<strong>"Perhaps . And perhaps you should...SHUT UP!", </strong>the judge roared, suddenly furious.  He snapped his fingers, and the assistants took her down, and held her, putting a piece of cloth in her mouth. By the smell, Ashley could guess that before finding its way to her mouth, it has been a sack for grain, probably one which got discarded due to being old and worn.<br/>"Give her 20 strikes on the soles of the feet! No, wait - her owner is a foreigner", the judge added, calming himself.<strong>"He might want her to walk  today."<br/>"Indeed I shall, respectable judge",</strong>the batyr confirmed.<strong>"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, which I should praise in front of my compatriotes. I wouldn't like having to carry her on my horse!"<br/>"Indeed, horses are nobler creatures than slaves",</strong>the judge agreed, smiling at the compliment, while putting his seal on a copy of the new slave's documents, which was presented to the batyr.<br/><strong>"That they are", </strong>Ashley's new owner agreed, obviously a horse lover.<br/>A strap was put on the woman's neck, and the end of the rope was thrown to the batyr, along with the documents.<br/>Now was the time to learn what sign he'd choose to brand her with - if any. Some men didn't like their slaves, especially girls, to be branded at all.