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25th Vhalar, 710
"Up! Time to get up!"
Kirei was already fully awake, and she jumped to her feet before the Avriel master who was walking up and down the row of worn sleeping mats could give her a swift kick for disobedience. As a kid of the streets of Lowtown, she was used to waking up both early, and instantly. She moved swiftly as she got dressed, and prepared herself for her day. Her speed must have pleased the Avriel master that had been sent to wake them, because he did not strike her for daring to dodge his punishing kick. Since she had come to this horrible place, she had seen others given such treatment, so she knew that trying to avoid it was a risk. And yet which was the worst disobedience? Dodging the kick to wake her up, or lazing about long enough to be kicked? It seemed, that she had made the right choice this time.
The last several trials had flown by in a blur for Kirei. The pain of her brand was a constant reminder of her changed circumstances, and she fought against the pain the way she fought against everything that tried to overcome her. She would survive this, as she had survived everything else she had lived through. And she would grow stronger for it. She kept telling herself that during the long, agonizing task of squatting down and cleaning the cobweb filled, dirt encrusted corners of the entire slave barracks with nothing more than a small pail of water, and her fingers. As the newest child in her group, and one of only two who had not been born into slavery, she had been commanded to do the task alone while the others watched in silence. They, of course had to wait until she was finished before they could eat.
Breakfast involved waiting in a seemingly endless line to receive a tiny portion of nearly inedible gruel. It was hard to believe, but she had actually eaten better food on the streets before she had been captured. The one thing this slop had going for it was that she had been given a portion each morning so far. She didn't have to wonder if she was going to starve to death before she managed to get her next meal.
Once breakfast was finished, tasks were assigned, and the slaves dispersed. Kirei and the group she slept with were held back. Their task was to clear away all of the dishes, wash them, and then polish them until they shone like new. The small group of girls each took as many dishes as they dared carry, and headed into the kitchen to begin. Some were punished harshly for "laziness" when they only picked up a few dishes. Kirei was one of these. One of the masters yanked her aside, screamed at her as he pointed out her error, then hit her as hard as he could with his cane seventy five times before giving her a rough shove, and ordering her back to her task. Others were punished even more harshly for taking too many dishes at once, though, so there appeared to be no right way to clear the dishes. And when one girl dared to accidentally drop a dish, she was whipped for the crime.
When the tables had been cleared, the dishes still had to be washed. With no direction as to how the masters wanted it done, Kirei hesitantly picked up a plate, and dunked it into the sink filled with soapy water. The water was scalding hot, and she cried out in pain when it burned her hands. This earned her another "lesson" about the value of working in silence no matter what the circumstances, and not drawing attention to herself. The punishment for her failure was for the master overseeing them to hold her hands in the scalding hot water for several agonizingly long bits before allowing her to go back to her task. By the time she was finished, her hands were burned, and blistered from the heat.
25th Vhalar, 710
"Up! Time to get up!"
Kirei was already fully awake, and she jumped to her feet before the Avriel master who was walking up and down the row of worn sleeping mats could give her a swift kick for disobedience. As a kid of the streets of Lowtown, she was used to waking up both early, and instantly. She moved swiftly as she got dressed, and prepared herself for her day. Her speed must have pleased the Avriel master that had been sent to wake them, because he did not strike her for daring to dodge his punishing kick. Since she had come to this horrible place, she had seen others given such treatment, so she knew that trying to avoid it was a risk. And yet which was the worst disobedience? Dodging the kick to wake her up, or lazing about long enough to be kicked? It seemed, that she had made the right choice this time.
The last several trials had flown by in a blur for Kirei. The pain of her brand was a constant reminder of her changed circumstances, and she fought against the pain the way she fought against everything that tried to overcome her. She would survive this, as she had survived everything else she had lived through. And she would grow stronger for it. She kept telling herself that during the long, agonizing task of squatting down and cleaning the cobweb filled, dirt encrusted corners of the entire slave barracks with nothing more than a small pail of water, and her fingers. As the newest child in her group, and one of only two who had not been born into slavery, she had been commanded to do the task alone while the others watched in silence. They, of course had to wait until she was finished before they could eat.
Breakfast involved waiting in a seemingly endless line to receive a tiny portion of nearly inedible gruel. It was hard to believe, but she had actually eaten better food on the streets before she had been captured. The one thing this slop had going for it was that she had been given a portion each morning so far. She didn't have to wonder if she was going to starve to death before she managed to get her next meal.
Once breakfast was finished, tasks were assigned, and the slaves dispersed. Kirei and the group she slept with were held back. Their task was to clear away all of the dishes, wash them, and then polish them until they shone like new. The small group of girls each took as many dishes as they dared carry, and headed into the kitchen to begin. Some were punished harshly for "laziness" when they only picked up a few dishes. Kirei was one of these. One of the masters yanked her aside, screamed at her as he pointed out her error, then hit her as hard as he could with his cane seventy five times before giving her a rough shove, and ordering her back to her task. Others were punished even more harshly for taking too many dishes at once, though, so there appeared to be no right way to clear the dishes. And when one girl dared to accidentally drop a dish, she was whipped for the crime.
When the tables had been cleared, the dishes still had to be washed. With no direction as to how the masters wanted it done, Kirei hesitantly picked up a plate, and dunked it into the sink filled with soapy water. The water was scalding hot, and she cried out in pain when it burned her hands. This earned her another "lesson" about the value of working in silence no matter what the circumstances, and not drawing attention to herself. The punishment for her failure was for the master overseeing them to hold her hands in the scalding hot water for several agonizingly long bits before allowing her to go back to her task. By the time she was finished, her hands were burned, and blistered from the heat.