The Secret Healer by Ellin Carsta

despair changed to fear and hopelessness. She had heard of such legal processes, and the outcome was always the same. The accused was always convicted, especially if it was a commoner’s word against a nobleman’s. Kilian thought that Madlen needed a lawyer. Madlen was torn. This unbelievable injustice made it almost impossible for her to think clearly. How dare this bastard do this to her? In the meantime, she’d heard some rumors floating around the city about him. She knew now why this cowardly dog Matthias wanted to hang this on her. In a few weeks, Matthias hoped that he would be elected to city council. It was common knowledge that this nobleman was moody, temperamental, and often completely out of control. Many people proclaimed that Matthias was behind Adelhaid’s miscarriages. The city council would never allow anyone in their ranks with such a tainted reputation. Matthias needed a scapegoat. And Madlen, who hadn’t done anything but save his wife’s life, had entered the picture just in time. Still, she couldn’t figure out how he’d persuaded Adelhaid to lie for him.
    Madlen’s thoughts churned. She decided to use the money she’d received from Adelhaid to hire a lawyer, but Andreas von Balge wasn’t even a real attorney, not yet anyway. Though he studied law at Heidelberg University, founded just last year, he was far from done. But Madlen couldn’t afford anybody else, and even if she could, it was doubtful that an experienced attorney would accept the case. Andreas von Balge, who’d moved from Bremen to Heidelberg to study with the famous Marsilius of Inghen, a professor at Heidelberg University known for his brilliance, seemed quite happy to help a young woman in whose innocence he firmly believed. At least that’s what he told Madlen. He was Kilian’s friend. Madlen didn’t yet know whether the young legal advocate could actually help her, but he was her only hope. Upon his appointment, he immediately explained that the ongoing war between the Swabian League and the Bavarian dukes was to her advantage because her case could only go before the sheriff and six appointed members of the council. Andreas had already spoken with the sheriff, who told him that if it were up to him, the case would never go to trial. The sheriff had believed Madlen. Now the only thing left was to convince the council members that she didn’t have anything to do with the child’s death. The proceedings would start in two days. In exactly three days, Heinfried, her future husband, would arrive in Heidelberg. Jerg was exceedingly uneasy. He warned Madlen that her advocate better not draw out the trial longer than necessary. If Heinfried heard about the accusation, he would withdraw his offer to marry her. Jerg had already mentally allotted the money Heinfried would pay him for Madlen’s hand in marriage. For Jerg, it meant security for many months.
    “I’m not terribly worried about Matthias Trauenstein’s lies,” Andreas von Balge explained, as he took a sip of the beer that Madlen had placed on the table in front of him. Jerg went to the workshop during their conversations, but Kilian remained.
    “But he’s not the only one accusing Madlen,” Kilian said.
    “Exactly. Matthias wants to make Madlen look guilty.”
    A cold chill went up Madlen’s spine.
    “I’m more concerned,” he continued, “about this maid, Barbara. It will be difficult to get her to admit that she lied because she’s frightened. She has much at stake.”
    “But isn’t that obvious to the sheriff?” Madlen asked.
    Andreas shook his head. “That’s hard to say. Even though the sheriff may see through the lies, there are still six other men that must be convinced, too.”
    “Do you already know who these six men are?” Kilian asked, taking a sip from his own beer mug.
    “Unfortunately not. We’ll only know who they are when the trial starts. The names are kept secret so neither side can have undue influence.”
    “I seriously