Fam Away From Home

Family Matters

The field up the hill wasn't Astra's favourite hike, but the chill in the air had set into her bones and moving was her last line of defense. She wore her jacket once more, but it was as cold as the air it'd been left in while she'd gone for a dive. 

Mistress Savage was blowing smoke up the Doctor's ass. "Please forgive me, Mistress. If I'd known who you were, I'd have bowed to your authority immediately." 

The Doctor didn't address it. "So tell me. Who exactly are you, and what gives you authority here?" she asked, keeping time with the woman. 

"I am Becka Savage, landowner of Bilehurst Cragg. It belonged to my late husband, passed to me when he died. I've tried to be a benevolent leader but it's very difficult in these times, especially for a woman," she explained quite evenly. 

The Doctor looked around confusedly. "If you're the landowner, why are you walking? Where are the horses?"

Becka did nothing for a moment. "Horses are banned in Bilehurst," she finally admitted, a bit shocked they didn't know. "They are creatures of Satan. I had them all shot!" she explained loudly, marching ahead. 

The others were finally allowed to cast up, no longer underlings, but the gang back together. 

Graham started talking first. "Hey, Doc. I've done the old Pendle Witches Walking Trail. Nobody ever mentioned Bilehurst Cragg. Never heard of it. And she's killed thirty five people." 

Ryan gestured briefly with his gloved hand. "Maybe she wipes this whole place off the map."

Astra sighed from her end of the group. "I've heard of it," she announced. Not a moment later, she slipped into tutor-mode. "Bilehurst falls off the face of the Earth after killing about 40 women. So, right about now." 

Graham pointed a finger at her, correcting, "You mean witches."

Astra had her own hands stuffed in her coat's pockets. Not looking at any of them, she shook her head. "No. I've read about every single witch hunt on the face if this planet. None has ever resulted in a single witch's death. Hundreds of thousands of women hung, drowned, or burnt alive simply for speaking too much- Do you know how much burning alive hurts?" she asked, getting aggressive in her stance. Getting defensive, too emotional. "Do you know how long it takes?" 

The doctor went to speak up, but remembered that Astra was a witch. This was her history to them.

"It takes you so long to die from burning, that you're more likely to suffocate."

Ryan's jaw dropped.

"It may damage your throat or lungs, but burning will not kill you, until it does. You're skin is on fire, you're burning, and that's burning the oxygen around you. So you can't breathe now. And that's a long who-knows-how-many seconds or minutes of suffocating, burning, before you pass out and die."

"Okay, I don' wanna talk about that anymore," Graham cut in.

"Doctor how many women - not witches, as I just explained - how many.. defenseless... women.... were murdered.. on planet earth... for being witches." Astra looked over at the blonde and was shocked to find her eyes filled with tears. "Oh!" She moved over to the blonde, forcing a hug around her shoulders.

The other three walked a bit ahead, smiling back knowingly. What did they know? They just met Astra!

"I'm sorry," Astra mumbled into blonde hair.

The Doctor shook her head, holding Astra back, arms circling her beneath her jacket.

Astra petted her hair. She pulled back, looking down with a smile. "I did that research, but I already knew witch hunts never worked. We remember them."