'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' was the customary rule, but
men of means could get out of that if enough money was paid to satisfy
their legal indebtedness to the Kingdom for whatever offenses.
One pair of contestants were given swords and, under the watchful eyes
and ready lances of the Palace Guards, invited to fight it out on the
spot in a bloody battle. In the end, both died of their wounds and
their survivors fled the palace to grab what they could before the
sacred arm of the Emperor's covetous priesthood could contrive a
sufficient excuse to come and take all.
* * *
By and large, Emperor Euphrates got around to hearing about the death
of Master Rababull, and of the pleas for sanctuary by his many wailing
widows and concubines.
According to their general testimony, it seemed that things had been
happening at a drastically accelerated pace recently with respect to
the affairs of the late Master Rababull, and it was not at all to their
liking, these widows of Rababull's.
One named Conabar had taken over the House of Rababull, a blood
relation. Conabar's friend was the savage outlaw warlord Kadrug, an
enemy of the great Emperor Euphrates.
To this, Emperor Euphrates was characteristically unresponsive.
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