Burn her!

~ Just living is not enough, one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower~ Hans Christian Anderson

****

After her meeting with the village head, Delaney went back home and slept till the following evening. Bernard had said that they would be preparing a mass for Malcolm at the church hall, so she was getting prepared when someone came banging at the door impatiently.

When she opened the door, she was greeted by Collins' anxious face. "What is it?" she asked curtly. Collins grabbed her hand, pushing her inside the house and locking the door.

"Delaney you have to run. They're coming for you. Come, I'll help you pack." he said hurriedly, pushing her around the house.

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" she asked confused. Collins toook her hand and started dragging her upstairs when Delaney stopped him. "Dammit Delaney! Hurry up, I'm trying to help you." he cursed, shocking Delaney.

"Calm down and tell me what is happening." she muttered calmly. Collins pinched the skin between his eyebrows, one hand on his hips. He sighed heavily before turning to stare at Delaney.

"Isn't there a mass, why do I have to leave? I already said I didn't kill Malcolm."

"Of course you didn't kill him, I believe you but... There is no mass. The villagers want to kill you. They say you are the only one who knows what could have happened to Malcolm. You have to leave...now!" he barked but Delaney didn't move.

"Does your father has anything to do with this?" she asked and an uncomfortable feeling bloomed in Collins' chest.

"I don't know...I—" his words were cut off by an urgent knock on the door. They heard distinct voices outside and from the shadows cast on the space between the door and the floor, she could tell there were several people outside.

"Dammit! Hurry and leave before they barge in. Is there another door?" Collins asked but Delaney was still frozen in place.

"Delaney," a woman's voice called from outside and she recognised it. It was Angela, her stepmother. "Delaney open the door. Some people want to talk to you." she said in a soft voice and Delaney sneered. Even her family colluded with strangers to kill her. She climbed up the stairs and Collins followed behind her.

She went to Malcolm's office and pushed open a secret door behind the wine cellar. The secret room had all types of weapons and she took two poisoned daggers, putting them on each of her boots. She couldn't carry a rifle at this critical moment so she took another pair of daggers. If worse came to worst, then she would fight them to death. She couldn't go down without a fight.

She then took one bottle of wine and emptied it in her hip flask. Collins stared anxiously from the side. When she was done, she pushed up the glass on the window and looked down. It was quite a distance from where she was, but there was no other way out. The crowd at the door had increased and they could hear them trying to break down the door.

She turned to look at Collins resolutely. "Thank you Collins." she said and his emotions burst out. He embraced her in a tight hug and she hugged him back. "Be safe, Delaney." he said pulling back. She could see the sadness in his eyes and tears stung her eyes. She probably would never see him again. But even if things ended up that way, she would leave knowing that he was the most sincere person.

Turning her back to him, she positioned herself on the window and jumped down, in time for the villagers to finally break down the wooden door. Collins rushed down and met the furious crowd led by his father.

"What are you doing here? Where is that traitor of a woman?" Bernard bellowed and some people moved around the house, searching for her.

"She's getting away!" a woman's shrill voice resounded and Collins's heart dropped to his stomach. Everyone rushed out and they saw Delaney running towards the forest.

It was the tranquil hours of the evening and Delaney could feel the wind against her skin as she ran faster and faster. Her heart dropped when she heard horses neighing and their hooves rushing to her direction. No matter how fast she was, she couldn't possibly outrun a horse could she?

As the voices came closer and closer, she reached for a dagger on her right foot and held it in her hand. She turned around and managed to cut through the horse's flesh but she was rewarded with a whip on her back which sent her to the ground, wailing in pain.

The horse also fell, and the poison started taking effect immediately. Delaney tried to get up and continue running but a strong hand grabbed her hair, yanking her head back. Three bulky men surrounded her, followed by a huge crowd far behind.

"You think you can escape after killing Malcolm?" one man asked hoisting her up by the waist and throwing her over his shoulder. Delaney tried kicking at him and thrashing her legs but the man put her down and delivered a blinding slap on her face and she stumbled back.

"Hand me a rope." the man said and another man handed him a rope. He tied her hands behind her back then carried her on his shoulder again. He turned around and saw the horse on the ground. "What happened to the horse?" he asked the man struggling to get up after the fatal fall. "Poison."

"You witch!" he cursed under his breath. "Bring my horse to the village square." he said, then started walking towards the bloodthirsty crowd.

Delaney was put down in front of the village head and his subjects. They threw all kinds of things at her, from stones and logs. Then they marched to the village square, dragging Delaney behind.

By the time they reached the village square, Delaney was almost unconscious. Her knees were scraped, her back was drenched with blood. Her shirt was torn from being whipped. Her wrists hurt from the strain of the rope and she was barely standing on her feet.

She was placed on the scaffold and every person in the village of Gatria was gathered to punish their hero's murderer. The village head stood facing the crowd. "Delaney Palestine is found guilty of killing our very own, Sir Malcolm. She will be beheaded right here in front of everyone, as a lesson to every witch... hiding here, ready to take advantage of our people's kindness." he said and the crowd cheered.

"No! A witch should be burned. Burn her!" a woman yelled and everyone turned to look at her, bewildered. It only took a few minutes to sway the crowd and soon they started chanting. "Burn her! Burn her!"

Delaney had never been so frightened in her life. She was leaning over a piece of wood that she was tied to, and she could almost feel their scorching gazes already burning her. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Angela and Elsie smiling in glee. Her father was nowhere to be seen. She looked around for Collins but he was also not in the crowd.

Bernard was ready to oblige to his subjects' demands and he called someone to fetch oil. The man who had carried her on his shoulder walked to Delaney with a jelly can and drenched her with the oil. Delaney felt her heart tremble and she closed her eyes, hoping this was just a bad dream and when she opened her eyes everything would go back to how it was. To how it should be.

But she could still hear the loud chants beneath her and she wondered what she ever did wrong. These people had always considered her an enemy since she was young and she never wronged any of them.

The place suddenly fell silent and she forced her eyes open curiously. Her eyes swept over the crowd and she saw everyone staring up. She followed suite and her eyes widened in shock. A huge red shadow was flying above them, flapping it's wings in the air.

"AAHH! It's a dragon." someone screamed and the huge dragon opened its mouth wide and flames of fire rained on the crowd. The people scattered away running for their lives. The village square was in total chaos. Delaney was still staring, mouth agap at the people burning and she didn't know whether to thank her lucky stars.

She was suddenly swept up, it's claws holding her by her arms and Delaney yelped in surprise. The dragon flew fast, flapping its huge bat-like wings and Delaney closed her eyes, hoping the flight to end soon. She opened her eyes when she felt the beast slowing down, and she saw the outline of the forest. It flew closer to the tall trees then released her from its claws and she fell with a thud.

The piece of wood she was tied to broke into two, and she rolled on her stomach, then got up, first on her knees then on her feet. Her whole body ached and she almost fell back down. She looked up and she could see the dragon fly away. She hurried to untie her hands and she groaned when she finally succeeded.

She massaged her wrists then took out her hip flask. She had taken only a sip, before she heard noises indicating that they were catching up to her. She took to her heels again but she hadn't ran far before an arrow was shot at her, missing only a bit and grazing her upper arm.

"Catch her! Don't let her get away!" she heard them yell.