Chereads / Moonlit Prophecy: Bound by Fate / Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Elara's Struggle

Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Elara's Struggle

Elara had been working in the fields for a week now, her body aching from the relentless labor. She could feel herself losing weight, her once-filled-out curves now gaunt and frail. Her hands were blistered and bleeding, but she continued to work diligently, driven by the fear of the overseers' whips.

She was working next to the nameless slave, the one who had helped her so much since her arrival. He was a towering figure, his muscles rippling with strength as he toiled under the hot sun. The sweat glistened on his skin, highlighting the sheer power he possessed. Despite his imposing appearance, he had been kind to her, completing his work and helping with hers whenever he could.

A wave of dizziness washed over Elara, and she shook her head, trying to fight it off. She had been feeling this way for days, with no clue what was wrong. She slowed down, struggling to keep upright and not pass out. Glancing over at the nameless slave, she tried to keep her predicament a secret. She already felt guilty about how much he helped her and didn't want to burden him further.

As she watched him, she couldn't help but notice how handsome he was. His strong jawline, the intensity in his eyes, and the way his muscles moved with each swing of the shovel. He was a force of nature, and she found herself drawn to him despite their dire circumstances.

Suddenly, her vision blurred, and she lost her battle to stay upright. She collapsed to the ground, her vision coming in and out of focus. Panic surged through her as she remembered the slave who had been whipped to death for collapsing. She could hear the overseers yelling, their voices filled with anger and contempt.

"Get up, you worthless bitch!" one of them shouted, his voice cutting through the haze of her consciousness. "You think you can just lie there and do nothing? Get up!"

Elara tried to move, but her body wouldn't respond. She heard the crack of a whip and braced herself for the pain, but it never came. Her mind spiraled into blank nothingness, the world fading away as she lost consciousness.

 

 

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Elara's eyes fluttered open, the harsh sunlight blinding her as she struggled to regain her bearings. Dizzy and disoriented, she could hear the whip cracking over and over, accompanied by the overseers' furious shouts.

"You worthless mutt!" one of them bellowed. "You think you can defy me? Move!"

The whip cracked again, the sound echoing in her ears. Elara's vision slowly came back into focus, and she managed to sit up, her body trembling with effort. What she saw left her horrified and overwhelmed with a wave of emotions.

The nameless slave was kneeling, hunched over, taking each laceration without betraying the pain he was in. Each crack of the whip ripped more flesh open on his already scarred skin, gouging deeper and deeper, yet he made no noise and never screamed. Elara was confused why they were lashing him and not her, while all the other slaves stood silently, watching the gruesome scene take place.

"Try to stop me again, and you'll wish for this instead of what I'll do to you," one of the overseers screamed at the nameless slave, his voice filled with venom.

Elara's heart pounded in her chest, a mixture of fear and guilt washing over her. She had caused this. He was being punished for her weakness. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched the scene unfold, the overseers' shouts and the crack of the whip filling her with dread.

The last thing she heard before darkness claimed her once more was the crack of the whip and the overseers' cruel laughter, a haunting reminder of the nightmare they were trapped in.