Witches won't release me! Chapter 5

To say the least, Barov quickly led me and Anna towards the new Witch who had just awoken her powers after his shout of an announcement.

We quickly made our way to the room in the side of the castle that was a good bit away from prying eye's and my eye's fell upon Nana Pine, the new witch.

She was young, probably around mid teens with blond hair and soft green eyes. Still I saw her and her father shrink at the sight of myself, Barov, and Anna who followed behind me.

Her father, took a deep breath and then threw himself into a kneeling position as he shouted quickly. "My lord! My daughter isn't a devil worshiper I promise on my own life! She hasn't ever and never will harm anyone!"

My lips twitched as he shouted with all his heart and was literally begging for the life of his daughter. Still I raised a hand to soothe the man before I said calmly. "Let's all just take a deep breath for a moment."

I looked to the girl and I gave a small smile and continued in a calm and measured tone. "Now... Your name is Nana Pine correct?" At her nod, I held a hand out to Anna behind me and I continued.

"Nana, you might recongize Anna here. She was almost slated for execution for being a with naught but a couple of weeks ago remember? I am not a pawn of the church, you are no devil worshipper and I will not bring harm to you I promise." 

Nana obviously focused on Anna before Barov said with a huff. "Get up Tigui, you are making the prince look like some kind of evil tyrant."

The father of Nana, Tigui apparently, as I had long forgotten his name as he wasn't really relevant to the series looked up with clear relief in his eyes before he staggered up to his feet and held onto his daughters shoulder as he asked quietly and still with clear fear.

"But... The church is-" He shook his head and while he was looking at his daughter I asked Nana in particular.

"So Nana... Anna here can control flames. What can you do with your powers?" I asked genially with Nana looking up to her father for approval who nodded and she looked back at me before speaking in a respectful tone that was tinged with excitement as she looked between me and Anna.

"Uhm, I can heal people and animals I guess... One of my dad's pigs had a leg break, and I just held the pig when it was crying, and I could feel what was wrong with it and-" She drew off as she looked at Anna for answers, who cleared her throat before speaking.

"Our powers do have a mental aspect to them, as you know, Lord Roland, while I get an idea of the temperature of my flames, and how to shape them slightly. Her powers probably give her some idea of the injuries and such of the people she touches!"

I nodded as that fitted my own references as well. Still, Nana spoke up with a slight hesitance in her voice. "So... I am not a whore of the devil like the church says? You aren't going to have me hanged?"

My lips twisted at the thought of having a young teen hanged merely for the crime of having some form of powers. My answer was nothing but a stated fact of my thoughts of the matter.

"No. And any attempts at the church to interfere with my ruling of the Border Town and my district will be met with swords and fire. I am well aware of how dirty they are." I said with finality before I shook my head and I took a seat across from Nana who stiffened at me sitting across from her.

"So, lets see those powers then." I said with a small smile as I took out the hunting knife I kept on my person as it was still the feudal era and having a blade on you was just a smart thing to do.

And I held out the knife to Anna and had her quickly wash it over with some of her flames which made Nana's eye's widen in joy before I brought the knife to a finger tip and just barely split the skin open.

The cut didn't even bleed or anything, it was just broke the first layer of skin visibly and I held out my hand to her with the finger pointed at her obviously.

"I... I am going to hold your hand my lord." Nana said a bit nervously as she took my hand and I felt a sort of... Warm feeling as her magical energy flowed into my hand and the small cut was wiped away in but a single moment.

Which reminded me that in the novel, although she couldn't heal lost limbs early on in the story. If some dude had their guts ripped out and someone shoved said guts back in, she could fix them up, in just a couple of minutes.

Along with re-attaching limbs... In this feudal era, having someone able to reattach lost fingers and shit that got taken off by farm equipment or while messing around with swords and shit was a godsend.

Not only could she deal with physical trauma, but she could even heal sicknesses and other such issues that were harming the body.

Still, as Nana let go of my hand, I gave a small smile and said easily. "So Nana, how does the position of Prince's nurse sound? Ten gold coins a month to keep me and others in good health while being protected from any fools?"

Sure, I was more than willing to have those sick Church fucks hanged when they overstepped. But there was the fact that some of the people of Border Town might attack Nana due to the bounty witches had on them.

Nana froze at my question, and then Anna from behind me added in. "Nana, you should agree. Roland can help you control your powers and make sure you don't suffer the Witches' Bite that other witches face!"

Nana then nodded before taking a breath and bowing her head slightly, before she said with emotion. "I will be in your care, then my lord."

And I gave a small smile before I gently clapped my hands together and took a deep breath. "Alright. Now that this is all sorted out, Anna, we need to continue our work on the boring machine to help in the forging of gun barrels, remember."