the Legend of Bloody Mary

(Halfling Ninja)

“Have I done anything wrong? Of course I have.”

“How do I feel about the things I am accused of?” she repeats as the chains on her wrists clank against the wood of the defendants box.

“Hmm. Some of the things I was ordered to do made me real sad. Some deserved what they got. The worst was when I was ordered to turn children into orphans. I hated doing that.”

“Why did I do it? The master ordered it.”

“Did I always blindly do as I was ordered by my master? “ She looks back at the judge dumbstruck. “If I didn’t that would defeat the purpose of him being my master.”

She stands up and starts to pace inside the defendants box, restlessness creeping in. The cowed inhales deeply and the sheriff runs to her and shoves her back into her seat.

“Oh. Were the ankle chains supposed to be fastened too? You must have forgotten ‘em.” She says to the Sherriff as she holds out her small feet to him to shackle, a sincere smile on her face.

“Yeah. Sorry. I forgot I was in a zone of truth and leaving it would be bad for me. Any other questions your lordship? “

“Do I admit to killing for my master? Yes. Well, there was that other time too. Oh wait. Two other times. What was that? Zone of Truth? Oh right.” She says and thinks. “Let’s go with three other times” she says holding up three fingers. She hesitates and a sheepish smile crosses her lips as she raises a fourth.

“Why did I kill the others? One was trying to do some bad things to one of the orphans I was forced to make. I did enough wrong to the poor kid so I made that problem go away. What was that? Oh. The other 3 people I killed? Let’s just say I was helping the Sherriff with some local problems he was unable to act upon “ she says with a wink and broad smile to the man standing next to her.

“What did I do with the bodies?” she repeats with a laugh in her voice. “Now why would I answer that? That would incriminate me! Oh right. Zone of truth.”

“So get this. After I shived the man attacking that poor kid, I put a hat and drew a fake mustache on him I started doodling and drawing all these other…” She stops as the judge slams down his hammer and yells something back at her.

“You asked what I did with them. What? Did I kill that person? Nope. Must have been one of me mates. Oh no sir. I would never give up the names in my clan. Yes. Even with the master dead and you promising leniency on my poor person. We live by a creed and I shall not break it.”

She rolls her eyes and sighs loudly. “yes I am familiar with the legend of Bloody Mary. Yes that is me but not all the things attributed to the legend were me. What? Your blaming me because people are scared of the legend? It’s not my fault you use my nickname to scare kids into listening to ya. Anyways. You lot came up with that name. It stuck because my mates found it funny. Thanks for that by the way.” She says as she squirms in her seat.

“What’s that? Time to sentence me? Great I have someplace to be. What do you mean what do I mean. No. I am guilty of the things you say. I feel regret for some but not others. Yes I turned myself in. I wanted to atone for my many sins before I left this place. With my master gone, I have no reason to even be here anymore. “

“Yes. Confessing to a priest would have been easier but this way I can publicly apologize to some in the crowed too. I am not a bad person. I have just done bad things. Oh. Before I go, I wanted to return this to you judge” she says as she hands his mallet back to him. “And these are yours” she says as she hands the hand and foot shackles to the sheriff.

The fact that she disappeared before everyone’s eyes and was gone without a sound only furthered to solidify the legend of Bloody Mary.