Sanders Sides Oneshots

Innocent Until Proven Guilty (Intrulogical?)

I do not know what I was aiming to do when I started writing this. The story took a turn that I didn't intend whilst I was planning this and it doesn't seem too good to me. If any of you want me to, I may rewrite this in the future or do something like that. It was also originally meant to be an Intrulogical fanfiction but it definitely took a different turn so I will most certainly write another in the future.
This is also very long so fair warning-
TW: Brief descriptions of blood and scars?


Remus stared out of his window and watched as the tendrils of smoke from last night's bonfire drifted into the air and twisted around each other like tentacles. Well, he wouldn't exactly call it a bonfire... more like an execution. His small village had taken to witch-hunting and so far, thirty-seven 'witches and warlocks' had been put to death by many horrible means of execution. 

Of course, a lot of these innocent victims had never come into contact with 'magic'. Most of the casualties had fallen prey to the hatred of a neighbour or jealous family member and had been reported under false terms.

The mayor of the snoozy village wanted to be rid of the evil which was said to inhabit it but at the same time, he didn't care whether the accused were guilty or not. For every witch or warlock which was captured and executed, the mayor would be given a handsome amount of gold.

Remus's twin brother Roman found the entire situation unnerving and protected his brother at all costs, he sometimes wouldn't even let Remus leave the house of which they lived in for fear of Remus being snatched away. 

On a day like this, it was Roman's turn to gather water and necessary groceries so Remus was alone in the unstable excuse of a house. Regardless of the conditions of which Roman had set for his brother before leaving, Remus decided that today he would go outside.

As Remus packed a satchel with a small pouch of water, a fifth of a loaf of bread and some herbs; he thought of all of the dumb things that he couldn't get away with now that people were being slaughtered like animals. Even though he did value his life, Remus didn't want to be restrained from what he loved doing just because he could be imprisoned for it. 

Remus quietly shut the front door behind him and he skipped down the small meandering garden path, humming as he went. Remus made a beeline for the infamous 'Witches Wood'  which was known to be filled to bursting with all sorts of mythical and magical beings. He knew that he would be taking a great risk by heading into this particular forest for he knew what the consequences could be. 

A few years prior, a trio of young children had ventured into the shady thickets of the 'Witches Wood' and had disappeared. A few months after the mysterious disappearances, an old woodcutter had found the decomposing corpses of the three children. They had been mauled by wild beasts but something about the whole situation felt off to Remus.

Ever since then, no one had been permitted to enter the heavily wooded area but Remus had always wanted to see what was so 'dangerous' for himself. Even though he knew that now wouldn't be the best time to visit a forest which is heavily associated with witchcraft, Remus felt a sort of magnetic pull which linked him to the skeletal trees and threatening thorn bushes. 

The soothing sound of the birds singing sweet melodies to each other immediately stopped when Remus entered the ominous wood. Such pleasing tunes were replaced by the buzzing of flies, the whoosh of the cool September breeze and the crunching of fallen leaves beneath Remus's leather boots. 

Remus proceeded like this for a while, complete silence rare amongst the various sounds of crows and fast running water in babbling brook nearby.  

'Ha,' He thought to himself, 'who could find a fistful of dead trees and unruly brambles intimidating?'

After a while, Remus began to discuss all of his issues with himself. The unsettling sound of his voice ricocheting off of rocks and trees caused the hairs on the back of his neck stand up but he pretended not to notice. 

Despite all of his best efforts, his attempts to ignore the danger that was lurking nearby were thwarted by a high-pitched scream. Remus was so startled by this sudden ear-splitting noise that he dropped the water pouch that he had been holding. 

Going against all of his urges to run back home, Remus cautiously shuffled towards the source of the screaming, which had continued. 

"W-who's there?" Remus called into the darkness as he drew his hunting knife from the sheath which was attached to his belt, "show yourself." 

The screaming turned to trembling sobs which rattled the trees and made the fallen leaves quiver.  Remus noticed that the sobs were radiating from behind a large bramble bush whose thorns clung to everything they could reach. 

Remus paused when he reached the thicket, yet again trying to talk himself of investigating the sounds. In the end, Remus began to cut away at the already withered branches to reach the terrifying creature quickly. 

Remus didn't have to cut away too much of the bush as someone who seemed to be a young man was blocking the way. They didn't seem familiar to Remus but even if he did know them, their face was completely drenched with blood which caused their features to become indistinguishable. 

The individual's clothing was shredded by the coils of thorns and blood seeped through the tears in the seemingly once azure-blue fabric. 

"Are you okay?!" Remus yelped as he made an ungraceful attempt to help the injured casualty out of the thicket before laying them down in the syrup-coloured autumn leaves. The person grew quiet, their face still contorted with agony. 

Remus needed to get this person back to his house so their wounds could be tended to. They seemed to be losing blood rapidly so Remus scooped them up into a bridal-style carry and ran as fast as he could back in the direction of his village. 

Somehow, Remus had managed to return to his house without being noticed but any of the villagers who were roaming the streets as they went about their daily duties. Remus believed that he was safe when he carried the person into his house but he was instantly caught by his brother who cried out when he saw his twin. 

"Remus!" Roman jumped up from his seat on the antique rocking chair that was situated by the windowsill with a concerned look in his face, "where did you go?! I told you not to leave the house! Wh- who is that..?" 

Roman's questions were cut off when he saw that his brother was carrying someone that looked like half their blood supply had been throws at them like a painter would to a canvas. Remus shook his head and placed the person who he'd been carrying onto his bed whilst Roman ran to fetch bandages and clean-ish rags. 

"How did this happen..?" Roman murmured as he cleaned the wounds that were visible to him. 

"I don't know.." Remus answered honestly, "I was just taking a walk in the Witches Wood when-"

"The Witches Wood?! What have I told you about going into that horrible place Remus?!" Roman scolded his brother and Remus rolled his eyes. 

"As I was saying," Remus pretended to ignore his brother's outburst and continued to tell his story whilst he worked, "I was taking a stroll in the wood and I heard screams so I went to go investigate and I found them in a thicket." 

Remus gestured to the now fully bandaged person and sighed, "Do you think they're male or female?" 

Roman slapped his brother's arm gently and peered at the heap of bloodied clothing of which the person had been wearing prior to their accident, "It'd be rude to assume, it's best we ask them when they wake up."

"If  they wake up do you mean?"

"Shut up Remus."

Roman went back to the order that he was preparing when he was sure that the casualty would be alright. Remus remained at the bedside for the remainder of the day and throughout most of the night, not falling asleep once.