Slave Knight

A Day as a Slave

Yule awoke to the blaring of her alarm clock and looked around in confusion. For a second, she was five years old again, at the fall of Rex. Then, she shook her head to clear her thoughts. That had been ten years ago now.

"Yule, don't just stare into space!" Maryell exclaimed. "Get up and get dressed, or you'll get in trouble."

Yule nodded and stood. She was nude, save for her bronze slave collar, as all the slaves slept. She didn't care. Modesty had been beaten out of her years ago. So, she calmly walked to the end of her bed, where the chest of her meager belongings lay. She took out her plain white slave gown and slid into it.

She followed the other slaves out of the room and too the Great Hall, where the day's tasks would be assigned. They all lined up. A bored looking woman looked at a clipboard and went down the line assigning jobs. She would say each slave's name followed by their task for the day. Yule had heard that saying their names was supposed to make the slaves feel closer and more loyal to their masters.

Yule tuned out most of the assigning save for Maryell, who was assigned kitchen duty.

Then, the woman got to Yule.

"Yule, cleaning," she said.

The woman then addressed the whole group.

"Remember, we have a banquet tonight to celebrate the conquest of Storen tonight," she said. "So, be sure to do your jobs extra well and extra fast. Everything needs to be done by eight o'clock tonight."

"Yes, Ma'am," said all the slaves in unison.

"Now, get to work."

Yule went to the cleaning supplies cabinet and grabbed a mop and a bucket to fill with water. Once it was filled, she went about mopping the floors. She was so concerned with mopping the floors, that she failed to see the young man walking toward her and accidentally tripped him with her mop.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Yule exclaimed. "I didn't see you and no one is usually up this early! Please forgive me, my lord!"

Yule bowed low to express her sorrow.

"It's fine," said the young man, a couple years older than her. "Raise your head."

Yule did as she was told and got a better look at the man. He was about six feet tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was clean shaven. Yule avoided eye contact without permission, as she had been taught.

"Hmm, you're not bad to look at," he said, "Will you be working the banquet tonight?"

"I haven't been told, my lord," Yule said.

"Well, I want you there, I'll be sure to inform the slave keeper."

Yule didn't know who the young man was, but he was clearly high ranking. Yule didn't care for him increasing her workload, but all she said was, "I am honored, my lord."

"For now, get back to cleaning."

"Yes, my lord."

Yule resumed her mopping with increased fervor to make up for lost time. The man rounded a corner and left. Once she was done mopping, Yule returned to the supply cabinet. She noted that the duster was gone, so somebody else must have been dusting.

"Yule," said the slave keeper's voice.

Yule turned to face the man and looked down at the floor.

"The prince has requested you wait tables at the banquet tonight," he said. "As such, you may abandon your current task and rest to prepare yourself."

"Yes, sir," Yule replied.

She made her way back to the slave quarters, where she took a shower, then went to bed for a nap.