The judgement hall was quite the sight. From the little window of the holding cell, one could get a full view of it. People started packing the rows of seats arranged to either side of the room. The throne at the far end was still empty, so were the high seats reserved for the king's council. It was still early morning so of course, the nobility were still getting out of their beds. For us we were dragged from the dungeon at the crack of dawn, only to be stuffed in this little holding cell to await our judgement. The small room didn't have many guests today. Apart from me, there was another slave boy; Who had been terribly sick. Obviously, I kept my distance, though it wasn't much I only hoped it was enough. Being a slave sickness was a blessing but not for me.

Soon the doors opened, a guard shoved another person into the room and quickly shut them as if to contain an animal. Her frail body laid on the cold stone; blanketed by the volume of clothing as a result of the force. I lend her a hand to get up, and as soon as she was up I couldn't help but laugh. Surprisingly the little boy also joined in. That was when I first met her, we had a lot of similarities. The same olive skin but hers was pale, some coffee eyes which were darker and larger than mine. I couldn't deny that I too was malnourished, but to her, that was an understatement. A marvel at how she could even stand. The dress she had on was a disgrace it was clearly too big. I didn't want to be rude, so I introduced myself. “Salam, I am Manal and who might you be?” “Mina” came her reply.” Your face isn't familiar where are you from?” She had been embarrassed I could tell as she avoided eye contact.

Before she could answer, a loud voice came from the adjacent room. “All hail his highness king Suleiman Al-Rachid and his royal council.” Everyone in the room stood on this announcement, the soldiers present each placed their crossed hands on their chests. The Large wooden doors adorned with gold embellishments; that was earlier closed in preparation for the grand arrival opened once more. First came the blinding sunlight then its tons down to reveal a bevvy of nobility; lavishly dressed but one stood out the most. It was not only the gold pendant holding the court of arms; an eagle clutching a date framed with two crossing swords, that lay comfortably on his checkered black and white keffiyeh common among the others. But also in the way his black caftan swiftly glided behind him. Once hit by the light its emerald stones would twinkle a bit, encasing a milk-white jubbeh. All the glamour complimenting a fairly aged cream flawless skin. Even the large rough beard, seems to elevate his perfect long face. The group strode through the hall assuming their places.

All were settled and the king signals for the start.

“Malik our first case is of a wazir and a commoner, the complaint and defence may come forward.” Two men came forward one from the crowd of people another from the king's council. I glanced over to the girl beside me her eyes glued to a particular place in the crowd. Three men to be exact merchants by looks.” Do you know them?” I asked “acquaintances” her reply made her more worried deciding to ignore her I watched the trial. After the two gathered with all their evidence and witnesses it began.

“So tell me Mukhtar what happened?” the king addressed his wazir. “Well, Malik I am a businessman as you know my jewellery has never disappointed.” the king nodding his head in affirmation. “This man came to me to buy a gold stone necklace but never gave any conditions. Luckily I had one and gave him a very fair price of eighty thousand dinars with tax included...”

“Then what is the problem?” the king interrupted. “Malik this man lied and stole from my look at this” the commoner presented a large gold necklace curved into flower patterns at the centre of each lay a colourless gem. But the necklace looked worn out, the charm and beauty were not there. “How dare you speak to me without permission a hundred dinar fine.” the king shouted angrily.

“Go on Mukhtar.” still angry he encourages his wazir. “He wanted to pay in instalments, so I held onto it until he finished the debt. With all the interest it accumulated it amounted to a million.” “When was this?” “Last week he completed his payment as promised I gave him the necklace.”

“How long were the instalments?” “Two moons Malik.”

“And what is the complaint?” the commoner jumps in again.” it has not been a week and look at its state. I don't know about jewellery but this is a fake.”

“Again speaking without permission another fine two hundred dinars. That is a total of three hundred.so it's fake what do you think Mukhtar is it fake?”

“Well, Malik my products are of high quality guaranteed you can bear witness to that.”

“Yes I can, you have only provided me with the best jewellery. Bring the necklace forth” he takes it and examines it for a while.

“I will say this is a plan to incriminate my wazir. You sir have bought the product in a good condition is that so?” “Yes, Malik.”

“And Mukhtar did you not sell it in the best of conditions?”

“Sahih ya Malik”

“Then this is your work you have modified it to this state to accuse my wazir.” He looks to his council

The council leader stands up “Sahih Ya Malik, nothing can wear out overnight it's simply impossible.”

“Then I have decided for wasting my time and falsely accusing my wazir this court finds you one thousand dinars. In addition to a compensation fee of two thousand for my wazir for wounding his impeccable reputation case closed.”

Next, it was the boy's turn. The soldiers came and dragged him to the hall. He was accused of stealing and lying to his master. For that, the king ordered that one of his hands be chopped off for stealing and thirty lashes for lying as was the law. A huge man with a red mask did the honours of delivering the punishment. His black leather whip and axe working with the same might only one strike they both caused serious damage.

Then it was my chance, my master (the town's butcher) accused me of lying to her about the future. She asked me about predicting her sales for the next month when it turned out to be wrong she reported the incident changing the story completely. She said that I lied about a message I was to deliver she even paid witnesses. I played along knowing too well that a slaves word was just unpleasant noise to the ears. I was granted thirty lashes of the whip the punisher did a great job every lash came with its unique pain. Since no one could leave before the king after the punishment we resumed to the crowd of people.

The girl whom I had gathered was practically the same age as I was escorted into the hall. Everyone laughed at her as she made her way in the large dress tugging at her legs stumbling all the way. The men she'd been eyeing were the complaints. But suddenly another person joined them he was from the king's council. The famous physician, I wondered what a slave girl like her had done to get his attention. But with her state, it was bound to draw attention.” Munir my brother how was your journey?”

“Salam Ya Malik my journey was pleasant thank you.”

“I am glad you are back so tell me why do you stand before me today?”

“Malik I was coming back from my journey when I came across these men's caravan at the city gates. The girl jumped out of their goods during the inspection, but she passed out. I didn't know who she was and thought of my Malik's reputation and decided to attend to her.”

“Well done, you shall be rewarded.”

He dismisses him and turns to the men and the girl. “What is your complaint?”

“Ya Malik this girl has cost us our merchandise we seek compensation.”

“Young girl where do you come from?” she hesitated a bit “I don't know.”

“Permission Malik” Munir interferes “granted”

“ it seems that the girl doesn't know anything I have asked her about her master and village, but she doesn't know anything.”

“Ya Malik permission” one of the traders speaks “granted”

“While we were going through our spoiled products we found this” he presents the copper pendant. the king examines it and holds it out to the girl “is this yours little girl?”

“Yes,” he passes it to his council. “ What do you think?” Addressing his councillors “Ya Malik this pendant bears a crest of a commoner community.”

The king concludes "so she is a commoner who resorted to slavery, then since she is a slave she will be returned to the slave trade the money she brings will be used to compensate these traders...”

“Permission Ya Malik”

“granted” “I would advise that she be under my care until she recovers she can't work in her state.”

“Request rejected”

“ But I am sick and so skinny even the traders will not accept me to be sold” the girl whined.

“Silence! Ten lashes for speaking without permission.” She was restrained and the punisher got to work after the second lash the girl had turned to pulp. Unlike us, her skin tears apart with bones sticking out the physician intervened pleading with the king.

"Ya Malik please stop this, I will buy the girl and pay for everything that you want.” The king raises his hand and the punisher backs up. Looks at his physician for a while “Munir I accept your offer. You shall pay the men's compensation and a fine of one thousand for the girl speaking without permission.” He stiffened his gaze” consider this mercy as your reward case closed.” The announcer declares the end of the session. Mina was carried out by the soldiers after the king and his council left. This made her very famous among the slaves. Everyone talked of the slave that got the king's mercy, to say the least, it was a rare occurrence leaving many envious.