STEEL BORN

WORTH

It was evening, the sun was beginning to wane at the capital. The capital was a large city filled with the largest number of the citizens of Xion. There were merchants, sailors, soldiers, farmers and people who worked in the various arms of the Kingdom - mostly made up of the Learned. The capital was divided into three parts, the first was the Royal city, where the treasury, the great hall, a building for learning, a large visitors quarters, the Royal wine house, the Royal food store, the Eunuch's quarters, the servant's quarters, the slaves quarters and the Palace was located. The second part was made up of the large Temple, a large arena, the city library, a large medical building and the living quarters of the middle class, noble men - land owners, some of whom worked in each of the different Royal establishments. It was a cluster of beautiful two storey buildings. The third part was for the commoners and refugees, the large market was located here. A Wharf existed outside the great wall by the sea. The capital was named after the Palace - Worth. It was surrounded by the sea while a river flowed crisscrossing in the capital into the sea. To enter the capital, people must cross the one bridge leading into it.

The gallows was located before the bridge. People were beginning to gather in anticipation of the execution. Sir Judh had stolen from the treasury, where he was the chief treasurer. It was considered an act of treason of which the punishment was death. The Royal entourage arrived. The King was sitting on an open carriage with his daughter beside him, the other carriages carried the Queens and the orator. When they were finally seated at the platform built on the great walls surrounding the capital, which was built especially for this purpose, the black iron carriage carrying the offender entered the circle of observers led by soldiers who made a way for it.

The orator stood on a platform by the gallows. The offender was led to the gallows by the executioner, his hands were tied together behind him with a rope. He was placed directly under the hang man's noose. "Sir, Judh of Shoal, son of Daron, you have been found guilty of stealing a huge amount of gold from the treasury of the King, with which you have purchase properties all around Xion and beyond. It is considered an act of treason of which the punishment is death. King Raul has decided to let your family keep your home in Shoal, and all your belongings except the ones in Worth. Your family has been banished from Worth and the properties which you once possessed in Worth will be distributed among the Noble families. Do you have anything to say in your defense?", the orator concluded. The offender had nothing to say. Therefore the executioner looked towards the King who nodded in approval, he placed the offender's head in the noose and made it tight, he pulled a long handle, the floor beneath the offender opened and he was hung. The crowd dispersed.

"It is to teach the coming generation the consequences of treason", the King said to his little daughter on their way back to the palace. "It was horrible, father", "one day you will be Queen, you will be required to perform a lot of duties, many will not be pleasant. If you don't punish offenders appropriately, you will be seen as weak. Do you want to be a weak Queen Cara?". "No father", "This is why you must treasure what you have witnessed here today." King Raul concluded.

The palace was quiet when they arrived, the Princess made her way to her quarters followed by two guards and her Eunuch. The slaves knelt and prostrated as she approached and only arose after she had passed."I will bath now Morinda", Morinda who had been idling in the Princess's quarters in anticipation of her return bowed and rushed to give instructions to the slaves. Morinda had been passed to the Princess from her mother from the hour of her birth. She went at once to the rooms of the Royal slaves behind the Royal quarters to get them to work. There was an atmosphere of mourning around the Palace and one had to be careful.

Cara was sprawling on a couch in her large parlor waiting to be tended. Morinda returned and began to help her undress. "oh Morinda, it was horrible horrible to behold", "Yes my Princess there is nothing pleasant in watching the passing of another", she responded. Morinda led her to the wash room, "don't worry my Princess, you will forget all about it by morning, he deserved what was coming to him", "indeed". The Princess agreed. Morinda also served as an adviser to the Princess among other duties. Cara bathed, had her super and retired early to bed.

Queen Euria her mother had refused to attend the execution, she decided to look in on her daughter. The doors of the quarters of Cara was opened by two guards as she approached. She entered to find Amand sitting alone in the parlor, he was drinking from a small jar as he always did at the end of his duties after the Princess retires. He arose and bowed at once, "Greetings my Queen, alas the Princess is asleep". She breezed past, ignoring him, into the bed chamber where Morinda was turning off the lights of the candles, she was accompanied by Stud, who stopped by Amand. "How is she, Morinda?", "Very well my Queen, but a little shaken". She had been startled by the sudden entrance of the Queen. "I warned her it would be so, but my inquisitive daughter wouldn't listen", the Queen approached the bed and took a closer look at her daughter. She kissed her on the forehead, adjusted the thick cover to her neck and retreated. "She will be having breakfast with me at my quarters in the morning", "very well your highness", Morinda responded.

In Ludia, Santux and Faro were returning to their village carrying a deer and a pig. It had been a fruitful hunting.