She was starving. She thought of conjuring food, but she didn’t want to be seen using magic. Not in the cells. Not heading to the death row. She believed she could still redeem herself. One way or another.

She was shivering. It was a bit past midnight and her clothes were torn. She attempted to cover herself more, but it only revealed another hole in the sheer tunic she was given.

Moon shone into her cell. It ended up illuminating her pale legs. The shoes she was given were gone. Her toes started getting a blue undertone from the cold. She gave up on begging for warmer clothes. They wouldn’t give her any. Besides, the guards were busy. She heard a woman screaming from behind a corner. They were taking her as they took her the night before.

A few grunts and a while later and it was quiet again. Quiet and weeping. And shivering. She slowly fell asleep.

They came for her. She didn’t know. She woke up to being grabbed by her arms and pulled up to standing. One of them was the one who took her. She looked ahead. She could barely comprehend what was happening, but after a moment she realised that in front of her was a priest. He was looking at her body. She could feel his stare on her chest. She wanted to cover herself. Cover her breasts and ribs. But she couldn’t. She felt his stare burn on her pale skin.

“Yes, she will do.” he said and nodded. The guards quickly marched with her in tow. She tried to keep walking with them, but her legs gave in quickly. Her feet ended up being dragged on the cobblestones. She felt blood seeping from her toes. The rising sun shone in her eyes, but then her head fell and she went unconscious.

She woke up sitting in a chair. Her hands were tied to the armrests. Before her, the priest was getting served by a girl. She couldn’t have been more than fifteen. She was disgusted. She would throw up if she could anything. She noticed she was naked. The rope on her arms was digging deep into her skin. Her legs were bleeding all over the carpet. ‘Such waste’ she thought. She would say it, but now she realised that there is a gag in her mouth.

The priest’s moan brought her out of her thinking. The girl held still for a moment and then got up and left without taking a look at her. She had long red hair. A pretty girl. A waste for such a priest.

“Oh you are up.” the priest said “Sorry you had to see that. I hoped you would be out for a while longer.” he got up and approached her. His hand gently caressed her face.

“So pretty.” he said and his fingers trailed her raven hair “Such a shame you joined with the devil.” he let her hair fall upon her breast. “You will be brought to heaven’s justice at noon. At the Lord’s hour. You still have time to make your peace here.” he finished and left through the same door the girl has taken.

‘Make peace huh?’ she thought ‘After you yanked me out of my home for helping people…’ she groaned through the gag and tried pulling on the ropes. It was too tightly bound. And she was too weak. If only she could get her hands together. Get a little help. She kicked with her feet. She could reach ground and tried moving the chair. It was made of solid wood and way too heave for her to push over. Inside she damned all the gods and anybody that has got anything to do with them. She gave up.

Her name was Ethel. She was strapped to a chair, naked and she was going to burn for healing people in her hut in the woods. And she was mad but powerless against it all. She has made peace.

They came back for her. They undid the ropes and dragged her out. Even if she was looking for a chance to defend herself, they didn’t give it to her. They dragged her through the city. People were on both sides of the streets, throwing food and stones at her. She noticed several people among them which she helped. Young girls who needed help at the time or were worried to come home. Adults with various problems. Mothers with children, who would’ve been dead without her help. Most of those were looking at her with tears in their eyes. She was glad a bit. At least not all believed all this devil talk. She let herself get dragged the rest of the way.

They brought her to a pyre. It was in the city square. She was there before briefly a few times. She willingly stepped up to the top and she was tied with her hands up above her head. She was naked and her breasts ruled over the crowd. All eyes in the crowd were on her. Some with disgust, some with lust. Few with sadness. But she has made a decision.

She heard the priest talk to the crowd about her wrongdoings. She wasn’t listening. She was concentrating her will. She needed not to pass out now. Her hands were finally together. Her mouth was still gagged, but it didn’t matter. Not with what she had in plan. Her breathing deepened. Magic was pulsing through her body. She felt the eyes drawn to her pale skin. She felt them lust for her breath and for her flesh. It was enough to get the ritual working. She just needed to wait now.

The priest rambled on. Eventually, she finished and ordered the guards to light the pyre. The fire quickly spread around her. She felt the flames lick her glistering skin. ‘Hour of the lord’ she chuckled. No such thing.

The wood under her legs finally caught on fire. She felt it heating her skin, trying to eat her flesh. Just what she’s been waiting for. Slowly, patiently she released the spell as she was consumed by flames. She was careful not to let anyone from the crowd to see anything. The last thing she saw was the sight of a pretty red haired girl. Her eyes were full of lust.

She was finally there. After years of glimpses into the realm, she could finally look around. Her magic has come from this place. The place of demons and eternal fire. She looked upon herself. She was still naked. Her body was singed by the flames. Her legs, thighs and belly were the most touched, the rest was as pale as the moonlight. She touched her hips. In an instant she felt intoxicated by the contact. She retracted them, because she was barely standing. After a bit of breathing she touched her hips again, only with her nails. The feeling came back, but much more shallow, controlled. Slowly she traced upwards. As she touched her breasts, she couldn’t take it. Her eyes went up into her skull and she let out a loud moan. But her hands didn’t stop. They moved onward towards her proud red nipples poking out from the pale flesh. Her body hit the ground when she touched them.

xxxxx

The small town priest knocked on the door of the abbey. A young monk opened the door. They expected him. No words were exchanged and he was taken right to the headmaster. There the monk bowed and disappeared.

The doors were lightly open. He pushed on them and peered inside. The headmaster was praying. “Come in” he said.

The priest walked in. There was a chair awaiting him. He heard that the headmaster doesn’t use them and doesn’t drink any wine. Therefore he was surprised to even find a table with a goblet full of wine prepared.

“Why all this service?” he asked without saying hello.

The headmaster slowly turned towards him. He was old and bald. He’s obviously seen a bit of the world. “As is custom. With wine and bed welcome your guests” he said and smiled “Besides, in the letter you sounded awfully scared. This should help you calm down a bit.”

The priest nodded and sat into the chair. He brought the goblet up to his nose and smelled, savouring it. Then he set it down again. “I had good reasons to be scared.” he said finally. “We…we burned the witch that we found. She was…different.” he said and finally took a gulp from the wine.

The headmaster straightened his back and a few of his bones crackled. “How different?” he asked after he realised that the priest wouldn’t continue on his own.

“The others always beg and cry or curse and scream. She did neither. She was like a lamb.” he answered willingly.

“And I expect that wasn’t the main problem…” the headmaster filled in quickly grabbing on.

“No. When…After the fire stopped, we couldn’t find her in the ashes. There’s always bones right? The fire isn’t strong enough to burn them. But hers were just…gone. And that’s not all. Before the fire got her, I could swear I saw her smiling. Completely mad!” he exclaimed and took a deep gulp of the wine, finishing the goblet. Not letting the headmaster cut in he continued “And the night after. It was horrible. Everything was consumed by lust. My own…I mean, the altar servants absolutely desecrated the church.” he set the goblet back on the table with a bash “But the next day, everything was okay. Many people came in seeking forgiveness the next day. They helped us get the church cleaned again and serviceable. And to be perfectly honest I’ve never seen so many people in our church before.”

The headmaster was quiet. After the priest calmed down he asked “And what do you think happened then?”

The priest was ready for the question “Witchcraft. She brought demons upon us!”

Only response was shaking of a bald head for a while. “Please tell me, what makes a demon?” Came the question for the priest finally.

He had no answer. He dared not to have one.

“People do.” the headmaster finished.

THE END