"This... Lycanthrope you speak of, has been p-plaguing us for months." Hans began, trying to compose himself as he looked out the window, staring at the evening sky, "It started with several attacks on the wildlife on the edges of the town."
The Confessor listened quietly, his eyes narrowed.
Hans wrung his fingers nervously, "It was just a few weeks ago when it attacked" Hans faltered, "or rather ate, a person." His eyes met the Confessor's before dropping down to look at the floor.
"Who was it?" This time, it was the strangely angelic voice of Joanna du Winter. The woman sat demurely, as she opened her fan.
"Jonas," Hans replied, grateful for the distraction from the Confessor's piercing gaze, "The local c-cobbler." The fat constable turned away from the window, "His body was found half-eaten in his bed. Gruesome sight... and the smell..."
"There have been others?" the Confessor asked.
"Three more." Hans replied quietly.
The Confessor pondered the situation quietly. This was unlikely some mere circumstance of random maulings. He looked at Hans, "How much would you be willing to pay for the death of this beast?"
"Father!" the voice called the attention of everyone in the room. A young lady dressed in a riding suit and pants stood by the doorway, a rapier on her side. Her golden curls were tied back neatly by a black ribbon and her face was a mask of contempt.
"Alice." Hans gave a weary sigh, "p-please, these are guests..." he said touching his brow as if to ward off a headache.
"What is the meaning of this?" Alice said, walking into the room, looking at the assembled group of unwashed strangers in her home, "Have you lost all pride in your heritage that you've decided to hire mercenaries now, Father?"
Hans opened his mouth to speak, throwing a fearful and apologetic glance towards the Confessor when Joanna spoke.
"And what would you have your father do?"
Alice whirled to face the woman, her eyes narrowed, "To take up a sword and to hunt the beast down." her voice dripped with barely contained disdain, "To honor the family line and prove that he's not a sniveling rat!"
Joanna fanned herself calmly, "And you think that charging headlong to fight a beast that has slain four people with nothing but that overgrown knitting needle of yours is a prudent choice?"
"And what do you think you could do, harlot?" Alice spat, "All dressed up in frilly dresses and-"
"I can do this" Joanna replied calmly, cutting off the girl's angry speech.
Alice's face suddenly seemed alarmed as she fell silent, and Hans choked back a scream as he watched his daughter's fall limply to the floor, her eyes rolling up into her head.
"Alice!" Hans rushed to his daughters limp form, cradling her in his arms, his hand stroking her cold brow, "Please!" his teary eyes imploring Joanna to cease her spell.
Joanna watched the unconscious girl for a moment, seeing the father crying over his ungrateful wretch of a daughter.
"Joanna," the Confessor spoke, "I believe that you've sufficiently proven your point."
Joanna's eyes turned to the confessor and held his gaze, as if to question his judgement. Already she could feel Alice's life draining away with her magic, it was a fascinating experience, really, to squeeze out someone's life from a distance, slowly strangling the tethers that held her to this mortal coil.
"Joanna," the Confessor spoke again, his voice stern, "enough."
Joanna gave a theatrical sigh as she fanned herself, letting her control go, releasing the bonds that drained Alice's life away. Alice gave a startled gasp and began coughing in spasms as she her eyes snapped open as if from a nightmare, her hair falling over her face and shoulders, tears streaming down her face as she fought for air.
Hans cried, holding his daughter close, rocking her back and forth.
The Confessor nodded to Joanna, then tapped his staff on the floor once more. "Three hundred gold for each of us." He said, as he crossed the room towards the exit, not bothering to look at Hans, "Expect the beast's corpse to be brought to the town square in not longer than a tenday."
The Penitent rose from their seats and followed the Confessor out into the darkness of the Allensburg night.
----
Heya, been having a rough time at home and work lately, so I'm sorry about the delay. Looks like some of my frustration and stress is leaking into my work, but don't worry, I'll keep the story going to it's conclusion. It's part of my new years resolution to finish what I've begun. :)
Hope you guys are having a better day than I am!
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