At once, everyone in the hall dropped to their knees....Dimitri, Sorayah, and every servant present. The sudden hush in the hallway was deafening, broken only by the creak of leather boots and the rustle of royal parchment.
The imperial eunuch stepped forward, his expression unreadable as he unrolled the decree with steady hands. His voice echoed through the silent chamber, solemn and unwavering.
"Concubine Sorayah is hereby condemned as a woman of indecency and disgrace. While the empire mourned the late Alpha Emperor, she shamelessly seduced the Beta Lord, engaging in scandalous acts of carnal pleasure throughout the night. Both parties failed to attend the sacred mourning rites of the departed Emperor but then the Beta lord absence is understandable but Concubine Sorayah's own is not. Therefore, by order of Her Majesty, Concubine Sorayah is to report to the Empress Dowager's chambers immediately to receive her punishment."
