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. He brings witnesses to her sorcery. Aksinya is speaking to the inquisitor Esposito...
“I insist. Inquisitor, your job is defense, then defend. Ask them what was happening.”
“I must swear them in.”
“Then do so.”
Sister Margarethe and Natalya stepped forward, and the Inquisitor swore them in.
Ernst stepped up beside them, “I insist on answering also.”
The inquisitor swore him in too.
Aksinya demanded, “Ask them now. What was happening outside the Golden Adler?”
The Archinquisitor spat, “Tell us, then, what was happening?”
Ernst held his head up high, “This man along with about ten others were about to rape the Lady Natalya and the Sister. The Countess stopped them.”
“Using sorcery.”
Ernst continued, “I don’t know what she did. All I know, is that she stopped them from violating the ladies.”
The Archinquisitor continued, “And what she did caused those men to find themselves in the street later more than a block away.”
“It saved the Lady and Sister’s virtue from rapists.”
Herr Mueller clenched his hands together, “Father, may I go.”
“Yes, go.”
Aksinya’s voice rang clearly, “I did use sorcery to save them. Those men were tempted by the demon. My demon is Asmodeus, the demon of lust and luxuria. It was his doing. He tempted those men and caused them to act as they did. As you can see, Herr Taaffe, the Lady Natalya, and Sister Margarethe are innocent. I can’t vouch for the innocence of Herr Mueller.”
Herr Mueller ran to the door and was let out.
Aksinya is no fool about justice and trials. Do you remember that her father metted out justice to his holders and that Aksinya believes this is a primary purpose for the nobility. So, you should expect her to know the questions to ask and how justice should work. Unfortunately, Aksinya doesn't want to win this trial, she only wants to prevent anyone else from being condemned.
Aksinya demands that the inquisitor ask Herr Mueller what was happening at the Gasthaus. Herr Mueller doesn't want to answer this question and the inquisitors don't want this to be common knowledge either. The knowledge won't make Aksinya any less guilty, but it will hurt public opinion. You can see that this is the work of a very devious mind. If the information gets out that Aksinya was doing good by her sorcery, this makes the Catholic Church in Wien look bad. It also makes the inquisitors look bad.
If Aksinya doesn't insist that Herr Mueller answer the questions, then all those who were there are immediately condemned. We will see that tomorrow. Today, Ernst along with the Sister and Natalya insist on acting as witnesses.
Their testimony is that Aksinya prevented a gang rape. Ernst lies and says he didn't know what Aksinya did. Herr Mueller doesn't want to hang around. His crime was hidden only because sorcery was involved. He certainly doesn't want the information to get around that he and his friends tried to rape a school girl and a nun. Too late, it will be in the press tomorrow. He is ruined by this trial as are his friends--they should be ruined, but that isn't the end.
Aksinya uses this testimony as an opportunity to claim her friends are without guilt. The Archinquisitor will test this--tomorrow.
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