was a teenage girl who spent her time mastering the hardest embroideries and making the most majestic silks and tapestries. But at one point she was "too good, it must be witchcraft!".

"N-no! Nellie would, she w-would never" The judge stuttered. He looked around "OVER! THIS IS OVER! NO MORE TRIALS! THIS IS ENOUGH!" He stomped off the podium into the back passageways. The key was someone he cared about, and his wife, Nellie was the road to the end.

"We did it." Rowena breathed. The trials were over.