36 M4F The Witch and the Skeptic

I had been traveling for several days. I hadn't been in this part of the country before. The skies are darkened early so this night feels endless. I could hear the rain beat against the carriage and the wheels drag themselves through the mud and the horses strain to keep us moving. My stomach rumbled in loving memory of the rock hard days old bread I had eaten hours ago and I wondered how much longer until we arrived. I couldn't see anything through the window so I had no conception of our progress but I imagined we were hours behind schedule. Finally I could feel the carriage come to a stop and I sighed slightly and then attached my collar and checked my bag to make sure all of my things were in order. "Father, we're 'ere" said the gruff voice from the front. I wordlessly pressed a gold coin through the slit to the front and then opened the door and ran as fast as I could to the monastery. By the time I reached the door I was drenched anyway. I tried to gather myself as close to the building as I could after I knocked on the door to keep myself covered to no avail. By the time the door was opened and I was ushered in I was sopping wet, leaving tiny puddles on the floor as I stood in the entrance.

A young eager monk shook my hand heartily and looked grateful for my presence. "Thank you for traveling so far. We have been anticipating your arrival for many weeks now. I am sorry the weather was not more cooperative. I am sure you must have questions from our letter. We were as vague as we could be in the details in case it got intercepted..." I interrupt him at this point to say, "Father...it has been a long journey and I would love for you to explain in further detail the particulars of this case, but perhaps we could do so over dinner." The priest looked mortified and grabbed my elbow to lead me down the hall, "Of course, of course, my apologies. You must be famished." We walked briskly down a long stone hallway. As we went further into the building a noticed a hallway that branched off that had no torches. The wind howled loudly down the hall, the noise bouncing off the stones amplifying it. The young priest's eyes darted down the hall in fear for a moment but he mumbled, "Not that way, if you please," as I felt him pull me more insistently past it. We came to a large wooden door and he opened it and brought me in. He sat me at a large simple table. "One moment," he said as he left me there alone for a moment. I sat there slightly chilled and still sopping wet but in hungry anticipation of anything warm. The priest was gone what felt like ages but was more than likely simply moments but when we came back he not only had a warm bowl of porridge but also a guest. An ancient looking priest. One whose features were edged just as harshly as the building. His face was a gargoyle, set forever in a permanent scowl of disapproval. "So," he said barely concealing a sneer, "You are the examiner?" I eyed the bowl covetously but decided to answer before digging in. "I am assigned by the cardinal to look into any instances of...inexplicable occurrences," I say choosing my words carefully. His eyes told me he doubted I was suited for such a job but he said nothing for the moment, "Please, eat," he said sitting down across from me.

The younger priest set the bowl down for me and waited next to me standing the whole time while the ancient priest sat across from me. The older priest studied me while I ate and then seemed to wordlessly indicate to the younger that it was time to get to the heart of the matter. "Well as you know from the letter there is...a...well there has been an issue with the crop this year." I say nothing in response waiting for him to go on. "A lot of the locals....they have reported that....well they seem to believe that....a girl is responsible." When he says nothing else for the moment I respond a little sharper than I intend, "A girl? Surely there are more likely explanations for crops failing then that." The younger priest eyes search for the elder for support before he goes on. "There have been rumors for some time of. Unnatural circumstances surrounding the girl. And I am sorry to say you are not the first person we brought in to examine her. There was a local healer..." the elder snorts at this word. " A healer..." the young priest continues, "Was brought in to examine her at the request of her father and he treated her for some time here. Things seemed fine but the longer he stayed he seemed more restless. And I regret to report that after a few weeks he tried to free the girl and run off with her and he was...thwarted. And while he stayed here waiting for the king's guard to answer for his crimes he....that is to say....well he..." "The idiot killed himself," the elder interrupted again. The younger said nothing but nodded his ascent with his eyes closed. I watch them both closely to asses how best to proceed. "There are a great number of reasons why an older man might try to run off with a young girl but witchcraft is a fairly unlikely one. If I may be frank, I am assigned by the cardinal to look into such matters because he trusts my discretion and my judgment. I find that typically there's a rational explanation for even the most extraordinary of tales. I will talk to the girl. I will administer a few tests of my design. I will keep an open mind. But more than likely it seems to me this is a case of a couple of bad farmers trying to scapegoat their paltry return this year on a young girl." The younger priest looks crestfallen at my answer, the elder one sneers a little before speaking to me. "I think you might find this is a much different case then you are used to. And in my opinion the only expert we should have brought in is one well versed in removing the heads of witches." I widen my eyes slightly at the suggestion, "Well you'll have to trust to my expertise for the moment. If such unnatural powers are proven I suppose we'll move on to your expert next." At this I stand up my porridge only half finished. "Before I retire for the night I'd like to be taken to her," the elder priest nods to the younger one not saying anything else to me.

We leave the kitchen and head back towards the dark hallway. The younger priest grabs a torch before we go down it. He stops at the precipice and takes out a small bit of cloth and jams it in his ears before we go. I manage to keep from rolling my eyes but shake my head no when he offers me some for myself. We make our way down the hall the light dancing off the stones, we walk past several empty cells. When we get all the way to the end I see the cells along the way are all empty. The only occupant is in the last one. The young priest stops short just before we get there. He hastily hands me the keys, "Please, do not underestimate her," he says before scurrying back down the hall, he leaves me in darkness. The only light now faintly coming through the cell door. I feel my way along the wall and find the lock in the door. After fumbling a few moments I manage to get the key in it. The noise as it clicks in echoes ominously through the hallway. I knock on the door before entering it. You are sitting on a simple straw bed across from the door as I enter. I look around the room studying it before my eyes meet yours. "So," I say my lips curled slightly into a sardonic smile, "They tell me you're a witch."

(Would be willing to do this long term or short term. I don't have a set way I want this to go but I would prefer that it be played ambiguous about whether you're a witch. Possibly even the whole time. Could be as smutty or as romantic as you like. Only hard no's for me are bathroom stuff, and non con. PM me Would prefer someone willing to put in some effort not really looking for two line responses.)