For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.
The day of Aksinya's ecclesiastical trial has arrived. Aksinya is acknowledged as a Russian Princess. Now the Archinquisitor is pursuing the other charges against Aksinya...
“Yes, you are correct Princess. Then let the court record read that the Princess Aksinya is guilty of theft and that shall be left to the secular courts. There are other charges.”
“Then proceed, Archinquisitor.”
“This court wishes to establish your guilt of sorcery.”
“I admit it. What more is there to say?”
“The proof exists, and I wish to establish it. The other charges related to this are that you did kidnap and seduce the mind and soul of the Lady Natalya Alexandrovna Obolenska and that you did seduce the mind and soul of Herr Ernst von Taaffe.”
“I admit those grave sins. Pronounce your judgment.”
“That is not enough. This court wishes to establish their guilt in this great sin also.”
Aksinya cried out, “They have no guilt in this at all. It was all my doing. Punish me, not them.”
“There is also the question of the school, Sacré Coeur, the Reverend Mother Kluge, Abbot Father Abend, and Sister Margarethe.”
Aksinya half stood, “That is enough. They are innocent of any wrongdoing. I am the sorceress. They knew nothing of my evil deeds. I will tell you, I called a demon from the pit. They committed nothing wrong. It was all my own actions.”
The Archinquisitor stroked his chin, “You called a demon.” He turned to the inquisitor, “Did you know this Inquisitor Esposito?”
The Inquisitor danced from foot to foot, “She…the Princess confessed this to me.”
“This is also a sin of grave consequence. Inquisitor, call the first witness to her sorcery.”
Aksinya plopped down in her chair.
We see that Aksinya will not be let off so easily in this trial. Actually, Aksinya doesn't want to be let off at all. She intentionally infuriated the Archinquisitor so he would find her guilty and only she would face punishment--that wasn't the intention of Asmodeus or the Archinquisitor.
Asmodeus told her that all her friends and many others would suffer because of Askinya's sin. The Archinquisitor is only interested in finding out the wrongdoers--even if they aren't. No one is innocent in the world. This is important to remember, but not everyone deserves punishment. Perhaps Aksinya should be punished, but what of her friends?
Aksinya confesses to everything. She wants the trial to end. She wants to be the only focus of it--she knows that cannot be. You can see from the words of the Archinquisitor who he intends to reveal at this trial--these are oddly those Asmodeus would have targeted. The Archinquisitor mentions their names: Lady Natalya Alexandrovna Obolenska, Herr Ernst von Taaffe, Sacré Coeur, the Reverend Mother Kluge, Abbot Father Abend, and Sister Margarethe. There are, of course, more.
Aksinya knows exactly what is going on even if the Archinquisitor doesn't. She plays her trump card: "I called a demon from the pit. They committed nothing wrong. It was all my own actions.” This confession doesn't surprise the Archinquisitor as much as we would have thought. The Archinquisitor wishes to establish Aksinya's guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt--he should be commended, except by his actions, many more will be found guilty. Tomorrow, the first witness.
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