Tamara

Rain soaked, you decide to take shelter in the village. Traveling back home after escorting a wealthy merchant safely to the coast to board a ship bound on a journey that will probably make his masters even more wealthy. The bandits and wild animals clearly have more sense than to be out in this stormy weather. You reach the village, and choose to get shelter, warmth, and a few drinks before the skys clear and you resume your route back to your own master's enviable estate. You are many things to your master's family - guardian/mentor/confidant. You're educated & skilled, but they might never set you free - not in this time and place. Leaving your horse in the well kept stables, you're crossing the yard when you hear a woman's voice from the well. You move to investigate, but a local guard calls out,"Leave her alone!" You look at the guard for an explanation, but then turn towards the well. The guard hurries across the wet yard to intercept, "Sir, I warn you - she's a ... witch." More intrigued, you go to look in the well. You see a young woman kneeling at the bottom of the well, her expression pleading for help ... or merely understanding. The guard continues,"She's from a farm along the southern road. I knew her husband; hardworking man, used to keep bees, made sweet honey ... until he started supplying the best mead in the area - but he went sailing for ingredients a few months ago, and hasn't returned." You're about to enquire about this woman's crime when the guard adds,"The young master, son of the Lord of these lands, went to visit last week ... see if they still had any mead in the place. He came back saying she was a witch - had tried to enchant him. The lord sent myself, and two others, to find out what happened. We discovered that she's got all kinds of plants, strange bottles and jars, and the only animal on the farm is a well fed cat." The guard glares down at her, "I'm to let her drown! If she escapes using her magic, I get to deal with her!"