Natalie"Ahh, I'm so tired," one of the girls whined continuously.Frigid water soaked through my threadbare shoes as I scrubbed the massive courtyard stones on hands and knees. We all are, but we have to be Strong, whining gets you nowhere.Around me other slaves carried out their own tedious chore under the watchful eyes of the guards.My knuckles were cracked and bleeding, but I barely felt it anymore. After months here, pain and discomfort had become basic background noise, easily ignored.Finishing my section, I sat back on my heels with a soft sigh, swiping grimy hair off my forehead. The feeble morning sun held no trace of warmth, but beads of sweat still trickled down my neck from exertion. I would likely never be fully warm or dry here. One of the wolf guards glanced my way, lips curling at my bedraggled state. "Back to work, slave," he growled, cracking his whip menacingly. "No rest until every inch shines."Jaw clenched, I bent my head and resumed scouring, scrubbing unti
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