Hiding In Plain Sight

It Begins

"My people I've discovered one!!! A whore of the devil himself, a witch!!!" the crowd went wild at the queens declaration. "And what does the Bible say about witches." she asked pacing around on the wooden platform with her husband King Carlyle marvelling at her in the background and a young innocent blonde tied to a wooden pole screaming, begging for them to let her go.

"Suffer not a witch to live!!!" They screamed. "Yes that is what the bible said, isn't it?" Queen Evelyn turned to poor Claire Walcott. "I'm innocent I-I-I am innocent please believe me!" she bawled her eyes out hoping the queen would show a little mercy and just sentence her to life in prison but she knew her queen all too well, she would never allow it. "Then Claire, how do you explain the unknown herbs we discovered in your house and the candles everywhere." the crowd went wild once more causing the sorry blonde to sob even harder. "I was waiting on my love, he was to meet me." Claire confessed.

"But the last time I check miss Walcott....................you were not married. What did you intend to do with this man alone and who is he?" she interrogated for she damn well knew Claire was no witch but if she could kill one innocent to strike fear into the witches she was so sure lived among them, maybe just maybe she could draw them out.

"We were going to make love, something you obviously know nothing about." Claire spat and the crowd cheered. The queen on the other hand was taken back but that only fueled her fire even more. Evelyn walked up to her and grabbed her face, her green eyes meeting Claire's brown ones "Who is he Claire, maybe if you tell me now...........I won't burn you." Evelyn promised but had no intention of holding up her side of the bargain. She would kill Claire and her lover.

"Go to hell." Claire spat in the queen's face and the audience roared so much that the ground felt like it was shaking. "Burn her. BURN HER!!!" Evelyn ordered and the guards did just that. Smoke and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air and Evelyn's sick obsession.

From a far in a quite luxurious house Countess Eden Ariella Van Tassel and her cousin Count Dante Antoine Von Brunt watched the cruelty unravel before their eyes. "Eden that should be us, not her." Dante's eyes watered, he was always the softer one. "My dear, my best friend it will be fine. In due time this damn witch panic will be over and we shall be safe once more." she moved away from the window for she couldn't bare the sight anymore. "Why should we wait when we have the power to save lives, we could save them all." Dante begged but he knew his cousin all too well, she would never allow it.

"Dante have I not made myself clear!" Eden was starting to get annoyed by his pleas for them to save the lives of the innocents but in her eyes that would only cause more drama, if she were to practice magic again that would only confirm what Evelyn believed and she would search even harder, more innocents would die at her hands.

"Sometimes I wonder why I ask permission, I'm my own person I don't need your consent." and with that he stormed out the room. Eden thought about calling to him but that wouldn't end well. He was always the sweet one and he believed in fairness and other people shouldn't be suffering for them. While Eden was the strong one, the one who would always do what is necessary to keep her and her family safe.

"It never ends well when he's mad. He'll probably start cursing people again." A sweet baritone voice said causing Eden's head to whip around to meet her husband's gaze.

"Oh Sebastian my love, when did you get back from that petty little spat between those villages and how many times did you die, you only have thirty lives left you know." she walked into his embrace and they shared passionate yet longing kiss. "I just arrived, when I heard the commotion, who did they execute now?" Sebastian asked. "Claire Walcott." Eden answered with utter sadness.

"Claire!? My love something needs to be done, we nee-"

"What in heavens can I do!!" Eden raged. "The queen already suspects me, oh I know I'll just swoop in and set her ablaze. That should work perfectly!" Eden was overwhelmed with mixed feelings. She was sorry for the unfair deaths, sad that she couldn't do anything, angry that everyone keeps on telling her to do something and in extreme heat now that her husband is back but she had a feeling he could already sense that.

"I told you to never raise your voice at me." Sebastian's voice got low and filled with lust. Eden could literally see his eyes darken. "I have no time for your kinky games." Eden defended but that didn't stop him from stalking her like he was a beast. "That's what you always say." Sebastian finally pounced, whisking her away to have a passion filled evening.