"It was not enough, Highness!" said Sorpiala, her exotic almond eyes moving sideways as she pronounced her personal opinion upon the matter.
Emperor Euphrates nodded, and appeared exceeding thoughtful.
Sorpiala suppressed a look of triumph. Finally, she was at long last about to have the supremacy over Si'Wren, the little wretch!
Emperor Euphrates looked to the last woman, Si'Wren's initial accuser.
She spoke up before even being asked.
"Idol breakers should…"
Emperor Euphrates listened at length, taking no formal notice of her lack of proper respect in crudely omitting to use even one of his many glorious titles of formal address.
When she had finished speaking, Emperor Euphrates nodded, eyes heavily lidded in judicious contemplation. Finally he heaved a long, heavy sigh of resignation as he looked up and gave the nod to the Royal Crier.
Tall, thin Ampho, the Royal Crier, pointed his beaked nose straight in the air and opened his yawning mouth as he bawled loudly to the ceiling, "All keep silence before the great Emperor Euphrates!"
A chorus of court attendants' voices dutifully chanted, "All give ear and keep silence!"