Safra accepted the food somberly, not even noticing where the browned leaves had been tugged from the lettuce. She didn't start a tirade and, in fact, barely spoke at all. Valina was about to ask if the cook felt all right when Safra pointed towards the door. "They're waiting for you."

"Who's waiting for me?" Valina barely got to finish her statement. When she stepped through the door, she found two large, strong overseers. Each seized one of her arms and wordlessly dragged her into a nearby room. There, she saw Law'a, the head overseer. In one hand, he held a bundle of handkerchiefs. Inside was a crumpled lump of bread.

"And what is the meaning of this?" Law'a demanded, frostily.

"I don't know, sir." she let her face go blank.

"Don't play stupid with me!" he shouted. "I found it in a hole in your mattress! Where did you get it from?"

"I stole it." Valina said, automatically. She'd not drag Cinna into this.

"Wrong again." the man nodded towards the overseers, who thrust her onto a center table. The hard wood pressed against her chest as one overseer held her down and the other pulled her dress up her back. "Bring in the other one."

A moment later, Cinna joined Valina, slumped against the table, bottom bared. "I'm sorry, Valina." the other slave girl wailed, miserably. "I had to tell them."

Out of the corner of her eye, Valina could see the fresh strap marks on her friend's back and shoulders. She didn't blame Cinna and said so. "It's all right."

"See if you still think stealing is all right when I'm done with you!" Law'a roared. He brought the strap down against Valina's raised bottom, harshly.

Valina tried to take it silently, but bravado left her quickly. The strap kept coming, biting into her bare skin fiercely. Soon, she couldn't feel the individual strokes; they all blended together in a haze of burning pain. Back and forth the strap went, striking first Valina and then Cinna. Their shrieks and sobs merged as their hands struggled to hold the table.

"Are you learning your lesson, huh?" Law'a shouted as he whipped them. "Stupid thieves! Liars! Slaves!"

A quiet, girlish voice interrupted the punishment. "What's going on?"

"This is no place for a woman!" Law'a declared, before turning around. Then he fell to one knee and said, "My Lady."

Valina dared to turn a bit to look, but she couldn't see much through her watery eyes.

"You may rise." the voice said, as though unfamiliar with such behavior. "But what is happening?"

"The slaves are being punished, Deen." now the Lord's voice joined the girl's. "It's nothing to worry yourself about."

"What did they do?" she asked, curiously.

"They stole from the kitchens." Law'a reported, once his master gave him the okay to speak.

"May I see them?"

Law'a's hand seized the back of Valina's dress, yanking her up. "On your knees before your mistress, you worthless slaves."

They both kneeled obediently, grateful for the pause in their discipline. Valina kept her eyes low, but risked a few quick peeks up at the young woman. She looked so familiar...

The Lord's future wife put one finger under Valina's chin and pushed it upwards. She studied the slave for a moment, then said, "I know what you can get me for an engagement present, my Lord."

"Anything you'd like, my Lady." the Lord said, smiling.

"I want this slave."

And as the Lord agreed to the deal, Valina suddenly realized who his wife-to-be was.

She'd just been given to Mridina.