The Dog with 100 Eyes

The clouds clogged the skies that day, as the young prince stood inside the castle greenhouse, listening to the ramblings of his tutors. All 4 women were shaking their hands in rage and fury, begging the prince to listen to their wisdom and experiences of the outside world.

They spewed phrases akin to, “They’re out to kill you,”, “You must live on no matter the cost of others”, “you matter above all else”, “you are the very thing peasants swear to destroy”. Their black cloaks swaying with the harsh breezes, and their ivory green eyes staring into the prince’s eyes.

Just as the four women had finished their ramblings, one of the green house’s wooden planks near the rooftop had loosened and crash landed outside the courtyard.

The four tutors gasped and began pointing at the fallen piece of wood.

“How dare they!”, “We must report the greenhouse keeper to the King!”, “They attempted murder on the prince!”, “we shall seek justice!”.

Ten years had passed, as the newly crowned King had turned 20 and ascended the throne. His eyes glared at his subordinates, as he declared his own published book to be taken as law. His father’s laws were no longer relevant, and were replaced with laws that highlighted the new King’s own personal fears.

Women were not allowed to inherit wealth from men regardless of status. Religions that were not approved are punishable by death. White stallions were not to be owned by anyone other than royalty. These were just the few of many new laws that were passed to control the people.

Meanwhile 200 miles away in a neighbouring city, 12 year old Louis Pendleton had caught wind of these new laws. As his father and him were walking through the fields, Louis had accidentally stepped on a small animal’s skull. The boy stared in fascination, but was rudely snapped out of his thoughts by his father.

“Son! The New King has announced new laws, get over here!” The tall, burly man yanked his frail son’s arm and continued to walk to the village.

As the two went in, all the villagers were looking glum and afraid. They all were whispering about the new rules that were announced by squires in the Kingdom that left them with bitter comments.

“He’s letting children testify in court!?”

“Catholicism is considered a devil’s religion…”

Louis and David Pendleton walked toward the library.

“Read. Now.” David demanded his son, “We were late for the squires because of you, now put to use what your mother taught you, or else,”

Louis had begun to read the laws out loud on the library’s poster, listed in order. He was reading the laws, each more limiting than the last until…

“Farmers are no longer permitted to work on other people’s properties, even if they are relatives. They must tend to their own land due to foreign individuals poisoning land through witchcraft. Breaking this law is punishable by a fine of 100 gold coins and 100 days in prison-”

“... What? Farmers were not allowed to work on other’s properties, for the sake of anti-poison control?” Louis’ father yelled, distressed by the news, “How are we supposed to find work now?”

The young man winced at his father’s yelling, moving his fingers as if he were playing a piano. He read the new laws and pondered over their significance, nervously reading them over and over again.

“Louis! What on God’s green earth are you doing reading the laws?”

“N-Nothing father. I just, I was reading them because I have an… idea! An idea that could save us from these new laws,” Louis said hoping to calm his father,

“Save us? Go on…”

“W-well, I was thinking. What if we, er… gained an audience with the King! And begged him to change these laws for the better! We could catch a break and make our revenue again!”

Louis’ father shook his head in disbelief.

“For one of the few men that can read, you’re such a useless dolt. The King was chosen by God himself! You think someone as magnificent and important as him would listen to you? Make yourself useful and let’s find another job we can find together,”

Louis was then dragged by his father back to their home. The young boy was then beaten for his idea and sent to bed without any food. Though Louis was intelligent, he stayed up a majority of the night thinking of any sort of idea, as many of his ideas wouldn’t have been good enough to realistically work.

What would get the King’s attention? Louis asked himself over again

Those new laws played repeatedly in his head, obsessing over the details of what advantage could they bring to Louis.

What do they all have in common? Stallions… gardens… inheritance… They’re all against something. Like they’re irritating to him. Hatred… or fear? Fear? Could that be my chance to speak with the King?

Louis peeped through the door hole, staring at his cranky father eating alone in the kitchen.

The next morning around 6 am, Louis ran toward the Church clergies and begged them of a favour. One that was dire and needed their judgement right away. Louis spent his morning speaking with multiple people, individuals that he was familiar with because of his jobs. By 5 pm everything had been set in motion.

Things had been oddly quiet at the Pendleton household. No one came to speak with Louis’ father to perform an odd job, or had even bothered to say hello. The lone house on the outskirts of town had brought fury to the man. Just when things looked hopeful as a lone man approached from the distance, it all came crashing down.

“Good evening, I’ll gladly take on whatever odd job you want me to-”

“David Pendleton… You have been accused of witchcraft by multiple witnesses and are under arrest,” The lone soldier declared as he tied down the tall man in an instant, “You shall be transported to the capital to await your trail within the next 2 months,”

As the soldier carried the screaming old man, in the town square Louis was telling his tragic story to an onlooking crowd.

“... A-And at our last job when I was absent my father let our neighbour die in a… horrible accident! Does everyone in the crowd follow? … Everytime that I’m not there to help out in a job, my father curses i-innocent villagers because the devil himself taught him to hate fellow humans! I even heard that he planned to kill our honourable King! That is why, I plan to speak with the King himself and will testify against my father!”

The crowd clapped as the nervous man gave a bow, hoping his plan would work out. As the week passed by many upperclassmen called Louis a hero for his bravery, discovering his own father was a witch and providing evidence, despite there being none. Most of the evidence was by his own words.

That’s not to say Louis was clever though, as he read upon common practices in witchcraft in the area. Gathering of bird skulls, placing lavenders and rosemary next to each other, and carving wooden dolls, was the evidence he forged to testify against his father.

A month had passed when a messenger from the King approached Louis as the villagers tipped him for his storytelling. A carriage was awaiting the young man along with servants from the castle.

“Excuse me, Louis Pendleton? The King would like to invite you over to his castle for dinner. Seems he’s quite fond of your heroism,”

Louis’ eyes widened with excitement as he firmly shook the hands of the messenger.

“T-thank you, kind sir! I would be more than… honoured to join the King for this feast!”

Meanwhile the King gazed outside his tall window, thinking of what he had done. His eyes were weary and his robes had faded in colour. His room is slightly dusty and his paintings of his late tutors were slightly crooked.

“... The greenhouse needs repairing again, what a terrible omen! I must keep a constant eye on our new guest, who claims he’s the main witness of an infamous and violent witch,”

A day had passed when Louis had reached the castle, greeted by the King’s soldiers and lawyers. They had welcomed him with prestigious politeness, gifting him sweets and a new suit, and then proceeded to escort the young man to the dinning hall. The King sat at the opposite end of the large table, with a spread unseen by Louis.

Ah, how tempting! But I must be cautious with whatever comes out of my mouth.

“Louis! I must thank you from the bottom of my heart for appearing before me. I have so many questions about your witch of a father, I had to invite you to the castle!”

“It is a pleasure to be in your glorious presence your majesty-”

“How long has your father been a witch for?” The King asked, staring at Louis with his piercing blue eyes.

“...For most of his life from what I could find out. Even before I used to work for my horrible father, he had multiple accidents with his clients and he tried to slip all of his crimes under the rug. I spoke with many of his victims during the past month and I am ashamed I was naive to think he was a God worshipping, honest man,” Louis replied, nibbling on mashed potatoes.

“For someone as young as you, did you feel content when others believed your tragic story?”

“... I-I was extremely grateful when many of the villagers… had supported my claims and even offered me a place to stay while I had no one at home to take care of me. My mother died when I was a young lad, and my violent father is rightfully in jail for his crimes. Now I’m here, speaking with a King chosen by God himself, I am truly… thankful!”

“What a well spoken young lad! Your answers are just what I needed to hear! You may continue eating,”

The King for the rest of his stake in silence, as Louis knew he was in the clear.

For a king who wanted to ask many a- question he's satisfied quite easily. He seems to trust me now, despite his hatred of many people.

The King then ordered Louis to stay in the guest bedroom until the day upon his trial, guarded by many men. For what purpose?

" You child, are the main witness to this man's blasphemy against me and the church. I promise under the care of my many men, no harm will come to you. The trial will begin in two weeks, prepare to testify then."

The King’s servants escorted young Louis to his room, filled with paintings and the colour white. The room was blinding to look at, and Louis was not used to the imagery. For the night, he looked down to the floor, averting his gaze toward the red floor.

That night, the King did not sleep well. He had dreamt of a black dog haunting him at every corner in his semi realistic dream and had gone in and out of sleeping. Bad dreams were common for the King, as his nervous tendencies lead to his wired brain to produce nightmares. However, recurring nightmares were rare, even for him.

The next two weeks were in fact, filled with nightmares of the same black dog staring at him. Each night reveals its scarier features, like sharp teeth, humanistic eyes, and worst of all, all 100 eyes covering its body. The animal was demonic and by the day before the trail, the King was in a panic. Seeing the dog staring when he closes his eyes, frightened by any sign of betrayal or impending doom.

The jury, judge, prosecutors and the defenders gathered under one small wooden room with a glass stain window in the centre, shining upon the judge's head. In one dark corner, David Pendleton was chained and frightened, he looked like a sickly wolf on his last days alive. Jaundice patches and a foul stench reeked from his body as he stepped in front of the disapproving judge. In the other dark corner, Louis stared down his father. Preparing to eclipse hell upon his father, and walk away from the crime scene.

The judge slammed his gavel on his desk, and loomed over the courtroom. Asking that all parties involved were to answer as if God were standing in front, knowing the entire truth. Everyone caught in a lie were to be immediately benched and all of their evidence forfeit.

David was called upon to the stand yelling how he was not a witch and was accused by his timid, delusional son. His voice croaked from the jailrot, and the court reporter winced at the man’s intimidating, almost maddened demeanour.

“I beg of thee, my twelve year old son was tricked by demons to frame me! LOUIS! GET OVER HERE AND TELL THEM YOU WERE MISTAKEN!”

The young boy winced at his fathers shouting and backed away. The judge slammed his gavel and ordered David to silence himself so his son could speak.

“... I speak the truth, and the truth only. With God as my witness. My father is indeed a witch. My father had worked many jobs and from a young age, I had begun to wonder what he was really a God-abiding man? Whenever clients hated how he did his job, our clients would mysteriously get sick or die. It was almost as if he would recite spells to poison the villagers he disliked-”

“Care to recite one of these spells?” The judge asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

“...The other day I caught him saying the following, may God forgive me for reciting a devil’s curse… I lay on the ground, a piece of bone shrivelled in herbs. I shall feast on a lamb's head, so my neighbours will perish like the lamb’s carcass. I pray to thee Lord, in Jesus’s name, Amen,” Louis signed the name of the cross and bowed his head, hoping his prayer he recited was worth the two week practice.

The jury whispered, convinced how a young boy could recite the spell. David Pendleton screamed at his young son, his words were nonsensical at this point.

“Take him away,” Louis begged the judge, breaking down into tears, “I will not speak to witches that have sinned and sworn themselves to the hatred of man!”

The judge called upon other witnesses, who were all convinced David cursed their late relatives to death, crying and angered by his presence. Some neighbours provided evidence of animal bones discovered in piles of leaves and herbs grown in their gardens.

Though it was only a coincidence, as dying animals are attracted to quiet resting places under rotting plants, they all concluded David had dabbled in witchcraft. Louis was called upon seeing this evidence, the boy nodded.

“These were the animal bones father hid away for his spells. I wonder if he cursed my mother, an innocent young woman, before she died?”

The judge had been impressed by the evidence and Louis’ calm testimony. He had declared David was indeed a witch, and had killed 7 people during the past few years. He was sentenced to the gallows and was taken away.

After the court session, Louis was taken back to the castle to be greeted by the King. The two were alone in his throne room. As the guards waited outside.

“He has been sentenced to death, my King. My father will never see the gates of heaven and will perish among the fires,”

Silence had filled the room, as the sun had set in the distance. The King was barely conscious, his head resting upon his elbow. Each breath is getting slower and slower.

“What ever is the matter, my King?” Louis’ head had grown into the shape of a dog.

“...You were the witch,” The King panicked under his breath, “You were after me,”

The room fell silent, not a single castle worker in sight. Louis’ black dog appeared from the shadows, with 100 red eyes staring down the King.

“Shall I lame him?” The dog asked his master, walking to his side.

“... Ye shall,” Louis replied with a dark smile, knowing his fate had been sealed.

The dog’s shadow merged into the floor and struck the King down, leaving him befallen on his silver throne. Louis was pleased with himself as the King’s corpse fell to the ground, and the young witch walked away from the empty throne room.