“Speak,” Alessandria ordered.
“That woman stole 50 coins from me and a week’s food!” the other woman shouted.
Alessandria looked at the accused with her narrowing eyes.
“Theft is a serious offence in my land. Do not think because my family is not based on our land. It does not mean will let our land go lawless,”
“Um, Miss, I swear I didn’t steal it,”
“Liar!”
Alessandria raised a hand to silence the accuser.
“What do you believed happened Procurator?”
“Ya Lady, the woman definitely stole food and money. It’s a shame,”
“Why bring this to me if you are sure? I am the Dominicus Procurator. I have more cases to investigate and oversee. I hope you are not wasting my time,”
“Na Lady, this woman. The theft I thought you might want to hear her side,”
“Fine, tell me your side,”
“Um, Miss, I didn’t steal it. I was going to give it back,”
“Liar!”
“Be silent or I will grab one of these weapons on the ceiling and kill you with it!” Alessandria shouted as she smiled.
The woman went silent.
Alessandria smiled as she made a note to remember that for the future.
“Um, I was going to give it back. I need the coin for my son. He needs to go to school,”
“Education is free, you know that,”
“Um, miss, but my son is bright. Too bright for the normal schools they said. They won’t take him. He wants to become a doctor one day. I cannot afford the education he needs,”
“How old is your son?”
“Ten, Miss,”
Alessandria understood the mother’s concern. All the doctors in the land were from the noble families or the richest families. A mere common woman would never be able to get their child educated enough to even be considered by the Medicus Colleges. But stealing?
“What about the food?”
“Um, Miss. I work two jobs. I see my son for two hours a day. My mother looks after him. She cannot work. I sleep for four hours a night. I can barely feed us,”
“And what about me and my family!”
Alessandria nodded. Despite all the financial support her family gave to her people. It was never enough. Too many people in need and not enough money.
However, she had everything she needed to know. Yet this was difficult if she found the thief guilty then the bright child would lose another parent. He might never become a doctor and get his family out of poverty.
If she didn’t find her guilty then people would question her and she would be called weak and unfit by others. Then what sort of precedence
does that set for all other poor people that want to steal?