"You will soon pay for selling out the city of Hegathe to the Aldmeri Dominion, my lady" said Kematu during their first overnight camp. He had promised the Dragonborn that she would not be harmed during the trip back. "What happens to her when we get there is not in my hands" he had added, knowing that punishments for treason were physical and severe. But he thought it absurd to let her keep on her disguise, and tore the barmaid's dress from her.
Saadia cursed at him, but shivered a little - not just from Skyrim's cold, but in the knowledge that more clothing would be stripped from her when she was brought to the stage used for public punishments in Hegathe.
On their return, the evidence of Saadia's treason had already been collected, and her trial was short. Her attitude in court was arrogant and dismissive. The judges sentenced her to a series of corporal punishments. If she confessed and expressed remorse, she would live - if she continued to act haughty and superior, she would be executed.
Kematu was appointed to inflict the punishments. He realised that to save her life he had to chastise her severely - if he went easy on her, she would remain stubborn, and die.
Saadia was chained up in the public square, and her remaining clothes were stripped from her - in front of the common people, whom she despised. It was her snobbery that had made her support the aristocratic Thalmor against her own country. She was humiliated and enraged as the crowd's catcalls greeted the revelation of her naked upper-class body.
Saadia was exposed naked to the Hammerfell crowd in preparation for her punishment. While disguised as a barmaid in Skyrim she had gritted her teeth and endured familiarities from the customers. But this was the ultimate in embarrassment for such a high-born lady. Then Kematu picked up a thick but supple switch, and the first of a series of penalties for treason began.
The stinging pain was ferocious as Kematu whipped her bare buttocks as hard as he could, while the audience cheered. But Saadia gritted her teeth and struggled against yelling. She didn't want to give the crowd the satisfaction of hearing her cry out.
Kematu, however, was determined to break her and make her beg forgiveness for her treason, and thus save her from execution. It wasn't because he liked her - she was a dreadful snob. But Kematu thought she didn't deserve death, just a good whipping. He favoured corporal over capital punishment.
Kematu aimed some hard slashes of the switch to the underside of Saadia's behind. She gave her first yelps, and leapt up a little with each one, which made her breasts bounce in front of the laughing crowd.
Saadia couldn't believe it was possible to feel so humiliated. But she still showed no sign of breaking down and begging to be forgiven. Under her sentence, she was still heading for execution. Kematu realised he would have to inflict a more severe punishment to save her life.
