Thread: The Witch and the Alchemist (closed)

The whole washing area was buzzing with gossip form all of the town. This was where the women got to get together and talk about problems and feelings, get relationship advice and even announce special news, such as a baby or an engagement. When one of the girls noticed the doctor approaching they were all curious. None of them had really seen him going anywhere outside of the hospital other then to his home looking like he had not slept in days. ??When he isn??t working he is sleeping and when he isn??t sleeping he??s working. I have no doubt that if that man didn??t have Abigail there to care for him he would end up accidently starving himself by forgetting to eat.? Catherine whispered to the group as the man got closer. The other girls agreed, some of the younger one??s giggled. Catherine was always like this. In this town she was the gossip queen. Whether the stories were true or not there was hardly any gossip that wasn??t born of that woman??s mouth. There were even unspoken rumors that when a husband was cheating on his wife he would have to pay Catherine off not to spread rumors about it. She was the girl that knew everything in this town and she was not a force to be reckoned with. Catherine looked like your average girl, she didn??t have the long blonde hair or beautiful blue eyes that people look for when they think of a beautiful woman but there was some sort of toxic beauty about her, much like one feels when looking into the eyes of a snake. Catherine was married to a traveling busyness man who was out of town a lot so she had plenty of time to do as she wished. She had long brown hair and brown eyes, average colored skin and average style but the presence that she had was anything but average. She came off as the kind of person that would do well in charge of things, the kind of person that could be in control, and she was. Catherine earned quickly that while there is not much a woman can do, gossip could be a deadly weapon. When people were turned against each other with the right words it was a beautiful thing to watch. At least she thought so, that was why she had a slight crush on Father Justin. He managed to practically turn the whole town upside down with word of this all knowing imaginary god. She had never seen people worked up in to such a fuss over such little things. Simply saying that someone worked on Sunday was enough to create scornful looks in their direction, true or untrue it didn??t matter, it implanted the seeds of doubt. She loved to watch those seeds grow. Now seemed to be her chance to plant some more. The doctor needed someone to help wash the girl that had recently been brought into town and Catherine quickly volunteered herself. Gossip in this town had not been this hot since the father first arrived here. This town rarely had anyone come through it, let alone a strange girl traveling on her own, covered in wounds, raped and the perfect replica of a witch. It was the best gossip that this town had ever had, though speculation of her being a witch practically died after the trial curiosity over what had happened to her had not. That was why this was so wonderful. This was her chance to get a look at the girl that no one else could. Well, Jeneane volunteered herself as well, the woman probably wanted to ask about the soup that she sent the girl. That woman prided herself on her great soups, no doubt that was why she had come but she wouldn??t let that get in her way. Jeneane was not the gossip queen, Catherine was. When she noticed Abigail stop Landon she slowed from her hurry to a casual strolling pace and she listened in. So there had been a fight between the two of them... But tortured? Oh this was only getting better. She thought over what she heard as she went to the hospitals to see the very source of all the gossip. She remembered when the woman collapsed on the edge of town, thinking of how she acted at the trial before getting sick and she smiled, wondering if she had changed much since then. The moment of truth came when the two of them got into Abigail??s hospital room. The girl looked a mess. Her nightgown was almost see through and her body was wet with sweat. It seems that she really had been down with fever, had it been something else that would have been better for gossip but this worked just fine. ??Who are you?? The girl asked the two of them, Catherine smiled at her unsureness. When the other one was unsure she was always able to grasp control of the situation. ??My name is Catherine and this is Jeneane,? the woman told the girl. She smiled at the two of them, ??My name is Dorelia. Nice to meet you.? She said kindly. Catherine laughed, ??Girl there is not a person in this town that does not know your name by now.? She watched the girl blush and looked away, making mental notes of everything that happened in this interaction. She didn??t like to hear it but didn??t seem upset... she doesn??t want to be known around here but does not want to be rude. Why so secretive? I??ll bet she has something to hide. ??You are one of the woman that made soup for me when I was sick right?? she asked the woman. Jeneane??s face lit up, ??Yes, I did! Did you like it? I made it just for you with hopes that you would be getting better very soon.? ??It was wonderful, I hope to have some when I??m not sick though, I can??t remember much form when I was ill over these past few days.? She admitted. Catherine quickly saw that this was going no where and she changed the subject. ??SO, I heard that you and the doctor got into a fight.? She said and from the look on Dorelia??s face she knew it to be true. ??Catherine!? Jeneane scolded the younger woman. Catherine was young enough, just seventeen, but if her husband was around then he would have already made her a mother. ??What? I??m just curious.? ??You shouldn??t ask the poor girl things like that!? ??There is not harm in asking her.? ??She might not want to talk about it!? ??What if she does?? ?? She is right here.? Dorelia cut the two of them off before things went on any longer. ??And if you two don??t mind, I don??t like sitting here like this. Can we just move on with the bath?? So the two of them went to work. Catherine instructed the woman to take off Dorelia??s night gown while she checked the water and poured a small bit into the tub so it wouldn??t be freezing when she sat in it. Catherine was smart, she had a reason for doing this, she took the chance to look over Dorelia??s body. She didn??t like what she was seeing. Flat and straight as a board made priceless gossip and teasing but this girl seemed to have everything right. Her breasts were of good size and she had just enough curves to make her hand an hourglass figure even without a corset. When they went to washing Catherine quickly took of the girl??s back to get a better look at the wounds. They were mostly healed but she was shocked by the marks. This girl really had been tortured. There were whip marks on her back and while she did feel bad for the girl she was excited by the gossip that this would generate. They had seen the blood but only Catherine got to see the wounds. However it was not the whip marks that interested her most, it was the cross on her back side. She didn??t get a good look at it but she was sure that was what it was, someone had burned the cross into her skin. This was especially gossip worthy, even the priest might be interested in this gossip. But this didn??t get to last long. Catherine let Jeneane take the girl??s from and her legs so she could get the chance to wash her hair. The tips were burned! With some special care they could be cur off but right now she was happy that they really hadn??t been cut yet. Sadly this chance to gather information on the girl was over far too soon. Dorelia had not felt like talking while they bathed her and Jeneane had kept Catherine from asking any more prying questions. Before long they were finished with her. They dried and dressed her then they had to leave her when Abigail returned to her side, but Catherine didn??t mind, she needed to figure out what to spill and what to hold back, she wondered if the priest would listen to her now. Even though she was married it was not to a man that she loved, she could care less for him so it suited her just fine if he never came back. When the two of them were gone Dorelia turned to Abigail, looking at her hopefully, ??So? What did he say?? she asked, hoping that Abigail had been able to convince him not to be mad at her anymore and wondering where he was so she could go talk to him herself.