You learned quite badly from this nearly trivial theft.
The merchant Berolt points to where you lie concealed and begins to shout loudly for help.
You come out of hiding.
"Stop right there!"  The shout reverberates through the area as the guard charges towards you.  "You're under arrest!"
Before you really realize what's going on, your hands are firmly bound behind you and you are marched off.
The guard brings you to the jail, where several companions aid to hold you down and strip you of all your possessions.  They are placed in a sack under the watchful eye of the jail warden, and then you are ushered to a cell, the door opened just long enough for you to be shoved inside.
[Guard House, Jail Cell]
From the stench here, it is apparent that the guards have little interest in coddling criminals.  Mounds of musty-smelling hay have been pushed up along the walls, though it is impossible to imagine sleep as a viable possibility here.  You also see a barred window, a heavily barred door and a mound of smelly hay.
Obvious exits: none.
Roundtime: 8 sec.
>
--- Lich: narost paused.
--- Lich: steal paused.
[jail-buddy: ** DON'T PANIC JAIL BUDDY HAS YOUR BACK! **]
>
A voice whispers in your ear, "The officials in Crossing have charged you with thievery.  We've kept things quiet, but thought you'd like to know."
>l
[Guard House, Jail Cell]
From the stench here, it is apparent that the guards have little interest in coddling criminals.  Mounds of musty-smelling hay have been pushed up along the walls, though it is impossible to imagine sleep as a viable possibility here.  You also see a barred window, a heavily barred door and a mound of smelly hay.
Obvious exits: none.
>go window
You must be standing to do that.
>stand
You stand back up.
>
The cell door opens, and an armored guard enters, pointing a finger at you.  "Come along, Human, it's time to face the judge."
You are quickly escorted out, and the door closed behind you.
[Guard House, Chamber of Justice]
A chill races through your spine as you stare up at the platform from which justice is so mercilessly dispensed by the local magistrate.  A few low benches stretch out along the western wall, where a heavily-armed guard oversees visitors and defendants alike with a stern, watchful eye.
Obvious exits: west.
The judge gazes down at you with stern eyes, "Najarr, you stand before this court accused of thievery.  Though the evidence against you is considerable, final judgement has not yet been reached.  How do you plead?"
[PLEAD INNOCENT or PLEAD GUILTY]
>
[jail-buddy]>PLEAD INNOCENT
You raise your voice and firmly declare your intent to prove your innocence!

The judge nods solemnly, "You shall be given a chance to present your arguments in your defense, then."

Doing your best to muster the entirety of your eloquence, you argue the case that you should be found innocent of the crimes before you today.  The judge listens intently, comparing what you say with notes upon his desk, and when you finish your summation, you can only hope that he was adequately moved.

After a long deliberation, the judge finally says, "Najarr, this court is not moved by your arguments, and finds you guilty of the charges brought against you.  Your unwillingness to admit responsibility for your crimes shall weigh heavily upon you, Human."
The judge sighs.  "Najarr, for your crimes, I find it upon the mercy of this court to send you to the stocks to serve out your punishment.  Think long upon your actions and perhaps you might be rehabilitated, but I doubt it."

The judge nods to the guards.  "Take this lucky Human out of my sight!"  He gives you a long, threatening stare before arising and retiring to his quarters.

Two guards approach you and push you into a dark corner where you are required to undress before them.  One of them quickly empties your things into a sack and quickly leaves you.

The other grabs you roughly, dragging you off somewhere with much shoving and pushing.

Your ankles and wrists are quickly fit into stocks, leaving you helpless and embarrassed.  The guard quickly leaves the area to return to other duties.

[The Crossing, Town Green Southwest]
The hedgerow to the west meets the row of tall lunat trees that separates the Town Green from the commercial traffic on Lunat Shade Road due south.  The growth is especially dense here, with no way to slip past either of the living fences.  The small thorns on the hedges, to keep out stray livestock in search of prime pasture, look daunting in any case.  You also see a small sack, a street urchin and the Town Pillory.
Also here: Lindo who is lying down.
Obvious paths: north, northeast, east, west.
[You think you might be able to try to PLEAD for RELEASE to get out of this jam.]
>
Kistan just arrived.
>
Kistan runs west.
>plead release
As a town guard strolls by, taking brief notice of your current, pathetic condition, you decide to take your chances at threatening the guard to let you go based on your skill and cunning.
The guard stops and, gripping the hilt of his weapon, leans in, whispering, "How dare you even speak to me, much less look at me?!  As far as I'm concerned, YOUR kind can stay in there until Urrem'tier thankfully takes you away from us!"
Roundtime: 13 sec.
>plead release
Since you've already done your best to get out of this bind, you don't think pressing your luck at this juncture would be a wise thing to do.
>l
[The Crossing, Town Green Southwest]
The hedgerow to the west meets the row of tall lunat trees that separates the Town Green from the commercial traffic on Lunat Shade Road due south.  The growth is especially dense here, with no way to slip past either of the living fences.  The small thorns on the hedges, to keep out stray livestock in search of prime pasture, look daunting in any case.  You also see a small sack, a street urchin and the Town Pillory.
Also here: Lindo who is lying down.
Obvious paths: north, northeast, east, west.
>w
Given your helpless condition, you don't think that will get you very far.
>