Witches are the servants to the three Hags Goddesses for they are evil incarnate. If a witch is found use holy water and invoking the Three will harm them, it is best to gag and tie up a witch and burn her as soon as you can before you or anyone fall under their spell. Any young woman that influenced must be gagged and tied and return to the Temple of the Three to be reeducated and redeem in the eyes of the Gods.

Book of the Three.

Present-day in the Witch's hut.

The crack of thunder shook him out of his thoughts, seeing that the wagon had stopped ahead of him. Ahead of the wagon was a typical round twig and mud hut about the size of two wagons side by side with a sod roof cover with herbs and grasses beneath a dead tree. Next to it is an old pole stable. A flock of ravens sat in the tree staring down at them. David drops the reins of the horse next to the wagon seeing the Fryer and a young woman in robes staring at him as he walks passed. He walks up to the hut to knock on the stick weave door only to have it open slowly.

An old woman's voice croaks out through the door, “Bring the boy in, I been waiting for you.”

David can feel terror gripping at his heart for a moment before straightening up and waving to the men to get the boy. The fear of the Witch is far less than the fear of losing the boy.

Fryer Roberts tried blocking the wagon from his men when that horse dung of a man learn we were outside of a witch's hut. He was screaming out words from the Book of the Three, threatening them with excommunication if they touch one finger to the lord. That the boy's spiritual health belongs to him, it took Captain Hendrick less than a minute to toss the Fryer out the wagon and into the mud as he orders the frighten men into carrying the boy into the hut.

Captain Hendrick turn back into the wagon, seeing the young Sister of the temple looking up at him as she crouch next to the boy mopping his sweaty face with a damp rag.

“Girl. Am I going to have to toss you out into the mud too?” He growls at her as she shakes her head no. He then saw that her wrist was bloody with red welts from being tie-up for a long time. Stepping up into the wagon, he pulls back the covering on her arms, seeing her wince in pain from pulling the sleeve back. He then pulls down on the robe revealing her back and neck seeing the lash welts and scars both old and new. Growling under his breath as several of his men pull aside the cover and lower the unconscious boy down to the others.

Turning to her, “your coming with me.” seeing her not moving as he climbs down, kicking the Fryer back into the mud hearing the man swearing. “Now, woman! I have little patience!” He shouted into the wagon, startling the woman. Turning to the rest of the men, “Keep him out of the hut!” pointing at the Fryer as he snaps at them while the woman climbs down.

He grabs the Sister by the arms as she yelps in pain as he guided her in the downpour into the hut. He then pushes the young girl onto the floor to the right after stepping inside and waving the two men back out the door after they place the boy on the table. The lordling was looking like a skeleton with pasty white skin stretch over it. His face looks more like a death mask than a living person. The plague that killed ten of his men seems to take its time with the boy.

The door slam shut behind him making him jump as he grabs for his sword only to turn back to the boy, and finding the old Witch crone wearing rags, passing her hands over the boy's face and on down his body. Moving back up and laying her age lined head on his chest to hear the boy's heart with her eyes shut. After a few moments, he leans forward as her eyes open blazing white. Starling him, she stood up and hobbled over to him, looking him over, she turns and stops next to the girl. The Witch turns her head back to him with so much speed that he almost didn't see her doing it. The girl screams until the old woman touches a finger between her eyes, and she fainted to the floor.

“Captain Hendrick, the boy will be gone soon if not for this girls' powers he would have died days ago.” Bending down turning the scrawling girl face right to left, pulling her robe apart, revealing a burn of an iron brand on her shoulder as of property of the temple. The temple branded those that have powers ending up serving the temple as little more than slaves only putting the title of Sisters upon them. She spat on the brands and mutters, “We are nothing but cattle for the Three, to be use and abuse then killed when we no longer of use to them. I am surprised that they allow this one to be let loose I can feel great power in her.” she tsk.

“The boy?” David growl at her.

“He be dead soon, I could try to keep him from leaving but his will to live is gone, Someone, he loved had died.” she coons arching an eye toward him.

“Nay, a girl that he fell in love with him, was promised to his older cousin, the Duke's son. They were married the day we left on order of the Duke.” David said.

“Tragic story as old as time,” She cackle, “I can try to keep him, but a heart that is broken as his may not draw him back, but it may draw another soul good or bad. The choice is yours but know this there is a price.” She cackles again in laughter at the man as his hand drops to his pommel of his sword.

“How desperate are you about keeping this boy alive?” open one eye wide surveying him as if searching his soul and finding her answer. Waving her hand at him as he about to say something, “I shall come to you for a favor one day in the future, you will drop what you're doing to fulfill it without question and with great haste. Do you agree? Eh?” Laying crystals on the boy body as the breathing seems to still. Pulling a bowl out and a small knife, she steps past the man to the girl slice her finger letting some blood flow into the bowl.

She turns and stares at him.

Knowing that the boy's life is tied to him and his men and their families live, he nodded. He jumps as he felt pain to his hand, looking down, seeing blood flowing into a bowl from a cut on his hand. “Your path is now bound to this boy. The blood of a warrior and the blood of a healer now mix in his veins. What befalls him so too will it fall upon you so mote it be.” She spat into the bowl he stared at the steam rising from the blood-red liquid that was only a few drops of blood just moments ago. The old crone started chanting as the wind outside began to rattle the door.

“Captain! You have to see this!” One of the men holler as the door slam open, pulling himself to the door and peering out seeing the storm clouds circling above them and the huts, he steps out staring up into the clear sky through the vortex of the storm. A massive twister swirl around as the sky above grew brighter and brighter. The sound of the Fryer praying and crying while huddling under the wagon. The cursing and shouting of his men trying to keep the animals under control while fear etches on their faces. Turning back and staring at the body of the boy as it lifts a few fingers width off the table, he rushes back in to hold the body down as the door once again slam shut. The sound of chanting from both the Witch and the girl now fill the air as he glances at the young girl now standing naked with her body glowing pure white with only the whites of her eyes showing. An unearth voice chant with from the girl. Dragging his eyes back to the boy, he sees a soul lift from the body as another fell into it, as the room turns blinding white.

Three unearthly female voices spoke, “A Soul for a soul, Blood for blood, the price is paid, so mote it be!”