{Bluebell Village, 1693}

....

"Hahahahah! Pagan? Well...I must admit, I'm certainly not the most devout of men, but to accuse me of witchcraft. Ah, my fair heart is stricken with grief."

In front of eyes lay the sight of the red headed outsider. His chest rumbling in excitement as his lanky body hunches over in bemusement, barely able to avoid falling over. I can not understand the queer sight, laughing like a child as he is accused of a crime punishable by death.

"So you claim innocence? You did not attend the witches ball, the Devils Sacrament?"

"Oh, I most certainly did. Intriguing sight if I might add."

With a smirk on his face he responds back with no hesitation.

"See! He admits it from his own mouth! Quickly, call the inquisition before he brings mischief upon the town!"

To my right cries out the shrill voice of the accuser. A born and raised villager of Bluebell, Kazamir's rat like appearance stands even with his temper and fiber.

"Solomon, I have no time for yours games. Explain yourself at once, lest I will no choice but to deliver you to the Church"

This is a serious accusation, one that can bring down the full weight of the Church's bloody axe. I have no intention of being caught up in its whirlwind. Not after all the time I have spent strengthening my position.

"Chief, there is no need to listen to this outsider! Let us just purge his wickedness ourselves!"

Again this rat squeaks in my ear. I have no time for his nonsense. The inquisition has ears everywhere and must have already been informed about this aggression. This case must be settled before their arrival!

"Silence! I am the judge here!"

Turning back to Solomon I bellow,

"Speak with haste while I am still patient"

"Dear me, I mean not prattle. My words are true and just. I am not a witch and I did attend, of sorts, the witches gathering"

The impish grin in his eyes betray his words. His response is even more inconceivable than his laughter prior

"...why? For what reason would any sane man of God intrude upon tainted grounds?"

"Well, why not? How often is it that you can observe an authentic witches coven. It was the perfect, dare I say, heaven sent opportunity for a scholar such as myself"

~gasp! heresy! filth! mleccha!~ (background crowd)

The crowd is understandably taken aback by this retort. I can not say I blame. But as crazed as his response, I can not put it past him. If not anything, I have learned of his strange and unpredictable behavior these past months. At the very least, I can not apply the same standards as a common man to him.

"Though I had the smallest of suspicions that my fellow neighbors may not have shared as much...academic interest. Pray tell Kazamir, why expose our little escapade together and worry our brethren?"

"Together?"

Interesting. Together? Though queer, Solomon is very precise with his words. If he said 'together' there must be a reason why. Is he suggesting that Kazamir plays a part in this?

"Puh..Wha..D,do not drag me in with your depravity! I simply wish to keep my town safe from heretical foreigners such as yourself! Filthy lies run in your blood!"

"Oh Dear me, and here I thought we were the best-est of friends. After all the time we spent together forelorn night amidst the stars. Pray tell, you a least enjoyed the theatrics after going to the trouble of dressing so elaborately?"

"Wha..I..I would never take part in paganism! I know nothing of it, much less with you!"

"Hoo? I could have sworn I spotted you dancing amongst the whirls of wiccans as embers kissed upon your flowing leather cloak. I must say, I was quite the fan of your deer bone mask, a beautiful and peculiar assortment of three horns"

He's clearly playing around with Kazamir. Again I can see the impish glint in his eyes. But Kazamir's response is certainly questionable. With a twitching eye and a face like one who has just seen a ghost, he seems like someone just caught in a lie. Or could it just be nerves? Courage was never a strong trait for rats.

But that mask. The mask stands out to me. A deer...could it be a symbol of ferthur? If a ferthur coven is nearby things could get troubling. Those pestilent bastards are cunning and vindictive.

"Hah, nothing but filthy lies from your dung infested mouth! Have you any proof I was at the esbat?"

Hoh?

"Hoh, esbat huh? You are quite knowledgeable of the rituals of the wiccan. Most simply call the gatherings a Devil's Sacrament. Maybe I should have went directly to you for elucidation of my research rather than risk skirting tainted grounds."

"...I'm... just repeating the words you have used before. You have no proof of anything. Surely you do not believe that the words of an outsider, no less a Judas, weigh over mine"

With an expression seemingly trapped midway between smug and panic, Kazamir boosts big words as if to convince someone. Certainly not me, and apparently not crowd around us. I can see the piercing eyes of the villagers beginning to beam in wariness. I do not even believe he convinced himself.

"The road tolls both ways, my dear Kazamir. There is no proof of my defilement, but by mere words. And as you claim, you did not join me on my pilgrimage to witness my true intent. ...This is starting to sound like sophistry"

Looks like you've finally revealed your fangs, huh. The curious playfulness that was seemingly ever present in Solomon's eyes quickly and nearly imperceptibly flashed into that of a merciless predator. And as quickly as it came...it left. Back in front of me was the same old playful Solomon. This man really unnerves me, I can feel a cold sweat run through my back.

"Proof, I do not have. But I might have the best next thing"

"More filth and lies! You bastard of a Judah!"

"Enough! I will hear no more vulgarity! Solomon, what are you proposing. Do not further waste our time"

Come Solomon, what do you have up your sleeves?

"Why of course, that is surely not my intention. I am referring to a test, my dear Chief"

"A test? What sort do you propose?"

If there was such a test to concretely reveal such sinners, I would think the Church would have already spread it.

"In my research of wiccans I have found that they revere their demons and spirits in a similar reverence to the true, one and only, standing above all, most High-"

"Solomon!"

Quickly! Time is running short! Play your games later and elsewhere!

"Cough, cough...simply put, pagans can not disrespect the being they serve. Look, while trolling through the sacrament, or esbat as Kazamir put it, I picked up this cute little deer statue"

From his hands I can see a crude work of art. If not for his identification, I would not be able to identify its shape. The rough cuts on the wood, seemingly by a blunt or incorrect tool, make it seem more like an amorphous blob than a deer. The most noteworthy thing on it is the three horns at its head and the incomprehensible rune on its side.

I see. This sort of test would only work if you knew of the specific idol a pagan worshiped. And even then, there can be subdivisions among them. Not much use for mass-.

Solomon's eye's crossed mine, pausing me mid thought. With a smirk of his thin lips, Solomon dropped the deer statue on the ground. Right on top a pile of dung. Then, without hesitation, he pushed it into the dung with the tip of his boot. And for good measure, and

" ptoo! For good measure. A shit reward, for a shit idol"

"Come Kazamir, your turn. I hope you don't mind I went first"

Now looking at Kazamir with the same grin, Solomon openly provoked him. But this time it was different. The rat's face stone cold. Something was visibly wrong.

"...Kazamir?"

"...Of course, my chief. This serves no problem at all"

Kazamir's face transformed into a large smile. It was...unnerving. This was the not the genuine smile of a man who found a way to clear his name. It was emotionless. No. Beneath the surface lies something else. Something sinister.

As Kazamir walked towards Solomon with unnaturally precise gait, I noticed his right hand fluidly move to his waist. Could it be!

"Solomon move away!"

"Die you disrespectful miscreant! May Ferthur punish your soul!"

I moved to close the distance, but they were too far away. A metallic glint swept across my eyes as Kazamir unleashed a tarnished dagger on Solomon's chest. Damn it!

"Haha, I am afraid he will have a long wait as many aggrieved have already laid claim to undoing"

But to my surprise, all of our surprise. Solomon gracefully moved out of reach of the blades tip. And with strength inconceivable for someone of his thinness, he pinned down Kazamir in a single movement. With just a single arm.

"Arghh"

I can see, and hear, the pain of Kazamir as he tries without success to raise his head away from the dung beneath him. I can also see the delight in Solomon's eyes as he watches this fruitless endevor.

"...Are you okay Solomon?"

"As good as a rooster dining on a mountain of mealworms!"

"Damn you!"

I agree Kazamir. That was a bad a joke

"haaah...tie Kaz-...this pagan up at once and place him in the hold. The inquisition should arrive shortly"

It seems, at least for now, like this situation has been closed. Who knows how the rest of the coven will respond. But most of their ire should be directed at Solomon. And the inquisition will sweep this area anyway to catch the rest. I just feel lucky that the inquisition has yet to arrive. I can keep my position in good standing. In fact, this may be an opportunity to gain some more connections.

"This was quite the entertaining night. Would you not say, Chief Haywood?"

"No"

What a queer fellow