As Flora and Liese watched from the edge of the crowd of 40 onlookers that surrounded the stage, Aurora began to address the onlookers, "The Earth Mother provides for your needs," she said loudly and with a harsh edge to her voice.
"The boundaries of where humans may gather resources and which resources are allowed for use by humans is without question," she continued. "I have no idea why this one thought his crossing the Northern Boundary would go unnoticed. Not only did he cross, but he carried sharpened and hardened steel with him," she intoned to the silent crowd.
"You may have noticed that your smith is not amongst you, his forging of this steel is a sin against Mother in itself but he will be dealt with in a less public fashion," Aurora informed. "Fortunately for this one, he was stopped before his steel did anything but cross the boundary," and with this last statement Aurora shook her whip loose. Displaying a ten foot long single tail whip that suggested no mercy was forthcoming.
"Thirty strokes and a day left on display," Aurora clearly informed the crowd of his punishment as she gave herself some space to use the whip. She positioned herself sideways to the man and about 7 or 8 feet away. Without pause or hesitation she brought the whip back behind her and then forward in a manner that left no doubt of the strength being put behind the strike. If the crowd had any doubt as to the severity of the stroke, the scream and deep red welt made clear what was to come.
Aurora paused after the first strike and when the man seemed composed again brought the next strike that curled under his arm. The scream that accompanied it was louder.
Aurora continued, eventually changing sides and the strokes began to cross one another and the screams did not stop between strokes. By the 20th stroke, it was clear that the whipping would leave lifelong reminders of his transgressions for all to see. Even though he was slumped against his bindings, Aurora finished the sentence and the dead silence of the crowd made the crack of the final strokes seem that much louder.
Slowly cleaning her whip with the rag plucked from the stage, Aurora gave the crowd one last look as she descended the steps and moved towards Flora and Liese.
With a broad smile she embraced Flora and then looked at Liese and said, "So apprentice no more little Liese although I supposed the little is now left behind also." Liese smile at the recognition of her new status. "I can see that you have participated in Mother's love and her pain by your dress," she said. She then added, "You must have felt the difference in the energy that was freely given by you in comparison to the punishment of the man."
"We all serve Mother in the way that we can," said Aurora. "My task is not pleasant nor does it give me any pleasure to be honest but I have a certain strength that suits me well to it," she continued. "Our sister Flora, and likely you also which is why you bonded with Flora, suggests your role in Mother's creation is of a different nature," Aurora said while beckoning Flora and Liese to follow.
She lead them into a single story stone building at the center of town. Liese was a bit surprised that it was empty save for a staircase leading downwards. Without hesitation, Aurora led them down the stairs and Liese found herself in a large room that was lit by torchs and a large fireplace set in one wall.
As her eyes adjusted, Liese noticed the naked man in the room. He was bound on his hands and knees to a stout table. Solid steel across his ankles, knees and at his wrists. His neck was in a solid steel collar that was a fixed to the table by a piece of wood that kept his head exactly at shoulder level.
"The smith," said Aurora. "I believe it was a bit by accident but he managed to forge steel that was harder and stronger than the decrees allow," she continued. "He will be given a reminder that he should not stray."
Liese was circling the smith and Flora smiled. "Liese has yet to touch a man and I believe that the gentleman above is likely the first man she remembers seeing. Is that so Liese," Flora asked.
Flora and Aurora had found themselves a comfortable position together in a rather large chair. Flora, leaning back into Aurora whose hands caressed her friend with obvious affection.
"Yes," said Liese timidly, clearly still finding her way into her elevation from apprentice to sister. "Go ahead and do as you wish with him while Aurora and I catch up, when you tire join us," said Flora.
Liese approached the immobilized smith. She touched him on the shoulder and the gagged and blindfolded man gave a little shiver. "He cannot hear what we say, but your movements he hears," said Aurora with a laugh.