Witch Hunt || Stucky ✔

Epilogue

Only a day later, and James's execution has been set. James still hasn't seen Steve since he had woken up in the hospital, and he's unsure if it's because he's figuring out how to get him out of here like he said he would, or if he's been locked up also. He just hopes that they haven't killed Steve. Though, that sounds rather unlikely.

James keeps his head down as he's being led out of his cell and through the jail block. He doesn't even look up as they lead him over to his death, all he does, is just walk along willingly as he stares down at the ground. It's only when they've got him standing before the hangman's noose that he looks up at the crowd of people standing below to watch.

He's never understood why executions had to be publicly viewed. He certainly wouldn't want to watch someone being hung. At least, not since he witnessed his mother's execution.

Looking through the crowd as the man next to him places the noose around his neck, James feels a pang of disappointment as he can't spot Steve amongst the crowd of people. Though, that's not to say that he doesn't exactly doubt that Steve will show up.

At the same time though, James hopes that Steve doesn't show up after all, despite what he had promised about getting him out of this mess. James doesn't care if he lives or dies, so it doesn't make much of a difference to him. But at least with death, he won't need to keep on running, so he'd rather take death.

But the fact that this is how the townsfolk decided to repay him for saving their town from Nadia? James won't lie, he's a little pissed at that. He saves them from Nadia - though technically he didn't kill her - and his thanks is an appointment with the gallows? Not the best thanks he's ever received. Though, he's never really received much thanks to begin with, so he's really not too surprised about this.

Sheriff Dugan is speaking, but James isn't listening. Quite frankly, he doesn't care what the sheriff is saying, and just wants them to get this over with already, or for Steve to show up already. But maybe Steve hasn't managed to figure out a way to get him out of this mess, and isn't going to come after all.

"Any last words, witch?" Sheriff Dugan asks, getting James's attention.

But he chooses to stay silent, as he stares out at the crowd of people watching. There is things he wants to say, but it'd probably be best to not say them at all.

As he's looking out across the crowd of people, he notices that some of them look as though they don't think they're making the right decision in executing him, even if he is a witch. Though, James sees none of them make any move to stop this from happening... But he supposes that may just be because they're quite possibly afraid of him

That is, until he hears a horse coming towards him. The rider of the horse? Steve. Who had figured out a plan after all. Though, James is unsure of how well it's going to work, or what his plan even is.

As James notices some of the guards running towards Steve, he quickly mutters a spell under his breath that sends them flying away from Steve. At the same time, Steve is getting off his horse, and running through the crowd of people, who begin to scatter to get to safety.

More guards run at Steve, but Steve is quick to fend them off with his sword. James knows he should get down there and help him, so that's exactly what he does, breaking the cuffs from around his wrists, and then doing the same to the ones around his ankles.

Taking the noose off from around his neck before the man next to him gets the chance to pull the lever that would send him hanging to his death, James takes his sword before jumping down off the platform to help Steve out. Though, he has to admit, Steve seems to be doing okay, he's not entirely sure how well trained Steve is in swordsmanship, but he doesn't seem half bad at it.