After a day or so locked in the queen’s dungeon, Barb, Kathy, and Messaline were brought to the royal court. They were led from the dungeon to the courtroom wearing only the bindings holding their wrists behind them and loincloths that barely covered their private parts.
Their skimpy attire did not last long. As is the custom in the queen’s court, the accused are assumed guilty and would be dressed as a convicted criminal when they appeared before the judges. Barb, Kathy, and Messa were stripped naked and placed in the defendant’s stand. The judge leaned over his bench and scoldingly growled “You three have been accused of stealing from the national treasury. This charge carries a grave punishment. Do any of you have proof to offer that you did not steal from the government of this land?”
The three women wrapped their arms around each other, and Barbara leaned forward and snapped “We do not respect this decisions of this court! Save both you and us the time and condemn us to death already!”
The judge is not pleased with Barbara’s insolence and more than willingly fulfills her request. He bellows “You damn women have been found guilty of robbing from the royal treasury. I sentence you to be put to death. But since your theft has been against the people of this land, I will present you to them and let them determine how you will be executed!”
Their attorney looks out at the spectators applauding the women’s sentence and realizes he has lost yet another case.
Barb, Kathy, and Messa are taken to the dungeon to wait until they hear how they will be executed. Messa laments “I don’t think it will be right if they behead us. My face is part of my looks!”
Barb replies “I have a feeling our executions will not be so merciful.”
The next market day, Barb, Kathy, and Messa are brought before the crowd in the square. They fidget naked before the people testing the ropes that secure their hands behind their backs. The army’s commander addresses the crowd.
“Before you stand Messaline, Barbara, and Katherine. These wenches have been found guilty of stealing from the treasury and condemned to death. Normally they would be beheaded…”
The crowd jeers at such a merciful way to end their lives. The commander raises his hands and acknowledges
“I understand your contempt for these thieves. Would hanging them in the square next market day satisfy your desire for a proper punishment?"
The boisterous crowd cries back “No!” The commander feigns surprise at the crowds response although he is well aware they have been planted by operatives of Queen Helen. He places one of the women before the crowd and asks “Look at this woman. She is fair and of beauty. What type of execution would satisfy your hearts?”
Kathy looks at the commander in disbelief when the crowd yells “Crucify her!”
The commander acts appalled and asks
“Crucify her? And the others? You want them to suffer their deaths on a cross?”
The commander looks surprised when the crowd shouts “Crucify them! Crucify them all!!!”
In reality, he will receive a sizable reward from the queen for engineering this feat.
Later that day, the condemned women are presented to the queen. Queen Helen lustfully scans their bodies and comments “You three will gracefully decorate the crosses you will hang from.”
Barbara snaps “No nation has crucified people since the Romans!”
The queen replies “Ah, the beauty of such history! Did you know I am of Roman descent?”
Kathy says “But crucifixion is barbaric! We will suffer greatly on a cross!”
Queen Helen agrees and says “I sincerely hope so. I think you will pray to die hours before you do!”
Still later Queen Helen meets with Archbishop Wragg. He protests how the three will be executed though Queen Helen cannot help but notice the mound rising in his crouch. He points out that she promised not to behead or hang the women. Queen Helen brazenly replies “
I did not condemn them to the cross. The
people did!”
“After all, I am a woman of my word” Queen Helen says…