Good point.
Hed woken in the medicine womans hovel. His shoulder was throbbing and so was his head. The wrinkled medicine woman, who Cal always thought smelled funny, was bending over him, her greasy gray braids touching his face. A bunch of men were standing around, hats and hoods respectfully removed.
Hed tried to speak, but all that came out was a frog-like gulp. The medicine woman twittered something at him that he couldnt understand and moved away.
He didnt try to move. He was certain he wouldnt be able to.
Mess had stormed in like an angry bull. Where is he? shed shouted as the men backed away. She spotted him lying on the floor and trundled over to him. What were you thinking?! she demanded. Dont you know you could be hung for helping a witch? Or worse yet, burned as a witch yourself? Stupid, stupid boy. Then she barged out the same way shed come in.
Cal looked at the wall, a tremor of fear creeping into his breast. He didnt want to die. He didnt want Wintry to die either. What happened to Wintry? his whispered, his voice full of tears.
One of the men cleared his throat. Shesumgoing to be burned at the stake. As a black witch, of course. Cant get caught doing black magic like curses with
Cal never heard what the man had said. Hed started to cry, wailing and sobbing like an infant. The medicine woman had come over and held him, crooning a tuneless lullaby. Cal didnt mind the way she smelled so much then.
He was there was Wintry was burned. It happened two weeks later, on a High Day afternoon. It had been in the town square outside the barons castle, though the baron was not in attendance.
He hadnt wanted to go. His shoulder hadnt quite healed yet, so it always hurt. And he didnt want to see Wintry die. Shed been one of the few friends hed had. One of the few people who had called him Runt without any cruelty in her voice. But Mess made him go anyway. She said he had to learn what happened to common people who toyed with forces better left to who were better.
The square had been crowded with sweaty, noisy people. Wintry was brought in on a cart. She look frightened. Her hair was stringy and she was covered in dirt. Her jaw was purple and shaped funny, and she was covered in other bruises. Her face and hands were cut up too. On the back of her hand was a burn mark in the shape of a rams skull, which was said to be the face of Syns sworn enemy, the demon Kartack. The people had screamed and throwing snowballs, rotten vegetables, and rocks at her. The priest of Syn was reading something aloud, but Cal couldnt hear it over the cries of, Burn witch! and All your curses turn on you in hell!
Wintry was tied to a stake. There were tears in her eyes. She was looking up to the sky and murmuringmaybe she was praying, Cal didnt know. The priest finished and men began stacking bundles of wood and straw around her feet.
As they lit the pyre around her, Wintry looked at the crowd. Cal swore that her eyes settled right on him. And, though it only felt like a moment for Cal, the flames crawled up to her dress and began to burn her.
She screamed for such a long time after that.
Two nights later as Cal was staring at the oily sheen on his stew, blackness crept in around his vision. The rainbow sheen on his stew twisted itself into a picture of a bird, flying high in the clouds. Though he couldnt understand why, it reminded him of Wintry.
Runt! Mess shouted at him, breaking the vision and slapping the back of his head with her wooden spoon. I said finish that stew before I give it to the others.
Cal had never told anyone about the visions, though they had become more and more frequent in the three years since the death of Wintry. He was afraid of being taken for a witch and burned, just like his friend.
Cal, get up, something jabbed him in the side. His eyes snapped open. Sir Lex was looking down at him, wearing his helmet and chainmail again. It was still dark.
Is it morning? Cal asked sleepily.
No, Sir Lex said shortly, taking Cals blanket and rolling it up. Baron Orsines men are following us.
Are they trying to kill us? Cal asked.
Well, I dont think theyre here for tea and cake, Sir Lex boosted Cal up into the saddle and climbed behind him. There was a high pitched hoot from somewhere in the dark and a sandy flicker through the trees.
Whats that? Cal asked as it went by.
Owl, Sir Lex said flatly, urging Percy into a gallop.
Hed woken in the medicine womans hovel. His shoulder was throbbing and so was his head. The wrinkled medicine woman, who Cal always thought smelled funny, was bending over him, her greasy gray braids touching his face. A bunch of men were standing around, hats and hoods respectfully removed.
Hed tried to speak, but all that came out was a frog-like gulp. The medicine woman twittered something at him that he couldnt understand and moved away.
He didnt try to move. He was certain he wouldnt be able to.
Mess had stormed in like an angry bull. Where is he? shed shouted as the men backed away. She spotted him lying on the floor and trundled over to him. What were you thinking?! she demanded. Dont you know you could be hung for helping a witch? Or worse yet, burned as a witch yourself? Stupid, stupid boy. Then she barged out the same way shed come in.
Cal looked at the wall, a tremor of fear creeping into his breast. He didnt want to die. He didnt want Wintry to die either. What happened to Wintry? his whispered, his voice full of tears.
One of the men cleared his throat. Shesumgoing to be burned at the stake. As a black witch, of course. Cant get caught doing black magic like curses with
Cal never heard what the man had said. Hed started to cry, wailing and sobbing like an infant. The medicine woman had come over and held him, crooning a tuneless lullaby. Cal didnt mind the way she smelled so much then.
He was there was Wintry was burned. It happened two weeks later, on a High Day afternoon. It had been in the town square outside the barons castle, though the baron was not in attendance.
He hadnt wanted to go. His shoulder hadnt quite healed yet, so it always hurt. And he didnt want to see Wintry die. Shed been one of the few friends hed had. One of the few people who had called him Runt without any cruelty in her voice. But Mess made him go anyway. She said he had to learn what happened to common people who toyed with forces better left to who were better.
The square had been crowded with sweaty, noisy people. Wintry was brought in on a cart. She look frightened. Her hair was stringy and she was covered in dirt. Her jaw was purple and shaped funny, and she was covered in other bruises. Her face and hands were cut up too. On the back of her hand was a burn mark in the shape of a rams skull, which was said to be the face of Syns sworn enemy, the demon Kartack. The people had screamed and throwing snowballs, rotten vegetables, and rocks at her. The priest of Syn was reading something aloud, but Cal couldnt hear it over the cries of, Burn witch! and All your curses turn on you in hell!
Wintry was tied to a stake. There were tears in her eyes. She was looking up to the sky and murmuringmaybe she was praying, Cal didnt know. The priest finished and men began stacking bundles of wood and straw around her feet.
As they lit the pyre around her, Wintry looked at the crowd. Cal swore that her eyes settled right on him. And, though it only felt like a moment for Cal, the flames crawled up to her dress and began to burn her.
She screamed for such a long time after that.
Two nights later as Cal was staring at the oily sheen on his stew, blackness crept in around his vision. The rainbow sheen on his stew twisted itself into a picture of a bird, flying high in the clouds. Though he couldnt understand why, it reminded him of Wintry.
Runt! Mess shouted at him, breaking the vision and slapping the back of his head with her wooden spoon. I said finish that stew before I give it to the others.
Cal had never told anyone about the visions, though they had become more and more frequent in the three years since the death of Wintry. He was afraid of being taken for a witch and burned, just like his friend.
Cal, get up, something jabbed him in the side. His eyes snapped open. Sir Lex was looking down at him, wearing his helmet and chainmail again. It was still dark.
Is it morning? Cal asked sleepily.
No, Sir Lex said shortly, taking Cals blanket and rolling it up. Baron Orsines men are following us.
Are they trying to kill us? Cal asked.
Well, I dont think theyre here for tea and cake, Sir Lex boosted Cal up into the saddle and climbed behind him. There was a high pitched hoot from somewhere in the dark and a sandy flicker through the trees.
Whats that? Cal asked as it went by.
Owl, Sir Lex said flatly, urging Percy into a gallop.
Sharp is a red grease pencil. I have professors who are sharp and I've left their classes in tears. You're pretty mild in comparaison.
