"Why am I not dead?" That was the first thought that entered your head. Shouldn't the blow have been struck by now? Perhaps they wished only to lengthen your suffering. "If that is true, then who yelled stop?"

It seems the MPs wondered the same thing. "Stop?! Who do you think you are?!" That's what you are wondering as well. "Who would save me?"

The MP who spoke must have seen something because he stuttered and hurriedly said, "M-my apologies Commander." Commander?

"Well? Get on with it!" One of the nobles hollered, and was met with supportive cheering from the crowd.

"Can you not hear yourselves?" Boomed an unfamiliar voice. "You are prepared to send a young woman to her death without a second thought!"

You still refused to show any reaction. This could all be a trick, one last ditch effort to torment you. No point giving them the satisfaction.

"My sources have investigated her case out of interest. And they have found that despite being a witch, she is not guilty of the manipulation the officer claimed she is. But her trial was rushed out of fear of what she is, instead of taking proper time to analyze all the facts." You had by now guessed that this was the 'Commander.' Of what, you had no idea.

"Well then," Huffed the head MP. "What exactly do you propose we do instead? We can't just let her go!" You actually wouldn't mind being let go, you were tired of this treatment.

"You're right. We can't. I instead propose that she be turned over to military custody. We might be able to find a use for her." Your face almost let a shocked look slip. This was a trick! It had to be!

"Really? The MP said, sounding interested. "I'll bring the matter before Supreme Commander Zachary. Perhaps it would do good." Of course humans only cared for something as long as it was useful to them. "I don't want to sound ungrateful, but at this point I'd rather die than be some weapon. Wait, why should I even be grateful in the first place?"

Suddenly you heard the thud of footsteps coming towards you. "Here it comes, they really are going to kill me."

You straighten your back and prepared for the blow. But it didn't come. Instead someone removed your blindfold, much to your surprise. "You can open your eyes, you aren't getting executed today." Confused and hesitant, you opened your eyes. Before you stood a towering blond man in a military uniform.

"Those eyebrows are freaking huge!" You thought. "They're like their own organisms!" The blond Eyebrow man offered you his hand to help you from where you had been kneeling waiting for your execution.

"Let me help you to your feet." He offered. Hesitantly you took his offer and grasped his hand, using it to stand up. Suddenly looking around the crowd gathered didn't look so overwhelming. "I suppose not thinking I'll die thanks to mob justice helps."

The Commander turned back at you. "Come along, you do have to stay somewhere for the time being." Silently you followed, in part still trying to process what happened.

The Commander led you back in the direction of the jail except this time to a slightly nicer room. You scrunched up your nose seeing this. "Even in prison there's favoritism."

"I'm afraid you'll have to stay here for the time being until the Supreme Commander officially decides what to do with you." The Commander said.

You looked around. "I'll manage." You answered. "It's nicer than my old cell." You walked to the window. It still had bars but it was slightly bigger and with a bit of a view. "But would I be able to get my belongings?" You asked.

The Commander shook his head. "I'm afraid you can't until a decision is reached."

You sighed. It would at least be some comfort to have your books with you. As the Commander turned to leave you decided to ask him a question.

"They called you Commander. Which part of the Military are you Commander Of?" You asked curiously.

"I am Commander Erwin Smith of the Scouting Regiment. And you are [Y/N] [L/N] correct?" Commander Erwin answered.

"Yep." You nodded. "That's me." You weren't surprised he knew your name, the stories of a Witch within the walls did tend to spread. However you almost facepalmed. "How could I not recognize the Wings of Freedom on his jacket?"

Commander Erwin walked towards the door. "The meeting to decide your fate should be soon. You won't have to wait long here. But still, enjoy your stay."

"Enjoy my stay in a jail cell?" You said raising an eyebrow. Commander Erwin chuckled slightly.

"It won't be for long. Like I said, this meeting will go fast. Good day." With that Commander Erwin shut the door and left.

You sank onto the cot, which felt like a comfortable bed after the hard small one in your cell. You sighed, trying to process everything that had happened. You'd gone to bed thinking you'd die, and now someone comes to tell you you might live?

The thought of dying alone had been enough to keep you awake the whole night. Come to think of it, you were kind of tired. "Might as well get some sleep to pass the time."

Normally you would take a long time to fall asleep, but humming an old song you'd heard, the minute you shut your eyes you began drifting off, trying to
forget the debate that was going on over your very life.

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