Chapter One
Blood, Sweat and Tears

T'eyltar wipes sweat off her brow as we pull the Alleut Berries off of the Alleut plant. It is hot where we are. The sun beats down on my bare neck, and I am thankful T'eyltar cut my hair.
I throw the vivid red berries into my sack that is tied firmly around my waist. It will not fall like last picking.
We work in silence. Master G'ueylue phohibited speaking during work after he heard Furnlen and S'rye laughing about his round, red tomato nose while they cleaned the pans last month. I smile at the thought, even though I know I shouldn't. Furnlen and S'rye got a horrible whip lashing for that. My grin his wiped off my face and I focus intently on making sure that all of the ripe Alleut Berries are off the plant.
It is a tricky task. Alleut plants are thorny all over the stalk, and my hands are scarred from the many times that me and my comrads have been set on picking.
T'eyltar and I are the only ones on this row of Alleuts, but I know that there are nearly twenty other slaves that are picking on other rows.
T'eyltar has been here since she was seven years old, and she is now seventeen. She told me the first time that we worked together that the rows may seem endless at first, but if I dream or sing, they will seem shorter. We used to sing and laugh while we worked, but now there was silence. So we dream instead. After we are done for the night, we usually go and tell each other our dreams. Oh! I need to think up a good dream for T'eyltar, I think.
I wish to close my eyes, for I always dream better in darkness, but I do not want to get scratched or miss any Alleut Berries.
I dream of freedom. I am standing on the cloud, where the wind blows ever so gently and quietly at my face. The cloud is fluffy and soft, soothing my always aching feet. I look around me, and there is a bright blue sky staring down upon me. Behind me there is sun, but I do not feel its painful rays. T'eyltar floats up beside me, appearing from nowhere. Her freckled face appears to be glowing, and she smiles big. Her green eyes are full of joy. Instead of her usual, baggy, torn clothes, she is clothed in the outfittings suiting for a princess. She sports a sleeveless, wrapped shirt that is a bright magenta and deep purple. Her skirt is the same. I clap and sing with joy. I do not wish to go back to my real life, I am really quite fond of this dream.
"J'uniea, Master G'ueylue is inspecting," hissed T'eyltar in my ear. I snap out of my fantasy with a start. I straighten up and back away from our row of Alleuts, clasping my sweating hands behind my back nervously.
Master G'ueylue comes along our row. His beady black eyes scan everything critically. His hands are clasped loosely behind his back, and his bushy gray mustache twitches every once and awhile. Master G'ueylue never smiles, so T'eyltar and I can never tell if he is satisfied or not.
My eyes nervously follow his face, trying hard to see any expression. I do not have success.
At last, Master G'ueylue straightens up and faces me and T'eyltar.
"Who is picking these plants?" he asks coldly, pointing to a group of Alleuts that I must have picked while I was daydreaming.
Trembling, I raise my hand.
"You have not gotten all of the berries," he said. His calmness was much worse than him shouting at me.
I bow deeply. "I-I-I am sorry, sir. It will not happen again, sir," I murmur, staying down.
"Rise," Master G'ueylue commands. I do, but I keep my head bowed. "Do you realize the consquences of you mistake, girl?" he asks.
I shake my head.
"Well, I suppose a good whipping would be sutible, do you not agree?"
I swallow. "Yes, sir. That would be very sutible, sir," I say. I am near tears.
"No! No, Master G'ueylue! I-" T'eyltar swallows, "I picked those, not J'uniea."
I gape at her. What is she thinking?
Master G'ueylue's face reddens tremendously. "I will not be lied to!" he barks, his hands balling into fists. T'eyltar and I cower, each clutching one another's arms.
"Y-you are n-not being lied to, sir! J-J'uniea m-m-made a mistake," stuttered T'eyltar, still digging her thumbnail into my arm.
"Master, T'eyltar, she is feeling disoriented from the heat, please forgive-" I begin.
"I shall just punish you both then!" said Master G'ueylue sharply, his little bug eyes full of malice.
T'eyltar and I both cringe. Then we begin bowing deeply, murmuring our agreement regretfully. We follow Master G'ueylue out of the crop fields and into the main yard.