The following morning, Samia was led into the court. A large crowd had gathered, jeering and throwing insults at her. She could feel her face flush with embarrassment, but she refused to let it show. She still wore the tight shackles; with those on, she couldn't look more guilty.
Before the judge's dais, she stood tall, her head held as high as she could lift it. The judge, an old man with a long white beard, eyed her superciliously.
"Samia," he began, "you stand accused of the crime of prostitution, a crime that is punishable by law in this great city, the city of Jocia. Do you plead guilty or not guilty to these charges?"
Samia took a deep breath, her heart racing. She knew she had one chance to save herself from the dungeons.
"Your Honour," she said, her voice clear and steady. "I do not plead guilty or not guilty, for I did not know of the law against my actions. I am a traveller, seeking new experiences and cultures. I made a mistake, and I must learn from it. Please, Your Honour, have mercy and allow me to leave this city and never return."
Samia's eyes pleaded with the judge, hoping her words would carry some weight.
“Normally for prostitution,” the judge said. “I would sentence you to a night in the cells to think about your actions.” He cleared his throat. “But due to what happened as a result of your shamelessness, I am compelled to throw the book at you.”
Samia gulped, feeling weak. Her knees trembled.
“I sentence you to a week of hard labour.” The judge continued, "You will be assigned to the labour ****, working up in the mountains under supervision of our guards while you perform manual tasks. You will be naked and shackled during your sentence, to remind you of your disgrace and to deter others from committing the same mistake again."
The judge then turned to the guards. "Sergeant Frost, the whore is in your custody for her sentence."
"Yes, your honour," Frost said. He was the one who'd arrested her last night. A huge man, maybe ten years older than her. He had fair hair, and pale, grey eyes.
As she was stripped naked and led away, she could feel the stares of the crowd on her back, on her most intimate places. She knew that her reputation was forever tainted in the city of Jocia. It was just like Vernia all over again.
She kept her head down, determined to make the most of her situation and to learn from her actions.
