1689
"Hello, you are the leading hunter?" one of the fairies asked as she fluttered up to Marie's face on her wings. Contrary to stories that Marie remembered, the fairies all looked very friendly.
"I suppose you could say that," Marie Cruz answered.
"And you will be trying the witches?" the fairy asked.
"I will be defending them," Marie answered, "Linus Sure, here is the prosecutor."
The fairy looked over to see the man with no hands seated on a couch. A couple of her sisters were fluttering over his shoulder to look the book in front of him.
"But would that not be fair?" the fairy asked, "you fought against them."
"In outward appearance," Marie answered, "but as an Inquisitor, a fair trial is the key to justice. I WILL insure that things are done fairly."
"I see," the fairy answered, "My name is Titania, the Fairy Queen, my people and I have agreed to sit as a jury for the witches."
Marie wasn't sure what to say. According to what the witches had told her, they had created the fairies.
"And you would find them guilty if the evidence proves them to be guilty?" Marie asked.
Titania thought for a moment, "we can. We were indebted to them for restoring our families... but once we paid out debt, we left to seek our own fortune. Would you like to meet the others?"
That sort of struck a nerve with what the witches had said to Marie. Gomorrah had transformed Titania, Pucca, and Olga as a test of hers and Solome's powers. But one of the fairies that had been created by the witches wasn't wallowing in some sort of remembrance of who "she" was. Stopping the witches was important, but it appeared more and more likely that if they tried to reverse what the witches had done would only make things worse.
She then looked at the host of unconscious child familiars and Witch Pride members.
"Not at the moment," Marie answered, "there are still some setting up to do for the trial. If you can help make sure that their child familiars aren't harmed that would be good. We'll let you know when we're ready."
Titania nodded and fluttered off. Marie was then about turn to Linus when they heard Katherine above everything.
"GET OUT OF THERE!"
Everyone looked up to see Ophelia and Desdemona come crawling out of Katherine's dress.
"What were you two doing?" Titania asked them.
"We couldn't help it," Desdemona answered weakly, "she's so pretty with all the bright colors."
"Felmen are NOT nudists!" Katherine answered.
"We meant no harm," Ophelia said, "You are very pretty. Boy cats must love you..."
"Felman."
"Felman boys must love you," Ophelia repeated.
"I am a nun," Katherine answered, "the only "husband" I will ever have, is God."
"Oh," Ophelia said slowly, "You are still pretty."
The little fairy then moved to hug Katherine's ankle. Katherine only sighed at that.
+++++++++++
Present Day
"So, how are my Cousins?" the grayish white Lupman female said to Pearl as the two watched their children hug.
"Isabelle, Hope, Grace, and Kaylee?" Pearl answered, "they're relatively fine. Isabelle, Hope, and Grace got roughed up in the fight against Kurse, but Beta Julie and her sisters are determined to heal them all, along with a friends in the Pride."
"Kurse..." the other female Lupman gave a snarl, "I hope that wretched game and who like vanish forever. For some man to have some perverse lust for power to turn my pup into a mouse. There is nothing good in that."
Pearl didn't say anything immediately, but she did agree that the transformation of a member of the pack into a rodent wasn't a good thing.
"I think some is working to kill the curse," Pearl said after a few moments.
"That is good," the Lupman female nodded, "does Beta Julie need any help? Or can we visit my cousins at least?"
"I think they've passed the point where they need a large number of helpers," Pearl commented, "and even if they did, most of the Pack at the manor that isn't hurt is essentially on call. I brought Zelipe here as my shift ended... and well, since we'd found out that Zelipe and his sister can free Lupmen trapped by the game... I felt it that you and your family deserved to have your pup back as he was."
The two looked over to see the gray and white male pup showing Zelipe a few wrestling moves. There was some interest on Zelipe's part, but some of it might have been trying to be polite.
"And for that, Pearl, you have my thanks," the female Lupman answered, "It is wonderful to see Timothy as he was."
++++++++++
1689
"So how did it go?" Marie asked Linus as the fairies began to double check on the unconscious members of the witches' followers.
"Fine," Linus answered, "the book and roster where where you said they'd be. The human women were all hiding in the witches bedroom, but they, and the two animals were all unconscious. Probably some backlash from the geass breaking. As with all of these."
Linus then motioned to the unconscious child familiars and witch pride members. Mal'akh was once again hugging her sister, hoping that she could wake the cub up.
"We can't dart them forever, you know," Linus then spoke, "You said we only have a month's supply of the darts. Eventually we'll run out and they're return to full strength."
"I know," Marie nodded, "maybe part of me thinks we can reform them. Get them to give it up."
"No magic user ever gives it up," Linus warned, "my guardian used his magic to help the people of Bavaria until he grew too old and weak to even do the small things that he had done before. And given the insanity you've said they've fallen into, even if you can convince them to be "good" a mind that doesn't follow reason or logic, even if it tries to be good, won't be able to truly function."
Marie only sighed. A good part of her knew that Linus was right. If they did go free, they would start everything all over again, and she would have to fight them all over again. But she had to live up to her father's teachings. She couldn't just murder them out of fear.
+++++++++++++
Eventually some of the extras went home for the night. Rosa and Mal'akh took Monica to her own home, and Rosa and Mal'akh went home as well. Rosa stayed with Mal'akh for the sake of keeping an eye on her pride sister. The fairies and Dr. Azrael did their best to treat the injuries sustained by the witches followers in the battle and as a result of the geass being broken. Sadly, the two Leoman females that Katherine had gutted had died of blood loss. Marie did her best to keep Katherine from going into some deep depression when that was confirmed to her.
As Linus, Katherine, and Marie went through the journal that the witches had left, which actually covered their own personal thoughts on what they had done. To Marie it actually presented a strange contradiction. They repeatedly didn't claim to want power over the world, but as they went they commonly used magic to insure loyalty to them. If that path had continued, it was entirely likely that the witches would have unintentionally enslaved the world...
+++++++++
"Likely giving the whole "they're insane" defense some validity for Marie," Lawrence commented.
"Yes," Marie-Eliza nodded.
"For the sake of curiosity, is there any way the witches could have lived and the curse wasn't laid down?" Lawrence asked, "at this stage, I mean."
"Marie would have had to win the trial case, and Azrael would have to have a different Angel remove the witches' ability to use their magic permanently," Marie sighed, "but that would have taken longer to do, and required the witches to actually be peaceful while waiting... As I said when this tale started, it is not one for the faint of heart."
+++++++++++
Draco, meanwhile worked through the night, setting up a table to be a sort of Judge's seat, and to put together some chairs for the others to use. As he did so, a little Fairy named Portia informed him that the fairies would sit on the windowsills for the trial, since their small size made chairs unnecessary. Draco nodded and went back to his work only to have Portia then ask him if he had a stash of gold that he protected. Not wanting to wake up the witches at that moment and set off some sort of argument, Draco quietly said no and tried to explain the truths about dragons and separate themselves from the stories that many held.
++++++++++++
The next morning, Rosa and Mal'akh awoke early. They ate a hasty breakfast and informed that Mal'akh's parents that they were going to visit a friend. Mahershalal inquired as to how long they would be gone as they reached the door.
"I do not now, for sure," Mal'akh answered, "we've been helping them with some work they have been doing."
"Can we help?" Mahershalal asked.
"No, they have enough for now," Rosa answered, "but thank you for offering."
Mal'akh nodded beside her.
The two then walked to Monica's home and waited for her to come out. Once together, the three made their way to the Witches' manor.
++++++++++++
"You'd best eat," Draco said to Gomorrah as he held out a spoon filled with porridge to her.
"To give you pleasure?" Gomorrah shot back.
As the day started, the witches were again darted, to insure that they couldn't use their magic, and they had all let Draco have it for doing such a thing to them, but the dragon largely ignored it.
"To insure that you retain some physical strength for this trial," Draco answered, showing no favoritism either for or against them, "Marie wants this trial to be fair. Therefore you will be cared for while the trial goes on... and suicide is a sin, so do not think that any of us will stand by and let you try that."
Gomorrah glanced to her sisters and then back to the Dragon that was feeding her. A lot of this contrasted with what they had expected from the hunters if they were to lose... which they still couldn't understand, but still... to be defended by the Dog herself. To have the dragon feeding them in a way that didn't make a mess on their clothing, and the Felman actually walking them to a bathroom during the night to insure they didn't make a mess of themselves.
Awhile later, Marie and Linus entered what had been the witches' citadel to check on what Draco had done the night before.
"Looks rather good," Linus commented, "for an improvised courtroom, but it still looks good."
"I mostly had to bring in what would fit," Draco answered, "it was either that or begin dismantling the house itself, and I am no master builder."
Marie and Linus nodded.
"Are you ready?" Draco then asked.
"Essentially," Marie nodded, "we are waiting for Rosa, Mal'akh, and Monica to arrive. Dr. Azrael is on his way and so is the jury."
Golgotha turned her head slightly at the names, as did Gaal. Rosa and Monica were two that they had made good a long time ago. Part of them hoped that the two would free them and let them escape the hunters for the time being. Golgotha also recognized Mal'akh's name from Joella's last birthday party. For the moment they didn't say anything.
"We're here!" came a young sounding voice from outside the room. The sound of footsteps followed and the witches turned to see two young Leoman females enter. To their surprise, one looked like an older version of Aimiliona, and they had sworn they'd seen her on the witches' grounds before. The Leoman seemed extremely nervous however, and was kept under a fairly firm grip by Rosa. Monica stayed close to both.
What entered the room next, was a greater shock to the witches. It was the fairies.
"You came back!" Gomorrah spoke as Titania lead Ophelia, Desdemona, Portia, Beatrice, Hermia and a few others flew into the room and landed on a nearby windowsill.
"We were asked to sit as the jury for this trial," Titania answered, "for the interest of insuring that you are treated fairly, we have agreed."
"If you believe that, you must free us NOW!" Gomorroh said firmly.
"That would be the fair thing to do," Gaal added.
"I am afraid we can not," Titania answered, "We have made a promise, and will keep it."
"But you're supposed to be our FRIENDS!" Gomorrah shouted at them.
"Possibly," said Beatrice, "but that doesn't mean you haven't made mistakes, which I would guess is what they want to either prove or disprove."
"WE'VE MADE NO MISTAKES! WHO ARE YOU? WE DIDN'T MAKE YOU?!" Gaal roared.
"I am Beatrice," Beatrice answered, "as for how I joined the Fae Folk, that was a gift from the other fairies to my family."
"HOW DARE YOU PRESUME TO JUDGE US!!!!" Golgotha roared, realizing that Beatrice didn't have her mind rewritten completely the way the other fairies had.
The one eyed witch then felt a cool breeze enter the room that gave her a slight chill. A man dressed entirely in black entered the room. Part of her wondered if she had seen him before somewhere or somehow.
"They are the jury," the man said in an authoritative voice that even made the witches quiver a little, "I am the judge. And I assure you, what will be decided here will be fair and has the approval of a power higher then yourselves."
Dr. Azrael then turned to Marie and Linus, "if the two of you are ready, we had best begin."
Linus and Marie nodded. While Dr. Azrael went to the larger table and chair that had been set up for him as the judge's "platform", Linus and Marie went to the smaller tables that were provided for them. Draco followed Dr. Azrael to serve as a sort of organizer while Katherine, as per Marie's instructions, followed Linus to handle the papers and pieces of evidence that Linus felt would be useful.
"This court is now in session," Dr. Azrael spoke, "I am Doctor Ezra Azrael presiding. Before the charges are announced, I will ask the Jury to state their names and list any possible grievances they may have for or against the charged..."
"I am Titania, Queen of the Fae Folk," Titania spoke, "My people have no bias."
"I am Ophelia, I have no bias," Ophelia said next.
"I am Desdemona, I have no bias," Desdemona said.
"I am Portia, I have no bias," Portia continued.
"I am Hermia, I have no bias," Hermia continued.
"I am Beatrice, I have no bias," Beatrice nodded.
"I am Selene, I have no bias."
"I am Luna, I have no bias."
"I am Phoebe, I have no bias."
"I am Gruoch, I have no bias."
++++++++++
"Gruoch? A grouch?" Cassandra asked.
"No," Eliza corrected, "many of the fairies took the names of characters from Shakespeare's various works. Now not all did, as Olga and Ruth would be clear signs... but many others did."
"I have never seen a "Gruoch" in any of Shakespeare's works," Alice commented.
"She's there," Lawrence commented, getting the Shakespeare connection, "her name is never used. In Shakespeare's world, Gruoch is only known as Lady Macbeth."
"Macbeth was real?" Lilly asked.
"Yes," Eliza nodded, "but his rule did NOT go as Shakespeare wrote it. Macbeth did kill Duncan, yes, but it was done on the battlefield, and Duncan was not an old feeble man when he died. There is also evidence that Duncan also provoked a fight with Macbeth's clan of Moray."
"So why did Shakespeare write the play as he did?" Alice asked, sounding curious.
"I've read something that it was a propaganda effort to convince Elizabeth the First to execute Mary, Queen of Scots," Lawrence commented, "though I'd suppose there are lots of theories out there. The main thing is that Shakespeare was not an historian. He wrote plays about history, but was not accurate in presenting history. I'd tend to think he did it to make his story seem more interesting."
"And largely un-educated Englishmen of the 1500s wouldn't know anything about a historical figure of the 1000s when they heard the play," Marie-Eliza nodded, "but that is a different talk for a different day..."
++++++++++++
"I am Juliet, I have no bias."
"I am Rosalie, I have no bias."
"And I am Eve, I have no bias," said the last fairy in the group, batting her light green wings with dark green highlights.
Dr. Azrael nodded, "Father Draco, you may list the charges the accused face."
"The witches Griselle, Gita, and Goldwyn, aliases Gomorrah, Gaal, and Golgotha, stand charged with conspiracy to overthrow the nations of the world and residing within the Colonies of Great Britain, would thus also be charged with Treason against the Crown. They also stand charged with murder in the ending of the lives individual human beings, along with conspiracy to commit murder."
++++++++
"Not witchcraft?" Lawrence asked, "the Inquisition commonly charged people with that as a crime, and the people of New England would make witchcraft a crime in the years to come with the Salem Witch Trials."
"Yes, but if witchcraft was a crime they were accused of, by technicalities, Linus and Marie would ALSO be guilty," Marie-Eliza explained, "but since the Hunters had learned more about the differences between White and Black magic, they knew that it wasn't necessarily their magic that was the problem. It was WHAT they were using it for."
++++++++++
"We have heard the charges made against the witches," Dr. Azrael spoke, "the defense attorney may converse with her "clients" before entering a plea to the charged."
Marie then turned to the witches, "You have two options, guilty or not guilty. A guilty plea will end the trial and the sentence will be decided and carried out. Based on what you have told me, I have an argument that is your best chance of escaping..."
"We are INNOCENT, Dog," Golgotha growled, "we have done nothing wrong."
Marie only sighed and turned back to Dr. Azrael, "Not Guilty by reason of Insanity..."
"WHAT?! WE ARE PERFECTLY SANE! HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE US OF BEING INSANE?!"
+++++++++++
In the praying town, Joella found herself seated with Vatican again. Lark was still asleep, probably tired. So, she came out to see if Free had gotten up, and if not, to at least have someone to talk to. Running-Bear had set up a table for her, and she had some bread while talking with Vatican, largely asking about his life and how he met Marie.