Emperor Euphrates looked upon Si'Wren, and smiled as he inclined his head graciously.
"I have examined the soul of one called Si'Wren," Emperor Euphrates declared, "and find no fault in her."
Surprised gasps arose on all sides.
Then, with a dire and accusing glare Emperor Euphrates looked to Si'Wren's three accusers and went on without further hesitation, "I have mercifully examined all three witnesses in great detail without the customary and usual questioning by torture, and have found none of them to be in agreement with each other in the slightest particulars."
Si'Wren felt shock. She wasn't expecting him to say that!
But Si'Wren's three accusers were terror-stricken as Emperor Euphrates went on.
"Your punishments be upon your own heads!" he suddenly pronounced, finally declaring imperial judgement. Then he became as one made of stone, as he gave the nod to Borla.
"On your own heads…" Borla repeated, stepping forward in front of Si'Wren's three shocked accusers as he rubbed his hands together thoughtfully, for he had overhead everything.
The absolute silence, which had ruled for but a heartbeat, was shattered by wailing protests from Sorpiala and her one vengeful consort.
"Guards!" Borla commanded, taking proper charge of his duties, and not without a certain satisfaction, for he fully appreciated the virtually divine means by which Emperor Euphrates invariably seemed to discern truth where others -including Borla himself- invariably failed miserably.