(Y/N POV)

We wandered inside, glancing around at all of the people in attendance. There was a section consisting entirely of men wearing wigs and another of regulars that I barely recognised. The only one that I did was Hugh, who smiled at me.

We stepped up to a barred-off pedestal that just about fit us both inside. It was briskly closed off by one of the men in wigs as he then stood to its side to guard it. Emily had a pale complexion, like all of the life and joy that she once had had been drained from her.

'State your names,' began the judge to our right. In front of me, I caught the eyes of Alexander. He almost instantaneously turned away.

'...Y/N L/N,' I went first.

'E-... E-... Em-...'

'Quickly!' he hurried.

'Emi- Emily L/N.'

He nodded. 'Thank you. I'm sure we all know why we have been conducted here today; everyone has heard the news by now, it has been the talk for a month. There has been growing concern amongst civilians regarding Secretary Hamilton's document entitled, 'An Address of Speculation Concerning Current Affairs' or 'The L/N Notice', as I've heard it referred to. It was published on August 12th of this year and discusses the possibility of witchcraft between these two ladies, is that correct, Mr. Hamilton?'

'To which I concluded that they were not, if any of you bothered to read it,' Alexander spat. 'It's in the name: 'Speculation'! There has been much speculation about it!'

'And you reportedly stated that they travelled here from the future?'

'Yes!'

'Well it's clearly a work of magic, isn't it?!' a man yelled from the crowd. 'They have to be witches to do that!'

'CAN YOU SHUT UP?!' Alexander argued back.

I soothed Emily's arm with my hand, her tears were whelming up.

'Order! Order!' the judge silenced them. 'Thank you, Mr. Hamilton, for your input. We will now be hearing from those who would wish to approve or deny of this claim.' He pulled out a sheet of paper that had previously been stationed to his left. 'Edith McAllister, please present yourself to the court.'

A woman, rather short, old and wearing unwashed clothing that was in no way suitable for a court, stepped forward. Another pedestal separated us from Alexander and this was the one that she stepped foot on, glaring my way.

'Mrs. McAllister, it states here that you were a worker alongside Miss L/N at a business referred to here as 'Cogswell's Sewing', is that correct?'

'Is, Your Honour,' she responded to the judge.

'Please state your case.'

'Knew she was always up to something, Your Honour. Always after money... Probably slept with the boss so that she could trade his soul to the Devil himself easier.'

'And Miss Emily L/N?'

'She was just as strange, just as peculiar. She was supposedly sick for some time - a curse, I'd say. Then they brought over this fella one time who taunted us, harassed us, tried to seduce us... Satan! The man was Satan! Ain't no coincidence that Cogswell met his end some months later!'

The judge turned back to us. 'Do you support this claim?'

I furrowed my eyebrows. 'I- We don't remember much... from then.'

'Do you know this lady?'

I glanced up at her, receiving a scowl back. 'I might have, but I can't remember her.'

'She did,' confirmed Alexander, 'and somewhere in that document, I stated that their memory of the past here is one like a dream. Did anybody actually read it?'

'Mistakes are made, Mr. Hamilton,' replied the judge, putting out his hand to stop him. 'How do you deem them to be, Mrs. McAllister?'

'Guilty, am sure of it!'

The judge nodded and pardoned her. Suddenly, as she grimaced at me a final time, a faint memory of her struck me from inside of the factory we had worked at. No wonder I'd disliked her, it was hard not to.

'Charles Willson Peale, please present yourself to the court.'

An older man was escorted to the pedestal by a boy in his teens, yet another individual who seemed familiar to me. Neither of them looked at me, so much as the boy wanted to, apparent by his small twitches.

'Mr. Peale, you were enlisted into the Continental Army predominantly as an artist with your deceased wife and children as camp followers, is that correct?'

'Yes, Your Honour.'

'Please state your case.'

His face was sunken, like over the years, it had deteriorated. 'Miss Y/N L/N worked as the cross-dresser Charlie Miller during the period that I served there. H- She insulted my poor wife and my wonderful son here.'

'Father -'

Mr. Peale silenced his son, encouraging him to look at me for means of reconciliation. It was the face of a boy that I had met... What his name was, I had no recollection. He shunned himself away again within seconds.

'My wife passed in early April. I can back Mrs. McAllister's claim, Your Honour, that they are a bringer of death to us all. I don't know about the Emily girl, but from what I've heard, I envisage that she is just the same. Y/N L/N didn't cross-dress for the rights of a woman, Your Honour, I am convinced that it was to reach out to others easier. To steal their souls away from us. And I... I am ever so afraid that she will bring the end to my Raphaelle, too.'

Yes, that was it. As Raphaelle consoled his father, the judge faced us. 'What have you to say?'

'...I remember Raphaelle,' I started, making him turn. 'Maybe it... maybe it was because he left such a positive impression on me that I can remember him now. I taught him to play a game... can't remember which... but I saw part of my sister in him. I never meant any harm to the family, and I'm... sorry for your loss.'

Raphaelle grinned, but only for a brief second as he was interrupted by the judge's booming voice. 'How do you deem them?'

'Guilty!' Mr. Peale exclaimed with confidence.

Again, the judge pardoned them. Alexander put his face into his hands with what I hoped was regret.

'Hugh Mulligan, please present yourself to the court.'

Hugh minded past the Peales and smiled at us as he took his place.

The judge sighed, having to repeat the same procedure a third time. 'Mr. Mulligan, you were the owner of a business named 'Mulligan & Son', since passed on to your son, in which Miss Y/N and Emily L/N visited regularly, is that correct?'

'Yes, Your Honour.'

'Please state your case.'

Hugh cleared his throat. 'Might I start off with saying that these girls are not guilty.'

This erupted a loud shout from the crowd, forcing the judge to silence them again.

'They were regular customers of mine. Always a delight to see. One of my apprentices, Charles Fernández, the lovely lad... Y/N was the one person who never failed to brighten his day. He could not stop talking about her, no matter how much he tried to distract himself from it. I was there in London, the night that all of this occurred on January 1st. I took Y/N from those streets and I nursed her for the two months that she was unconscious. Then by some miracle, she came back to us and was ever so grateful. Never have these girls done any wrong, never. They are victims to some force, a force that is out of their control. They have no intent to harm.'

'And so how do you deem them, Mr. Mulligan?'

'Not guilty, Your Honour.'

Emily released a breath. That was 2:1 to execution... I held my hands behind my back and crossed my fingers, hoping for the miracle that Eliza promised I would receive.

'And finally, Harriet Taylor, please present yourself to the court.'

Another older woman came forth; it was merely moments that it took for me to recognise her. Alexander had told us about her but seeing her in person made the memories easier to recall. She had been Head Mistress to the Dame, a building that worked collaboratively both as a school and an orphanage for the poor.

'Miss Taylor, you set up a Dame school for the poor and destitute, a school to which children without family to provide can stay, is that correct?'

'It is.'

'Please state your case.'

'I remember every child that I take into that school, Your Honour, every child. I ain't never had any babes of my own, so they are all I have.' She violently pointed her finger at us. 'They were my children once. Mine! I gave them a bed, put the food on their plates, the clothes on their back, and there are people 'ere who are determined to prove that they are guilty? They don't know 'em!

'Had a boy once, the one that Mr. Mulligan pointed out, Charles Fernández. He knew Y/N better than anyone and if he were 'ere today, he'd be disgusted. Bless her, Y/N's heart absolutely broke when he passed, even Emily's. Heard that she'd visit his grave every day, every day! But oh, no, it was the work of the Devil, wasn't it? To Hell with it! They are innocent and I know for a fact that this wasn't their decision for this to happen.'

'How do you deem them, Miss Taylor?'

'Not guilty, for Christ's sake!'

'Thank you!' Alexander emerged.

'You shut it, I don't want to hear anything from you!' she argued, despite that he was in her defence.

Mrs. Taylor returned to her seat with the pardon. The judge knocked his gavel against the desk. 'Now that we have heard from four cases, I shall be requesting the words of the accused. Miss Y/N L/N, please make a statement in support of your claim.'

I gulped. I wasn't aware that this was something that I had to do. 'I, um... I never wanted to hurt anyone and never did. When I did run in front of that carriage o-on January 1st and... died... I then woke up two months later... like this. I don't know what happened, and I speak for my sister in saying that, too.'

'Is this so, Miss Emily?'

She nodded.

'Very well. How do you plead?'

'Not guilty.'

'And, Mr. Hamilton, are you in opposition to this?'

'What? No!' he denied. 'Have you not listened to a word I have spoken tonight? I plead not guilty and that is that! Let them be on their way!'

'Then please tell me why, Mr. Hamilton, you published the notice?'

'A- It's in the word itself! It was to notify! I couldn't keep it a secret for all eternity, especially with men such as Secretary Jefferson around!'

'Alright, alright. So how is it that you plead?'

'Not guilty!!'

The judge bowed his head. 'Ladies and gentlemen, we must take heed to the public interest. Whilst the opinions expressed here today alter our own, we must hear from our general audience.' He raised his hand. 'All those in favour of accounting Miss Y/N and Emily L/N as guilty to the crime of witchcraft, please raise your hands now.'

Just when I thought that I had hope, the majority of the room raised their hands, predominantly from the men in wigs. Emily whimpered a little and leaned against my body for support. I took her hand, listening to the small wails from Eliza building up in the crowd. Alexander paced backwards with his face burning up; if I wasn't mistaken, a glimmer of a tear fell down his cheek.

'In that case, we have it settled. Y/N and Emily L/N are charged with the crime of witchcraft and are sentenced to execution at d-'

The door that supposedly let in the attendees pounded against the wall as a relatively tall man entered. Effortlessly thrusting the guards away, he stood up to the pedestal in boldness. 'Good evening, Your Honour, sorry to intrude.'

'Who are you?'

'No time for introductions, Your Honour. I wish to make a statement, should you be so kind.'

'Sir, if you cannot tell me who you are, then -!'

'Let him speak!' Alexander imposed.

I didn't recognise him - not at all, even if I tried to search through what was left of my memory. He had a thick layer of brunette hair, hardly visible stubble for a beard... and the eyes... his eyes, though shielded by courage, were wrecked with anguish. He didn't want others to see it, but somehow, it was an effortless spot for me.

'It seems, Your Honour, that you are basing your punishment from the '1542 Witchcraft Act', an act that was repealed in 1547 by King Edward VI.'

'What do you know about law, Sir, are you a lawyer?'

'It could be that you refer to 'An Act Against Conjurations, Enchantments and Witchcrafts', 1563, in the early reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The death penalty was only applied where harm had been done and yet you have no sufficient proof of this.'

'They are a threat, society will never be at ease until matters are settled!'

'Perhaps you mean the '1563 Scottish Witchcraft Act'. Or perhaps 'An Act against Conjuration, Witchcraft and Dealing with Evil and Wicked Spirits'.'

'Oh stop being so pretentious, get to the point!' Edith called out.

He rolled his eyes. ''The Witchcraft Act of 1735' is the most recent concerning the matter, Your Honour. Would you like the prolonged title with that, too?'

The judge did not respond.

'This law abolished the hunting and execution of witches. Hence, even if the children were witches, they could not recieve the death penalty for their crime. I would have thought that, in a modern society such as this, we would have erased our witch-phobic outlooks, but instead, I am surrounded by fools. The situation is beyond their understanding and the one that you should be searching for is the one responsible for this! Tell me, Your Honour, do you have children of your own?'

He looked about the room. 'I am blessed with three daughters.'

'If this same event had happened to your three daughters, would you bid for their execution?'

'...No, Sir, I would not.'

'Precisely. And just take a look: children! You want children to hang! How delusional must one be!'

'Sir, whilst I take into appreciation your claim, we -'

'Do not underestimate my ability, Sir.' The man cupped his two hands around his mouth. 'ROCHAMBEAU!'

Whilst this triggered a fight or flight response in Alexander, a group of around fifty men stormed into the room. The guards were powerless and stepped out of their way, looking to the judge to do something.

'What is the meaning of this?!'

I observed the scene and found that leading the crowd was none other than Lafayette.

'Bonjour, baiseurs.'

'G-General Lafayette?'

'LAF!' Alexander tried to wave at his friend but Lafayette kept his focus.

'We advise that you let the children go, mon ami.'

'I don't understand -'

'I led them here,' the man interrupted the judge proudly.

'Y/N L/N was a great soldier who fought with us greatly!' another man called out to Lafayette's side. 'A comrade on the field is a comrade for life!'

'And any friend of our comrades are ours, too,' Lafayette finished off.

'RELEASE THEM!' proclaimed another.

'LIBERTY!'

Wild jeers of Frenchmen sounded out. Alexander laughed to himself; the men in wigs were growing increasingly panicked; Mrs. Taylor cheered them on. Why were the French here, anyway? Wasn't the revolution more important? And how so quickly?

'Order! Order, I say!!'

The shouts continued.

'ORDER!!' Lafayette calmed the Frenchmen. 'Trouble is not what I desire in a court of law... And if... If it is the public interest, then...

'Miss Y/N and Emily L/N are free of their charges.'

They all punched their fists into the air, suddenly victorious. The man bowed to the judge, having done his work. Emily brought me into a hug and even amongst the chaos, I caught the man's eyesight. He gave me a wink and casually strolled away.

As the guards came around to release us from our confinements, we were united again with Eliza who took us into a loving embrace. Alexander kept his distance at first and went over instead to thank Lafayette.

Upon exiting the courtroom free of charge and with our necks still intact, there was only one question that pondered in my mind:

Who was that man?

~

And here we have the longest chapter thus far, folks.