ALTDORF (The Forest Knights Book 1)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

“DID THE WITCH’S brothers give you any trouble?” Leopold asked.

Gissler shrugged, and his hand went to the fresh scratch marks on his cheek, just now beginning to scab over. “Not as much as she did, my lord.”

Leopold leaned back in his upholstered chair and looked at the motley group forced to their knees before him. The three brothers were chained to one another at the neck, and their wrists and ankles were likewise shackled. All of them had black eyes or bloodied faces. One could barely walk and was helped along by the other two.

Gissler had done well, Leopold thought. It may be time to put some men under his command.

He turned his attention to the woman. She lay curled up on her side on the flagstone floor. Her right thumb was shackled to her right big toe, as was her left thumb to her left toe, making it impossible for her to walk. A necessary precaution, for if the witch’s hands were left free, she would be able to cast spells and carry out the Devil’s mischief. The guards had carried her into the throne room suspended from a thick pole, and slid her off onto the cold floor at Leopold’s feet.

The young Duke let out a breath, and with it, some of the tension of the last few days. Constructing the new fortress at Altdorf was moving far too slowly. Mid-winter was when many merchant caravans set out over the Gotthard Pass. It was crossable once the heavy snows had fallen and crusted over, but when spring came its trails became too soft for carts, and the threat of avalanches of melting snow was constant. The footing would remain too treacherous for most travelers until the first day of summer. This meant that if Leopold did not have his tollgates active before winter, he would have no revenues from the pass until well into next summer, almost a year from now. With Frederick’s campaign already eating up most of the Habsburg coffers, Leopold knew he could not wait that long. The Altdorf fortress must be finished before the first snows fell.

There was still time, but he needed more workers. He had sent a messenger to his brother requesting fifty more laborers (he knew Frederick could not spare soldiers) and was confident they would arrive any day now.

Added to these worries was the pressure of his upcoming marriage only two weeks away. Lady Catherine and her entourage would arrive on the morrow and the thought of having to don his courtly mask of manners twisted his lips in a grimace. Originally set for next year, Leopold had pushed for his betrothal to take place earlier. The dowry was needed now, not in a year’s time.

A moan came from the witch as she tried to shift herself into a position that eased the pressure on her thumbs and toes. She was young, with an angelic face. How did the Devil manage to recruit one so full of innocence? Yes, this was just the diversion he needed. There was nothing like the battle of good versus evil to take one’s mind off matters of state.

“Shall I remove the witch and her servants to the dungeon to await trial your lordship?” Leopold’s secretary asked.

The young duke nodded.

“Take the men away but leave the woman. And summon the judge. I would try her within the hour.”