The Council

We retired to our rooms after this conversation. Mother and I had no way of knowing what would happen until Father returned and we woke up tomorrow morning. I felt Mother's fear, and Father was trying to mask his from me but he was fearful as well. At fifteen, I knew that there wasn't much of a difference between the feelings of children and the feelings of adults, although adults had more control over how they showed their emotions. The council meeting tonight with my findings will most likely sway the council to making their decision. There will possibly be arguments, and there will most likely be opposing views. Aunt Mabel is one of the most powerful witches in our coven, and she holds much influence over the decisions. She would assumedly agree with Father, and we would have no choice but to stay and help find out who had bewitched the children. There was no more to be said tonight, so I decided to go to sleep. I changed from my Sunday clothing, what a shame to put the wonderful dress away, and put on my night gown. I blew out the candle on my nightstand, and drifted away into the world of nightmares filled with wicked intentions and girls accusing influential women in the community. I had a nightmare of Jeanette being hung, followed after by three other women in the community, one of which was Aunt Mabel.

The next morning, I dressed into my usual clothing for chores as soon as the dim light of sunlight filtered through clouds entered my room. I went downstairs for breakfast and the chores list I must complete today. The smell of eggs and bread wafted from the kitchen, and as I entered I asked Mother if she would like any help. She said I could slice the bread, and so I went to work on that while we waited for Father to join us.

"Any news from last night yet?" I asked Mother.

"Not yet. Your father has yet to speak with me, and you are old enough to be a part of adult conversations. We will talk over breakfast before our chores."

We were just finishing setting the table when Father came into the room and sat at the chair meant for him. Mother sat at his right side and I at his left. Father began eating and we followed, waiting for him to start with his recount of last night.

"We will be staying," he started. "The council has decided to look for the person at fault for bewitching the children, and destroy their magical abilities. This will erase us from suspicion, and once the curse set on the girls is erased, it will ease the paranoia in town."

"Destroy their magical abilities?" I asked, wanting clarification. "I didn't know that was even possible."