If Sapphire had a coin for every time she was to be burned for witchcraft....
She had been doing well over the last few weeks. Cursed with a horrible ability, Sapphire had to isolate herself to prevent drawing unwanted attention to herself. This generally meant avoiding the cities, avoiding people. She tended to flit from hamlet to hamlet, staying where she could for as long as she could without having others take notice of her. It generally worked well; most of the little shit-holes she'd passed through had inns, and most of the innkeepers kept their mouths shut once a heavy enough bag of gold was thrown their way. While she'd avoided harm for long enough, each little village brought little more than a bed to sleep on, and a bowl of gruel to attempt to eat. Needless to say, she'd been heading nowhere fast.
But it had worked for her. There was something relieving about the monotony of it all. Avoiding the danger of being hunted, the guilt of bringing an innocent person excrutiating pain. The absolute mediocrity of the last few weeks had even been enough to scare off that demonic Bocan that had been following for some time. She wondered if the thing would ever come back to collect on his deal. Of course, she could have used the damned thing now. The most recent village she'd landed in was a primitive one. By their standards, the ability to write one's own name could pass for magic. The people here kept to themselves, and expected little of the world. Because of this, Sapphire had found herself growing a little too comfortable in the inn she'd set up in. She'd felt the safest that she had in weeks. There was no need to think three steps ahead anymore, no need to worry about someone learning of her abilities.
Of course, this was a lie. She'd grown careless among these simpletons, taking liberties that she hadn't allowed for herself in other towns. Walking amongst farmlands, conversing with those who worked them. She'd fooled herself into finding comfort in this small corner of the world, and it had cost her.
There was a man her age who worked the largest farm in the area. The eldest of four, he was to inherit the huge bounty of land owed to him by his father. Sapphire would stop by as he worked the land from time to time; initially out of boredom but later out of the enjoyment of the man's company. She'd tried to keep her distance best she could, but soon found herself exercising less caution in his presence. The day before last, he'd expressed his joy at meeting her, extending an invite for her to eat with his family that evening. A good meal was hard to come by for her, so she reluctantly accepted. Ecstatic, the man bounded for her, his arms extending in search of an embrace. Sapphire swore in response, attempting to back off but inevitably being too slow. The man gripped her tightly, and her curse took effect.
A bone in each of his arms snapped before he tore away, falling to the ground in agonized wails. Sapphire would have froze, had this not happened a dozen times before. She turned and fled the town, though had not gotten far before men and their hounds had tracked her down. Though her curse was powerful, she wasn't much of a fighter, and taking on half a dozen burly farmers left her with little chance of winning. They'd been merciful enough with their beatings, but assured her that they were only eager for her to fully appreciate the pain of the stake's fires. Prodding her along back into town, they'd locked her in an old animal shed, bound at the wrists.
She was to be executed in the morning.
She had been doing well over the last few weeks. Cursed with a horrible ability, Sapphire had to isolate herself to prevent drawing unwanted attention to herself. This generally meant avoiding the cities, avoiding people. She tended to flit from hamlet to hamlet, staying where she could for as long as she could without having others take notice of her. It generally worked well; most of the little shit-holes she'd passed through had inns, and most of the innkeepers kept their mouths shut once a heavy enough bag of gold was thrown their way. While she'd avoided harm for long enough, each little village brought little more than a bed to sleep on, and a bowl of gruel to attempt to eat. Needless to say, she'd been heading nowhere fast.
But it had worked for her. There was something relieving about the monotony of it all. Avoiding the danger of being hunted, the guilt of bringing an innocent person excrutiating pain. The absolute mediocrity of the last few weeks had even been enough to scare off that demonic Bocan that had been following for some time. She wondered if the thing would ever come back to collect on his deal. Of course, she could have used the damned thing now. The most recent village she'd landed in was a primitive one. By their standards, the ability to write one's own name could pass for magic. The people here kept to themselves, and expected little of the world. Because of this, Sapphire had found herself growing a little too comfortable in the inn she'd set up in. She'd felt the safest that she had in weeks. There was no need to think three steps ahead anymore, no need to worry about someone learning of her abilities.
Of course, this was a lie. She'd grown careless among these simpletons, taking liberties that she hadn't allowed for herself in other towns. Walking amongst farmlands, conversing with those who worked them. She'd fooled herself into finding comfort in this small corner of the world, and it had cost her.
There was a man her age who worked the largest farm in the area. The eldest of four, he was to inherit the huge bounty of land owed to him by his father. Sapphire would stop by as he worked the land from time to time; initially out of boredom but later out of the enjoyment of the man's company. She'd tried to keep her distance best she could, but soon found herself exercising less caution in his presence. The day before last, he'd expressed his joy at meeting her, extending an invite for her to eat with his family that evening. A good meal was hard to come by for her, so she reluctantly accepted. Ecstatic, the man bounded for her, his arms extending in search of an embrace. Sapphire swore in response, attempting to back off but inevitably being too slow. The man gripped her tightly, and her curse took effect.
A bone in each of his arms snapped before he tore away, falling to the ground in agonized wails. Sapphire would have froze, had this not happened a dozen times before. She turned and fled the town, though had not gotten far before men and their hounds had tracked her down. Though her curse was powerful, she wasn't much of a fighter, and taking on half a dozen burly farmers left her with little chance of winning. They'd been merciful enough with their beatings, but assured her that they were only eager for her to fully appreciate the pain of the stake's fires. Prodding her along back into town, they'd locked her in an old animal shed, bound at the wrists.
She was to be executed in the morning.