Paga Diaries (26) by Arizona Wanderer

 

26. Gorean Justice

I arrived at the public square before the tenth ahn.  I had come early to find a spot to stand, where there was a good view.  There were others here, who had gotten here before me.  I found a spot that seemed to have a good view of everything.

In this public square, there was a large raised rectangular stone dais, about two feet higher than the level of the street.  At one end of the dais a wooden canopy provided shade over a large ornate curule chair.  To the right of the chair was a table, which also had a chair, with a man sitting on it, dressed in blue.  He had papers in front of him on the desk and he was writing on one of them.
In the center of the dais, was a wooden stock, constructed of two massive vertical timbers, coming up through the dais stone floor.  Another massive timber was horizontal, mounted in between the vertical timbers, forming an H.  On top of the horizontal beam was a heavy piece of wood with a hinge on one end and three holes in it.  The center hole was larger than the other two holes.  I assumed the large hole was for the placement of a prisoner’s head and the two holes on the sides were for hands.  The top of this hinged stock was about four feet above the ground.  The dark brown stock looked very old and weathered and reminded me of a European pillory from medieval times.  In various places metal rings were attached on both vertical timbers and the horizontal one.

Near the pillory was a metal basket, or brazier, which had a fire in it.  Several metal rods stood upright within the brazier, their ends protruded up and out above the metal rim.  There was a man dressed in black and gray as well as three city guardsmen, two of them I recognized from sword training at the station.  As I waited more people started to gather around the square. 

Atticus had asked me a couple days ago if I wanted to attend the public hearing of the Magistrate, to witness Gorean justice.  I wanted to see how Lady Filomena’s situation would resolve.  Atticus had recommended that I arrive here early, as these hearings were popular with the citizenry and regularly attended.
Julian Lepidus, the Magistrate, arrived with another man dressed in blue, who carried a large leather satchel.  They both went onto the dais and Julian took his seat on the curule chair.  More and more people gathered at the square, and I noticed they varied from well dressed wealthy Free Women to men wearing grubby tunics.  It seemed a wide spectrum of Argentum citizens had come to this hearing.  The streets leading to this square began to get crowded.

From a nearby tower, the alarm bars started sounding the time. These large metal tubes, are struck by hammers to sound time, to sound alarms, and for other purposes. In this case they signaled the tenth hour had arrived.  I heard someone yell “Make way!” and “Stand aside!” coming from down the street, and I turned to see a small procession coming towards the square.  Two city guardsmen were followed by the massive Captain Atticus, who led six people in a line. This line had a guardsman on each flank, creating a buffer as they walked through the crowd.  The six people each had a shackle that was fastened to their right ankle and a chain ran from each shackle, connecting all six together, creating a coffle.  Each person had their hands back braceleted with handcuffs.  The six were a variety of people too, men and women wearing various qualities of clothing.  One woman wore a collar and a slave tunic.  One man wore a collar and was bare chested.  Another woman, most likely a Free Woman, wore a face veil and robes of concealment.  I assumed she was the Filomena that I had seen in the city jail.

The coffle was led up onto the dais and halted.  The person at the front of the coffle was a man dressed in a dirty white and yellow tunic, the colors of Merchants.  A guardsman came and unlocked his shackled ankle.  The man was then brought before the Magistrate.  The Magistrate’s assistant, standing on the right side of Julian, said, “Please state your name, caste and Home Stone for the record.”
“My name is Sidor Venacus, I am of the Merchant caste and my Home Stone is Torcadino.”
“What is your business in Argentum?” asked the assistant who was sounding like a prosecutor.
“I often come to Argentum as part of my trade circuit, selling fine paga and other wares.”
“Is Corcyrus a city in your trade circuit?” asked the prosecutor.
“Yes Sir, one of them.”
“Which city were you coming from prior to your arrival in Argentum?” the Prosecutor continued.
“Corcryus, Sir.”
“Are you aware that a state of war exists between Corcyrus and Argentum?” asked the Prosecutor.
“Yes Sir, but I am not from Corcryus, and Torcadino is neutral in this war.”
“Did you spend an evening last week in the paga tavern called the Shy Kajira?”
“Yes Sir, I don’t understand this. Am I being charged? If I have broken any law, it is one that I am not aware of, and it was not intentional.”
“Please answer the questions, without additional statements. Your charge is being determined. During your time in this tavern, in discussion with the other patrons, did you imply that Argentum was losing the war?”
I heard slight murmuring in the crowd after this question was asked.
“I never said that Argentum was losing the war, I spoke of what I saw, how the Argentum forces had been beaten back and were retreating, leaving large gaps in the front line.”
“Be very careful with your answers Sidor Venacus, you are treading on dangerous ground! Yes or no, as a merchant, did you witness any battle on the front line on your way to Argentum?” the Prosecutor asked.
“No Sir, I did not witness the battle but I did see,”
“Stop! That was a yes or no question, your elaboration is not solicited! I warned you earlier. Since you did not personally witness the battle or any fighting, you have assumed that Argentum forces were in retreat.  You are not of the warriors; do you consider yourself to be an expert on military maneuvers?” the Prosecutor asked.
“No Sir.”
“You are now being charged with spreading misinformation about the war. How do you plead?” the Prosecutor asked.
“Umm, Sir, I never meant to imply that Argentum was losing the war.  Men in the tavern were talking about the war and how well it was going, so I told them what I had seen.  I am no expert in military matters but the large gap in the front seemed significant.  I am very fond of Argentum and meant no harm.”
“How do you plead to the charge?” the Prosecutor asked again.
“Not guilty.”
“The Magistrate will now rule,” the Prosecutor said and turned to Julius in his chair.
“The City of Argentum finds Sidor Venacus guilty of spreading misinformation about the war.  Does the prisoner have any final statement to present before a sentence is imposed?” Julian said with authority.
“I meant no harm, I beg mercy, Argentum is not losing the war, and I don’t know the meaning of what I saw!”
“You are hereby sentenced to the following punishment: a fine of five silver tarsks, a lashing of twenty strokes and an immediate expulsion from Argentum, lasting until the war with Corcyrus is concluded.  The lashing may be suspended by payment of an additional three silver tarsks. Do you understand this sentence?” Julian asked.
“Yes, Sir.  I have seven silvers, and my wares are worth more than three more, but they have been seized by the city.  May I be given time to trade my wares to obtain the other silver tarsk?”
“Yes, you have until the tenth ahn tomorrow, and will be escorted by the City Guard until full payment is rendered.  Next prisoner please,” Julian said.

The Prosecutor asked the next prisoner to state his name, caste and Home Stone, which the prisoner did.  The Prosecutor then said, “You stand accused of using false weights on your scales in the market.  How do you plead to this charge?”
“I plead guilty your Honor, please have mercy on me!” the merchant said as he dropped to his knees before the Magistrate.
Now Julian spoke, “Your case was referred to the Caste of Merchants for recommendation. This is not the first time that you have been referred to them.  They have determined that your behavior is a disgrace to the Caste and that you are unworthy of holding the title of Merchant.  In addition to being removed from the Caste, they have requested additional punishment for you.  As you are now a man with no caste, and have broken our laws on multiple occasions, the City of Argentum proclaims you as an outlaw and imposes the following sentence upon you.  You are to be publicly whipped, marked as an outlaw and banished from the fine city of Argentum immediately.”
“Please Sir, have mercy, not banishment, please!” cried the prisoner.
“Captain Atticus, carry out the sentence,” Julian said.

“Please Sir, anothh” the prisoner attempted to say something as a gag was stuffed into his mouth from a guardsman who had come behind him after the sentence was pronounced.  Two other guards dragged him before the wooden pillory.  The upper stock was lifted up, pivoting on the hinged end.  His hands were uncuffed and then each one was separately put into a cut away on the lower half of the stock.   A guard pulled his hair, placing his head into the open center hole.  The upper stock was lowered and secured in place, confining his head and hands in place.
 His tunic was then cut down the length of his back and spread open.  Another guard picked up a heavy whip and lashed down on the exposed back.  The prisoner screamed into the gag, and the beating continued.  The man lost consciousness, and water was splashed on him to rouse him, after which several more strokes were landed on his back, which had begun to bleed. 
A guardsman then went to his right hand and using a leather belt over the knuckles and fingers, secured it to the old wooden timber so that it lay flat and immobile.  The man wearing black and gray, an iron worker, went to the brazier and grabbed one of the rods that was in it.  Pulling it out of the fire, the branding iron was glowing bright yellow.  The iron worker walked to the pillory and pressed the iron into the back of the prisoner’s secured hand, and kept it there for a couple ihn.  I heard a faint hiss and saw a tiny wisp of smoke rise up from the brand.  The prisoner’s right arm jerked several times, but the hand remained secure in the pillory.  A muffled scream came from the gag.
The guardsmen then lifted the wood stock and removed the prisoner from the pillory. His hands were quickly placed into handcuffs behind his back.  He was then moved down the dais steps onto the street and made to kneel.

The next prisoner was released from the coffle and brought before the Magistrate.  This prisoner was a large, very ugly man, with thick black hair on his bare chest.  His body was a bulk of muscle.  There were two scars on his face, one on his forehead, the other on his chin.  A thick iron collar encircled his neck.  The guardsmen ordered him to kneel and he did.  
The Prosecutor asked, “Are you the slave currently known as Krog?”
“Yes Master, my name is Krog, I was formerly of the Builders and my Home Stone is Holmesk.”
“You are a slave and we are not interested in your former caste or Home Stone. Please answer questions directly without irrelevant details. Is your master the boat captain and trader, Antoni Tirlo of Brundisium?”
“Yes Master.”
“He reported you as a runaway slave after stating that while unloading cargo, you jumped from the river galley into the river.  He also stated that you wore a short length of chain shackled to your ankles and that after jumping into the river, a crew member jumped in after you, attempting to capture you.  The crew member stated that you tried to drown him before he was able get away. You were not seen until several days later when you were found in an alley near the river docks and disobeyed commands from free men. You resisted arrest from the City Guard.  You are charged as a runaway slave, disobeying commands from free men and resisting arrest. How to you plead?” asked the Prosecutor.
“Master, I was pushed overboard and the man who jumped in after me tried to drown me. I got free and swam for my life. Eventually I came ashore and hid myself in some fish nets. I know it was wrong for me to disobey free men and the guardsmen but I was running for my life, knowing that my master would surely kill me if I was returned to him. I beg mercy, I am a hard worker and have the knowledge of the Builders. I am not a runaway, please spare my life Master!”
“Where is the chain that was shackled to your ankles?”
“There was no chain on my ankles, Master. It would be very difficult to work unloading cargo with shackled ankles, and then swim away, and avoid drowning while being attacked. If a chain had been on my ankles, it would still be there as I have no way to remove it.”

“Magistrate?” asked the Prosecutor.
“The City of Argentum finds that you are a runaway slave and will be marked as such. You will remain in custody for a month, if your master does not return to claim you within this month, you will become the property of the City of Argentum. During this month you will be assigned to a work detail in the army camp located outside of the city. For refusing to comply with the orders of free men and resisting arrest by the City Guard, you will receive fifty strokes from the whip. This lashing will occur at the army camp in the presence of the work detail to which you will be assigned.  Captain Atticus, mark the slave as a runaway,” Julian proclaimed.

Krog was placed into the pillory but only his head was put into the stock.  His arms remained cuffed behind him.  The weight of his large upper body caused him to choke where his throat was pressured by the wooden opening encircling his neck.  He struggled to find a stance that supported him, so that he wouldn’t choke while his head was through the hole.  The iron worker carefully picked a branding iron from the collection in the brazier and stepped in front of Krog.  With his left hand, he grabbed Krog’s short black hair, while bringing up the hot glowing iron in his right hand.  Krog’s dark brown eyes began to bulge as he saw the iron come to his face.  The iron worker placed the iron high on the side of Krog’s left cheek, branding him as a runaway slave.  Krog cried out, and a shiver ran down my spine.
Krog was then moved down the dais steps and made to kneel next to the outlaw on the street.
The next prisoner, a young man in a brown tunic, was released from the coffle and brought before the Magistrate.  The Prosecutor said, “Please state your name, caste and Home Stone for the Record.”

“My name is Marcus Piero, I work in the tannery and Argentum is my Home Stone.”
“You are charged with the illegal enslavement of a Free Woman, the Lady Temione Gattuso of Argentum. How do you plead?” asked the Prosecutor.
“She is a natural slave and courted the collar! She submitted herself to me.” Several free women in the crowd gasped.
“How do you plead to the charge Sir, guilty or not guilty?” asked the Prosecutor again.
“Not guilty, Sir.”
“Lady Temione and the Gattuso family are present for this hearing,” the Prosecutor said as he pointed out three people standing near the dais; a man in a yellow and brown tunic and two women who stood next to him wearing veils and robes of concealment.  “Lady Temione, please come up onto the dais.” After she walked onto the dais, the Prosecutor continued.

“Marcus Piero, you just stated that the Lady Temione courted the collar, please elaborate.”
“I frequently visit the Gattuso bakery and one morning I arrived earlier than normal and entered. Temi was alone and was sweeping the floor.”
The Prosecutor interrupted and said, “Sir, please refer to the Lady Temione by her proper name and not Temi.  Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir. Lady Temione was not wearing a veil or robes of concealment while she swept. She wore a light tunic and her hair, face, neck, wrists and ankles were exposed to me. When I entered, she looked at me and smiled. She did not seem surprised to see me and made no attempt to cover herself. She then sold me some pastries and I left. The next day, I came early and, once again, she was wearing the tunic with no veil. She smiled at me and we talked. She told me how unhappy she was working in the bakery and felt oppressed by her father who rarely let her out of the building unescorted. I asked her if she wanted to leave the building that morning with me, to talk and walk about the city for a bit.  At first she said no, but her eyes were very pleading, and then she said yes, but that she could not be away from the bakery for long. She left the room and when she returned, she had put on a veil and a robe of concealment.”

“As we walked, she confessed to me that when she saw kajirae on the streets, she had shameful urges that were difficult to suppress, as she wondered what it was like to be a slave, and to serve men, fully. She said that I was easy to talk to and that she did not know what to do. I asked her if she knew what a natural slave was. She said no, and after I explained to her what that meant, she said she knew that she was a natural slave.”
“Lies!” said the woman standing with the man in the group who had been identified as the Gattuso family.  I presumed it was the mother, or sister perhaps, of Lady Temione.

“Please, no more outbursts, I know this is difficult to hear,” said the Prosecutor. “Continue Marcus.”
“Temione said that she didn’t know what to do, or how to tell her family, especially her father. I told her that I could help her with her feelings, and that there was a simple solution. I went on to explain, that she was indeed a natural slave and that the feelings would never go away, but instead only increase, making her miserable. I told her that the only solution was to embrace her feelings and submit to slavery. She then started to cry and dropped to her knees. She looked up at me and said, ‘la kajira’ and then laid her head on my feet.”
Many in the crowd murmured and her mother shouted, “No, never! Temione would never do that!”

“Quiet!” the Prosecutor yelled out.  Then he asked, “Marcus, continue, what happened next?”
“I accepted her submission to me. She had slave heat and I opened her to men. I kept her as my slave. I began to train her, in the afternoons and evenings when I finished work for the day.”
“Did you brand and collar her?” asked the Prosecutor.
“No Sir, I was saving my money to pay for a brand and collar.”
“It is against the law to keep kajirae in our city without having them branded and collared. How long did you keep Lady Temione before you were arrested?” asked the Prosecutor.
“Yes Sir, I know the law, I bought a collar and was going to have her branded the day that she escaped. She has been my slave for at least two weeks.”  It was hard to tell with her veil, but it sounded like Lady Temione began to cry.

“Tell us about the escape,” the Prosecutor said.
“Every morning, before leaving for the tannery, I would tie her hands together and secure them to a slave ring.  I came home one evening to my insulae room, ready to take her to the blacksmith, but she was gone. As I left to go look for her, guardsmen detained and arrested me. I have done nothing wrong. Sir, she is a natural slave and submitted herself to me. She is my property now.”

The Prosecutor turned to Lady Temione and said, “Lady Temione, Marcus Piero has made some very serious statements. Are these statements true?”
“No Sir,” Lady Temione said quietly.
“Please speak louder Lady Temione, we all need to hear you,” the Prosecutor said.
“No Sir, the statements are not true,” she said louder.
“What is your age, Lady Temione?”
“Seventeen,” she answered.
“Tell us all what happened, from the beginning, please,” he asked.
“My family owns a bakery, and we all work in it.  One morning I was sweeping the floor and Marcus came in early, before we normally open. He surprised me, as I thought the door was locked. I was shocked that he had seen my face and I told him to leave.”

“Excuse me Lady Temione, what were you wearing when he walked in?” the Prosecutor asked.
“I was in a tunic. It was early and I had not put on my robe and veil yet, it is easier to sweep and ready the store without them.”

“Continue, Marcus walked in and you told him to leave,” prompted the Prosecutor.
“Yes Sir, I told him to leave, but he wouldn’t, he just kept looking at me, leering at me. He asked if he could buy some pastries, and not have to come back since he was already there. I told him he needed to leave as I was not dressed and that we were not open yet, but he was persistent, so I eventually agreed, mostly to get him out before my father came in and saw him. There would have been a fight. I went to get a tray of pastries for him to choose from and I don’t know what happened after that.  I awoke on the floor in a small dirty room, naked and blindfolded, with my hands tied to a slave ring.” Lady Temione then began to sob, and covered her eyes with her hands. 

The Prosecutor waited for a time for the woman to compose herself before asking, “Are you claiming that Marcus abducted you?”
“Yes Sir. I don’t remember anything about it, other than waking up tied in his room. I assume he took me there somehow.”
“Did you know Marcus before that morning?” asked the Prosecutor.
“Yes Sir, he came into the bakery often, and would sometimes try to talk to me. My father or mother would not allow me to talk to him, other than to sell things.”
“Before the morning he came into the bakery early and saw you, were you glana?” the Prosecutor asked.  I did not know what that word meant.
“Yes, Sir, but he raped me within minutes of my waking in his room,” she said, and began to sob again.
The Prosecutor waited again for the sobbing to stop and then said, “I know this is very difficult for you to revisit and speak about, but there are more questions that need to be asked.”  Lady Temione nodded and the Prosecutor continued, “You stated that you saw Marcus Piero numerous times in your family’s bakery. During any of those times, and especially the morning when he came early, did you court the collar with him?”
The crowd murmured and Lady Temione answered, “No, Sir, never.”

“These next few questions are going to be very difficult to answer, especially in public and in front of your family. We need you to be honest, and we have methods to determine the truth if we feel that you are not being honest. During the two weeks of captivity with Marcus Piero, approximately how many times did he sexually use your body for his pleasure?”
“I don’t know, Sir, too many to count. At least once a day, but many days it was more than once,” she said.
“During his use of you, did you ever enjoy this use; did your body yield to him?”
“Yes, Sir, I don’t know why, but my body responded to him, and he made me yield many times. I am very ashamed,” she said and began to cry again.

“Lady Temione, thank you for being honest. After a few days of being with him how did you feel when he came home from work and you knew that he would likely put you to use again?”
“He used his belt on me often at first, making me call him master, teaching me how to kneel and assume positions. I hated it.  After a couple days, my body would react when I heard the door open. I don’t know the words to describe it, my body became ready for him, something inside of me yearned for what was coming, even though I knew it was wrong,” she said.
“Are you a natural slave?”
“I don’t know Master, I, I mean Sir. I don’t want to be a slave. I want to be free and make my own decisions,” she said.

“Master Gattuso, please come up onto the dais,” the Prosecutor said looking over at Lady Temione’s father.  Her father came up onto the dais and embraced her in a hug, before turning to the Prosecutor.
“Please state your name, caste and Home Stone for the record.”
“My name is Geno Gattuso, I own a bakery and my Home Stone is Argentum.”
“Geno Gattuso, do you know Marcus Piero?”
“I have seen him in our bakery once in a while, but I did not know his name,” Geno said.
“Did you ever suspect that he was attracted to your daughter or that there may be any sort of interaction between them other than bakery business?”
“No, Sir, none!” Geno replied.

“Please tell us what you recall about the day your daughter disappeared and also the day that she reappeared.”
“The morning that she disappeared, I had called out for her to help me in the kitchen. She did not answer. I went out to the front counter and saw a pastry tray on the floor, overturned and pastries scattered about. I went out the front door and searched for her. I became panicked and shouted out her name. I went back and closed the bakery for the day and my family searched the streets for her. We did not find her. I contacted the City Guard and reported her missing. Almost three weeks later, she came bursting through the back door of the bakery. She was wearing nothing but a large, dirty, tattered men’s shirt, and was crying and speaking incoherently. She kept apologizing for being gone. She finally told me what happened and I informed the City Guard.”

“Did your daughter tell you that she had been abducted and kept in captivity as a slave?”
“She told me that she had been abducted and raped,” Geno said.
“After hearing her testimony today, and the statements about how she felt and reacted during her captivity, are you concerned that she may be a natural slave?”
“No, Sir, she is not a slave. And she is young and confused about such things,” Geno answered.
“As her father, did you ever notice any tendencies or behavior from your daughter that might lead you to suspect that she was a natural slave?”
“No, Sir, never! Temione is a chaste girl who has been traumatized by this brute criminal, she is strong and will recover from this ordeal in time,” Geno said.

“Magistrate?” the Prosecutor said.
Julian spoke very loudly with authority so the crowd could hear, “Free Women can only be enslaved legally by a Magistrate, not by any citizen who observes slave behavior. Even if a woman proclaims submission of herself to a man, the authorities must be notified and the enslavement made by legal proceedings. Marcus Piero abducted Lady Temione and hid her away in his room, kept her as a slave with no collar, and no brand. Collars and brands are very cheap and can easily be obtained. The City of Argentum finds Marcus Piero guilty of abduction and the illegal enslavement of a Free Woman of Argentum.”

Julian continued to state, “Our City’s Free Women are priceless, our finest treasure, to be respected and guarded with every possible resource available. Our future relies on the security and prosperity of our Free Women, as they provide us with companionship and children, raising them to become productive citizens and protectors of the Home Stone. Free Women are to be cherished, and an assault on one of them, is an assault on our entire City, and cannot be tolerated.  Marcus Piero, you are sentenced to fifty lashes of the whip and death by impalement, the execution to commence today at the fourteenth hour. Any and all possessions of the condemned are to be remanded to the Gattuso family immediately.”

Julian went on to say, “Lady Temione, you were the victim of a heinous crime, and during this ordeal you were exposed to slavery and a facet of womanhood that Free Women rarely know.  Your body’s reactions and the feelings that you felt during your time of submission are natural. Many women share the same feelings that you have felt. You should not be ashamed of these feelings. You should not suppress these feelings, instead, you should embrace them. But the only way to embrace them is as a slave, and not as a Free Woman. Marcus Piero has ruined you for freedom. It would be wrong for you to try and deny this fact and attempt to find harmony as a Free Woman with these feelings and uncontrollable bodily reactions. You are a natural slave. Lady Temioine, please acknowledge who you are. Kneel and say, ‘I am a slave’.”

As Lady Temione went to her knees, her father and mother both protested, crying out, “No Temione!” and “Don’t do it!”
Without hesitation, Lady Temione, on her knees said, “I am a slave.” And she turned her head up to look at her father and said, “I am sorry father, the Magistrate is right, I am a natural slave.”

“Temione Gattuso, the City of Argentum accepts your submission into slavery.  You are no longer Lady Temione Gattuso. You are now the property of your father. The law requires you to be marked and collared as a slave. The marking and collaring will be done in private, today, at the expense of the City. Captain Atticus, at the conclusion of today’s hearings, you will escort Master Gattuso and the former Lady Temione, to the slave house of Cornelius Desneti, where you will witness the marking and collaring. I will join you there to sign the completed slave papers.  Now commence with administering the lashing of the condemned.”