Masquerade

Chapter Eight

It's the next morning, and I'm in a chipper mood as I bake today's batch of rosemary bread. Though it took some time, Jac and I made a lot of progress yesterday in terms of research. And now we actually have a substantial plan: get to the lake nomads.

The peaceful atmosphere doesn't last long, however. I jump and nearly drop the baking sheet I'm holding due to a sequence of shouts outside. I freeze, unsure of what to do. I'm dying to see what's going on, but it's probably not the best idea since I'm here alone. The rest of my family is out doing a particularly large delivery.

But the shouts continue, and curiosity gets the best of me. Unable to resist, I run out the bakery door to see a very chaotic scene before me.

In the small, paved clearing in front of the bakery, a middle-aged woman is being tugged to and fro by two armed soldiers. She yells as they try to drag her towards a parked horse-drawn carriage, likely there to take her away somewhere. Twenty or so bystanders watch with horror and rage, many of them yelling as well and adding to the cacophony of sounds. However, none attempt to help the woman, most likely out of fear of the soldiers.

A third soldier emerges on the scene from the inside of the carriage, donning an extravagant suit of armor and a stern expression that can be seen even under his mask. His outfit – along with the way he carries himself – suggests he is of higher command than the others.

"Miss Bellamy Bray, you are to be taken into custody for actively participating in the use of magic within the castle walls. Stop struggling now if you want to be shown mercy," the leader orders, his authoritative voice causing many of the bystanders to draw back.

"I will not stop struggling, sir. I've been wrongfully accused and will not be taken away for something I did not do!" The woman – who I assume to be Bellamy – cries, unsuccessfully shoving herself into one of the soldiers.

"You plead innocent?" the leader snorts. "Have some humility, woman. You may have worked in the castle, but that does not mean we're going to take your word over our good king's."

"Your good king," she snarls, "has fooled you all. He made up this tale because I started dishing out secrets he didn't want to come to light. There weren't even any witnesses, and yet you're sending me off without a chance!"

"Oh, calm yourself. You'll get to explain yourself to a judge later, but I doubt you'll get very far in there. We do not tolerate magic wielders here." He gives the other two soldiers a nod, causing them to hoist Bellamy up and once again begin the process of dragging her to the carriage. She continues her yelling, grasping at the bystanders in a desperate attempt to get help. But each time, they just give her a pitying look and draw further back.

"Bellamy! My Bellamy!"

I whirl around to see another older woman sprinting out to the action. She has to stop for a second to catch her breath but wastes no time in calling out that name over and over. She runs over to the soldiers as they near the carriage but is knocked off her feet by one of them. They turn back away from her as if she is nothing more than a silly little child in their way.

Several villagers go to the woman's aid, helping her up and comforting her as she watches Bellamy get nudged inside the carriage. But other than that, it seems as if there is nothing else they can do.

The crack of a whip signals for the horses to move, and the carriage draws further and further away from the crowd. It is quieter now, except for the sound of the woman's sobs. A group of five women surround her to give her encouragement, but eventually give up when they realize she cannot be consoled. Slowly, each one walks away until she is standing alone, and after a while she leaves as well.