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.
Aksinya's secular trial is about to begin. Aksinya and Father Dobrushin are in the courtroom in the Rathaus in Wien. They are discussing more than the case. Father Dobrushin is trying to prepare. Aksinya wants to know why Father Dobrushin is helping her...
The prosecutors came to their table. They nodded toward Aksinya and to Father Dobrushin. Father Dobrushin stepped over and shook their hands. Aksinya heard only quiet greetings between them. The priest sat down again and continued to glance through his papers. The benches of the courtroom began to fill behind them. Aksinya fidgeted for a while then asked Father Dobrushin, “Why are there so many people in the benches? Is there an important trial later?”
Father Dobrushin’s lips turned down, “You haven’t seen the papers for a while.”
“They don’t give me anything to read in the jail. I only have the Greek Bible you brought me.”
“You have been on the front page of every paper in the city and perhaps Austria
“I have?”
“If you look closely, the men on the back row are all photographers and reporters. They are not allowed to take pictures in the courtroom. When you leave here, they will all try to snap your picture.”
“Really? What did they say about me?”
“Nothing flattering.”
“But what did they say?”
“They called you a witch and a sorceress.”
“That’s pretty innocuous and besides, it’s true.”
“There were other things less flattering, but mostly they called the Cardinal and the inquisitors to task for trying a mentally ill girl in an ecclesiastical court.”
Aksinya’s brow wrinkled, “The mentally ill girl was me?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
“Why this time?”
“Because you believe me.” She glanced at him from the sides of her eyes and sighed, “I’ll try not to bother you again.”
“When? Now? It’s too late.”
So, Aksinya and Father Dobrushin continue their conversation, the focus is a little different now. We see the entrance of the prosecutors. They are pleasant, but not familiar. There is not much reason for me to describe them right now. Father Dobrushin greets them. We know this is good policy for the defender in a trial.
Aksinya can't keep still. She is interested in everything. The world seems comforting and bright to her. We can feel the freedom she knows. Aksinya wonders about the number of people who are in the courtroom. This is a technique to point them out to you without using description. Now, we learn more about the situation around Aksinya. From Frau Becker, we learned about the reporters and the news. Here, we hear more information from Father Dobrushin.
This piece of conversation is intended to show you about the potential problems Aksinya will face with the press and how important her story has been in Austria and Wien. We learned that the Cardinal and the inquisitors are being called to task for their actions. Do you remember, I told you the demon would try to ruin them all. By trying Aksinya, the Cardinal and the inquisitors have caused themselves problems for the Catholic Church and for themselves as individuals.
The press already calls Aksinya a mentally ill girl. She picks up on this immediately. It bothers her because of the issue of her sanity. The fact that Father Dobrushin believes her makes Aksinya happy. He is literally her only hope. Tomorrow, the trial really begins.
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