Witchcraft does not pay (Closed)

[Little_Tease]

She followed him over the court to the Town hall she never raised her head higher then to watch his feet and legs move as she tried to find herself in this poor self that needed them to see she was not innocent but she would never do such a thing again and follow the way they wished her to or at least be more useful for them alive then dead.

They stood there now before the men she listened carefully she sniffed and sighed slightly as if whimpering as if she just stopped crying once again as Heinrich said properly hello to the other men in the room. She stood very quietly and didn’t move and just listened to them speak for a second before Master Heinrich came back standing next to her.

He didn’t have to speak for her to feel how nervous he was as his words kept roaming threw her mind she was the first person he risked his job and life just so that he only has to torture he and not bring her to her death.

He then asked her if she confesses again in free will thou each and every person in this room knew nothing of free will would ever happen here other then that what the judge wishes. Her eyes roamed carefully over the men seeing which ones believed or not believed in what Heinrich told them.

The Judge was a man no one really did understand what he really wanted or needed, then this man who never looked up from his book was probly just going to agree to the other men just that it comes to a end but the priest wasn’t sure at all what he should think and he would be hard to get him to believe her she would need all the luck she had to get him to agree.

She took a deep breath and softly started to speak trying to make it sound as if she was ashamed of herself.

“Yes Sir I confess of my own free will that I did the crime of Witchcraft “

She didn’t dare to speak to much but was afraid to speak to little she glanced over the corner of her eye to Heinrich as if asking if that was ok she then looked back to the Judge as if begging for a sign if she should say it like down in the chambers or if that was enough for him.

 

[Knightmare27]

The judge seemed almost relieved he did not have to send her back to the torture chamber.

A long discussion among the men at the table followed as Lianne looked on nervously. Heinrich did not even try to hide that he was also nervous. It was not like they were paying attention. They would not notice that he was fearing for her life almost as much as she was. Had they still not come to a conclusion? He was getting impatient now. Whatever they were planning to do to her apparently required many references to that big book...

Finally, the judge stood and put on an official face: "Lianne, you have confessed of your own free will that you are guilty of witchcraft. Because of your repentant nature, the penalty of burning will not be applied to you. The court believes that you are sincere in your repentance, and therefore sentences you to life as a penitent. Tomorrow, at noon, you will be punished before the eyes of the assembled people, so you may serve as an example."

"You will have the soles of your feet beaten thoroughly before your walk to the scaffold. There, you will have your hair cut off, a cross burned into your left cheek and you will be strangled until you appear dead. For the rest of your life, you will wear a penitent's dress and serve the executioner in his work of rooting out witchcraft. You shall do all the work he requires of you, and obey him always, until the day you die."

The executioner was relieved. That was an incredibly lenient sentence for such a serious crime. She would get away with humiliation and lifelong servitude for a crime which normally meant a screaming, burning death. He looked into her face to see whether she was as relieved as he was. After all, it was quite possible that she did not find the prospect of being publicly tortured and humiliated quite that much of a relief.

 

[Little_Tease]

Lianne closed her eyes and held slightly her breath as she waited for the men to decide over her fate, was she going to burn alive, be hung to death or maybe something worse or maybe was she going to be able to live. There were so many things they could decide now it was just waiting, waiting for them to stop whispering and looking and decide what was going to become of her.

She hung her head some her hair fell in her face covering it half way as she tried to calm herself and just listen to their whispers and this nervous little movements of Master Heinrich, which almost made her want to smile since it told her he wanted them so badly to let her live she knew hat he was feeling she also wanted to live badly.

It was silent suddenly, they had stopped whispering, she looked up first to Master Heinrich as if to see if he noticed the silence as well thou his eyes never left the men at any time, she knew he had already noticed it before she did.

She then looked up to were the Judge was seeing them nod one last time one or two even sigh as if they just given in to end this as he then made his way a bit forward to announce what they had decided. She held her breath and hoped to hear those beautiful words that she didn’t have to die.

She was shocked as she hears she doesn’t have to die, thou she wanted this to happen she was still shocked by it. She had held her breath for just another second or two as she couldn’t believe how much luck she had. She hadn’t listened to everything since she tried not to pass out for joy of not having to die.

She then also heard the judge say she would have to serve Master Heinrich the rest of her life which wasn’t all that bad she thought thou she knew there would probly be days she was going to hate it just because she knows the person or such that needs to be punished or tortured.

She bowed her head some as tears ran down her cheeks and spoke loud enough for the judge and the other men to hear. She fell to her knees as she went to thank the men for letting her live.

“OH Sir thank you Thank you…… !!!”

She slowly went to stand back up as she then looked at Heinrich as if to see if he found this better then death as well thou she missed half of it she still knew it was better then burn alive till death. She shivered some as her nerves were starting to calm once again she wanted to jump in joy but she didn’t.

 

[Knightmare27]

An unusual sentence... she was clearly meant to be "executed" for show and as a warning. If he was going to make that part believable, he would have to be very, very careful. It was easy for the judge to say, but there was not much of a difference between "seemingly dead" and "dead" when it came to strangling. Too little, and he would be chased off by a mob. Too much, and he would be left with a beautiful corpse.

Crying for joy, falling to her knees... he could not help but smile a little for her. Her life was not over. Granted, it would be a dreadful life doing all the work in the dungeon he did not feel like doing, but he had saved her. And, more importantly, he added privately, saved her for himself. He would not have to burn her to death. She would be his, by the order of the judge, for years and decades to come.

She was as happy as he was about this... almost as if she had been pardoned, not condemned to public humiliation and a lifetime of slavery. The way she thanked the court made the judge smile a little.Heinrich led her back to the dungeon, some onlookers on the now much more animated streets turning their heads - though always trying not to let their eyes rest too much on the fearsome man who was leading her.

Back in the dungeon, he removed her hand and foot shackles and chained her to the wall again. Maybe she would become more solemn later, when she realized what a terrible day was waiting for her. But for now, she could not be happier.

He let her sleep until shortly before the prescribed time of her public shaming. Then he opened the cell door, two guards next to him. He was carrying a long, brown dress, featureless except for the large black crosses on its front and back. The penitent's dress the dress that would be her only one for the rest of her life. He threw it to her. "Put this on and gather your courage. You have attracted quite a bit of attention."

The guards had a sturdy wooden bar with them, as well as some ropes. The executioner was holding a thick cane. "I will cane your feet right in front of the dungeon. There are quite a few people watching, so try to take it with some dignity. I have to degrade you today. Take care that you do not do the same to yourself. And be sincere in your repentance. These people are quick with a thrown horse apple - or even a stone."

 

[Little_Tease]

She followed him back to her cell so many people were watching them as they walked over the courtyard but she didn’t notice them as much as she did before. She was in her thoughts she still couldn’t believe it she couldn’t believe how many guardian spirits she had to have to make this happen.

Back in her cell she smiled up at Heinrich as he unshackled her and bound her up again with the chain on the wall, something deep in wanted to kiss him right there and now deeply but she only smiled at him. She watched him do what he had to do and then leave, after he shut the door she took a deep breath and sighed in relief thou she now thought about what the Judge said.

She now releised what he had in store for her as a punishment so that she may live and not die. She let his words go threw her mind, she knew it was going to be very painful and humiliating but she would live threw it heal and live hopefully a long life, good she had to serve Heinrich her farm would probly be taken over from someone else and she wouldn’t be able to face anyone in town or at least in the beginning but someone day maybe.

She laid her head down some it was so much that happened and so much would happen still she would need some sleep it would help. She fell asleep after a few minutes and started to dream she first thought it was a nightmare because she was back in the chamber with the rack and all the other things Master Heinrich had shown her and not shown her but something was different.

Heinrich was once again half naked and she was chained up naked her back facing him, he stood right behind her she could feel his warmth on her back as she felt his hot breath on her neck as he was whispering something in her ear she didn’t hear thou or at least understand what he was whispering as his hands roamed over her body ever so softly but firm.

Se titled her head back some whatever he was whispering it was so seductive that she shivered ever so softly. It was then that his hand firmly grabbed her hips before stepping back and using a whip on her, not hard enough to break the skin but just enough that pleasure and pain came to the same time. It almost made her want to moan out and not only in her dreams.

She cried out some thou she bit her lip he did it three or four times before stepping back to her and whispering some more in her ear. She felt his heat this hunger starting to rise deep within her, she wanted him not to stop she wanted more she needed more, she wanted his hands on her his lips and everything else.

Before her dream could go on she was woken she gasped slightly as her heart was racing a little because of the dream she didn’t understand it, she hadn’t ever thought of something or even did something like that before but something about Heinrich made her want him.

She tried to hide a smile as she then listened to Heinrich and then she looked at the two guards next to him, she hurried to get dress and stand up, she nodded understanding what he said, she then took a deep breath as if getting herself ready. She knew this day would probly be one of the worst she ever had but it would pass and Heinrich would be there each and every step.

“Yes Master Heinrich I unterstand!”

 

[Knightmare27]

Rarely was there a witch as young and beautiful as this, so the crowd outside expected a good performance. Lianne was not the only one who was nervous here. The more people watching, the harder it would be to manage that part where he pretended to execute her. It had to look real enough not to anger the crowd, yet it would break his heart if it got too real. Everything had to go just right today.

Her smile was not very well-hidden. Happiness shone out from inside her, lit her with a radiance that turned the merely pretty girl he had seen in the torture chamber into a shining beauty.

He sighed. This would be the worst day of her life - except for all the days that would follow. Of course he would not treat her like the degraded animal he was probably supposed to treat her as - but there were a lot of things he did not like doing, and he was not going to pass up this opportunity to have a free servant delivered to him. A servant he could never let out into the daylight again because, as of today, she would be officially dead.

Her gasp showed him that she had been sleeping when he entered, even though it was very much past the morning. Well, it was the only luxury left to a prisoner in this hole of a cell. Still, he was a little amazed that she could sleep so well knowing what was coming in the morning. Whatever she had been dreaming was hopefully something good - this day would recur often in her nightmares, that was assured.

He knelt down next to her and whispered: "It will be a long walk, especially with caned feet. And do not expect them to show any sympathy for a witch. Then I will cut off every little bit of your hair, brand your cheek, and then - well, you know what comes then. It will feel exactly like death. At many points, you will be convinced you are dying. But you will not. I promise you that you will not. Just come very close."

He was trying very hard to sound more confident than he was. An impatient wave of his hand and an order to wait for them outside made the guards leave so he could speak slightly more freely now. "I can not spare you any of the pain I will inflict today. Just about the whole town is watching, and they want the witch to suffer. So, go on, witch. Suffer, and keep your spirits up. At least you will survive this day."

He led her out. "Now follow us outside. When you are just outside the door, lie down on the street. After the caning, every step will be painful, but you may walk as slowly as you want. Some of the men will be...impudent. Do not worry. I have given strict orders that you are not to be touched. Which means you only have to worry about being spat at, shouted at, insulted or having things thrown at you. But you will not be touched. I promise that too."

 

[Little_Tease]

Heinrich knelt near her to unshackle her and to tell her what would happen today, he whispered so that the others couldn’t hear him. He wanted her to know he would do everything so that the crowd would think she was dead but she wouldn’t be and he was going to make sure, thou she could see this fear in his eyes as if he was telling him self the same thing as he was to her.

She had wanted to kiss him as if to tell him she trusts him he saved her life and he would make sure to keep her safe even on a such bad day as today but she would live and she knew this was only because of him, she owned him her life. After he sent the men out she reached over and touched his hand ever so slightly and whispered back just to make sure no one but him could hear her.

“Thank you Master Heinrich I trust my life in your hands…. And I understand this day will be a nightmare!”

She knew it would but it would be only half as bad since he was doing it to her then someone else who didn’t care if she really did live or not. She then stood up to follow Heinrich out of the cell and outside, as soon as they got there she laid herself down on the ground as he had told her to before.

She was going to miss her beautiful red hair but she knew they would come back soon, she also tried to think of many things so the pain wouldn’t be that bad but she knew she had to let the crowd think it was pretty bad or they might just force him to do more and she didn’t know who this might hurt worse then.

She laid there her legs straight so her feet looked up to him her arms she spread out so she looked like a cross her head turned sideways. She could already hear the crowd calling out names and yelling. It was a wonder that they haven’t already started throwing things and such.

She closed her eyes worried since she couldn’t imagine how painful this was going to be and then when she would start to walk how much it would hurt then more when dirt and all. She took a deep breath this happiness she had before was now for the first gone as she waited for him to cane her feet she waited for the first blow it would be the worse she thought or maybe the last one would, she wondered how many times he would hit or if he had to keep at it till her feet bleed or how he would know when to stop.


She tried humming a song in her mind to distract herself but it wasn’t going to work after the first blow she knew it but she had to try.

 

[Knightmare27]

At the executioner's command, the guards lifted her naked feet and placed the length of wood right below her ankles. Lifting it slightly, they lashed them to it securely. Then they got into position so that her knees were now bent, her thighs lifted and her soles pointing forward. The crowd fell silent as they waited for the ceremony to start.

Heinrich took the cane and stepped in front of her, naked soles pointing directly at him at the height of his hips. He did not swing the cane hard - he knew that the feet were so sensitive that he did not need to. Just small, sudden swats. Again and again. Slap. Slap. Slap. It did not look nearly as violent as a whipping, but he knew it had to be unbearable. Soon, the soles of her feet were covered with so many pink stripes they had changed colour.

Slap after slap after slap. The crowd yelled at the witch, shouted encouragements for him to go on. He knew he had to keep them happy if their trick was going to work, so he gave in, caned her some more, averting his eyes from her face so he did not have to see what he was doing to her. Finally, he stopped. He signaled for the guards to lower the bar and untie her. They dropped the wood into the mud and hurried to undo their knots.

"Get up!", he barked at Lianne, all the caring gone from his voice. He had to play his role perfectly today. Heinrich chanced a quick look over his shoulder. It was as he had feared: The crowd was eager now, baying like hounds pulling at their leashes, eager to chase after her and watch how she would walk. They would show no mercy today, and demand the same from him. At least they were not too lewd. Yet.

 

[Little_Tease]

She gasped as she felt the men grab her ankles and pull them up some before putting the wood under it to tie her feet to it so she probly wouldn’t pull then away when he hits her. They pulled then her feet up so high that her knees were bending and her hips were binging slightly lifted. She now was getting scared how painful this must be if they even had to tie her up so she couldn’t pull away.

It was then when he struck with the cane the first time that she bite her lip and tried not to cry out but the second one forced her to cry out, her hand fisted up as if trying to pull the pain from her feet away but nothing she could do or had done was helping. She tried to not pull too much on her legs so the men wouldn’t have to pull back as to much movement made the pain even worse.

Tears started rolling down her cheeks into the dirt below which made her face dirty which the crowd would love probly as soon as she stand up for them to see it. It was the first but also the last blow of the came which hurt the most, then the men quickly untied her which slightly was a relief but now she knew she had to walk on the pain which would make it even hurt more and each stone or stick she stepped on would feel like fire under her feet or even worse.

Heinrich then spoke hard and firm once again she knew he had to play his role now so no one would know it was just a show to say but she did fear it a bit she knew if the crowd would want more he would have to do more since he had to act as if her life meant nothing to him or others she was only a dirty witch who deserved to die.

She took a deep breath wiping her tears of her face before standing up, as she did so she held her breath as she cried out a bit as she finally stood. She took two steps and her hands went to grab her thighs some as if trying to hold her feet up but nothing she would do would help.

She walked very slowly as her head was bend down in shame as the people in town spit at her yelled at her and even threw things like tomatoes salad and such even a couple of stones. Even the stones didn’t hurt as much as she thought they would as her mind was only at her feet her eyes always looking to the ground trying to watch out that she wouldn’t step on small stones or sticks she didn’t really have to so it wouldn’t hurt more then it had to.

She didn’t dare look up thou she wondered what would give the crowd enough to believe but not enough to make then eager to have more, she cried and tried to make them hear so much shame as she could thou her thoughts were with Heinrich, would he even look at her again after he cuts off all her hair and brands her cheek, she so hoped so. The people didn’t disgust her as much as the other witches between them doing the same to make sure they looked like everyone else and wouldn’t be seen as maybe to be a witch.

What she also hated to see was the poor children that were sometimes even forced to throw things at her because the parents wanted them to learn fast what it meant to be a monster or something what was not normal and didn’t belong in this world or town. She just had to watch out not to show this anger to the crowd and only that she is scared and a shamed to be what she is and was willing to take her punishment as well as possible.

 

[Knightmare27]

She was really being amazingly brave - both during the caning and afterwards, when she was forced to walk through the jeering crowds on feet that had been turned into torture instruments, with every step on the raw pink soles sending new pain through her body.

The people were so eager to hit her with various things - lumps of dirt, bones, even what looked like (human!) turds - that he had a hard time dodging everything. In a short time, her penitent's dress was covered in smears, with the large black crosses barely visible under a nearly solid layer of filth. With the objects came the curses. They were shouting for her to die in pain, to go back to the devil...

Heinrich smiled when he saw a woman bending down to pick up some horse apples, eager to supply the throwers with more missiles. Her name was one of the ones his captive had mentioned. Which meant he knew exactly why she was so keen on having Lianne pelted with dirt. It was quite the act, but he knew they would meet again soon. And there would be no mercy for her. She would follow the same path in mere days.

Such a brave witch. And infinitely patient, too. Even when she caught sight of parents instructing their young children to hurl insults at her that would have made a whore blush. No anger was showing on Lianne's face. Just pain, regret and a desperate wish for this ceremony to be over. He wished for the same thing. Sadly, there were so many things he would still have to do to her before they could be together.

They had arrived at the scaffold in the middle of the main market. A chopping block and a gallows menaced there. He was very glad they would not be used that day. For here, there was a harmless-looking pole. The instruments that would be used were on a table next to it: Scissors and blade, as well as lengths of sturdy rope and a stick. At the very corner of the platform, a branding iron was stuck in a brazier. He had positioned it as far away from the pole as possible so she would not have to look at it.

Still, he could not shield her from looking at it now, as they ascended the rough wooden steps to the top of the stage. She was now covered in dirt, both front and back, and her face was smudged with dirt. Lianne had to face the crowd like that, and repent in public. He could not help her with this step. She had to please them by herself.

He whispered to her: "Go on, stand in front of the scaffold and repent your crimes. Try to make it touching, they like that in a young lady. Who knows, you might even get some sympathy. And remember that they think you are condemned to death, so they will enjoy seeing some fear of dying from you. Make them imagine their daughter is up there getting executed. That will shut up many of them...probably."

 

[Little_Tease]

Lianne listened carefully to Heinrich what he told her to do she had to be careful how she repent to much and they would see she didn’t mean it or at least think she didn’t to little and they would want her death even more she had to reach this perfect middle which would mostly please the people in the town.

She nodded some as she wiped her tears away and took a deep breath stepping forward making sure she gasped and whimpered some from the pain the wood was giving her feet as she then looked up to the people and started to speak softly as she noticed no one was listening she tried to speak louder and noticed most of them stopped and started to listen.

She told them that she had lost her father when she was very young and that she was taken from her mother away after many years wondering the forests and towns which no one ever really wanted to help her she was found by the coven and taken in she knew very late what would be of her if she stayed , she had never meant anyone harm and she tried to leave their ways quickly knowing it would only mean death to her if she was found amongst them.

When she found her self here in this town were so many were eager to help her. It had been so long since she had felt like it was home and now she has gone and ruined it all because of the Devils work. She also told them that she is ashamed of what she has done and knows she deserves this punishment but also afraid more then afraid.

She then turned back to Heinrich nodding to him that she was done hoping it was all right what she said and also that it was enough. She knew what was going to come over her now, the hair wasn’t the worse part but the branding she wont be able to hold her breath and would probly scream like hell but soon over she thought to herself.

 

[Knightmare27]

He led her to the pole and placed her with her back against it. Within moments, her slender wrists were encased in a cage of rope and tightly bound together. Another rope went around her ankles and the pole. He did not want to be kicked when she struggled against her branding. And struggle she would, no matter how determined she seemed to be at the moment. No one remained calm with red-hot metal in their face.

He looped the hand rope around her waist, making sure to pull it tight before securing it behind the pole. Now she was ready for the part which would make her shameful walk look like a village dance.

He took the scissors and presented them to the crowd, to great applause. They knew what would come next, and many faces were fixed on hers, thirsty to drink any sign of humiliation it would show. The smooth metal gleamed in the sunlight. He had sharpened it before the punishment - both because he always did, and especially with her, since he wanted this over as quickly as possible. He took a deep breath and stepped next to her,

A rough hand gripped her hair, and steel jaws greedily ate through it. A few snips, and most of her hair was in his hand, to be carefully placed on the table. Anything that had been used in a public punishment was coveted, and he always made good coin selling it to the spectators. Some wanted a souvenir of an unforgettable day. Some sought to buy a part of a witch for obscure and, quite frankly, illegal practices (more work for him later...). Some had...other uses for it which even he shuddered to think about.

 

[Little_Tease]

She took a deep breath as he took her to the pole she knew this was going to hurt more then anything she has ever felt before. She couldn’t even start to imagine how much this was going to hurt and did fear it truly and tried to keep telling herself she was going to live this pain will only last a bit but she will live longer.

She gasped lightly as she felt her wrists being bound tightly and then his ankles she knew it was more to protect him then for her sake. She would probly try to kick and fight as soon as the hot metal touches her soft silky skin.

She closed her eyes as she felt his hands in her hair pulling slightly as he cuts it off, it wouldn’t take long and she wouldn’t have any or better said very little hair left. After he would be done with her hair he would have to come to the part she feared thou she knew it was only the start.

He laid her cut off hair on a table very carefully she knew it was to sell for later but she didn’t care. She looked over the crowd once more with a very sad look and just hoped she had pleased the crowd with what she had said and they just might let Heinrich do his job without making it worse for him or her.

His men was already getting the branding ready heating it up for him, seeing this she tried to think of something else. She heard some people up front just over the edge of the stage as she heard some of them speaking about what would be worse. Would her screams from the pain and heat be it or the smell of her skin burning and if she was going to pass out from it as well, this did start to make her fear it even more.

 

[Knightmare27]

He snipped off the last remnants of her hair, then returned to the table to get the blade. Moving carefully and deliberately, especially because she was shaking so much, he shaved her head to the skin. Knowing that he had to play to the crowd today, he then took the apron he was wearing and pretended to polish her bare head to a high shine with one corner of it, to a huge roar of laughter from the audience, together with some very unkind words for the poor witch.

Now came the part he dreaded - and she even more, of course. He gripped the wooden handle of the iron, a cherry-red cross shining on the other end. A long sigh, then he was next to her again.

The faster this was over with, the less she would suffer, so he pressed it against the tender skin of her left cheek with determination, watching as it left an ugly black mark on it forever. It only took one moment to do, but he knew she was going through years of pain right now. A sickening smell rose from the burn, directly into her nose, reminding her that it was her own flesh that was being seared here. Mercifully, it would only be this tiny spot - not all of her.

He was close to tears but hid it very well as he returned the hot iron to the brazier and went to get the instrument for the last part of her torment. He tried to work as quickly as possible, knowing that she wanted nothing more than to fall unconscious right now. Practiced hands wound the rope around her slender neck, then he placed the stick in the loop, then he paused and let everyone get themselves ready.

 

[Little_Tease]

Lianne thought she had always been smart and did for the good and not the bad like a lot of her sisters; she wasn’t even sure about her mother as she was pretty young back then when they accused her of witchcraft. Was her mother really a witch and if so was she a good one or also one of those who would stand here and watch as one of her own were being tortured or would she blend in the crowd and not really watch and try to shut out their screams of pain.

She tried to look ashamed as Heinrich had to play his game well and even make a joke on her behalf but she knew he didn’t really mean it in any way the crowd had. Thou when she saw Heinrich turn to go to the table were the men stood with the hot branding which already was glowing a very bright red she looked over the crowd. She saw this one witch which she also had given the name up for stand there in the crowd yelling with them she even had a light smirk on her lips, she so hoped she could be there to help Heinrich torture.

She knew she was never going to be able to show her face again, since they all had to think she was dead after this. It was then she gasped lightly seeing Heinrich walk back to her with the branding facing her.

She took a deep breath and turned her face to the side so he had a better point of view and closed her eyes tightly. It was these few seconds before the hot metal touched her silken skin of her left cheek that she thought time stood still. It felt like forever till the metal really touched her cheek that she thought she was going to go crazy she could feel the heat grow as if it was moving in slow motion till it really got to the point it wanted and needed to be.

Her tears were already flowing and her lips shivered with pain and fear as it then finally got to its final destination it was the hells fire she didn’t know if she was really going to over live this, she screamed as if there was going to be no tomorrow. It was then when she started to smell her own skin melt under the hot metal that she thought she was going to throw up the little she still had in her stomach.

Heinrich held it only seconds to her face and pulled it back, thou she was still in this slow motion and it felt like hours days maybe even years before it slowly started to pull away from her face tearing small parts of skin with it.

Before she could even think about passing out and anything else she felt the rope being laid around her neck it was the last step in letting the people think she was becoming what they thought she should and she just hoped he would hurry so she could pass out the pain was almost unbearable.

 

[Knightmare27]

Muttering a silent prayer, Heinrich twisted the stick, tightening the rope around her neck. She was screaming and crying, and he wanted it to be over with as quickly as possible - but he had to be careful at the same time.

The rope tightened, cutting off her screams. At least now she had something else to worry about, not the pulsating cross of pure pain burned into her cheek. The crowd, too, fell silent, curious to hear what she would sound like as she had - they thought - the life squeezed out of her. He sighed in relief. The quieter it was, the easier it would be to bring her as close to death as possible. He could now hear every labored rattle from her chest.

Still a little more, then he held the stick and watched her face turn colors no face should have, her eyes bulge... his heart pounding, ready to drop the stick the second he was sure she had lost consciousness. Fearful eyes stared into hers. This would be the most important moment in her life - because it would not be the end of it if he could help it. Still struggling...still holding on to her breath. She knew she would not die, but the fear seemed too strong.

Finally! She slumped back. He immediately released the stick. The crowd gave him thunderous applause, but he did not take it. Instead, he hurriedly undid her bonds and commanded his men to help him carry her back to the dungeon. It took many curses and even a few fists to make way for the witch's "dead" body. Everyone wanted to see what she looked like dead for themselves. Even in "death" some people could not resist taunting her.

He was holding on to her sore feet, still red from the beating, as they fought their way back. There was no sign of life on her face, still beautiful, even with that ugly red mark burned into it. Yet she had to be alive... he knew it. He had made sure of it. Please? He was praying all the way back... did not care that he was praying for the well-being of a witch. Luckily, he could keep his head down, or they would have seen him cry.

Finally! His house. They dropped her body on the kitchen table. No time to take her to the dungeon. The men bade him farewell, and he was finally alone with her. Even though her dress was still caked with refuse and stank like a cesspit, he pressed his ear against her chest, desperate to hear her heart beat. Tears dropped from his eyes and mixed with the filth on her clothing, pooled there in little dirty lakes.

 

[Little_Tease]

She was fighting and struggling as much as she could against the bonds not because she wanted to or make it look like it for the crowd; it was her body and soul fighting not wanting to die no matter how much she knew he would make sure she didn’t.

It was a deep fear no one could control this urge wanting to live not matter how strong they believed that they weren’t really in any danger it only had to look that way. She felt the rope get tighter and tighter around her neck her hands struggled wanting to get to it to pull and scratch at it but they were to tight bound.

It was then when it was tight enough that she couldn’t scream any more that she started to get really scared, thou not because she couldn’t breathe any more it was the crowd going quiet. It was something about it that made this fear deep inside of her start to get panic that this might be her death actually and not her day of salvation.

Without really thinking and or wanting she held her breath, she tried to fight as she trusted Heinrich but her body and soul just was in panic and wanted to live on and not die. After some time she couldn’t help but let it go, she then passed out. Her body gave up fighting again Heinrich it couldn’t hold on any longer so it gave in a bit to try and save itself from even more damage in the hope that as soon as she looks dead that it would stop and she could sleep out the pain and live.

Heinrich untied her and helped his men to carry her to his house, she didn’t show any sign of life in her which was for the crowd a good sign and also for Heinrich to save him as well. She laid now with out a sign of life in her body on his table when he leaned over to lay his head on her chest to hear her heart beat, there was something very quiet and little not much but getting stronger with each beat.

After a few more seconds, she whimpered some as tears ran down her cheeks and she cried ever so softly as her hands searched for him her eyes not opening right away as if her body and mind was reaching for him as if to make sure it was safe before it would really let her come back to life. In her whimper, she mumbled his name, the first couple times it was more like a cough or a normal whimper but after a couple times she said very quietly Master Heinrich.

 

[Knightmare27]

A heartbeat! He gasped in joy and began kissing her all over her face, not caring that it, too, was caked in animal refuse. He tasted nothing. Just joy at hearing that he had succeeded. That she was not dead and would be forever his now. He looked at the fierce red mark the rope had left on her neck. His fingertips felt the flesh, still slightly warm and swollen. He heard her say his name and immediately kissed her again, Delicately, as if he feared sucking whatever breath was left in her out of her.

"You are alive...I am so happy." A very un-executionerly grin spread on his face as he hugged her tightly. She would remain on the table for now. Give her some time to gather her wits after he had squeezed them out of her.

He wondered how it had felt... so few people had come back from this... was she in pain? Probably. How could he help her? She could be a penitent witch starting tomorrow. Today, she was a helpless young woman he had brought to the edge of death, as deserved as it was. They both knew what a mercy it had been that she was lying on his table at all, not smoldering as a heap of ash somewhere outside the town.

He hurried to gather some herbs and began pounding them in a small mortar he placed next to her head. Herbs for burns. The mark would remain, but if this worked, it would be a neat, clean one. An angry, red reminder of what she had done. Of what she was now. And a reminder for everyone else, too. Even those who had not seen her "die" (the entire dozen of them) would know she had been spared death for a life of repentance.

He stroked the smooth skin on her head. He really had done a good job of it. Too good of a job Despite how much she had trembled, there were barely any nicks on it.

"Remain on the table for now, and tell me how you feel. Where does it hurt the most?"

Later, of course, he would have to clean her thoroughly, but that could wait. Let her get as much rest as she needed, let her catch the breath he had so gruesomely stolen from her.

 

[Little_Tease]

Feeling his kisses al over her face made her cry even more but not in pain in joy that she was right about him. She wanted to kiss him back so badly but she could barely move this had taken a lot out of her more then she had ever could dream of. Thou her hand found his after he had come back and gripped onto it as if she scared he might leave her there alone.

“Pain…. Mostly my face… “

She whispered thou speaking hurt a bit still and breathing was hard as well as the marks on her neck was the reason why. She finally could slowly open her eyes she looked around and then up to him which made her smile thou whimper again as any movement in her face made her remember the mark.

She gasped some which also hurt but not that as bad as her face, she swallowed some and asked quietly for a sip of water, she was thirsty for some reason.

But before he could go and get some water, she grabbed his hand tightly pulling him back to her looking deeply in his eyes with tears welling up in her eyes as she then spoke with all her heart.

“Thank you Thank you so much….. “

She knew that from this day on she would belong to him till she really dies and she wanted this more then ever now seeing how much he cared for her a young witch which should have been burned alive if you asked the people of this town. She had never felt this way for someone like she did in this moment she would almost say that she loved him. She would pay this back in each every way as long as it took till he knew it wasn’t his fault the pain she was feeling this moment and it would pass.

She tried to make him smile again and forget the pain he caused on her as she tried to giggle some and added to her order of a sip of water.

“Maybe some water for me …I smell like hell…!”

 

[Knightmare27]

He smiled back and kissed her. So few of the people he had strangled ever thanked him for it.Her giggle surprised him, too. Would he have had the strength to giggle if this had happened to him? She was completely right, of course. She needed to be cleaned, and soon. Love had robbed him of his sense of smell, but it would soon return, and he was not looking forward to that. Well, there was only one way to get her thoroughly clean...

He kissed her again and left to fetch a bucket of water and a rag. When he returned, he placed it next to the table.

Her dress came off, and her entire naked body now lay bare in front of him. The same body he had thoroughly searched in the torture chamber, yet...different. Luckily, most of the dirt had stuck to her dress. Still, he knelt on the table, straddling her, and began cleaning the dirt off her face and pouring sips of it into her parched mouth. He was careful not to touch the bright red line burned into her neck for fear of hurting her, but the rest was soon scrubbed clean thoroughly. The rest of the water went into a kettle which he set over a fire. As soon as it was hot, he would allow her to wash her dress in it. She had been sentenced to wear that dress forever, so it had to be reasonably clean.

A perfect body was splayed out on the table. Perfect, even with a burned cheek and a bald head. Perfect for him. He took her hand and helped her up, setting her down on the bench in front of the table. As they waited for the water to reach the right temperature to clean her dress, he hugged the naked woman. "Well...penitent. The worst is over now. You are my servant, and I think you will be a good one."

She was still a witch, he reminded himself. A repentant one, yes, but he should probably be hating her more. Tomorrow, maybe. She had been hated enough today.

 

[Little_Tease]

Lianne smiled some as she rested and enjoyed his soft touches from him cleaning her it was nice. The cool water ran over her body it felt so good it was different to her hot spots with pain therefore the cool water felt like a wonder.

She smiled and almost had to smirk as he straddled her on the table to clean her better, as she laid there fully naked. She stretched her body slightly some so he could get each and ever spot on her body.

When he was done, she tried to sit up alone but that didn’t work as much as she wanted it to, she then took his hand that reached out to her to help her up. It was his hug that made her cry some more but in joy she was alive, the way he said his servant made her smile she leaned back some and looked him deep in his eyes and then leaned in to kiss him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, she leaned into the kiss with some gasps in between as she hurt herself ever so slightly with certain movements but she ignored them she wanted and needed to kiss him. She pressed her fully naked body against him as her finger tips gripped at him as if afraid he might pull away.

 

[Knightmare27]

The witch really had died on that pole. A lover was now clinging on to him. A passionate lover, so happy to just be alive. She did not even seem to care that she was naked. He held her for a long time, pressed his hands against her back, felt her breathing against him. The breathing that was now fully there again. Strong, as if she had never been strangled. The water in the kettle was now the right temperature for washing, so he handed her the dress.

Later, he would bring her down to the dungeon where a cell was waiting for her as her home. And then she would be with him, forever. A prisoner, and a dead woman, as far as the outside world knew.

As he saw how quickly she recovered, how...alive she felt right after supposedly dying, he knew he had made the right choice in saving her from the stake. She could never be kept down for very long. She would probably get used to her new life quite quickly. He was glad she had not made him torture her. With a will like that, she would probably have gone through unspeakable pain before she would have revealed anything.

 

[Little_Tease]

He held her his hands on her back it felt so good, she never wanted it to end but she knew that wasn’t possible. The water was hot enough now for her to wash her dress, he then gave it to her to do so.

She took it, kneeled down, and slowly started to wash her past off the dress she was no going to wear till she would die. Her hands went over the fabric slowly making sure to get each and every thing off it, it took a while till she was done but she got it done and quietly. She hummed ever so softly but not long as this still hurt a bit.

She could breath again normal but she still felt it but it didn’t hurt any more, her mark on her face was still hurting but mostly when she used her face to much like to speak or smile something that would make her cheek move. She just had to keep her cheek still then it stopped hurting and burned only a small bit, it would take some days till it stopped hurting she knew that.

She had her dress clean, she had totally forgot that Heinrich was still there she was so in cleaning her dress and thinking about what had been and what would be now.

Her hands brushed over the clean wet fabric slowly as the dress was clean her past was now only like the word the past, she would never be a witch again and would belong to Master Heinrich for his bidding as he pleases. For everyone she knew she was dead, Lianne was dead and she was born into this world as a new person who would suffer for her past so she would never fall to this other world once again.

After some time she then looked up remembering where she was and that Master Heinrich was still there, she smiled slightly to him and then said.

“I’m done now it only has to dry…M….Master Heinrich”

Swallowing was still a little bit painful but the rest was better and better her neck only hurt when she touched it, breathing was already gotten good but her voice still was a bit scratchy still but was getting better as well.

 

[Knightmare27]

Lianne did not even seem to mind much that she was doing all the washing on her dress stark naked. Heinrich certainly did not. The heat and exertion gave her bare skin an intriguing shine. She washed and wrung the dress that would be the last one she would ever wear. "Hang it next to the fireplace to dry", he said when she was done, "I am going to show you your new home now." Well, her cell, anyway. He had simply reserved one of the cells for her to stay in. And indeed, she would be not much more than a prisoner now, at least in the eyes of the judges who had sentenced her.

He led her down to the dungeon, very slowly. Her feet were still extremely sore from the beating, and he occasionally even allowed her to lean on him a little. A door opened for her. One of the bare cells she was so used to by now. At least he had spread fresh straw on the ground. A barred slit high in the ceiling let in some daylight, painting a pale stripe on the wall it was facing. An empty bucket and a bucket of water. A foot shackle on a long chain. Hand shackles. Nothing else. A bleak home for the rest of her life.

He was planning to let her rest for the rest of the day. She really needed some. Not that she would get much here, but at least it would be quiet. She had, after all, been the first catch of this witch hunt, and it would take a few days to find and imprison those whose names she had given. Once they had done that, she would have company. Company who would have ripped her apart with their bare hands once they learned who had given up their name.

He bent down to chain her ankle to the wall. "Try to sleep here a little. I will not need your services until tomorrow morning. Until then, your dress will be dry, too. Then your penance will truly begin."

He did not mind at all that her dress was still drying, of course. Seeing her like that, there was a part in him that wanted to just pounce on the witch and devour her whole. To throw decency to the wind and take her right there. But what started as lust had turned into...something else. Something that made him patient enough to wait.

 

[Little_Tease]

Lianne nodded hanging her dress near the fireplace so it would dry, she was still naked but that didn’t bother her much. She felt safe near him and knew so long he would be able to and near her; no one would hurt her ever again.

She walked as if she was walking on egg shells as she tried to find a spot on her feet which didn’t hurt, the more she walked the more her feet started to hurt more then her face or neck.

She followed him slowly as she held onto him and leaned on him ever no and then thou she tried to hold herself she wanted to show that she was also strong. What she found soothing was the cold stone of the dungeon floor on her sore and felt as if they had been also on fire also feet.

Heinrich was so strong and a man that everyone knew he had much more then strength to give, he also did not look ugly but no one would ever dear look longer then they needed since it wasn’t aloud thou most would love to stare. She was able to look and she didn’t mind looking at all and hoped to see more of him as well. He brought her back in a cell like the one she had been in this very morning, fresh straw, the buckets and the little window which was a little different then the other one but a bit of fresh air always was good.

He bent to once again chain her ankle to the wall; she held her ankle a bit up in his direction toward him to be helpful a bit. He told her to try and sleep a bit as tomorrow her new life would begin and everyone knew it wasn’t going to be easy even herself knew this by now.

“I will try Master Heinrich”

She said quietly as she tried to lay herself down so that her feet didn’t hurt her neck or her face. She found after some turning and moving a position which would work so she could rest some, she watched the light move over the wall as the sun was starting to set. After a while without noticing it, she fell asleep and once again started to dream and like this morning she dreamt of Heinrich and herself.

She was chained up in the middle of some chamber or room, spread eagle and naked thou in her dream she still had hair it didn’t change the feeling she was feeling. Once again, Heinrich stood behind her very close to her his hot breath ran over her neck as he whispered once again something in her ear but this time his hand brushed over her hips to her stomach and then moving lower.

Her breathing picked up her breasts rose and fell to match her breathing; she nibbled her lower lip as she listened to him. What she didn’t notice is that while she was dreaming about his hands on her body her hands matched the movements which made it feel even more real then, she thought it was.

He then stepped away from her and once again started to whip her not to cause pain but pleasure more pleasure then she had ever thought this torture element ever could. She even moaned out some with whimpers as if she was begging for more or just begging him.

She even moaned in her sleep thou she didn’t notice this of course as she was so deep in her dream she could only hope no one heard her or Heinrich did or would come in. Then he would see her hand roaming her body also giving her pleasure as her dreams did in her mind. Maybe she was lucky and the dream would end before he comes back to wake her or something else.