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"That's my Q" #115 "This is what Hell must be like."

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<On>

<Hungary, Cachtice, January 6th, 1611>

The gavel came down to call the court to order. Court .. A farce is what it was. She wasn't appointed a council, and the proceedings seemed only to determine her sentence rather than decide if she deserves one or not. Erszebeth Bathory sat in the open, before the judge, tied down to her chair - after the stories the surviving guards had regaled of her fierce fighting ability. Her shoulder and back still hurt like hell, and savagely crude bandages were all that was keeping her together. Her loyal, personal servants sat besides her. The dwarf Janos and the three servant girls - Dorota, Ilona and Katarina. Erszebeth looked defiant. Janos looked defeated. The three girls looked terrified.

"You stand accused of the mutilation, torture and murder of no less than 500 virgins." The judge spoke, venom dripping from his words. " .. And the slaying of an official town guard on duty." Referring to Matthias, who sacrificed himself so Bathory could be stopped. "Your servants stand accused of aiding you in these vile endeavors." The judge added, eyes narrowing, peering at the four of them - two on either side of Erszebeth.

"Do you have anything to say in your defense, before the evidence is presented to prove your guilt ?" the judge asked. Kristiana and Erszebeth both agreed on one thing - and they spat at the judge. "I will say nothing." Both women spoke, in a single voice. "This court is a mockery !" Kristiana growled. The judge slammed the gavel down again as he wiped the spit from his eye. Kristiana always had had good aim.

Erszebeth watched, her courage fading, as the evidence was presented. Missing person reports, mothers crying for their lost daughters - all teens, all virgins, all last seen heading to Castle Bathory. The assembled crowd gagged and some threw up, others fainting, as more evidence was presented. Corpses in various state of decomposition, their foul odor penetrating everyone's noses, heaps of bones, skulls, knives and other assorted instruments of torture. Kristiana could do nothing but become more and more enraged, thinking only one name - nay, one letter - with a measure of hatred that cannot be caught in words ..

Q ..

Then the three surviving girls found in the Bathory dungeon were brought to the stand as witnesses. One needed to be carried, for weakness and bloodloss, despite the fact that she'd been rescued over three weeks ago. They told their viscious, sickening tales. Of how Erszebeth Bathory had beaten them, then kissed them. Had cut them, catching their blood in buckets, then fondled them - took them, their virginity. Stories of how they were forced to make love to Erszebeth Bathory, while being beaten with whips. Tales of how they watched the fourth girl grow weaker and weaker as time passed - until a pissed off Kristiana had sliced her throat with one fierce swipe of her knife .. Only moments before Matthias and his guards arrived.

They told of how Erszebeths servants, Janos Dorota Ilona and Katarina, had helped her. Of how Janox had assisted with the whip, and Dorota and Ilona had cut them, at Bathory's orders. They told of how Katarina was forced to watch, by Bathory. Was forced to fill the bathtub with the collected blood of the Blood Countess' victims, and disrobe her Mistress, who would then bathe in the thick virgin carmine red.

They would tell of how Erszebeth always had a look of glee in her eyes, how those orbs shone with appetite, with bloodlust. Of how she'd bring a cup to her bath, and scoop up blood and pour it over her breasts and her hair. Of how she'd sit in the tub and talk to the girls who were unlucky enough to still be alive. Talking about things like .. The weather .. Taxes .. The state of politics in the region .. All while the rotting corpses of girls who'd - by some measure of mercy - already found death, were stacked up in a far corner.

Then they were told to stop telling the stories. And they were glad for it. Glaring at whom they considered a female Devil walking on Earth, tears streaming down their cheeks, the three survivors were taken away again, back to the town healer's. Erszebeth winced as a rotten tomato hit her head from behind, while her ears rang from the various cacophonic screams of "Demoness !" and "Deviless !" and "Witch !" and "Harlot !" .. More and more fruit flew her way - most missing her, but a lot more than she was comfortable with hit home. Erszebeth winced and shrieked in pain as her sword-wound was hit by hard, heavy fruits - the crimson of her own life fluid seeping through the crude bandages - the pain further worsened by several stones among the fruit. And the judge ? And the guards ? .. They watched it happen. They LET it happen. With dark smiles on their faces.

Eventually the judge's gavel struck the bench again, calling the crowd to order, just as they were running out of things to throw. "I have reached a sentence !" He bellowed, glaring at the four assembled before him. "Janos Ujvari. For assisting the Countess Bathory in her vile acts of atrocity, rape and murder, you are hereby sentenced to Death By Beheading - after which your corpse will be burned at the stake !" Janos cringed and sighed, glancing down. He had received his fair share of fruit and stones, and he quietly resigned to his fate.

"Ilona Jo !" The judge continued, naming the first of the female servants. "For assisting the Countess Bathory in her vile acts of atrocity, rape and murder, you are hereby sentenced to have your hands cut off, after which you will also be burned at the stake !" The judge bellowed. Ilona gasped at the sentence and almost jumped to her feet. She managed to remain silent, though, and quietly sat down again, though tears freely rolled down her cheek, and she quietly whispered "No .." Again .. and again .. and again ..

"Dorota Sentesova !" The judge continued, moving on to the second-last of Bathory's personal servants. "For assisting the Countess Bathory in her vile acts of atrocity, rape and murder, you are hereby also sentenced to have your hands cut off, after which you too will be burned at the stake !" The girl jumped up, eyes widened, shaking her head. "No !" She screamed, dashing forward, grabbing the railing of the bench. "Please, no ! I beg of you ! Plea - " she didn't get to finish her sentence. A heavy sword pommel struck her neck from behind and she fell to the ground, limp, unconscious.

"Katarina Benicka." The judge spoke, addressing the final one of Erszebeth's beloved personal slaves. "Your involvement in the Countess Bathory's atrocities is circumstantial, at best. One could say you were ordered to do the things you did, and you didn't partake in the actual torture and murder. Because of this, I will go mild on you. You are to be imprisoned in the City Jail, where you will spend the rest of your natural life." Katarina just remained quiet. She didn't even look up. Her life was over. She knew she wouldn't survive jail. But she accepted her fate, as well.

"Finally, Countess Erszebeth Bathory of Cachtice." The judge leaned forward, glaring at Bathory. "Because of overwhelming evidence against you, I hereby sentence you to the single most severe punishment I am able to sentence a lady born of nobility to. You will be walled in to your own quarters. All exits are to be sealed. You will receive your food through a hole too small to escape through. There you will spend the rest of your natural life."

Kristiana and Erszebeth both just cringed, slightly, when the gavel struck the table again. "Why, Q ?" Kris whispered, as a guard came to take her away, under cheers from the crowd.

<Off>

Kristiana Petrova / Erszebeth Bathory Executive Officer / Blood Countess SB47 / Cachtice "Is this hell ? Or will it get even worse ?"

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