Arslan Senki: The Witch

How's it Hanging?

"Come on up folks! See the witch with your very own eyes!" The merchant said. Behind him, a girl hung from her ankles, upside down. Her hands and feet were tied with rope, but she didn't seem bothered. In fact, when the people of Pars came up to see her, she smiled, in a sort of mocking way, like she was the one staring at them.

One man was was noticeably richer than the others. He had gold chains hanging from his neck, big, bold earrings and his fingers glittered with rings. He stepped in front of the crowd, and the merchant patted him on the back.

"See her, m'lord? Isn't she worth at least 50 pieces of those gold coins of yours?"
"What does she even do?" The man asked.
"I saw this wench kill 3 men from the flick of her wrist! She's a powerful one, alright."

The man hummed in response. He peered at the witch with curiosity. He moved closer to her, inspect her- until he was close enough, she bit his nose.

"Gah!" The man shouted. "Foul witch! How dare you!" Then he turned to the merchant. "And you! Get that woman under control!" He spat. The man stormed off, while the rest of the crowd started to disappear.

The merchant was not pleased. His face turned beet red with rage and he gritted his teeth. He grabbed a nearby whip and started to lash out. "Stupid witch! Why can't you behave?!"

The witch couldn't tell how long he'd hit her for, but she knew that no one had tried to stop him, and that was enough to break her hope.

———

The witch and merchant left the city after that disaster; the merchant was upset he hadn't made a single penny. The witch hummed softly in the back of the cart. She was still tied, but at least -for now- no one was staring at her with big-saucer eyes or laughing at her unfortunate situation.

The pair soon arrived in Ectbatana, the capital of Pars and one of the richest cities known. Soon, the witch was hanging upside down again, being gawked at by people passing by. The merchant smiled, and the act started again.

"Come one, come all! See the wicked witch of Pars!" He said. "See the witch who has mercilessly killed man after man."

Parsian's crowded around the witch as they always do. Men gathered around, and one buyer asked, "How much for the witch?"
"50 gold pieces. You're honestly stealing from me!" He laughed.

The witch hung upside down, bored as ever. Because of the last incident, the merchant had decided to shut her mouth with a muzzle, like some sort of animal. She was in no mood to play games.

Things started to get interesting when two guards approached the merchant, silencing the crowd.

"Sir," the first guard said. "You realize magic is illegal in Ectbatana?"
The merchant -who was once smiling- now had a look of surprise on his face. "No, I wasn't aware sir-"
"We're going to have to take the witch."
"WHAT?" The merchant bellowed. "You cannot do that! I caught her fair and square!"
"It is the law, sir." The second guard said. "Now scram, before we have to use force."

The merchant was unhappy, but no witch was worth his life. "Fine." He spat. "But I will complain! This isn't the last you hear from me."
The merchant bent down to the witch and whispers don her ear. "You are nothing without me. Don't forget that. But I'll be back." He said.

As the soldiers pulled him away, the merchant disappeared. The witch had a feeling he'd be back, and no matter how hard she tried not to think that why, the thought kept coming back.
The two guards came close to the witch, and the one of the pulled out their sword.

The witch paled, thinking this was the end, before the guard sliced the rope dangling her above the ground, and she fell on the dirt with a thud. She hit her head, hard.

Before everything went black, she felt the two soldiers lift her up, and carry her away.